Bible Strands
2 Kings 1:8
“He was a hairy man,” they answered, “with a leather belt around his waist.” “It was Elijah the Tishbite,” said the king.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The king’s messengers respond to Ahaziah’s inquiry about the prophet’s appearance, and the king immediately identifies the figure as Elijah the Tishbite.
The words — The description hinges on בַּעַל שֵׂעָר (Baʿal seʿar), literally “owner of hair” or “hairy,” and אֵזוֹר עוֹר (ʾezor ʿor), meaning a leather belt or girdle.
The thread — This specific attire appears in Matthew 3:4 and Mark 1:6 as John the Baptist’s clothing, while Zechariah 13:4 later references a prophet’s shame at wearing a hairy cloak.
Why it lands — The text records physical description functioning as immediate identification, requiring the reader to note how external markers operate as theological signposts before drawing conclusions about prophetic authority.
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The Hebrew words
King James Version
And they answered him, He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.
Cross-references
- Matthew 3:4 John wore a garment of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.
- Zechariah 13:4 And on that day every prophet who prophesies will be ashamed of his vision, and he will not put on a hairy cloak in order to deceive.
- Mark 1:6 John was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.
- Isaiah 20:2 the LORD had already spoken through Isaiah son of Amoz, saying, “Go, remove the sackcloth from your waist and the sandals from your feet.” And Isaiah did so, walking around naked and barefoot.
- Matthew 11:8 Otherwise, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? Look, those who wear fine clothing are found in kings’ palaces.
- Luke 1:17 And he will go on before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
- Revelation 11:3 And I will empower my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”