And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to enquire of Baalzebub 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.

2 KINGS 1:16KJV
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2 Kings 1:16 (KJV)

What does 2 Kings 1:16 mean?

2 Kings 1:16 records Elijah telling King Ahaziah that because he sent messengers to consult Baalzebub, the god of Ekron, instead of seeking guidance from the LORD, he will not recover from his sickness and will die in his bed. The verse highlights the seriousness of turning away from the God of Israel to seek help from other gods.

In this verse, Elijah is speaking directly to King Ahaziah, who is lying sick after an accident. Ahaziah had sent messengers to inquire of Baalzebub, a foreign god, about his chances of recovery. Elijah confronts the king with a message from the LORD, pointing out that seeking another god’s word shows a lack of faith in Israel’s God, and as a result, Ahaziah’s fate is sealed.

The Hebrew behind 2 Kings 1:16

  • LORD (יְהוָה, YHWH): This is the personal name of Israel’s God, emphasizing that Ahaziah ignored the very God who had a special relationship with Israel.
  • Baalzebub (בַּעַל זְבוּב, Ba‘alzəvuv): This name means “lord of the flies” and refers to a Philistine deity from Ekron, showing that Ahaziah was looking for help from a rival nation’s god.
  • enquire (דָּרַשׁ, darash): This word means to seek or inquire, highlighting that Ahaziah actively sought guidance from Baalzebub instead of the LORD.
  • surely…die (מוֹת תָּמוּת, mot tamut): The repetition in Hebrew stresses the certainty of Ahaziah’s death, leaving no room for doubt about the outcome.

Why 2 Kings 1:16 matters

  • This verse clarifies that seeking guidance from sources other than the LORD is seen as a rejection of God’s authority and care, not just a neutral act.
  • It emphasizes the unique relationship between the LORD and Israel, showing that God expects His people to turn to Him first in times of need.
  • The confrontation between Elijah and Ahaziah sets the tone for the rest of the chapter, showing the seriousness of idolatry and the consequences of ignoring God’s word.

Where else these words appear

“Baalzebub” Hebrew H1176 · used in 4 verses

  • 2 Kings 1:2 And 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 Baalzebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease.
  • 2 Kings 1:3 But 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 Baalzebub the god of Ekron?
  • 2 Kings 1:6 And 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 Baalzebub the god of Ekron? therefore thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.

“Ekron” Hebrew H6138 · used in 20 verses

  • Joshua 13:3 From Sihor, which is before Egypt, even unto the borders of Ekron northward, which is counted to the Canaanite: five lords of the Philistines; the Gazathites, and the Ashdothites, the Eshkalonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avites:
  • 1 Samuel 5:10 Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us and our people.
  • 2 Kings 1:3 But 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 Baalzebub the god of Ekron?

“bed” Hebrew H4296 · used in 29 verses

  • Genesis 47:31 And he said, Swear unto me. And he sware unto him. And Israel bowed himself upon the bed's head.
  • 2 Samuel 4:7 For when they came into the house, he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, and they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and gat them away through the plain all night.
  • 2 Chronicles 22:11 But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king's sons that were slain, and put him and his nurse in a bedchamber. 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 slew him not.