II Kings 1
מלכים ב׳ פרק א׳
Section: נביאים · נביאים ראשונים | Book: II Kings | Chapter: 1 of 25 | Day: 123 of 742
Date: June 14, 2026
קלאוד על הנ״ך
The opening chapter of Melachim Bet sets the tone for the entire book by binding the fate of a king to the word of a prophet. It begins almost in passing, with a single verse noting that after the death of Achav, Moav rebelled against Israel — a quiet signal that the firm grip of the Omride dynasty has already loosened. But the chapter’s true subject is Achazyahu, Achav’s son, who has fallen through the lattice (sevakha) of his upper chamber in Shomron and lies injured. Rather than turn to the God of Israel, he dispatches messengers to inquire of Baal-zevuv, the god of Ekron, whether he will recover. The very framing of his question is its condemnation: a king of Israel, heir to the covenant, seeks his future from a Philistine idol as though the Holy One were absent from His own land.
Into this scene steps Eliyahu, one last time before his ascent in the next chapter. An angel of God sends him to intercept the royal messengers with a thunderous rebuke — ha-mibli ein Elohim be-Yisrael, “Is it because there is no God in Israel that you go to inquire of Baal-zevuv?” — and to deliver the sentence: Achazyahu will not rise from his bed but will surely die. The messengers return without completing their errand, and when the king demands a description of the man who turned them back, their answer is unmistakable: a hairy man (ba’al se’ar) girded with a leather belt. Achazyahu knows instantly: Eliyahu ha-Tishbi. The commentators note that the king’s recognition is itself an indictment; he knows exactly whose God he has spurned, and still he resists.
What follows is among the most dramatic confrontations in the prophetic narratives. Achazyahu sends a captain of fifty with his men to seize Eliyahu, who sits atop a hill. The officer’s summons — “Agent of God, the king has spoken: come down!” — drips with contempt, invoking Eliyahu’s prophetic title even as he tries to arrest him by royal force. Eliyahu answers measure for measure: if I am indeed an agent of God, let fire descend from heaven and consume you and your fifty. It does. A second captain comes with the same arrogance and meets the same end. The classical commentators wrestle with the severity here, framing it not as personal vengeance but as a defense of the honor of Heaven against an officer who weaponized the prophet’s own title to defy God’s word.
The third captain breaks the pattern, and the contrast is the chapter’s moral center. He climbs the hill, falls to his knees, and pleads — “let my life and the lives of these fifty servants of yours be precious in your eyes” — explicitly acknowledging the fate of those before him and submitting to the prophet’s God rather than commanding in the king’s name. Only now does the angel tell Eliyahu to go down, and reassures him not to fear. Humility, where arrogance had brought fire, brings deliverance. Eliyahu descends and delivers the death sentence to Achazyahu’s face, repeating the indictment about Baal-zevuv word for word, and the king dies just as the navi had spoken.
The chapter closes with the formulaic notice that becomes the book’s drumbeat: Achazyahu died ki-dvar Hashem asher diber Eliyahu, “according to the word of God that Eliyahu had spoken.” Because he had no son, his brother Yehoram succeeds him, and the reader is referred to the Annals of the Kings of Israel. The episode is a miniature of the book’s governing thesis. A king who treated the God of Israel as one option among the idols is undone not by Moav or by Ekron but by a sentence pronounced from a hilltop, and the narrative pauses at the end to mark, with deliberate precision, that the word came true. The thrones in Melachim Bet imagine themselves the makers of events; the chapter quietly insists that the prophetic word is.
פרק א׳ · Chapter 1
פסוק א׳ · Verse 1
Hebrew:
וַיִּפְשַׁ֤ע מוֹאָב֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אַחֲרֵ֖י מ֥וֹת אַחְאָֽב׃
English:
After Ahab’s death, Moab rebelled against Israel.
פסוק ב׳ · Verse 2
Hebrew:
וַיִּפֹּ֨ל אֲחַזְיָ֜ה בְּעַ֣ד הַשְּׂבָכָ֗ה בַּעֲלִיָּת֛וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּשֹׁמְר֖וֹן וַיָּ֑חַל וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח מַלְאָכִ֗ים וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ לְכ֣וּ דִרְשׁ֗וּ בְּבַ֤עַל זְבוּב֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י עֶקְר֔וֹן אִם־אֶחְיֶ֖ה מֵחֳלִ֥י זֶֽה׃ {ס}
English:
Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper chamber at Samaria and was injured. So he sent messengers, whom he instructed: “Go inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this injury.”
▶Commentaries (1)
פסוק ג׳ · Verse 3
Hebrew:
וּמַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהֹוָ֗ה דִּבֶּר֙ אֶל־אֵלִיָּ֣ה הַתִּשְׁבִּ֔י ק֣וּם עֲלֵ֔ה לִקְרַ֖את מַלְאֲכֵ֣י מֶֽלֶךְ־שֹׁמְר֑וֹן וְדַבֵּ֣ר אֲלֵהֶ֔ם הֲֽמִבְּלִ֤י אֵין־אֱלֹהִים֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אַתֶּם֙ הֹֽלְכִ֔ים לִדְרֹ֕שׁ בְּבַ֥עַל זְב֖וּב אֱלֹהֵ֥י עֶקְרֽוֹן׃
English:
But an angel of GOD said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Go and confront the messengers of the king of Samaria and say to them, ‘Is there no God in Israel that you go to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?
פסוק ד׳ · Verse 4
Hebrew:
וְלָכֵן֙ כֹּה־אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה הַמִּטָּ֞ה אֲשֶׁר־עָלִ֥יתָ שָּׁ֛ם לֹא־תֵרֵ֥ד מִמֶּ֖נָּה כִּ֣י מ֣וֹת תָּמ֑וּת וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ אֵלִיָּֽה׃
English:
Assuredly, thus said GOD: You shall not rise from the bed you are lying on,arise from the bed you are lying on Lit. “descend from the bed you have mounted.” but you shall die.’” And Elijah went.
פסוק ה׳ · Verse 5
Hebrew:
וַיָּשׁ֥וּבוּ הַמַּלְאָכִ֖ים אֵלָ֑יו וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם מַה־זֶּ֥ה שַׁבְתֶּֽם׃
English:
The messengers returned to Ahaziah;bAhaziah Heb. “him.” and he asked, “Why have you come back?”
פסוק ו׳ · Verse 6
Hebrew:
וַיֹּאמְר֨וּ אֵלָ֜יו אִ֣ישׁ ׀ עָלָ֣ה לִקְרָאתֵ֗נוּ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלֵ֘ינוּ֮ לְכ֣וּ שׁ֘וּבוּ֮ אֶל־הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ אֲשֶׁר־שָׁלַ֣ח אֶתְכֶם֒ וְדִבַּרְתֶּ֣ם אֵלָ֗יו כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה הֲֽמִבְּלִ֤י אֵין־אֱלֹהִים֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אַתָּ֣ה שֹׁלֵ֔חַ לִדְרֹ֕שׁ בְּבַ֥עַל זְב֖וּב אֱלֹהֵ֣י עֶקְר֑וֹן לָ֠כֵ֠ן הַמִּטָּ֞ה אֲשֶׁר־עָלִ֥יתָ שָּׁ֛ם לֹא־תֵרֵ֥ד מִמֶּ֖נָּה כִּי־מ֥וֹת תָּמֽוּת׃
English:
They answered him, “A man came toward us and said to us, ‘Go back to the king who sent you, and say to him: Thus said the ETERNAL: Is there no God in Israel that you must send to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Assuredly, you shall not rise from the bed you are lying on, but shall die.’”
פסוק ז׳ · Verse 7
Hebrew:
וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר אֲלֵהֶ֔ם מֶ֚ה מִשְׁפַּ֣ט הָאִ֔ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָלָ֖ה לִקְרַאתְכֶ֑ם וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר אֲלֵיכֶ֔ם אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵֽלֶּה׃
English:
“What sort of man was it,” he asked them, “who came toward you and said these things to you?”
פסוק ח׳ · Verse 8
Hebrew:
וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֗יו אִ֚ישׁ בַּ֣עַל שֵׂעָ֔ר וְאֵז֥וֹר ע֖וֹר אָז֣וּר בְּמׇתְנָ֑יו וַיֹּאמַ֕ר אֵלִיָּ֥ה הַתִּשְׁבִּ֖י הֽוּא׃
English:
“A hairy man,” they replied, “with a leather belt tied around his waist.” “That’s Elijah the Tishbite!” he said.
פסוק ט׳ · Verse 9
Hebrew:
וַיִּשְׁלַ֥ח אֵלָ֛יו שַׂר־חֲמִשִּׁ֖ים וַחֲמִשָּׁ֑יו וַיַּ֣עַל אֵלָ֗יו וְהִנֵּה֙ יֹשֵׁב֙ עַל־רֹ֣אשׁ הָהָ֔ר וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר אֵלָ֔יו אִ֚ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ דִּבֶּ֖ר רֵֽדָה׃
English:
Then he sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty men. He climbed up to him, and found him sitting at the top of a hill. “Agent of God,” he said to him, “by order of the king, come down!”
פסוק י״ · Verse 10
Hebrew:
וַיַּעֲנֶ֣ה אֵלִיָּ֗הוּ וַיְדַבֵּר֮ אֶל־שַׂ֣ר הַחֲמִשִּׁים֒ וְאִם־אִ֤ישׁ אֱלֹהִים֙ אָ֔נִי תֵּ֤רֶד אֵשׁ֙ מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וְתֹאכַ֥ל אֹתְךָ֖ וְאֶת־חֲמִשֶּׁ֑יךָ וַתֵּ֤רֶד אֵשׁ֙ מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַתֹּ֥אכַל אֹת֖וֹ וְאֶת־חֲמִשָּֽׁיו׃
English:
Elijah replied to the captain of the fifty, “If I am an agent of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you with your fifty men!” And fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty men.
פסוק י״א · Verse 11
Hebrew:
וַיָּ֜שׇׁב וַיִּשְׁלַ֥ח אֵלָ֛יו שַׂר־חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים אַחֵ֖ר וַחֲמִשָּׁ֑יו וַיַּ֙עַן֙ וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר אֵלָ֔יו אִ֚ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים כֹּה־אָמַ֥ר הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ מְהֵרָ֥ה רֵֽדָה׃
English:
The king then sent to him another captain with his fifty men; and he addressed himcaddressed him Emendation yields “went up and said to him,” cf. v. 9. as follows: “Agent of God, by order of the king, come down at once!”
פסוק י״ב · Verse 12
Hebrew:
וַיַּ֣עַן אֵלִיָּה֮ וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר אֲלֵיהֶם֒ אִם־אִ֤ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים֙ אָ֔נִי תֵּ֤רֶד אֵשׁ֙ מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וְתֹאכַ֥ל אֹתְךָ֖ וְאֶת־חֲמִשֶּׁ֑יךָ וַתֵּ֤רֶד אֵשׁ־אֱלֹהִים֙ מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַתֹּ֥אכַל אֹת֖וֹ וְאֶת־חֲמִשָּֽׁיו׃
English:
But Elijah answered him, “If I am an agent of God,dagent of God Heb. ‘iyš ‘elohiym. let fire come down from heaven and consume you with your fifty men!” And fire of Godefire of God Heb. ‘eš ‘elohiym. came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty men.
פסוק י״ג · Verse 13
Hebrew:
וַיָּ֗שׇׁב וַיִּשְׁלַ֛ח שַׂר־חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים שְׁלִשִׁ֖ים וַחֲמִשָּׁ֑יו וַיַּ֡עַל וַיָּבֹא֩ שַׂר־הַחֲמִשִּׁ֨ים הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֜י וַיִּכְרַ֥ע עַל־בִּרְכָּ֣יו ׀ לְנֶ֣גֶד אֵלִיָּ֗הוּ וַיִּתְחַנֵּ֤ן אֵלָיו֙ וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר אֵלָ֔יו אִ֚ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים תִּיקַר־נָ֣א נַפְשִׁ֗י וְנֶ֨פֶשׁ עֲבָדֶ֥יךָֽ אֵ֛לֶּה חֲמִשִּׁ֖ים בְּעֵינֶֽיךָ׃
English:
Then he sent a third captain of fifty with his fifty men. The third captain of fifty climbed to the top, knelt before Elijah, and implored him, saying, “Oh, agent of God, please have regard for my life and the lives of these fifty servants of yours!
פסוק י״ד · Verse 14
Hebrew:
הִ֠נֵּ֠ה יָ֤רְדָה אֵשׁ֙ מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַ֠תֹּ֠אכַל אֶת־שְׁנֵ֞י שָׂרֵ֧י הַחֲמִשִּׁ֛ים הָרִאשֹׁנִ֖ים וְאֶת־חֲמִשֵּׁיהֶ֑ם וְעַתָּ֕ה תִּיקַ֥ר נַפְשִׁ֖י בְּעֵינֶֽיךָ׃ {ס}
English:
Already fire has come from heaven and consumed the first two captains of fifty and their men;fmen Lit. “fifties.” I beg you, have regard for my life!”
פסוק ט״ו · Verse 15
Hebrew:
וַיְדַבֵּ֞ר מַלְאַ֤ךְ יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־אֵ֣לִיָּ֔הוּ רֵ֣ד אוֹת֔וֹ אַל־תִּירָ֖א מִפָּנָ֑יו וַיָּ֛קׇם וַיֵּ֥רֶד אוֹת֖וֹ אֶל־הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃
English:
Then the angel of GOD said to Elijah, “Go down with him, do not be afraid of him.” So he rose and went down with him to the king.
פסוק ט״ז · Verse 16
Hebrew:
וַיְדַבֵּ֨ר אֵלָ֜יו כֹּה־אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֗ה יַ֜עַן אֲשֶׁר־שָׁלַ֣חְתָּ מַלְאָכִים֮ לִדְרֹשׁ֮ בְּבַ֣עַל זְבוּב֮ אֱלֹהֵ֣י עֶקְרוֹן֒ הֲֽמִבְּלִ֤י אֵין־אֱלֹהִים֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לִדְרֹ֖שׁ בִּדְבָר֑וֹ לָ֠כֵ֠ן הַמִּטָּ֞ה אֲשֶׁר־עָלִ֥יתָ שָּׁ֛ם לֹא־תֵרֵ֥ד מִמֶּ֖נָּה כִּי־מ֥וֹת תָּמֽוּת׃
English:
He said to him, “Thus said GOD: Because you sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron—as if there were no God in Israel whose word you could seek—assuredly, you shall not rise from the bed that you are lying on; but you shall die.”
פסוק י״ז · Verse 17
Hebrew:
וַיָּ֜מׇת כִּדְבַ֥ר יְהֹוָ֣ה ׀ אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֣ר אֵלִיָּ֗הוּ וַיִּמְלֹ֤ךְ יְהוֹרָם֙ תַּחְתָּ֔יו {פ}בִּשְׁנַ֣ת שְׁתַּ֔יִם לִיהוֹרָ֥ם בֶּן־יְהוֹשָׁפָ֖ט מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֑ה כִּ֛י לֹא־הָ֥יָה ל֖וֹ בֵּֽן׃ {ס}
English:
And [Ahaziah] died, according to the word of GOD that Elijah had spoken. JehoramgJehoram Brother of Ahaziah. succeeded him as king, in the second year of King Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat of Judah, for he had no son.
▶Commentaries (1)
פסוק י״ח · Verse 18
Hebrew:
וְיֶ֛תֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י אֲחַזְיָ֖הוּ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֑ה הֲלוֹא־הֵ֣מָּה כְתוּבִ֗ים עַל־סֵ֛פֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י הַיָּמִ֖ים לְמַלְכֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ {פ}
English:
The other events of Ahaziah’s reign [and] his actions are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Israel.
Navigation
← I Kings 22 | II Kings 2 →