2 Kings 1:16

2 Kings 1:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to enquire of Baal–zebub 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.
• New International Version (NIV)He told the king, “This is what the Lord says: Is it because there is no God in Israel for you to consult that you have sent messengers to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron? Because you have done this, you will never leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!”
• English Standard Version (ESV)and said to him, "Thus says the Lord, 'Because you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron—is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word?—therefore you shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.'"
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then he said to him, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Because you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of His word? Therefore you shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.’ ”

Context of 2 Kings 1:16

14See how the fire from heaven came down and destroyed the first two groups. But now please spare my life!” 15Then the angel of the Lord said to Elijah, “Go down with him, and don’t be afraid of him.” So Elijah got up and went with him to the king. And Elijah said to the king, “This is what the Lord says: Why did you send messengers to Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, to ask whether you will recover? Is there no God in Israel to answer your question? Therefore, because you have done this, you will never leave the bed you are lying on; you will surely die.” 17So Ahaziah died, just as the Lord had promised through Elijah. Since Ahaziah did not have a son to succeed him, his brother Joram became the next king. This took place in the second year of the reign of Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah. 18The rest of the events in Ahaziah’s reign and everything he did are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.

2 Kings 1:16 word by word

וַיְדַבֵּ֨ר אֵלָ֜יו כֹּֽה־אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה יַ֜עַן אֲשֶׁר־שָׁלַ֣חְתָּ מַלְאָכִים֮ לִדְרֹשׁ֮ בְּבַ֣עַל זְבוּב֮ אֱלֹהֵ֣י עֶקְרוֹן֒ הַֽמִבְּלִ֤י אֵין־אֱלֹהִים֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לִדְרֹ֖שׁ בִּדְבָר֑וֹ לָ֠כֵן הַמִּטָּ֞ה אֲשֶׁר־עָלִ֥יתָ שָּׁ֛ם לֹֽא־תֵרֵ֥ד מִמֶּ֖נָּה כִּֽי־מ֥וֹת תָּמֽוּת׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And he saidדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• unto him, Thus saithאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• Forasmuch as thou hast sentשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
• messengersמַלְאָךְmal'âk · messengerH4397
• to enquireדָּרַשׁdârash · to seekH1875
• of Baal–zebubבַּעַל זְבוּבba‛al zebûb · Baal-zebubH1176
• the godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• of Ekronעֶקְרוֹן‛eqrôn · EkronH6138
• in Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• of his wordדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
• therefore thou shalt not come downיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
• off that bedמִטָּהmiţţâh · bedH4296
• on which thou art gone upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
• but shalt surelyמוּתmûth · to dieH4191

Cross-references for 2 Kings 1:16

• 2 Kings 1:3But the angel of the Lord told Elijah, who was from Tishbe, “Go and confront the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, ‘Is there no God in Israel? Why are you going to Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, to ask whether the king will recover?
• Exodus 4:22Then you will tell him, ‘This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son.
• 1 Kings 14:6So when Ahijah heard her footsteps at the door, he called out, “Come in, wife of Jeroboam! Why are you pretending to be someone else?” Then he told her, “I have bad news for you.
• 1 Kings 21:18“Go down to meet King Ahab of Israel, who rules in Samaria. He will be at Naboth’s vineyard in Jezreel, claiming it for himself.
• 1 Kings 22:28But Micaiah replied, “If you return safely, it will mean that the Lord has not spoken through me!” Then he added to those standing around, “Everyone mark my words!”
• Exodus 8:24And the Lord did just as he had said. A thick swarm of flies filled Pharaoh’s palace and the houses of his officials. The whole land of Egypt was thrown into chaos by the flies.
• Genesis 49:4But you are as unruly as a flood, and you will be first no longer. For you went to bed with my wife; you defiled my marriage couch.
• Psalms 132:3“I will not go home; I will not let myself rest.

Commentaries on 2 Kings 1:16

• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-18Verses 9-18 Elijah called for fire from heaven, to consume the haughty, daring sinners; not to secure himself, but to prove his mission, and to reveal the wrath of God from heaven, against the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. Elijah did this by a Divine impulse, yet our Saviour would not allow the disciples to do the like, Lu 9:54. The dispensation of the Spirit and of grace by no means allowed it. Elijah was concerned for God's glory, those for…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16Is there really no God in Israel: God's message to Ahaziah stayed the same (see 2 Kings 1:3–4).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 15-1615-16. 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.Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Kings 1:16

• Baal-Zebub
• Elijah
• Prophecy

In the dictionaries

• Baal
• Ekron
• God
• Israel
• Baalzebub
• Elijah
• Recover
• Baal (1)
• Bible, the
• Canon of the Old Testament

Commentaries on 2 Kings 1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings