King James Version

What Does 2 Kings 1:9 Mean?

“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.”

Context

And he said unto them, What manner of man was he which came up to meet you, and told you these words? What: Heb. What was the manner of the man

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.

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.

And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.

Again also he sent unto him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And he answered and said unto him, O man of God, thus hath the king said, Come down quickly.

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Commentary

Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(9) **Then the king sent.**—Heb., *And he sent.* With hostile intentions, as is proved by his sending soldiers, and by the words of the angel in 2Kings 1:15. (Comp. 1Kings 18:8; 1Kings 22:26, *seq.*) **He sat.**—*Was sitting. *The LXX. has “Elias was sitting,” which is probably original. **A captain of fifty.**—The army of Israel was organised by thousands, hundreds, and fifties, each of which had its “captain” (*sar*). (Comp. Numbers 31:14; Numbers 31:48; 1Samuel 8:12.) **On the top of an hill.**—Rather, *the hill, i.e.*, above Samaria. Others think, Carmel, from 1Kings 18:42; 2Kings 2:25. **He spake.**—LXX., “the captain of fifty spake.” **Thou man of God.**—Heb., *man of the god, i.e.*, the true God. (So in 2Kings 1:11; 2Kings 1:13, infra.) **The king.**—In the Hebrew emphatic, as if to say, the king’s power is irresistible, even by a man of God. The true God was thus insulted in the person of His prophet. **Come down.**—Or, Pray come down—in a tone of ironical politeness (*rēdāh*‚ precative).

Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of 2 Kings. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

2 Kings 1:9 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.