Bible Strands
2 Kings 1:11
So the king sent to Elijah another captain with his fifty men. And the captain said to Elijah, “Man of God, the king declares, ‘Come down at once!’”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The king of Israel dispatches a second military captain with fifty soldiers to summon the prophet Elijah to his presence. The captain addresses Elijah as "Man of God" and delivers the king's direct command to descend immediately.
The words — The Hebrew verb וַיִּשְׁלַח (va/yishlach) translates literally as "and he sent," marking the royal decree that initiates this confrontation. The noun שַׂר (sar) denotes a military commander, establishing the armed, official nature of the delegation.
The thread — The pattern of royal authority confronting divinely appointed figures recurs in 1 Samuel 22:17, where a king orders guards to execute priests who supported David. It also parallels Numbers 16:41, where a community grumbles against Moses and Aaron after witnessing immediate judgment on their challengers.
Why it lands — The text records that earthly commands cannot override prophetic declarations, as the narrative shows repeated destruction of armed delegations. A reader must acknowledge that divine authority operates independently of royal status and demands immediate compliance.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
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.
Cross-references
- Numbers 16:41 The next day the whole congregation of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You have killed the LORD’s people!”
- 1 Samuel 6:9 but keep watching it. If it goes up the road to its homeland, toward Beth-shemesh, it is the LORD who has brought on us this great disaster. But if it does not, then we will know that it was not His hand that punished us and that it happened by chance.”
- 1 Samuel 22:17 Then the king ordered the guards at his side, “Turn and kill the priests of the LORD, because they too sided with David. For they knew he was fleeing, but they did not tell me.” But the king’s servants would not lift a hand to strike the priests of the LORD.
- Proverbs 29:12 If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials will be wicked.
- Isaiah 26:11 O LORD, Your hand is upraised, but they do not see it. They will see Your zeal for Your people and be put to shame. The fire set for Your enemies will consume them!
- Isaiah 32:7 The weapons of the scoundrel are destructive; he hatches plots to destroy the poor with lies, even when the plea of the needy is just.
- Jeremiah 5:3 O LORD, do not Your eyes look for truth? You struck them, but they felt no pain. You finished them off, but they refused to accept discipline. They have made their faces harder than stone and refused to repent.
- Matthew 2:16 When Herod saw that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was filled with rage. Sending orders, he put to death all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, according to the time he had learned from the Magi.
- Luke 22:63 The men who were holding Jesus began to mock Him and beat Him.
- John 18:5 “Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered. Jesus said, “I am He.” And Judas His betrayer was standing there with them.