2 Kings 1:9 - Exposition

The king sent unto him a captain of fifty. "Captains of fifties" were first instituted in the wilderness by the advice of Jethro ( Exodus 18:21-25 ). Though not expressly mentioned in the military organization of David, they probably formed a part of it, and so passed into the institutions of the kingdom of Israel. With his fifty. Some recognition of Elijah's superhuman power would seem to have led Ahaziah to send so large a body. His doing so was a sort of challenge to the prophet to show whether Ahaziah or the God whom he represented was the stronger. The circumstances recall those of the "band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees" ( John 18:3 ), which was sent, "with swords and staves," to arrest another righteous Person. He sat on the top of a hill ; literally, on the top of the hill ( ἐπὶ τῆς κορυφῆς τοῦ ὄρους , LXX .). The high ground where Elijah had met the messengers ( 2 Kings 1:3 ) seems to be intended. When they were gone, the prophet took his seat on the highest point, conspicuous on all sides, so avoiding any attempt at concealment, and awaiting the next step that the king would take, calmly and quietly. He spake unto him; Thou man of God. The captain is thought by some to have spoken ironically; hut there is no evidence of this. The address is respectful, submissive. The miraculous powers of Elijah ( 1 Kings 17:22 ; 1 Kings 18:38 ) were probably known to the officer, who hoped by the tone of his address to escape the prophet's anger. In the same spirit he avoids issuing any command of his own, and prefers simply to deliver the king's command— The king hath said, Come down.