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 1:3KJV
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2 Kings 1:3 (KJV)

What does 2 Kings 1:3 mean?

2 Kings 1:3 describes how an angel from the LORD tells Elijah to intercept the king of Samaria’s messengers and challenge them for seeking answers from Baalzebub, the god of Ekron, instead of trusting the God of Israel. The verse highlights a confrontation over where the king’s loyalty and trust truly lie.

In this scene, the angel (a messenger from God) speaks to Elijah the Tishbite, instructing him to meet the messengers sent by King Ahaziah of Samaria. The king had sent them to consult Baalzebub, a foreign god, about his health, rather than seeking guidance from Israel’s own God. Elijah is told to ask the messengers a pointed question, exposing the king’s lack of faith in the God of Israel.

The Hebrew behind 2 Kings 1:3

  • מַלְאָךְ (mal’akh, “angel” H4397): This word means “messenger” and can refer to a human or a supernatural being. Here, it is a divine messenger, showing that the message comes with God’s authority.
  • יְהוָה (YHWH, “LORD” H3068): This is the personal name of Israel’s God, emphasizing that the message and authority are from the true God, not a generic deity.
  • בַּעַל־זְבוּב (Baalzebub, H1176): This name means “lord of the flies” and refers to a Philistine god worshiped in Ekron. Mentioning Baalzebub highlights the contrast between Israel’s God and foreign gods.
  • אֱלֹהִים (Elohim, “God” H430): Used twice, once for Israel’s God and once for Baalzebub, showing a deliberate comparison between the true God and a false god.

Why 2 Kings 1:3 matters

  • 2 Kings 1:3 makes it clear that seeking help from other gods is a serious rejection of Israel’s God, not just a harmless act.
  • The verse sets up the main conflict in the chapter: whether the king will trust in the God of Israel or turn to foreign gods for answers.
  • This moment also shows Elijah’s role as a prophet who confronts the nation’s leaders when they stray from faithfulness to God.

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 1:6 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.
  • 2 Kings 1:16 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.

“Tishbite” Hebrew H8664 · used in 6 verses

  • 1 Kings 17:1 And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.
  • 1 Kings 21:17 And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
  • 2 Kings 1:8 And 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.

“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 1:6 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.

“Elijah” Hebrew H452 · used in 65 verses

  • 1 Kings 17:1 And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.
  • 1 Kings 18:30 And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down.
  • 2 Kings 1:13 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.