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Saturday, July 19th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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Contemporary English Version

2 Kings 1:9

So at once he sent an army officer and fifty soldiers to meet Elijah. Elijah was sitting on top of a hill at the time. The officer went up to him and said, "Man of God, the king orders you to come down and talk with him."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Armies;   Captain;   Elijah;   Fire;   Persecution;   Prophecy;   Thompson Chain Reference - Elijah;   Leaders;   Man;   Men of God;   Religious;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Armies of Israel, the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Ahaziah;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Elijah;   Gods and Goddesses, Pagan;   Government;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Captain;   Elijah;   Governor;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Carmel;   Hill;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Ahaziah;   Baal;   Diseases;   Ekron;   Kings, 1 and 2;   Philistines, the;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ahaziah;   Army;   Elijah;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Ahaziah;   Captain;   Samaria;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Ahaziah;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Kingdom of Israel;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Army;   Carmel;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Baal;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Army;   Elijah;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
So King Ahaziah sent a captain with his fifty men to Elijah. When the captain went up to him, he was sitting on top of the hill. He announced, “Man of God, the king declares, ‘Come down!’”
Hebrew Names Version
Then [the king] sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty. He went up to him: and, behold, he was sitting on the top of the hill. He spoke to him, man of God, the king has said, Come down.
King James Version
Then 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.
English Standard Version
Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty men with his fifty. He went up to Elijah, who was sitting on the top of a hill, and said to him, "O man of God, the king says, ‘Come down.'"
New Century Version
Then he sent a captain with his fifty men to Elijah. The captain went to Elijah, who was sitting on top of the hill, and said to him, "Man of God, the king says, ‘Come down!'"
New English Translation
The king sent a captain and his fifty soldiers to retrieve Elijah. The captain went up to him, while he was sitting on the top of a hill. He told him, "Prophet, the king says, ‘Come down!'"
Amplified Bible
Then the king sent to Elijah a captain of fifty with his fifty [fighting men to seize the prophet]. And he went up to him, and behold, he was sitting on the top of a hill. And the captain said to him, "Man of God, the king says, 'Come down.'"
New American Standard Bible
Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty men. And he went up to him, and behold, he was sitting on the top of the hill. And he said to him, "You man of God, the king says, 'Come down.'"
Geneva Bible (1587)
Therefore the King sent vnto him a captaine ouer fiftie with his fiftie men, who went vp vnto him: for beholde, he sate on the toppe of a mountaine, and he saide vnto him, O man of God, the King hath commanded that thou come downe.
Legacy Standard Bible
Then the king sent to him a commander of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him, and behold, he was sitting on the top of the hill. And he said to him, "O man of God, the king says, ‘Come down.'"
Complete Jewish Bible
Then the king sent a commander of fifty to Eliyahu, together with his fifty men. Eliyahu was sitting at the top of a hill. The commander climbed up to him and said, "Man of God, the king says to come down."
Darby Translation
And he sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him, and behold, he sat on the top of the mount. And he spoke to him: Man of God, the king says, Come down!
Easy-to-Read Version
Ahaziah sent a captain and 50 men to Elijah. The captain went to Elijah, who was sitting on top of a hill. The captain said to Elijah, "Man of God, the king says, ‘Come down!'"
George Lamsa Translation
Then he sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him; and he was sitting on top of a mountain. And he said to him, O prophet of God, the king says, Come down.
Good News Translation
Then he sent an officer with fifty men to get Elijah. The officer found him sitting on a hill and said to him, "Man of God, the king orders you to come down."
Lexham English Bible
So Ahaziah sent to him the commander of fifty with his fifty men, and he went up to him while he was sitting on the top of the hill. He said to him, "O man of God, the king says, ‘Come down.'"
Literal Translation
And the king sent to him the commander of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him. And behold, he was sitting on the top of the hill. And he spoke to him, O man of God, the king has said, Come down.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And he sent vnto him a captaine ouer fiftye, with the same fyftye. And whan he came vnto him, beholde, he sat aboue vpon the mout. He sayde vnto him: Thou ma of God, the kynge sayeth: Thou shalt come downe
American Standard Version
Then the king sent unto him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him: and, behold, he was sitting on the top of the hill. And he spake unto him, O man of God, the king hath said, Come down.
Bible in Basic English
Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty men; and he went up to him where he was seated on the top of a hill, and said to him, O man of God, the king has said, Come down.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then the king sent vnto him a captayne ouer fiftie, with his fiftie men: which came to him (and beholde he sat on the top of an hill) And he spake vnto him, Thou man of God, the king hath saide: come downe.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Then 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 the hill. And he spoke unto him: 'O man of God, the king hath said: Come down.'
King James Version (1611)
Then the King sent vnto him a captaine of fiftie, with his fiftie: and he went vp to him, (and behold, he sate on the top of an hill) and hee spake vnto him, Thou man of God, the king hath said, Come downe.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And he sent to him a captain of fifty and his fifty; and he went up to him: and, behold, Eliu sat on the top of a mountain. And the captain of fifty spoke to him, and said, O man of God, the king has called thee, come down.
English Revised Version
Then [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 the hill. And he spake unto him, O man of God, the king hath said, Come down.
Berean Standard Bible
Then King Ahaziah sent to Elijah a captain with his company of fifty men. So the captain went up to Elijah, who was sitting on top of a hill, and said to him, "Man of God, the king declares, 'Come down!'"
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he sente to Elie a prince of fifti, and fifti men that weren vndur hym. Which prince stiede to hym, and seide to hym, sittynge in the cop of the hil, Man of God, the kyng comaundith, that thou come doun.
Young's Literal Translation
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.'
Update Bible Version
Then [the king] sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him: and saw that he was sitting on the top of the hill. And he spoke to him, O man of God, the king has said, Come down.
Webster's Bible Translation
Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him: and behold, he sat on the top of a hill. And he spoke to him, Thou man of God, the king hath said, Come down.
World English Bible
Then [the king] sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty. He went up to him: and, behold, he was sitting on the top of the hill. He spoke to him, man of God, the king has said, Come down.
New King James Version
Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty men. So he went up to him; and there he was, sitting on the top of a hill. And he spoke to him: "Man of God, the king has said, "Come down!"'
New Living Translation
Then he sent an army captain with fifty soldiers to arrest him. They found him sitting on top of a hill. The captain said to him, "Man of God, the king has commanded you to come down with us."
New Life Bible
Then the king sent a captain with fifty of his men to take Elijah. The captain went up to him and saw Elijah sitting on the top of the hill. He said to him, "O man of God, the king says, ‘Come down.'"
New Revised Standard
Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty men. He went up to Elijah, who was sitting on the top of a hill, and said to him, "O man of God, the king says, ‘Come down.'"
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then sent he unto him a captain of fifty, with his fifty, and he went up unto him, and lo! he abode on the top of the mountain, and he said unto him, O man of God! the king, hath said, Come down!
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he sent to him a captain of fifty, and the fifty men that were under him. And he went up to him, and as he was sitting on the top of a hill, he said to him: Man of God, the king hath commanded that thou come down.
Revised Standard Version
Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty men with his fifty. He went up to Eli'jah, who was sitting on the top of a hill, and said to him, "O man of God, the king says, 'Come down.'"
THE MESSAGE
The king sent a captain with fifty men to Elijah. Meanwhile Elijah was sitting, big as life, on top of a hill. The captain said, "O Holy Man! King's orders: Come down!"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him, and behold, he was sitting on the top of the hill. And he said to him, "O man of God, the king says, 'Come down.'"

Contextual Overview

9 So at once he sent an army officer and fifty soldiers to meet Elijah. Elijah was sitting on top of a hill at the time. The officer went up to him and said, "Man of God, the king orders you to come down and talk with him." 10 "If I am a man of God," Elijah answered, "God will send down fire on you and your fifty soldiers." Fire immediately came down from heaven and burned up the officer and his men. 11 Ahaziah sent another officer and fifty more soldiers to Elijah. The officer said, "Man of God, the king orders you to come see him right now." 12 "If I am a man of God," Elijah answered, "fire will destroy you and your fifty soldiers." And God sent down fire from heaven on the officer and his men. 13 Ahaziah sent a third army officer and fifty more soldiers. This officer went up to Elijah, then he got down on his knees and begged, "Man of God, please be kind to me and these fifty servants of yours. Let us live! 14 Fire has already wiped out the other officers and their soldiers. Please don't let it happen to me." 15 The angel from the Lord said to Elijah, "Go with him and don't be afraid." So Elijah got up and went with the officer. 16 When Elijah arrived, he told Ahaziah, "The Lord wants to know why you sent messengers to Ekron to ask Baalzebub about your injury. Don't you believe there's a God in Israel? Ahaziah, because you did that, the Lord says you will die." 17 Ahaziah died, just as the Lord had said. But since Ahaziah had no sons, Joram his brother then became king. This happened in the second year that Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat was king of Judah. 18 Everything else Ahaziah did while he was king is written in The History of the Kings of Israel.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

sent unto: 2 Kings 6:13, 2 Kings 6:14, 1 Kings 18:4, 1 Kings 18:10, 1 Kings 19:2, 1 Kings 22:8, 1 Kings 22:26, 1 Kings 22:27, Matthew 14:3

he sat: 1 Kings 18:42, Luke 6:11, Luke 6:12

Thou man: Amos 7:12, Matthew 26:68, Matthew 27:29, Matthew 27:41-43, Mark 15:29, Mark 15:32, Hebrews 11:36

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 19:21 - sent messengers 2 Samuel 12:13 - David 2 Samuel 13:29 - servants 2 Kings 1:12 - General 2 Kings 4:40 - O thou 2 Kings 8:7 - The man of God 2 Kings 13:19 - the man of God Jeremiah 35:4 - a man Matthew 5:12 - for so John 18:6 - they went 2 Corinthians 13:8 - General 1 Timothy 6:11 - O man

Cross-References

Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1:2
The earth was barren, with no form of life; it was under a roaring ocean covered with darkness. But the Spirit of God was moving over the water.
Genesis 1:5
and named the light "Day" and the darkness "Night." Evening came and then morning—that was the first day.
Genesis 1:6

The Second Day

God said, "I command a dome to separate the water above it from the water below it."
Genesis 1:8
and named it "Sky." Evening came and then morning—that was the second day.
Genesis 1:9

The Third Day

God said, "I command the water under the sky to come together in one place, so there will be dry ground." And that's what happened.
Genesis 1:11
God said, "I command the earth to produce all kinds of plants, including fruit trees and grain." And that's what happened.
Genesis 1:28
God gave them his blessing and said: Have a lot of children! Fill the earth with people and bring it under your control. Rule over the fish in the ocean, the birds in the sky, and every animal on the earth.
Genesis 1:29
I have provided all kinds of fruit and grain for you to eat.
Job 26:7
who hung the northern sky and suspended the earth on empty space.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then the king sent unto him a captain of fifty with his fifty,.... Not in honour to him, but to bring him by force if he refused to come willingly:

and he went up to him, and, behold, he sat on the top of an hill; generally supposed to be Mount Carmel;

and he spake unto him; at the bottom of the hill, so loud that he might hear him:

thou man of God; or the prophet of the Lord, as the Targum, as thou callest thyself; for this was said in a sneering, flouting, manner:

the king hath said, come down; and in the king's name he ordered him to come down, signifying, if he would not, he would send his men to fetch him down.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Then the king sent unto him - i. e., in order to seize and punish him. Compare 1 Kings 18:10; 1 Kings 22:27.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Kings 1:9. A captain of fifty with his fifty. — It is impossible that such a man as Ahaziah, in such circumstances, could have had any friendly designs in sending a captain and fifty soldiers for the prophet; and the manner in which they are treated shows plainly that they went with a hostile intent.

And he spake unto him, Thou man of God — Thou prophet of the Most High.


 
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