Jehoida's Coup to Crown Joash King of Judah

Jehoida the priest was married to the daughter of King Jehoram who saved her nephew Joash, heir to the throne of Judah after his father King Ahaziah, son of Jehoram. So Jehoida who protected young Joash for a while, mounted a coup by gathering the military commanders and the priests. They surrounded the Temple of the LORD and Jehoida anointed Joash as the new king.

Following this, Athaliah was brought out and slain, ending her evil reign. Jehoida recommitted himself, the king and all of Judah to the covenant with God. We can imagine that the evil reign of Athaliah would also have been repressive and dictatorial in many ways. But yet there were still people of God in Judah, that when the time came, Jehoida was able to convince a large group from the military and the priest to join him.


2 Chronicles 23

Joash Crowned King of Judah

 1 In the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and made a covenant with the captains of hundreds: Azariah the son of Jeroham, Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, Azariah the son of Obed, Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri. 2 And they went throughout Judah and gathered the Levites from all the cities of Judah, and the chief fathers of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem.
3 Then all the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And he said to them, “Behold, the king’s son shall reign, as the LORD has said of the sons of David. 4 This is what you shall do: One-third of you entering on the Sabbath, of the priests and the Levites, shall be keeping watch over the doors; 5 one-third shall be at the king’s house; and one-third at the Gate of the Foundation. All the people shall be in the courts of the house of the LORD. 6 But let no one come into the house of the LORD except the priests and those of the Levites who serve. They may go in, for they are holy; but all the people shall keep the watch of the LORD. 7 And the Levites shall surround the king on all sides, every man with his weapons in his hand; and whoever comes into the house, let him be put to death. You are to be with the king when he comes in and when he goes out.”
8 So the Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded. And each man took his men who were to be on duty on the Sabbath, with those who were going off duty on the Sabbath; for Jehoiada the priest had not dismissed the divisions. 9 And Jehoiada the priest gave to the captains of hundreds the spears and the large and small shields which had belonged to King David, that were in the temple of God. 10 Then he set all the people, every man with his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the temple to the left side of the temple, along by the altar and by the temple, all around the king. 11 And they brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, gave him the Testimony,[a] and made him king. Then Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and said, “Long live the king!”

Death of Athaliah
 
12 Now when Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came to the people in the temple of the LORD. 13 When she looked, there was the king standing by his pillar at the entrance; and the leaders and the trumpeters were by the king. All the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets, also the singers with musical instruments, and those who led in praise. So Athaliah tore her clothes and said, “Treason! Treason!”
14 And Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds who were set over the army, and said to them, “Take her outside under guard, and slay with the sword whoever follows her.” For the priest had said, “Do not kill her in the house of the LORD.”
15 So they seized her; and she went by way of the entrance of the Horse Gate into the king’s house, and they killed her there.
16 Then Jehoiada made a covenant between himself, the people, and the king, that they should be the LORD’s people. 17 And all the people went to the temple[b] of Baal, and tore it down. They broke in pieces its altars and images, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. 18 Also Jehoiada appointed the oversight of the house of the LORD to the hand of the priests, the Levites, whom David had assigned in the house of the LORD, to offer the burnt offerings of the LORD, as it is written in the Law of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing, as it was established by David. 19 And he set the gatekeepers at the gates of the house of the LORD, so that no one who was in any way unclean should enter.
20 Then he took the captains of hundreds, the nobles, the governors of the people, and all the people of the land, and brought the king down from the house of the LORD; and they went through the Upper Gate to the king’s house, and set the king on the throne of the kingdom. 21 So all the people of the land rejoiced; and the city was quiet, for they had slain Athaliah with the sword.

Evil Reigns of Ahaziah and Athaliah in Judah

Jehoram's son, Ahaziah, became king of Judah and was also short reigned because of his evil ways. He was influenced by his wicked mother, Athaliah. Ahaziah or Azariah continued the alliance with Israel's kings and went to war against Syria. Judah and Israel then fought against Jehu who was God's instrument to defeat and replace the kings of Israel. Since Ahaziah of Judah was also involved in the war, Jehu killed him to but out of respect for Jehoshaphat, they buried Ahaziah. In that war, many princes and nephews of Ahaziah was also killed.

Any surviving princes not killed in the war with Jehu was killed at home by Ahaziah's mother Athaliah. She took control of the Judah and reigned for six years. There was only one prince, son of Ahaziah, called Joash who was saved by the sister of Ahaziah, Jehoshabeath. Being married to Jehoida the priest, she brought Joash to be raised in the house of God during Athaliah's reign.

It seemed like the evil in the house of Judah meet their ends within a short period, and God preserved the royal blood line. In this case, the surviving heir Joash was hidden in the temple with the priest, which may be God's way of starting afresh, by giving him good teachings.



2 Chronicles 22

Ahaziah Reigns in Judah

 1 Then the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son king in his place, for the raiders who came with the Arabians into the camp had killed all the older sons. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram, king of Judah, reigned. 2 Ahaziah was forty-two[a] years old when he became king, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Athaliah the granddaughter of Omri. 3 He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother advised him to do wickedly. 4 Therefore he did evil in the sight of the LORD, like the house of Ahab; for they were his counselors after the death of his father, to his destruction. 5 He also followed their advice, and went with Jehoram[b] the son of Ahab king of Israel to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth Gilead; and the Syrians wounded Joram. 6 Then he returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds which he had received at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. And Azariah[c] the son of Jehoram, king of Judah, went down to see Jehoram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.
7 His going to Joram was God’s occasion for Ahaziah’s downfall; for when he arrived, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab. 8 And it happened, when Jehu was executing judgment on the house of Ahab, and found the princes of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah’s brothers who served Ahaziah, that he killed them. 9 Then he searched for Ahaziah; and they caught him (he was hiding in Samaria), and brought him to Jehu. When they had killed him, they buried him, “because,” they said, “he is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the LORD with all his heart.”
So the house of Ahaziah had no one to assume power over the kingdom.

Athaliah Reigns in Judah
 
10 Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal heirs of the house of Judah. 11 But Jehoshabeath,[d] the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king’s sons who were being murdered, and put him and his nurse in a bedroom. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest (for she was the sister of Ahaziah), hid him from Athaliah so that she did not kill him. 12 And he was hidden with them in the house of God for six years, while Athaliah reigned over the land.

Jehoram's Evil Reign

Jehoshaphat was succeeded by his son Jehoram who did not follow his father's footsteps. Instead, it was said that he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, such as Ahab. In particular, his wife was the daughter of king Ahab. Although he was firstborn and the kingdom was handed to him, he still killed all his brothers and the other princes.

The LORD held His patience and did not destroy Judah yet, even after the evil done by Jehoram. Instead, the peace was taken away from Judah such that the surrounding nations such as Edom, revolted. Jehoram brought back the altars to the idols and false gods and led his people astray.

The LORD spoke to Elijah to deliver a message to Jehoram that his family would be struck by severe intestinal disease. Before this happened, the LORD also brought the Philistines and the Arabians against Judah and captured some lands and treasure from Judah. His sons and wives were also taken away except Jehoahaz his youngest. Later he developed the exact disease prophesied by Elijah. Unlike the righteous kings, Jehoram's reign was a relatively short eight years. His evil to his nation was such that at his death, there was no great funeral for him and it was "to no one’s sorrow". He was also not buried with the other kings of Judah.



2 Chronicles 21

Jehoram Reigns in Judah

 1 And Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the City of David. Then Jehoram his son reigned in his place. 2 He had brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azaryahu, Michael, and Shephatiah; all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel. 3 Their father gave them great gifts of silver and gold and precious things, with fortified cities in Judah; but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram, because he was the firstborn.
4 Now when Jehoram was established over the kingdom of his father, he strengthened himself and killed all his brothers with the sword, and also others of the princes of Israel.
5 Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. 6 And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done, for he had the daughter of Ahab as a wife; and he did evil in the sight of the LORD. 7 Yet the LORD would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that He had made with David, and since He had promised to give a lamp to him and to his sons forever.
8 In his days Edom revolted against Judah’s authority, and made a king over themselves. 9 So Jehoram went out with his officers, and all his chariots with him. And he rose by night and attacked the Edomites who had surrounded him and the captains of the chariots. 10 Thus Edom has been in revolt against Judah’s authority to this day. At that time Libnah revolted against his rule, because he had forsaken the LORD God of his fathers. 11 Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit harlotry, and led Judah astray.
12 And a letter came to him from Elijah the prophet, saying,
   Thus says the LORD God of your father David:

   Because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father, or in the ways of Asa king of Judah, 13 but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and have made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the harlot like the harlotry of the house of Ahab, and also have killed your brothers, those of your father’s household, who were better than yourself, 14 behold, the LORD will strike your people with a serious affliction—your children, your wives, and all your possessions; 15 and you will become very sick with a disease of your intestines, until your intestines come out by reason of the sickness, day by day.
16 Moreover the LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines and the Arabians who were near the Ethiopians. 17 And they came up into Judah and invaded it, and carried away all the possessions that were found in the king’s house, and also his sons and his wives, so that there was not a son left to him except Jehoahaz,[a] the youngest of his sons.
18 After all this the LORD struck him in his intestines with an incurable disease. 19 Then it happened in the course of time, after the end of two years, that his intestines came out because of his sickness; so he died in severe pain. And his people made no burning for him, like the burning for his fathers.
20 He was thirty-two years old when he became king. He reigned in Jerusalem eight years and, to no one’s sorrow, departed. However they buried him in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.

Syrian King Ben-Hadad Murdered; Jehoram and Ahaziah Evil Kings of Judah

The Shunammite woman whose son Elisha brought back to life, was told by Elisha to leave because there will be a famine for 7 years. She left with her household and came back 7 years later. At that time all her possessions were restored to her by the king.

Elisha was called to tell if the King of Syria would recover from his illness. Elisha told the king's servant Hazael to lie to his master and say he will recover. Elisha also prophesied that Hazael would be king and would be very cruel. The next day Hazael murdered the king and took over the throne.

Jehoshaphat king of Judah was succeeded by his son Jehoram who followed the ways of the kings of Israel and did evil. The Lord was faithful and did not end his line because of his promise to David. Jehoram married Athaliah, the daughter of King Ahab of Israel and granddaughter of Omri. In his reign, Edom and Libnah revolted.

Jehoram's son, Ahaziah, who reigned after him as King of Judah was also evil and his reign was one year only. Ahaziah formed an alliance with Joram King of Israel and they fought against Syria's King Hazael.



2 Kings 8

The King Restores the Shunammite’s Land

 1 Then Elisha spoke to the woman whose son he had restored to life, saying, “Arise and go, you and your household, and stay wherever you can; for the LORD has called for a famine, and furthermore, it will come upon the land for seven years.” 2 So the woman arose and did according to the saying of the man of God, and she went with her household and dwelt in the land of the Philistines seven years.
3 It came to pass, at the end of seven years, that the woman returned from the land of the Philistines; and she went to make an appeal to the king for her house and for her land. 4 Then the king talked with Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, saying, “Tell me, please, all the great things Elisha has done.” 5 Now it happened, as he was telling the king how he had restored the dead to life, that there was the woman whose son he had restored to life, appealing to the king for her house and for her land. And Gehazi said, “My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son whom Elisha restored to life.” 6 And when the king asked the woman, she told him.
So the king appointed a certain officer for her, saying, “Restore all that was hers, and all the proceeds of the field from the day that she left the land until now.”

Death of Ben-Hadad
 
7 Then Elisha went to Damascus, and Ben-Hadad king of Syria was sick; and it was told him, saying, “The man of God has come here.” 8 And the king said to Hazael, “Take a present in your hand, and go to meet the man of God, and inquire of the LORD by him, saying, ‘Shall I recover from this disease?’” 9 So Hazael went to meet him and took a present with him, of every good thing of Damascus, forty camel-loads; and he came and stood before him, and said, “Your son Ben-Hadad king of Syria has sent me to you, saying, ‘Shall I recover from this disease?’”
10 And Elisha said to him, “Go, say to him, ‘You shall certainly recover.’ However the LORD has shown me that he will really die.” 11 Then he set his countenance in a stare until he was ashamed; and the man of God wept. 12 And Hazael said, “Why is my lord weeping?”
He answered, “Because I know the evil that you will do to the children of Israel: Their strongholds you will set on fire, and their young men you will kill with the sword; and you will dash their children, and rip open their women with child.”
13 So Hazael said, “But what is your servant—a dog, that he should do this gross thing?”
And Elisha answered, “The LORD has shown me that you will become king over Syria.”
14 Then he departed from Elisha, and came to his master, who said to him, “What did Elisha say to you?” And he answered, “He told me you would surely recover.” 15 But it happened on the next day that he took a thick cloth and dipped it in water, and spread it over his face so that he died; and Hazael reigned in his place.

Jehoram Reigns in Judah
 
16 Now in the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab, king of Israel, Jehoshaphat having been king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat began to reign as king of Judah. 17 He was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. 18 And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife; and he did evil in the sight of the LORD. 19 Yet the LORD would not destroy Judah, for the sake of His servant David, as He promised him to give a lamp to him and his sons forever.
20 In his days Edom revolted against Judah’s authority, and made a king over themselves. 21 So Joram[a] went to Zair, and all his chariots with him. Then he rose by night and attacked the Edomites who had surrounded him and the captains of the chariots; and the troops fled to their tents. 22 Thus EdomLibnah revolted at that time.
23 Now the rest of the acts of Joram, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 24 So Joram rested with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the City of David. Then Ahaziah his son reigned in his place.


Ahaziah Reigns in Judah
 
25 In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab, king of Israel, Ahaziah the son of Jehoram, king of Judah, began to reign. 26 Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Athaliah the granddaughter of Omri, king of Israel. 27 And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did evil in the sight of the LORD, like the house of Ahab, for he was the son-in-law of the house of Ahab.
28 Now he went with Joram the son of Ahab to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth Gilead; and the Syrians wounded Joram. 29 Then King Joram went back to Jezreel to recover from the wounds which the Syrians had inflicted on him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram, king of Judah, went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.

Moab Rebelled Against Israel

When Ahaziah passed, Jehoram his brother and son of Ahab became King of Israel. In the time of Ahab, Moab had paid tribute to Israel but with Ahab gone and Israel and its second king in two years, Moab rebelled and stopped paying Israel. As evidence of the relationship with Judah at that time, Jehoram was able to seek the support of Judah as well as Edom to form and alliance to war against Moab. Jehoshaphat was still King of Judah and he also had an alliance with Ahab previously.

When Israel, Judah and Edom ventured toward Moab, at one part of the journey they had no water to feed their horses and themselves. Like the all Kings of Israel, Jehoram sin and made Israel sin, even though he took down some idols. As a reflection of his heart toward God, in the middle of the situation, Jehoram exclaimed that perhaps the Lord had brought all three kings out hear to die. Jehoshaphat, as seen before, was always asking the LORD when he was in bad situations. Here he asked if there was any prophet and Elisha was mentioned. So the three kings went to find Elisha.

It is also interesting that the prophets of the LORD don't have high opinions of the Kings of Israel. When Elisha saw the 3 kings, he told Jehoram to go back to his false prophets. To which Jehoram again replied that the Lord had brought them together to destroy them. Elisha, knowing Jehoshaphats relationship with God, said if it were not for the presence of Jehoshaphat he would not have seen them. Elisha prophesied that there will be plenty of water flowing soon and they could be fed again. In addition the LORD had brought them together to defeat Moab and they were to destroy Moab completely.

The next morning the land was filled with water for them, ending their thirst. Moab seeing the reflection of water looked like blood thinking the armies had turned against themselves. So Moab went out on the attack. Instead the three armies easily defeated Moab and destroyed the Moabite cities. The final passage was very curious; when Moab was almost defeated the king of Moab sacrificed his crown prince as a burnt offering on a wall. This was such a great indignation against Israel that they returned to their own land. So it appeared that the 3 armies did not capture nor destroy the King of Moab. It could be that the King of Moab was satisfying his pagan gods and for whatever messages he wanted to send to his enemies. Israel, Judah at least would find this abominable because the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob do not involve his children in human sacrifices.



2 Kings 3

Moab Rebels Against Israel

 1 Now Jehoram the son of Ahab became king over Israel at Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years. 2 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, but not like his father and mother; for he put away the sacred pillar of Baal that his father had made. 3 Nevertheless he persisted in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin; he did not depart from them.
4 Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheepbreeder, and he regularly paid the king of Israel one hundred thousand lambs and the wool of one hundred thousand rams. 5 But it happened, when Ahab died, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.
6 So King Jehoram went out of Samaria at that time and mustered all Israel. 7 Then he went and sent to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, saying, “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?”
And he said, “I will go up; I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” 8 Then he said, “Which way shall we go up?”
And he answered, “By way of the Wilderness of Edom.”
9 So the king of Israel went with the king of Judah and the king of Edom, and they marched on that roundabout route seven days; and there was no water for the army, nor for the animals that followed them. 10 And the king of Israel said, “Alas! For the LORD has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.”
11 But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there no prophet of the LORD here, that we may inquire of the LORD by him?”
So one of the servants of the king of Israel answered and said, “Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who poured water on the hands of Elijah.”
12 And Jehoshaphat said, “The word of the LORD is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.
13 Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, “What have I to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father and the prophets of your mother.”
But the king of Israel said to him, “No, for the LORD has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.”
14 And Elisha said, “As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, surely were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you, nor see you. 15 But now bring me a musician.”
Moabites into your hand. 19 Also you shall attack every fortified city and every choice city, and shall cut down every good tree, and stop up every spring of water, and ruin every good piece of land with stones.”
20 Now it happened in the morning, when the grain offering was offered, that suddenly water came by way of Edom, and the land was filled with water.
21 And when all the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to fight against them, all who were able to bear arms and older were gathered; and they stood at the border. 22 Then they rose up early in the morning, and the sun was shining on the water; and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood. 23 And they said, “This is blood; the kings have surely struck swords and have killed one another; now therefore, Moab, to the spoil!”
24 So when they came to the camp of Israel, Israel rose up and attacked the Moabites, so that they fled before them; and they entered their land, killing the Moabites. 25 Then they destroyed the cities, and each man threw a stone on every good piece of land and filled it; and they stopped up all the springs of water and cut down all the good trees. But they left the stones of Kir Haraseth intact. However the slingers surrounded and attacked it.
26 And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too fierce for him, he took with him seven hundred men who drew swords, to break through to the king of Edom, but they could not. 27 Then he took his eldest son who would have reigned in his place, and offered him as a burnt offering upon the wall; and there was great indignation against Israel. So they departed from him and returned to their own land.

Ahaziah Enquires of False God and Judged by the Lord

Ahaziah succeeded his father Ahab to become King of Israel. His reign was short lived due to direct intervention from God. The kings of Israel had been mostly evil including Ahaziah. In this case, when Ahaziah was sick, he sent messengers to inquire the false gods about his injury. This offended the Lord greatly who sent Elijah to intercept the messengers with His message. God's message was simple ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending to inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?' In addition, a curse followed that Ahaziah would not recover.

Ahaziah send fifty troops and a captain to capture Elijah but Elijah called for fire from God to consume the troops and it happened just as he said. A second group of troops was sent and met the same fate. With the third group of troops sent to capture Elijah, the captain humbled himself in front of Elijah and pleaded for his life. God told Elijah to go to the captain and Elijah delivered the same message. Just as God said, Ahaziah died soon after that.



2 Kings 1

God Judges Ahaziah

1 Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab.
2 Now Ahaziah fell through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria, and was injured; so he sent messengers and said to them, “Go, inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this injury.” 3 But the angel[a] of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say to them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?’ 4 Now therefore, thus says the LORD: ‘You shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.’” So Elijah departed.
5 And when the messengers returned to him, he said to them, “Why have you come back?”
6 So they said to him, “A man came up to meet us, and said to us, ‘Go, return to the king who sent you, and say to him, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending to inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.’”’”
7 Then he said to them, “What kind of man was it who came up to meet you and told you these words?”
8 So they answered him, “A hairy man wearing a leather belt around his waist.”
And he said, “It is Elijah the Tishbite.”
9 Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty men. So he went up to him; and there he was, sitting on the top of a hill. And he spoke to him: “Man of God, the king has said, ‘Come down!’”
10 So Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.” And fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty. 11 Then he sent to him another captain of fifty with his fifty men.
And he answered and said to him: “Man of God, thus has the king said, ‘Come down quickly!’”
12 So Elijah answered and said to them, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.” And the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.
13 Again, he sent a third captain of fifty with his fifty men. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and pleaded with him, and said to him: “Man of God, please let my life and the life of these fifty servants of yours be precious in your sight. 14 Look, fire has come down from heaven and burned up the first two captains of fifties with their fifties. But let my life now be precious in your sight.”
15 And the angel[b] of the LORD said to Elijah, “Go down with him; do not be afraid of him.” So he arose and went down with him to the king. 16 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.’”
17 So Ahaziah died according to the word of the LORD which Elijah had spoken. Because he had no son, Jehoram[c] became king in his place, in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah.
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?