Lives of Scripture

Ahaziah, son of Ahab and successor to his throne in Israel, "did evil in the sight of the LORD," serving Baal just as his parents had (1 Kings 22:51-53). Early in his short reign, he fell through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria and was severely injured. Rather than seek the LORD, he sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether he would recover (2 Kings 1:2). The angel of the LORD intercepted Elijah and sent him to meet the messengers with a pointed question and a verdict: "Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub?... you shall surely die" (1:3-4). When Ahaziah learned it was Elijah who had spoken, he sent a captain and fifty soldiers to seize the prophet; Elijah called down fire from heaven that consumed the company, and a second company sent after them met the same fate (1:9-12). A third captain approached humbly, pleading for his life, and Elijah went with him to deliver the verdict to Ahaziah's face (1:13-15). Ahaziah died exactly as prophesied and, having no son, was succeeded by his brother Jehoram (1:17). A separate account (2 Chronicles 20:35-37) shows Ahaziah's alliance with godly King Jehoshaphat in a shipbuilding venture that God condemned through the prophet Eliezer, and the ships were destroyed before they ever sailed.