2 Kings 1:2

1:2 Ahaziah fell through a window lattice in his upper chamber in Samaria 1  and was injured. He sent messengers with these orders, 2  “Go, ask 3  Baal Zebub, 4  the god of Ekron, if I will survive this injury.”

2 Kings 1:17

1:17 He died just as the Lord had prophesied through Elijah. 5  In the second year of the reign of King Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat over Judah, Ahaziah’s brother Jehoram replaced him as king of Israel, because he had no son. 6 

1 map For location see Map2-B1; Map4-D3; Map5-E2; Map6-A4; Map7-C1.

2 tn Heb “and he sent messengers and said to them.”

3 tn That is, “seek an oracle from.”

4 sn Apparently Baal Zebub refers to a local manifestation of the god Baal at the Philistine city of Ekron. The name appears to mean “Lord of the Flies,” but it may be a deliberate scribal corruption of Baal Zebul, “Baal, the Prince,” a title known from the Ugaritic texts. For further discussion and bibliography, see HALOT 261 s.v. זְבוּב בַּעַל and M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 25.

5 tn Heb “according to the word of the Lord which he spoke through Elijah.”

6 tn Heb “Jehoram replaced him as king…because he had no son.” Some ancient textual witnesses add “his brother,” which was likely added on the basis of the statement later in the verse that Ahaziah had no son.