9 And he sendeth unto him a head of fifty and his fifty, and he goeth up unto him (and lo, he is sitting on the top of the hill), and he speaketh unto him, 'O man of God, the king hath spoken, Come down.' 10 And Elijah answereth and speaketh unto the head of the fifty, 'And if I 'am' a man of God, fire doth come down from the heavens, and consume thee and thy fifty;' and fire cometh down from the heavens, and consumeth him and his fifty. 11 And he turneth and sendeth unto him another head of fifty and his fifty, and he answereth and speaketh unto him, 'O man of God, thus said the king, Haste, come down.' 12 And Elijah answereth and speaketh unto them, 'If I 'am' a man of God, fire doth come down from the heavens, and consume thee and thy fifty;' and fire of God cometh down from the heavens, and consumeth him and his fifty. 13 And he turneth and sendeth a third head of fifty and his fifty, and the third head of fifty goeth up, and cometh in, and boweth on his knees over-against Elijah, and maketh supplication unto him, and speaketh unto him, 'O man of God, let be precious, I pray thee, my soul and the soul of thy servants—these fifty—in thine eyes. 14 Lo, come down hath fire from the heavens, and consumeth the two heads of the former fifties and their fifties; and, now, let my soul be precious in thine eyes.' 15 And a messenger of Jehovah speaketh unto Elijah, 'Go down with him, be not afraid of him;' and he riseth and goeth down with him unto the king, 16 and speaketh unto him, 'Thus said Jehovah, Because that thou hast sent messengers to inquire of Baal-Zebub god of Ekron—is it because there is not a God in Israel to inquire of His word? therefore, the bed whither thou hast gone up—thou dost not come down from it, for thou dost certainly die.' 17 And he dieth, according to the word of Jehovah that Elijah spake, and Jehoram reigneth in his stead, in the second year of Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, for he had no son. 18 And the rest of the matters of Ahaziah that he did, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel?
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 2 Kings 1:9-18
Commentary on 2 Kings 1:9-18
(Read 2 Kings 1:9-18)
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, Luke 9:54. The dispensation of the Spirit and of grace by no means allowed it. Elijah was concerned for God's glory, those for their own reputation. The Lord judges men's practices by their principles, and his judgment is according to truth. The third captain humbled himself, and cast himself upon the mercy of God and Elijah. There is nothing to be got by contending with God; and those are wise for themselves, who learn submission from the fatal end of obstinacy in others. The courage of faith has often struck terror into the heart of the proudest sinner. So thunderstruck is Ahaziah with the prophet's words, that neither he, nor any about him, offer him violence. Who can harm those whom God shelters? Many who think to prosper in sin, are called hence like Ahaziah, when they do not expect it. All warns us to seek the Lord while he may be found.