The Meaning of 2 Kings 1:12 Explained

2 Kings 1:12

KJV: And Elijah answered and said unto them, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.

YLT: And Elijah answereth and speaketh unto them, 'If I am a man of God, fire doth come down from the heavens, and consume thee and thy fifty;' and fire of God cometh down from the heavens, and consumeth him and his fifty.

Darby: And Elijah answered and said to them, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from the heavens and consume thee and thy fifty. And the fire of God came down from the heavens, and consumed him and his fifty.

ASV: And Elijah answered and said unto them, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Elijah  answered  and said  unto them, If I [be] a man  of God,  let fire  come down  from heaven,  and consume  thee and thy fifty.  And the fire  of God  came down  from heaven,  and consumed  him and his fifty. 

What does 2 Kings 1:12 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Kings 1:9-18 - Consuming Fire
An awful fate overtook the first two captains; but it must be noted that they were extremely violent and arrogant in their behavior and speech. The altered tone of the last captain wrought an instant alteration in the prophet's attitude and response. That there was no personal malice in Elijah is clear from his willingness to accompany the third captain into the royal presence. Our Lord expressly cautioned His followers from attempting to imitate this episode. We belong to another dispensation, which savors of forbearance and meekness. See Luke 9:54.
On a former day Jezebel's message made the prophet flee; but now he does not hesitate to pass through the crowded streets of the capital and to enter the palace of the king. Elijah was dwelling in the secret place of the Most High and standing before Jehovah, as aforetime. His faith was able to avail itself of the panoply of God. He quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, and out of weakness was made strong. Let us admire the loving forbearance of God who restores the wavering ones, brings them up from the grave, holds them as stars in His right hand, Revelation 1:16, and uses them once more in His glorious service. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Kings 1

1  Moab rebels
2  Ahaziah, sending to Baal-Zebub, has his judgement by Elijah
5  Elijah twice brings fire from heaven on those Ahaziah sent to apprehend him
13  He pities the third captain,
15  and, encouraged by an angel, tells the king of his death
17  Jehoram succeeds Ahaziah

What do the individual words in 2 Kings 1:12 mean?

So answered Elijah and said to them if a man of God I [am] let come down fire from heaven and consume you and [your] fifty [men] And came down the fire of God and consumed him [his] fifty
וַיַּ֣עַן אֵלִיָּה֮ וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר אֲלֵיהֶם֒ אִם־ אִ֤ישׁ הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ אָ֔נִי תֵּ֤רֶד אֵשׁ֙ מִן־ הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וְתֹאכַ֥ל אֹתְךָ֖ וְאֶת־ חֲמִשֶּׁ֑יךָ וַתֵּ֤רֶד אֵשׁ־ אֱלֹהִים֙ וַתֹּ֥אכַל אֹת֖וֹ חֲמִשָּֽׁיו

וַיַּ֣עַן  So  answered 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: לְעַנּׄות 
Sense: to answer, respond, testify, speak, shout.
אֵלִיָּה֮  Elijah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֵלִיָּה 
Sense: the great prophet of the reign of Ahab.
וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
אֲלֵיהֶם֒  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
אִ֤ישׁ  a  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙  of  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
אָ֔נִי  I  [am] 
Parse: Pronoun, first person common singular
Root: אֲנִי  
Sense: I (first pers.
תֵּ֤רֶד  let  come  down 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect Jussive, third person feminine singular
Root: יָרַד  
Sense: to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down.
אֵשׁ֙  fire 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: אֵשׁ  
Sense: fire.
הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם  heaven 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַיִם  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.
וְתֹאכַ֥ל  and  consume 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
חֲמִשֶּׁ֑יךָ  [your]  fifty  [men] 
Parse: Number, common plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: חֲמִשִּׁים 
Sense: fifty.
וַתֵּ֤רֶד  And  came  down 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: יָרַד  
Sense: to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down.
אֵשׁ־  the  fire 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: אֵשׁ  
Sense: fire.
אֱלֹהִים֙  of  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
וַתֹּ֥אכַל  and  consumed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
חֲמִשָּֽׁיו  [his]  fifty 
Parse: Number, common plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חֲמִשִּׁים 
Sense: fifty.

What are the major concepts related to 2 Kings 1:12?

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