2Kings 1:1 ¶ Then Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab.
This book opens with a seemingly random statement declaring that Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab. Commentators note that they had been under tribute to Israel since the time of David.
Note: The books of Kings are one in the Hebrew Bible.
2Kings 1:2 And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go, enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease.
“lattice” = Any work of wood or metal, made by crossing laths, or thin strips, and forming a network; as, the lattice of a window….
“sick” – The Hebrew includes the thought of being wounded.
With this verse we pick up the narrative from the end of 1Kings with Ahaziah’s two-year reign over Israel. After looking at the Hebrew, it seems that one day Ahaziah fell through a lattice of some sort in the upper floor in his palace in Samaria. His injury was so severe that he feared he was dying. So he sent messengers to go and inquire of Baalzebub, the god of Ekron, as to whether he would recover.
Baalzebub = lord of the flies
2Kings 1:3 But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron?
2Kings 1:4 Now therefore thus saith the LORD, Thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. And Elijah departed.
The LORD sent an angel to tell Elijah the Tishbite to go and meet the king’s messengers with the following message (my paraphrase): Why are you seeking Baalzebub, the god of Ekron, instead of the God of Israel? Your actions have incurred judgment. You will die.
Then Elijah left.
I liked Guzik’s observation: “Ahaziah did not seek help from the real God; therefore he will get no real help.”
2Kings 1:5 And when the messengers turned back unto him, he said unto them, Why are ye now turned back?
2Kings 1:6 And they said unto him, There came a man up to meet us, and said unto us, Go, turn again unto the king that sent you, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that thou sendest to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron? therefore thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.
2Kings 1:7 And he said unto them, What manner of man was he which came up to meet you, and told you these words?
2Kings 1:8 And they answered him, He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.
When the messengers returned to the king so quickly, he wanted to know why. They told him that a man had intercepted them with a message for the king; they then relayed the message from Elijah.
The king asked them to describe the man that gave them this message. They replied that he was a hairy man wearing a leather girdle around his waist. Ahaziah knew it was Elijah.
I liked this observation from the NIV Commentary: “The secret mission and the hidden desires of the royal chambers were not unknown to the true King of the universe. What an awesome realization that must have been for Ahaziah!”
2Kings 1:9 ¶ 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.
2Kings 1:10 And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.
2Kings 1:11 Again also he sent unto him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And he answered and said unto him, O man of God, thus hath the king said, Come down quickly.
2Kings 1:12 And Elijah answered and said unto them, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.
Did the message from the LORD cause Ahaziah to fall down in humility and repentance? No. He was determined to punish the prophet that delivered the message.
Isn’t it interesting that Ahaziah sent a couple of messengers to seek the counsel of Baalzebub. He deemed it necessary, however, to send a captain and his 50 men to go and get the prophet of God. It’s like he thought that 51 men could overpower the prophet that served Almighty God.
The captain and his 50 men went to get Elijah and bring him to the king. When the captain came to Elijah, he was sitting on top of a hill. The captain ordered “the man of God” to come down by the order of the king. It’s interesting that he chose to command the prophet rather than attempt to take hold of him physically. So, maybe his address was a show of bravado to cover his fear of God’s prophet.
Elijah answered by declaring that to prove him to be a man of God, fire would come down from heaven and consume him and his men. And it did!
Ahaziah was not deterred. He sent yet another captain with 50 men to go and get Elijah. Their encounter with Elijah mirrored the encounter of the first group.
JFB makes a good observation regarding the judgment of fire from heaven: “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.”
2Kings 1:13 And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, O man of God, I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight.
2Kings 1:14 Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and burnt up the two captains of the former fifties with their fifties: therefore let my life now be precious in thy sight.
2Kings 1:15 And the angel of the LORD said unto Elijah, Go down with him: be not afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with him unto the king.
The king was obviously a slow learner. He sent yet another captain with his 50 men to go and get Elijah. This captain was smarter than his predecessors. When he came to Elijah, he fell on his knees before him and begged him to spare his life and the lives of his men. He admitted that he was aware of how the previous two contingents of soldiers had died and begged again for his life to spared.
The angel of the LORD told Elijah to go without fear with the soldier. So Elijah went with the captain to see the king.
What a change from the cowardly prophet that ran in fear from the threat of Jezebel!
2Kings 1:16 And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron, is it not because there is no God in Israel to enquire of his word? therefore thou shalt not come down off that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.
2Kings 1:17 So he died according to the word of the LORD which Elijah had spoken. And Jehoram reigned in his stead in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah; because he had no son.
2Kings 1:18 Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
Elijah then delivered the LORD’s message to the king personally. He again stated that because Ahaziah had sent messengers to seek the counsel of Baalzebub, the god of Ekron, instead of seeking the counsel of the LORD God of Israel, he would surely die. And the king died according to the word of the LORD spoken by Elijah.
Jehoram (aka Joram), his brother, succeeded him to the throne because he did not have a son.
2 Kings 3:1 “Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years.
This occurred during the second year of the reign of Jehoshaphat’s son Jehoram in Judah.
Obviously, there is a discrepancy between the two verses regarding when Jehoram began his reign. Clarke quotes this explanation from Dr. Lightfoot: “But the reason why both their sons came thus into their thrones in their lifetime, and both in the same year, was because their fathers, Jehoshaphat and Ahab, were both engaged in the war against the Syrians about Ramoth-gilead: and while they were providing for it, and carrying it on, they made their sons viceroys, and set them to reign in their stead, while they were absent or employed upon that expedition."
The record closes on Ahaziah with a note that more about him was written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel (not scripture).
2Kings 2:1 ¶ And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.
2Kings 2:2 And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said unto him, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel.
The time came that Elijah knew that his time of ministry was ending. As we continue to read, it also seems clear that he knew the LORD was going to take him away in a miraculous way. The writer is recording past events and notes that it would be through a whirlwind—e.g., a hurricane or tornado.
As the two prophets headed out of Gilgal, Elijah told Elisha to stay because the LORD had told him to go to Bethel. Elisha declared in the name of the living LORD that as long as Elijah lived, he would not leave him. So they both went to Bethel.
2Kings 2:3 And the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.
2Kings 2:4 And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho.
When they came to Bethel, the sons of the prophets in that city came to Elisha and asked him if he knew that the LORD was going to take Elijah away from him that very day. Elisha answered that he did know it and asked them not to say any more about it.
It seems that the LORD had not only told Elijah that this was his last day of ministry, He had also informed Elisha and many other of the prophets. Maybe the purpose was to establish a platform to affirm Elisha as Elijah’s successor to the other prophets.
Elijah then told Elisha that he should stay in Bethel because the LORD had told him to go to Jericho. Again, Elisha declared that he would not leave Elijah as long as he was alive. So they both went to Jericho.
2Kings 2:5 And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.
2Kings 2:6 And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the LORD hath sent me to Jordan. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on.
2Kings 2:7 And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and they two stood by Jordan.
2Kings 2:8 And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground.
As in Bethel, the sons of the prophets in Jericho came to Elisha and asked him if he knew that the LORD was going to take Elijah away from him that day. He answered them the same as he did the prophets in Bethel.
Elijah then declared his intention to go to the Jordan River at the LORD’s command and urged Elisha to stay in Jericho. Again, Elisha refused to be separated from Elijah.
Why did Elijah keep telling Elisha to stay behind? Was it some sort of commitment test?
We are told that 50 of the sons of the prophets watched from afar as the two prophets stood by the Jordan River. Elijah took off his mantle or robe, folded it and struck the waters of the river. The waters divided so that the prophets could cross over on dry ground.
I read some commentators that likened Elijah’s mantle to the rod of Moses and stating that it had “the divinely operating power of the Spirit.” I agree that the two were similar, but I disagree that the objects were empowered. I believe that it was the faith of the two prophets that was the power behind the miracles accomplished using both objects.
2Kings 2:9 ¶ And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.
2Kings 2:10 And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.
2Kings 2:11 And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
2Kings 2:12 And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.
After they had crossed the river, Elijah turned to Elisha and asked what he would like him to do for him before he was taken away. Elisha was ready with an answer; he wanted to receive a double portion of Elijah’s spirit. I remember hearing Joe Focht say that he thought this meant that Elisha was asking to be recognized as Elijah’s spiritual heir.
Elijah declared that Elisha had asked a hard thing. He then told Elisha that if he saw him when he was taken away from him, his request would be granted; if he did not see him, it would not be granted.
Suddenly, as they were walking and talking, a chariot of fire pulled by horses of fire, came between them and took Elijah to heaven in a whirlwind.
Elisha saw it and cried out calling Elijah his father (spiritual father is implied) and noting that he saw the chariot of Israel and its horsemen. Then Elijah disappeared from sight.
Elisha took hold of his clothes and tore them in an act of mourning.
Note: I haven’t counted myself, but I have heard it taught that scripture records exactly twice as many miracles by Elisha than were done by Elijah.
2Kings 2:13 ¶ He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan;
2Kings 2:14 And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over.
2Kings 2:15 And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.
2Kings 2:16 And they said unto him, Behold now, there be with thy servants fifty strong men; let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master: lest peradventure the Spirit of the LORD hath taken him up, and cast him upon some mountain, or into some valley. And he said, Ye shall not send.
2Kings 2:17 And when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, Send. They sent therefore fifty men; and they sought three days, but found him not.
2Kings 2:18 And when they came again to him, (for he tarried at Jericho,) he said unto them, Did I not say unto you, Go not?
Elisha picked up Elijah’s robe that had fallen to the ground and returned to the Jordan and struck the waters. As he did so, he asked, “Where is the LORD God of Elijah?” My paraphrase—Are you going to do the same for me as you did for Elijah since I saw when Elijah was taken away?
The waters parted, and Elisha crossed over. When the sons of the prophets of Jericho saw him, they recognized that he had inherited the spirit of Elijah; so they came to meet him and bowed before him.
I like Guzik’s thoughts: “Think of what it was like for Elisha to pick up that mantle. The mantle did not fall from heaven and rest on his shoulders; he had to decide to pick it up and put it on. He had to decide: do I really want to put this on? Elijah’s ministry was one of great power, but also of great pressure and responsibility.”
The prophets identified themselves as Elisha’s servants and asked permission to send 50 strong men to go and look for Elijah in case the Spirit of the LORD that took him away had set him down on some mountain or in some valley. Elisha said no. The prophets persisted in their request so that Elisha began to feel ashamed because he thought they would think him uncaring; so he told them to go.
The men searched for three days but did not find Elijah. When they returned to Jericho to report to him, he reminded them that he never wanted them to go in the first place.
From my studies in prophecy, I believe that Elijah yet has ministry to come on planet earth during the last seven years before Jesus returns to earth to establish His kingdom.
Malachi 4:5 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD….”
I believe he is one of the two witnesses referenced in Revelation.
Revelation 11:3–6 “And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.”
2Kings 2:19 ¶ And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is naught, and the ground barren.
2Kings 2:20 And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they brought it to him.
2Kings 2:21 And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land.
2Kings 2:22 So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake.
The men of Jericho told Elisha that though their city was in a good location, the water was bad and the ground barren of fruit. They obviously wanted him to do something to fix it.
Elisha told them to bring him a new vessel and put salt in it—which they did. He then went to the spring of waters and threw the salt into the spring. He declared that the LORD had healed the waters; it would no more cause death or be unfruitful.
The writer notes that the waters were still good (as of his writing) in accordance with what Elisha had said.
2Kings 2:23 And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.
2Kings 2:24 And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.
2Kings 2:25 And he went from thence to mount Carmel, and from thence he returned to Samaria.
Elisha then left Jericho and headed back to Bethel. Along the way, a group of “little children” came out of the city and mocked him by calling him bald head and telling him to go away. The Hebrew also allows an interpretation of “lowly servants.” In other words, those who should have known better.
Guzik offers some good insight: “The ancient Hebrew word translated youths here means young men in a very broad sense. This term applied to Joseph when he was 39, to Absalom as an adult and to Solomon when he was 20.” My note: These three instances all make use of the same Hebrew word used here in 2Kings.
Genesis 41:10–16 “Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me in ward in the captain of the guard’s house, both me and the chief baker: And we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream. And there was there with us a young man, an Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each man according to his dream he did interpret. And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was; me he restored unto mine office, and him he hanged. Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it. And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.”
2 Samuel 14:21–24 “And the king said unto Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing: go therefore, bring the young man Absalom again. And Joab fell to the ground on his face, and bowed himself, and thanked the king: and Joab said, To day thy servant knoweth that I have found grace in thy sight, my lord, O king, in that the king hath fulfilled the request of his servant. So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see my face. So Absalom returned to his own house, and saw not the king’s face.”
1 Kings 3:6–9 “And Solomon said….And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in. And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?”
The mockers also told Elisha to “go up” twice. After looking at the Hebrew, I thought they just meant go away. Gill has another explanation: “…having heard of Elijah going up to heaven, as was said, they jeeringly bid him go up to heaven after him, and then they should have a good riddance of them both; thus at the same time mocking at him for his baldness, and making a jest of the wondrous work of God, the assumption of Elijah….”
As he passed them, Elisha turned back and cursed them in the name of the LORD. Then two female bears came out of the woods and ripped open 42 of the mockers. (The wording seems to imply that there were even more.)
Elisha continued on his way to Mount Carmel en route to Samaria.
Guzik noted several similarities between the ministries of Moses and Elijah.
They both:
Stood alone for righteousness
Were associated with fire upon mountains
Were associated with the desert
Met God on Sinai
Were chased out of their countries by pagan rulers
Knew Gods miraculous provision for food and water
Wandered in the desert for a period measured by 40
Fasted for 40 days
Were powerful examples of prayer
Parted waters
Had close associates who succeeded them
Had successors that parted waters also
Had mysterious or strange deaths
For what it’s worth—I also think that Moses will be the prophet that serves with Elijah as God’s two witnesses during the tribulation. They were also the two that appeared on the Mount of Transfiguration with Jesus.
Matthew 17:1–3 “And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.” Elias = Elijah