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1. And now Ahaziah, the son of Ahab, reigned over Israel, and
made his abode in Samaria. He was a wicked man, and in all
respects like to both his parents and to Jeroboam, who first of
all transgressed, and began to deceive the people. In the second
year of his reign, the king of Moab fell off from his obedience,
and left off paying those tributes which he before paid to his
father Ahab. Now it happened that Ahaziah, as he was coming down
from the top of his house, fell down from it, and in his sickness
sent to the Fly, which was the god of Ekron, for that was this
god's name, to inquire about his recovery but the God of the
Hebrews appeared to Elijah the prophet, and commanded him to go
and meet the messengers that were sent, and to ask them, whether
the people of Israel had pot a God of their own, that the king
sent to a foreign god to inquire about his recovery? and to bid
them return and tell the king that he would not escape this
disease. And when Elijah had performed what God had commanded
him, and the messengers had heard what he said, they returned to
the king immediately; and when the king wondered how they could
return so soon, and asked them the reason of it, they said that a
certain man met them, and forbade them to go on any farther; but
to return and tell thee, from the command of the God of Israel,
that this disease will have a bad end. And when the king bid them
describe the man that said this to them, they replied that he was
a hairy man, and was girt about with a girdle of leather. So the
king understood by this that the man who was described by the
messengers was Elijah; whereupon he sent a captain to him, with
fifty soldiers, and commanded them to bring Elijah to him; and
when the captain that was sent found Elijah sitting upon the top
of a hill, he commanded him to come down, and to come to the
king, for so had he enjoined; but that in case he refused, they
would carry him by force. Elijah said to him, "That you may have
a trial whether I be a true prophet, I will pray that fire may
fall from heaven, and destroy both the soldiers and yourself."
So he prayed, and a whirlwind of fire fell [from heaven], and
destroyed the captain, and those that were with him. And when the
king was informed of the destruction of these men, he was very
angry, and sent another captain with the like number of armed men
that were sent before. And when this captain also threatened the
prophet, that unless he came down of his own accord, he would
take him and carry him away, upon his prayer against him, the
fire [from heaven] slew this captain as well the other. And when,
upon inquiry, the king was informed of what happened to him, he
sent out a third captain. But when this captain, who was a wise
man, and of a mild disposition, came to the place where Elijah
happened to be, and spake civilly to him; and said that he knew
that it was without his own consent, and only in submission to
the king's command that he came to him; and that those that came
before did not come willingly, but on the same account; - he
therefore desired him to have pity on those armed men that were
with him, and that he would come down and follow him to the king.
So Elijah accepted of his discreet words and courteous behavior,
and came down and followed him. And when he came to the king, he
prophesied to him and told him that God said, "Since thou hast
despised him as not being God, and so unable to foretell the
truth about thy distemper, but hast sent to the god of Ekron to
inquire of him what will be the end of this thy distemper, know
this, that thou shalt die."
2. Accordingly the king in a very little time died, as Elijah had
foretold; but Jehoram his brother succeeded him in the kingdom,
for he died without children: but for this Jehoram, he was like
his father Ahab in wickedness, and reigned twelve years,
indulging himself in all sorts of wickedness and impiety towards
God, for, leaving off his worship, he worshipped foreign gods;
but in other respects he was an active man. Now at this time it
was that Elijah disappeared from among men, and no one knows of
his death to this very day; but he left behind him his disciple
Elisha, as we have formerly declared. And indeed, as to Elijah,
and as to Enoch, who was before the deluge, it is written in the
sacred books that they disappeared, but so that nobody knew that
they died.
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