1Then Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab. 2And 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 Baal-zebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease. 3But 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 Baal-zebub the god of Ekron? 4Now 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.1.4 Thou shalt…: Heb. The bed whither thou art gone up, thou shalt not come down from it
5¶ And when the messengers turned back unto him, he said unto them, Why are ye now turned back? 6And 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 Baal-zebub the god of Ekron? therefore thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. 7And he said unto them, What manner of man was he which came up to meet you, and told you these words?1.7 What…: Heb. What was the manner of the man 8And 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.
9Then 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. 10And 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. 11Again 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. 12And 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.
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.1.13 fell: Heb. bowed 14Behold, 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. 15And 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. 16And 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.
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. 18Now 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?
Konflikten mellem kong Ahazja og Elias
1Efter kong Ahabs død gjorde Moab oprør mod Israels overherredømme. 2Det var, mens Ahazja var konge over Israel.
En dag var Ahazja så uheldig at falde ud af vinduet fra øverste etage i sit palads i Samaria. Han var døden nær, og han sendte derfor nogle folk af sted til Ekron for at spørge filistrenes gud, Ba’al-Zebub, om han ville overleve.
3I mellemtiden havde Herrens engel sagt til profeten Elias fra Tishbe: „Først skal du gå sendebudene fra Samarias konge i møde og stille dem følgende spørgsmål: ‚Findes der ingen Gud i Israel, siden I skal hen og spørge filistrenes gud, Ba’al-Zebub, til råds?’ 4Derefter skal du sige til dem: ‚Gå tilbage til kongen med følgende budskab fra Herren: Du kommer ikke til at rejse dig fra den seng, du ligger i, for du skal dø.’ ” Elias tog straks af sted, traf kongens sendebud og overbragte sit budskab.
5Sendebudene opgav med det samme rejsen og vendte tilbage til kongen, som blev meget overrasket over at se dem så hurtigt.
„Hvorfor er I allerede tilbage?” spurgte han.
6De svarede: „Vi mødte en mand, som sagde, at vi skulle overbringe kongen følgende besked: ‚Hvorfor sender du bud til Ba’al-Zebub, filistrenes gud? Findes der ingen Gud i Israel? Fordi du har handlet sådan, kommer du ikke til at rejse dig fra din seng, for du skal dø.’ ”
7„Hvem var det, der sagde sådan?” spurgte kongen. „Hvordan så han ud?”
8„Det var en mand med en lodden kappe1,8 Det er ikke klart, om teksten her betyder: „en, der er rig på hår” eller „ejer af en lodden kappe”. Jf. Matt. 3,4. og et læderbælte om livet.”
„Det må være profeten Elias,” udbrød kongen 9og sendte straks en officer og 50 soldater af sted for at arrestere ham. De fandt ham siddende på toppen af en klippe. Officeren sagde til ham: „Du Guds profet, kongen befaler, at du kommer med os.”
10Men Elias svarede: „Så sandt jeg er Guds profet, skal der falde ild ned fra himlen og fortære dig og dine 50 soldater.” Så fór Guds ild ned og dræbte dem alle.
11Derpå sendte kongen endnu en officer og 50 soldater af sted for at arrestere ham. „Du Guds profet,” råbte officeren til Elias, „kongen befaler, at du øjeblikkelig kommer ned.”
12Men Elias svarede som før: „Så sandt jeg er Guds profet, skal der falde ild ned fra himlen og fortære dig og dine 50 soldater.” Igen fór Guds ild ned og dræbte dem alle.
13Endnu en gang sendte kongen en officer og 50 soldater af sted. Men denne officer faldt på knæ foran Elias og tryglede ham: „Du Guds profet, skån mig og mine 50 kammerater. 14Vær barmhjertig imod os, så Guds ild ikke dræber os, som det skete med de andre.”
15Da sagde Herrens engel til Elias: „Vær ikke bange, men følg med dem.” Så fulgte han med dem til kongens palads.
16„Hvorfor i alverden sendte du bud til Ba’al-Zebub, filistrenes gud?” spurgte Elias, da de var nået frem til kongen. „Findes der måske ingen Gud i Israel, du kan spørge til råds? Fordi du gjorde det, siger Herren til dig, at du aldrig vil komme til at rejse dig fra din seng, for du skal dø.”
17Kort efter døde kong Ahazja, sådan som Herren havde forudsagt gennem Elias, og hans bror Joram blev konge efter ham, for Ahazja havde ingen sønner til at overtage magten. Det skete i kong Joram af Judas andet regeringsår—den Joram, som var søn af Joshafat. 18Resten af kong Ahazjas liv og virke er beskrevet i Israels kongers krønikebog.
