The Meaning of 2 Kings 1:16 Explained

2 Kings 1:16

KJV: And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron, is it not because there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word? therefore thou shalt not come down off that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.

YLT: and speaketh unto him, 'Thus said Jehovah, Because that thou hast sent messengers to inquire of Baal-Zebub god of Ekron -- is it because there is not a God in Israel to inquire of His word? therefore, the bed whither thou hast gone up -- thou dost not come down from it, for thou dost certainly die.'

Darby: And he said to him, Thus saith Jehovah: Forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron, is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word? therefore thou shalt not come down from the bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt certainly die.

ASV: And he said unto him, Thus saith Jehovah, Forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word? therefore thou shalt not come down from the bed whither thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he said  unto him, Thus saith  the LORD,  Forasmuch as thou hast sent  messengers  to enquire  of Baalzebub  the god  of Ekron,  [is it] not because [there is] no God  in Israel  to enquire  of his word?  therefore thou shalt not come down  off that bed  on which thou art gone up,  but shalt surely  die. 

What does 2 Kings 1:16 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 1:16 mean?

And he said to him thus says Yahweh because that you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal-Zebub the god of Ekron [is it] because [there is] no God in Israel to inquire of His word therefore the bed to which you have gone up on that not you shall come down from but surely you shall die
וַיְדַבֵּ֨ר אֵלָ֜יו כֹּֽה־ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה יַ֜עַן אֲשֶׁר־ שָׁלַ֣חְתָּ מַלְאָכִים֮ לִדְרֹשׁ֮ בְּבַ֣עַל זְבוּב֮ אֱלֹהֵ֣י עֶקְרוֹן֒ הַֽמִבְּלִ֤י אֵין־ אֱלֹהִים֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לִדְרֹ֖שׁ ؟ בִּדְבָר֑וֹ לָ֠כֵן הַמִּטָּ֞ה אֲשֶׁר־ עָלִ֥יתָ שָּׁ֛ם לֹֽא־ תֵרֵ֥ד מִמֶּ֖נָּה כִּֽי־ מ֥וֹת תָּמֽוּת

וַיְדַבֵּ֨ר  And  he  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
אֵלָ֜יו  to  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
כֹּֽה־  thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֹּה  
Sense: thus, here, in this manner.
אָמַ֣ר  says 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָ֗ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
יַ֜עַן  because 
Parse: Adverb
Root: יַעַן  
Sense: because, therefore, because that, on account of prep.
אֲשֶׁר־  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
שָׁלַ֣חְתָּ  you  have  sent 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
מַלְאָכִים֮  messengers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַלְאָךְ  
Sense: messenger, representative.
לִדְרֹשׁ֮  to  inquire 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: דַּרְיׄושׁ 
Sense: to resort to, seek, seek with care, enquire, require.
זְבוּב֮  Baal-Zebub 
Parse: Preposition, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּעַל זְבוּב  
Sense: a Philistine deity worshipped at Ekron.
אֱלֹהֵ֣י  the  god 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
עֶקְרוֹן֒  of  Ekron 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֶקְרֹון  
Sense: the most northerly of the 5 principal cities of the Philistines; located in the lowlands of Judah and later given to Dan.
הַֽמִבְּלִ֤י  [is  it]  because 
Parse: Preposition, Adverb
Root: בְּלִי 
Sense: wearing out adv of negation.
אֵין־  [there  is]  no 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
אֱלֹהִים֙  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל  in  Israel 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
לִדְרֹ֖שׁ  to  inquire 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: דַּרְיׄושׁ 
Sense: to resort to, seek, seek with care, enquire, require.
؟ בִּדְבָר֑וֹ  of  His  word 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
הַמִּטָּ֞ה  the  bed 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִטָּה  
Sense: couch, bed, bier.
אֲשֶׁר־  to  which 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
עָלִ֥יתָ  you  have  gone  up 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
שָּׁ֛ם  on  that 
Parse: Adverb
Root: שָׁם  
Sense: there, thither.
תֵרֵ֥ד  you  shall  come  down 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: יָרַד  
Sense: to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down.
מ֥וֹת  surely 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
תָּמֽוּת  you  shall  die 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.