Read the Modern Pastor’s Version

After the death of King Ahab, Moab rebelled against Israel. Meanwhile, Ahaziah fell severely ill after tumbling through a lattice in his upper chamber in Samaria. In a desperate attempt to regain his health, he sent messengers to consult Baalzebub, the god of Ekron.

The angel of the Lord appeared to Elijah and ordered him to confront the king's messengers. "Arise," the angel said, "and go up to meet the messengers from Samaria, telling them, 'Why are you inquiring about God's power when there is a true God in Israel? You're seeking the help of Baalzebub, the god of Ekron instead.'"

The Lord instructed Elijah, "Don't leave the bed where you've been lying; you will surely die." With that warning, Elijah left.

When the messengers returned to Ahaziah, they were met with a man who intercepted them and told them to go back to the king. The messenger relayed this message: "The Lord says, 'Why are you seeking guidance from Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron? This indicates that there is no true God in Israel. As a result, you will not come down from the bed where you've gone up.'"

The messengers asked Elijah who had spoken to them. They described him as a man with long hair and a leather belt around his waist, identifying him as Elijah the Tishbite.

In response to this warning, Ahaziah sent a captain of fifty men with their commander to confront Elijah. The captain spoke boldly: "Man of God, the king has commanded you to come down immediately."

But Elijah stood firm, declaring, "If I am indeed a man of God, then let fire from heaven consume you and your fifty men." And with that, a blaze erupted from above, consuming them all.

The king sent another captain of fifty men, who met a similar fate. This time, when Elijah asked for the same demonstration of divine power, fire came down from heaven once more, engulfing both the commander and his troops.

Undeterred, Ahaziah dispatched a third captain of fifty men. However, this leader fell to his knees before Elijah, begging for mercy: "Man of God, please spare my life and those of these fifty servants."

But even this plea was met with the same fiery response as the previous two attempts. The angel of the Lord then instructed Elijah to accompany the third captain down to Ahaziah's presence.

The Lord spoke through Elijah once more: "You've sought guidance from Baal Zebub, indicating that you don't trust in Israel's true God. As a result, you will not leave this bed; you will surely die."

Tragically, Ahaziah died exactly as the Lord had foretold. His brother Jehoram took the throne, ruling over Israel during his second year of reign – all because there was no other suitable heir.

The rest of Ahaziah's story is recorded in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.