4
Now therefore, thus says the Lord: 'You shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.' " So Elijah departed.
5
And when the messengers returned to him, he said to them, "Why have you come back?"
6
So they said to him, "A man came up to meet us, and said to us, 'Go, return to the king who sent you, and say to him, "Thus says the Lord: 'Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending to inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.' " ' "
7
Then he said to them, "What kind of man was it who came up to meet you and told you these words?"
8
So they answered him, "A hairy man wearing a leather belt around his waist." And he said, "It is Elijah the Tishbite."
9
Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty men. So he went up to him; and there he was, sitting on the top of a hill. And he spoke to him: "Man of God, the king has said, 'Come down!' "
10
So Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, "If I am a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men." And fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.
11
Then he sent to him another captain of fifty with his fifty men. And he answered and said to him: "Man of God, thus has the king said, 'Come down quickly!' "
12
So Elijah answered and said to them, "If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men." And the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.
13
Again, he sent a third captain of fifty with his fifty men. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and pleaded with him, and said to him: "Man of God, please let my life and the life of these fifty servants of yours be precious in your sight.
14
Look, fire has come down from heaven and burned up the first two captains of fifties with their fifties. But let my life now be precious in your sight."