2Ahaziah had fallen through the latticed window of his upper room in Samaria and was injured. So he sent messengers instructing them: "Go inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, if I will recover from this injury."
3But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, "Go and meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, 'Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?
6They replied, "A man came to meet us and said, 'Go back to the king who sent you and declare to him: This is what the LORD says: Is it because there is no God in Israel that you're sending these men to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore, you will not get up from your sickbed--you will certainly die.'"
9So King Ahaziah sent a captain of 50 with his 50 men to Elijah. When the captain went up to him, he was sitting on top of the hill. He announced, "Man of God, the king declares, 'Come down!'"
10Elijah responded to the captain of the 50, "If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your 50 men." Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his 50 men.
11So the king sent another captain of 50 with his 50 men to Elijah. He took in the situation and announced, "Man of God, this is what the king says: 'Come down immediately!'"
12Elijah responded, "If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your 50 men." So a divine fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his 50 men.
13Then the king sent a third captain of 50 with his 50 men. The third captain of 50 went up and fell on his knees in front of Elijah and begged him, "Man of God, please let my life and the lives of these 50 servants of yours be precious in your sight.
14Already fire has come down from heaven and consumed the first two captains of 50 with their fifties, but this time let my life be precious in your sight."
16Then Elijah said to King Ahaziah, "This is what the LORD says: 'Because you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron--is it because there is no God in Israel for you to inquire of His will?--you will not get up from your sickbed; you will certainly die.'"
17Ahaziah died according to the word of the LORD that Elijah had spoken. Since he had no son, Joram became king in his place. This happened in the second year of Judah's King Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat.
