1. After Ahab died, Moab refused to remain under Israel's control.
2. Ahaziah had fallen through the window of his upstairs room in Samaria. He had hurt himself. So he sent messengers to ask the god Baal-Zebub for advice. Baal-Zebub was the god of the city of Ekron. Ahaziah said to the messengers, "Go and ask Baal-Zebub whether I will get well again."
3. But the angel of the Lord spoke to Elijah, who was from Tishbe. He said, "Go up to see the messengers of Ahaziah, the king of Samaria. Tell them, 'You are on your way to ask Baal-Zebub for advice. He is the god of Ekron. Are you going to that god because you think there is no God in Israel?'
4. The Lord says to Ahaziah, 'You will never leave the bed you are lying on. You can be sure that you will die!' " So Elijah went to see the messengers.
5. They returned to the king. He asked them, "Why have you come back?"
6. "A man met us on our way there," they replied. "He said to us, 'Go back to the king who sent you. Tell him, "The Lord says, 'You are sending messengers to ask Baal-Zebub for advice. He is the god of Ekron. Are you going to that god because you think there is no God in Israel? You will never leave the bed you are lying on. You can be sure that you will die!' " ' "
7. The king asked them, "What kind of man came to see you? Who told you those things?"
8. They replied, "He was wearing clothes that were made out of hair. He had a leather belt around his waist." The king said, "That was Elijah from Tishbe."
9. Then Ahaziah sent a captain to Elijah. The captain had his company of 50 men with him. Elijah was sitting on top of a hill. The captain went up to him. He said to Elijah, "Man of God, the king says, 'Come down!' "
10. Elijah answered the captain, "If I'm really a man of God, may fire come down from heaven! May it burn you and your 50 men up!" Then fire came down from heaven. It burned up the captain and his men.