Antiquities Book 9, Chapter 2
Concerning Ahaziah; The King Of Israel; And Again Concerning The Prophet Elijah.
1. And now Ahaziah, the son of Ahab, reigned over Israel, and made his
abode in Samaria. He was a wicked man, and in all respects like to both
his parents and to Jeroboam, who first of all transgressed, and began to
deceive the people. In the second year of his reign, the king of Moab
fell off from his obedience, and left off paying those tributes which he
before paid to his father Ahab. Now it happened that Ahaziah, as he was
coming down from the top of his house, fell down from it, and in his
sickness sent to the Fly, which was the god of Ekron, for that was this
god's name, to inquire about his recovery 4 but the God of the Hebrews
appeared to Elijah the prophet, and commanded him to go and meet the
messengers that were sent, and to ask them, whether the people of Israel
had not a God of their own, that the king sent to a foreign god to
inquire about his recovery? and to bid them return and tell the king
that he would not escape this disease. And when Elijah had performed
what God had commanded him, and the messengers had heard what he said,
they returned to the king immediately; and when the king wondered how
they could return so soon, and asked them the reason of it, they said
that a certain man met them, and forbade them to go on any farther; but
to return and tell thee, from the command of the God of Israel, that
this disease will have a bad end. And when the king bid them describe
the man that said this to them, they replied that he was a hairy man,
and was girt about with a girdle of leather. So the king understood by
this that the man who was described by the messengers was Elijah;
whereupon he sent a captain to him, with fifty soldiers, and commanded
them to bring Elijah to him; and when the captain that was sent found
Elijah sitting upon the top of a hill, he commanded him to come down,
and to come to the king, for so had he enjoined; but that in case he
refused, they would carry him by force. Elijah said to him, "That you
may have a trial whether I be a true prophet, I will pray that fire may
fall from heaven, and destroy both the soldiers and yourself." 5 So he
prayed, and a whirlwind of fire fell [from heaven], and destroyed the
captain, and those that were with him. And when the king was informed of
the destruction of these men, he was very angry, and sent another
captain with the like number of armed men that were sent before. And
when this captain also threatened the prophet, that unless he came down
of his own accord, he would take him and carry him away, upon his prayer
against him, the fire [from heaven] slew this captain as well the other.
And when, upon inquiry, the king was informed of what happened to him,
he sent out a third captain. But when this captain, who was a wise man,
and of a mild disposition, came to the place where Elijah happened to
be, and spake civilly to him; and said that he knew that it was without
his own consent, and only in submission to the king's command that he
came to him; and that those that came before did not come willingly, but
on the same account;—he therefore desired him to have pity on those
armed men that were with him, and that he would come down and follow him
to the king. So Elijah accepted of his discreet words and courteous
behavior, and came down and followed him. And when he came to the king,
he prophesied to him and told him that God said, "Since thou hast
despised him as not being God, and so unable to foretell the truth about
thy distemper, but hast sent to the god of Ekron to inquire of him what
will be the end of this thy distemper, know this, that thou shalt die."
2. Accordingly the king in a very little time died, as Elijah had
foretold; but Jehoram his brother succeeded him in the kingdom, for he
died without children: but for this Jehoram, he was like his father Ahab
in wickedness, and reigned twelve years, indulging himself in all sorts
of wickedness and impiety towards God, for, leaving off his worship, he
worshipped foreign gods; but in other respects he was an active man. Now
at this time it was that Elijah disappeared from among men, and no one
knows of his death to this very day; but he left behind him his disciple
Elisha, as we have formerly declared. And indeed, as to Elijah, and as
to Enoch, who was before the deluge, it is written in the sacred books
that they disappeared, but so that nobody knew that they died.
abode in Samaria. He was a wicked man, and in all respects like to both
his parents and to Jeroboam, who first of all transgressed, and began to
deceive the people. In the second year of his reign, the king of Moab
fell off from his obedience, and left off paying those tributes which he
before paid to his father Ahab. Now it happened that Ahaziah, as he was
coming down from the top of his house, fell down from it, and in his
sickness sent to the Fly, which was the god of Ekron, for that was this
god's name, to inquire about his recovery 4 but the God of the Hebrews
appeared to Elijah the prophet, and commanded him to go and meet the
messengers that were sent, and to ask them, whether the people of Israel
had not a God of their own, that the king sent to a foreign god to
inquire about his recovery? and to bid them return and tell the king
that he would not escape this disease. And when Elijah had performed
what God had commanded him, and the messengers had heard what he said,
they returned to the king immediately; and when the king wondered how
they could return so soon, and asked them the reason of it, they said
that a certain man met them, and forbade them to go on any farther; but
to return and tell thee, from the command of the God of Israel, that
this disease will have a bad end. And when the king bid them describe
the man that said this to them, they replied that he was a hairy man,
and was girt about with a girdle of leather. So the king understood by
this that the man who was described by the messengers was Elijah;
whereupon he sent a captain to him, with fifty soldiers, and commanded
them to bring Elijah to him; and when the captain that was sent found
Elijah sitting upon the top of a hill, he commanded him to come down,
and to come to the king, for so had he enjoined; but that in case he
refused, they would carry him by force. Elijah said to him, "That you
may have a trial whether I be a true prophet, I will pray that fire may
fall from heaven, and destroy both the soldiers and yourself." 5 So he
prayed, and a whirlwind of fire fell [from heaven], and destroyed the
captain, and those that were with him. And when the king was informed of
the destruction of these men, he was very angry, and sent another
captain with the like number of armed men that were sent before. And
when this captain also threatened the prophet, that unless he came down
of his own accord, he would take him and carry him away, upon his prayer
against him, the fire [from heaven] slew this captain as well the other.
And when, upon inquiry, the king was informed of what happened to him,
he sent out a third captain. But when this captain, who was a wise man,
and of a mild disposition, came to the place where Elijah happened to
be, and spake civilly to him; and said that he knew that it was without
his own consent, and only in submission to the king's command that he
came to him; and that those that came before did not come willingly, but
on the same account;—he therefore desired him to have pity on those
armed men that were with him, and that he would come down and follow him
to the king. So Elijah accepted of his discreet words and courteous
behavior, and came down and followed him. And when he came to the king,
he prophesied to him and told him that God said, "Since thou hast
despised him as not being God, and so unable to foretell the truth about
thy distemper, but hast sent to the god of Ekron to inquire of him what
will be the end of this thy distemper, know this, that thou shalt die."
2. Accordingly the king in a very little time died, as Elijah had
foretold; but Jehoram his brother succeeded him in the kingdom, for he
died without children: but for this Jehoram, he was like his father Ahab
in wickedness, and reigned twelve years, indulging himself in all sorts
of wickedness and impiety towards God, for, leaving off his worship, he
worshipped foreign gods; but in other respects he was an active man. Now
at this time it was that Elijah disappeared from among men, and no one
knows of his death to this very day; but he left behind him his disciple
Elisha, as we have formerly declared. And indeed, as to Elijah, and as
to Enoch, who was before the deluge, it is written in the sacred books
that they disappeared, but so that nobody knew that they died.