2 Kings 1

2Ki 1:1.

MOAB

REBELS.

1. Then Moab rebelled--Subdued by David

(2Sa 8:2),

they had, in the partition of Israel and Judah, fallen to the share of

the former kingdom. But they took advantage of the death of Ahab to

shake off the yoke (see on

2Ki 3:6).

The casualty that befell Ahaziah

[2Ki 1:2]

prevented his taking active measures for suppressing this revolt, which

was accomplished as a providential judgment on the house of Ahab for

all these crimes.

2Ki 1:2-8.

AHAZIAH'S

JUDGMENT BY

ELIJAH.

2-8. Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber--This

lattice was either a part of the wooden parapet, or fence, which

surrounds the flat roofs of houses, and over which the king was

carelessly leaning when it gave way; or it might be an opening like a

skylight in the roof itself, done over with lattice-work, which, being

slender or rotten, the king stepped on and slipped through. This latter

supposition is most probably the true one, as Ahaziah did not fall

either into the street or the court, but "in his upper chamber."

inquire of Baalzebub--Anxious to learn whether he should recover from

the effects of this severe fall, he sent to consult Baalzebub, that is,

the god of flies, who was considered the patron deity of medicine. A

temple to that idol was erected at Ekron, which was resorted to far and

wide, though it afterwards led to the destruction of the place

(Zec 9:5;

Am 1:8;

Zep 2:4).

"After visiting Ekron, 'the god of flies' is a name that gives me no

surprise. The flies there swarmed, in fact so innumerably, that I could

hardly get any food without these troublesome insects getting into it"

[VAN DE VELDE].

3. the angel of the Lord--not an angel, but the angel, who

carried on all communications between the invisible God and His chosen

people [HENGSTENBERG].

This angel commissioned Elijah to meet the

king's messengers, to stop them peremptorily on the idolatrous errand,

and convey by them to the king information of his approaching death.

This consultation of an idol, being a breach of the fundamental law of

the kingdom

(Ex 20:3;

De 5:7),

was a daring and deliberate rejection of the national religion. The

Lord, in making this announcement of his death, designed that he should

see in that event a judgment for his idolatry.

4. Thou shalt not come down from that bed--On being taken up, he had

probably been laid on the divan--a raised frame, about three feet

broad, extended along the sides of a room, covered with cushions and

mattresses--serving, in short, as a sofa by day and a bed by night, and

ascended by steps.

Elijah departed--to his ordinary abode, which was then at Mount

Carmel

(2Ki 2:25;

1Ki 18:42).

5. the messengers turned back--They did not know the stranger; but

his authoritative tone, commanding attitude, and affecting message

determined them at once to return.

8. an hairy man--This was the description not of his person, as in the

case of Esau, but of his dress, which consisted either of unwrought

sheep or goatskins

(Heb 11:37),

or of camel's haircloth--the coarser manufacture of this material like

our rough haircloth. The Dervishes and Bedouins are attired in this

wild, uncouth manner, while their hair flows loose on the head, their

shaggy cloak is thrown over their shoulders and tied in front on the

breast, naked, except at the waist, round which is a skin girdle--a

broad, rough leathern belt. Similar to this was the girdle of the

prophets, as in keeping with their coarse garments and their stern,

uncompromising office.

2Ki 1:9-16.

ELIJAH

BRINGS

FIRE FROM

HEAVEN ON

AHAZIAH'S

MESSENGERS.

9. Then the king sent unto him a captain of fifty--Any appearance of

cruelty that there is in the fate of the two captains and their men

will be removed, on a full consideration of the circumstances. God

being the King of Israel, Ahaziah was bound to govern the kingdom

according to the divine law; to apprehend the Lord's prophet, for

discharging a commanded duty, was that of an impious and notorious

rebel. The captains abetted the king in his rebellion; and they

exceeded their military duty by contemptuous insults.

man of God--In using this term, they either spoke derisively, believing

him to be no true prophet; or, if they regarded him as a true prophet,

the summons to him to surrender himself bound to the king was a still

more flagrant insult; the language of the second captain being worse

than that of the first.

10. let fire come down--rather, "fire shall come down." Not to avenge a

personal insult of Elijah, but an insult upon God in the person of His

prophet; and the punishment was inflicted, not by the prophet, but by

the direct hand of God.

15, 16. he arose, and went down with him--a marvellous instance of

faith and obedience. Though he well knew how obnoxious his presence was

to the king, yet, on receiving God's command, he goes unhesitatingly,

and repeats, with his own lips, the unwelcome tidings conveyed by the

messengers.

2Ki 1:17, 18.

AHAZIAH

DIES, AND

IS

SUCCEEDED BY

JEHORAM.

17. Jehoram--The brother of Ahaziah

(see on

2Ki 3:1).