2 Kings 1:9 kjv
Then the king sent unto him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him: and, behold, he sat on the top of an hill. And he spake unto him, Thou man of God, the king hath said, Come down.
2 Kings 1:9 nkjv
Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty men. So he went up to him; and there he was, sitting on the top of a hill. And he spoke to him: "Man of God, the king has said, 'Come down!' "
2 Kings 1:9 niv
Then he sent to Elijah a captain with his company of fifty men. The captain went up to Elijah, who was sitting on the top of a hill, and said to him, "Man of God, the king says, 'Come down!'?"
2 Kings 1:9 esv
Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty men with his fifty. He went up to Elijah, who was sitting on the top of a hill, and said to him, "O man of God, the king says, 'Come down.'"
2 Kings 1:9 nlt
Then he sent an army captain with fifty soldiers to arrest him. They found him sitting on top of a hill. The captain said to him, "Man of God, the king has commanded you to come down with us."
2 Kings 1 9 Cross References
This verse highlights divine protection for prophets, the confrontation between worldly and spiritual authority, and the unwavering power of God's word and His messengers.
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Ki 18:37-39 | "Then the fire of the LORD fell...when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces..." | God's power displayed through Elijah |
| 1 Ki 19:1-3 | "Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done...she sent a messenger to Elijah..." | Earlier royal threats against Elijah |
| 1 Ki 19:4 | "...he went a day's journey into the wilderness and sat down under a broom tree..." | Elijah's previous withdrawal |
| 2 Ki 1:2-4 | "Ahaziah fell through the lattice...Is it because there is no God in Israel that you go to inquire of Baal-Zebub...?" | Ahaziah's offense against God |
| Num 16:29-30 | "If these men die a common death...But if the LORD brings about something new..." | Divine judgment against defiance |
| Isa 55:11 | "So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty..." | Authority of God's spoken word |
| Psa 105:14-15 | "He allowed no one to oppress them; he rebuked kings for their sake, saying, 'Touch not my anointed ones...'" | God protects His chosen servants |
| 1 Chro 21:14 | "...and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men." | Consequences for king's sin |
| Dan 3:28 | "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego...who has sent his angel and delivered his servants..." | God's deliverance from human power |
| Act 5:29 | "But Peter and the apostles answered, 'We must obey God rather than men.'" | Prioritizing God's command over human |
| Matt 10:41 | "Whoever receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet's reward..." | Recognizing God's messenger |
| Matt 21:23-27 | "...'By what authority are you doing these things...?'" | Questioning authority and its source |
| Luke 10:16 | "The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me..." | Rejecting God's messenger rejects God |
| Jer 1:19 | "They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you..." | God's assurance of protection for prophets |
| Jer 23:29 | "Is not my word like fire...and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?" | Power of God's word |
| Zec 4:6 | "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts." | God's work by Spirit, not human force |
| Exo 5:2 | "Pharaoh said, 'Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice...? I do not know the LORD...'" | Kings challenging God's authority |
| Job 5:12 | "He frustrates the devices of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success." | God thwarts human schemes |
| Prov 21:30 | "No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the LORD." | Human plans against God's will fail |
| Psa 2:2-4 | "The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD..." | Kings resisting God |
| 1 Sam 2:27 | "And there came a man of God to Eli..." | Usage of "Man of God" title |
| Deut 33:1 | "This is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the people of Israel..." | Moses as "Man of God" |
2 Kings 1 verses
2 Kings 1 9 Meaning
2 Kings 1:9 describes King Ahaziah's direct action to counter Elijah's prophetic pronouncement. The king, relying on his royal authority and military strength, dispatches a captain with fifty soldiers to compel the prophet Elijah, who is positioned on a mountain, to descend. This verse vividly illustrates the impending clash between an earthly monarch's command and God's divine authority as exercised through His prophet.
2 Kings 1 9 Context
King Ahaziah of Israel, having suffered a severe injury, sought consultation from Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, instead of seeking the Lord. In response, God sent the prophet Elijah to intercept Ahaziah's messengers with a dire prophecy: because of his apostasy, Ahaziah would die. Enraged by this divine condemnation that directly challenged his pagan worship and royal sovereignty, Ahaziah resolved to seize Elijah. This specific verse begins the narrative of the king's military efforts to apprehend the prophet, illustrating his belief that earthly power can subjugate God's messenger and, by extension, God's word. It serves as a precursor to the divine judgment that dramatically unfolds in the following verses, setting the stage for a vivid display of God's power and protection over His chosen one.
2 Kings 1 9 Word analysis
- Then the king sent: Indicates an immediate and authoritative response by King Ahaziah. The "king" here signifies a ruler attempting to impose his will and maintain control over his perceived dominion, including divine messengers.
- to him: Refers specifically to Elijah, who has just delivered a challenging divine message, making him the direct target of the king's punitive action.
- a captain of fifty (שַׂר חֲמִשִּׁים, sar chamishim): This term denotes a military officer commanding a unit of fifty soldiers. It highlights the king's reliance on organized military force, signaling a demonstration of royal power and intent to use force.
- with his fifty: Refers to the accompanying military contingent, reinforcing the king's exertion of military might and numerical superiority to ensure the prophet's apprehension.
- And he went up to him: Describes the action of the captain and his soldiers ascending to Elijah's position. This movement signifies a direct confrontation and a physical challenge to Elijah's seemingly elevated or fortified location.
- and there he was sitting: Elijah's posture conveys calm authority and a lack of fear or urgency. His unhurried state contrasts with the king's frantic reaction and the soldiers' active pursuit, indicating his trust in God's protection.
- on the top of the mountain: This specific location is highly symbolic. Mountains in the Bible are often places of divine encounters, revelation, or judgment (e.g., Mount Sinai, Mount Carmel), emphasizing Elijah's connection to a higher power beyond the king's earthly reach.
- And he said to him,: Introduces the captain's direct address to Elijah, initiating the verbal exchange.
- 'O man of God, (אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים, ish ha'elohim): This respectful title acknowledges Elijah's prophetic office and his divine connection. While appearing deferential, it is ironically juxtaposed with a demanding imperative, exposing the underlying intention to coerce a divinely appointed figure into human submission.
- the king has said,: States the source of the command, emphasizing it originates from the earthly monarch and is backed by his royal authority and power.
- “Come down.”': A direct, imperative command to descend, signifying the king's desire for Elijah to relinquish his position of spiritual authority and come under royal jurisdiction. It is a demand for submission and an assertion of worldly power over prophetic calling.
2 Kings 1 9 Bonus section
- The King's Futile Use of Force: Ahaziah’s strategy reveals his spiritual blindness; he perceives Elijah as merely a disobedient subject rather than an ambassador of the Living God. His deployment of a large military contingent indicates a reliance on earthly power to counter what is inherently a spiritual and divine decree, destined for failure.
- Contrasting Powers: The scene clearly contrasts human political and military power (the king, the captain, the fifty men) with divine power (the man of God on the mountain, whose authority is derived from Yahweh). This distinction prepares the audience for God’s dramatic intervention that is beyond human capability.
- Prophetic Calling: Elijah’s refusal to descend immediately, and his secure position, underscore the independent and uncompromised nature of a true prophet's ministry. He operates under direct divine commission, not subservient to any human king or earthly court.
2 Kings 1 9 Commentary
2 Kings 1:9 presents the dramatic initial standoff between human authority, embodied by King Ahaziah and his military, and divine authority, represented by the prophet Elijah. Ahaziah's choice to dispatch a captain with fifty soldiers illustrates his misplaced faith in military might to enforce his will and override a divine message. Elijah's calm posture "on the top of the mountain" powerfully signifies his reliance on God's sovereignty and his detachment from human threats. The captain's seemingly deferential address, "O man of God," quickly reveals its coercive nature with the imperative "Come down," highlighting the king's attempt to subdue a spiritual figure through physical force. This exchange sets the immediate stage for a demonstration of God's protective power, as He validates His prophet's authority against human defiance, revealing that the ultimate power lies not with any earthly ruler, but with the Almighty God.