Ahaziah of Israel Sends to Baal-zebub
The king falls through the lattice of his upper chamber and sends to inquire about his fate — not of the God of Israel, but of a god of Ekron. The answer reaches him before his messengers return.
Ahaziah, son of Ahab and Jezebel, reigned two years. He fell through the lattice of his upper chamber in Samaria and took to his bed. He sent messengers to Baal-zebub, the god of Philistine Ekron: "Shall I recover from this illness?"
Elijah met them on the road and turned them back with the question that in this book sounds like a verdict: "Is there no God in Israel, that you go to inquire of Baal-zebub?" From the description — "a hairy man, with a leather belt around his waist" — the king knew who it was.
What follows is a scene repeated three times: a captain of fifty comes with his fifty to fetch the prophet. The first demands, "Man of God, the king says: come down." The second repeats it. The third falls on his knees and begs for his own life and his men's — and lives. Elijah goes down with him himself.
Ahaziah died childless and was succeeded by his brother Jehoram. It was in his reign that Moab, tributary to Israel since the days of Omri, revolted — the same rebellion told from the other side on the Mesha Stele.
Sources
Tanakh
- Melachim II 1:2–8 — the fall through the lattice and the messengers to Baal-zevuv
- Melachim II 1:9–16 — the three captains of fifty and Eliyahu's descent
- Melachim II 3:4–5 — the revolt of Moav after Achav's death
Basis: stated in the Tanakh.
People and places
Ahaziah of Israel · Elijah the Prophet · Ahab · Samaria · Kings