2 Kings 1:14
in 2 Kings 1Behold, fire has come down from heaven and consumed the first two captains of fifty, with all their men. But now may my life be precious in your sight.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and consumed the two former captains of fifty with their fifties; but now let my life be precious in thy sight.
KJV
Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and burnt up the two captains of the former fifties with their fifties: therefore let my life now be precious in thy sight.
⋯
This verse in 2 Kings 1
Commentary
7 notes on this verseNow if you consider well, dearly beloved, you will realize that not only the Jewish people fell through pride, but also those two captains perished from the same weakness. With great pride and arrogance but lacking any humility, the latter came to blessed Elijah and …
This site's exposition
fell on his knees before Elijah
on 2 Kings 1:13-14
The third captain “fell on his knees before Elijah” and begs for his life and the lives of his fifty, naming the companies already consumed. At Luke 9:54 James and John ask Jesus whether to call down fire from heaven on a Samaritan village, and Jesus turns and rebukes them.
This site's exposition
may my life be precious
Matthew Henry observed that God is as ready to show mercy to those who submit to him as he is severe with those who resist. The third captain keeps his life and carries his errand, for Elijah goes with him. Caesarius of Arles set his humility against the captains' pride.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
These wretched men are apt to censure the writings of the Old Testament saying, "How was it just for blessed Elijah to burn two captains with their soldiers by means of fire brought down from heaven?" How justly and mercifully this was done, dearly beloved, …
But the stubborn king did not fear the word of the prophet and said in his heart, "He lies." And so he did not pay attention to his warning, which exhorted him to get rid of the reason of his evils and to repent. He …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
God is not so severe with those that stand it out against him but he is as ready to show mercy to those that repent and submit to him; never any found it in vain to cast themselves upon the mercy of God. This captain, not only has his life spared, but is permitted to carry his point: Elijah, being so commanded by the angel, goes down with him to the king,
Behold, there came fire down from heaven and burnt up the two captains of the former fifties with their fifties,.... He owns the facts, and ascribes the death of them to the true cause, and appears to have an awful sense of the judgment of God on them, fearing the same would befall him and his: therefore let my life now be precious in thy sight; by sparing it, what is precious and valuable being spared.
The words behind it
17 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הִ֠נֵּה | hineh | here! | H2009 → | 843 times |
| יָ֤רְדָה | yaredah | it has come down | H3381 → | 381 times |
| אֵשׁ֙ | ʾesh | fire | H784 → | 378 times |
| מִן־ | min- | from | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם | hashamayim | the heavens | H8064 → | 421 times |
| וַ֠תֹּאכַל | vatokhal | and it has consumed | H398 → | 810 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| שְׁנֵ֞י | shenei | [the] two | H8147 → | 768 times |
| שָׂרֵ֧י | sarei | [the] commanders of | H8269 → | 421 times |
| הַחֲמִשִּׁ֛ים | hachamishim | the fifties | H2572 → | 163 times |
| הָרִאשֹׁנִ֖ים | harishonim | <the> former | H7223 → | 182 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| חֲמִשֵּׁיהֶ֑ם | chamisheihem | fifty [men] their | H2572 → | 163 times |
| וְעַתָּ֕ה | veatah | and now | H6258 → | 433 times |
| תִּיקַ֥ר | tikar | let it be precious | H3365 → | |
| נַפְשִׁ֖י | nafshi | life my | H5315 → | 754 times |
| בְּעֵינֶֽיךָ׃ ס | beeineikha | in view your | H5869 → | 887 times |
הִ֠נֵּהhere!
hinehH2009 →843 times
יָ֤רְדָהit has come down
yaredahH3381 →381 times
אֵשׁ֙fire
ʾeshH784 →378 times
מִן־from
min-H4480 →1188 times
הַשָּׁמַ֔יִםthe heavens
hashamayimH8064 →421 times
וַ֠תֹּאכַלand it has consumed
vatokhalH398 →810 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
שְׁנֵ֞י[the] two
sheneiH8147 →768 times
שָׂרֵ֧י[the] commanders of
sareiH8269 →421 times
הַחֲמִשִּׁ֛יםthe fifties
hachamishimH2572 →163 times
הָרִאשֹׁנִ֖ים<the> former
harishonimH7223 →182 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
חֲמִשֵּׁיהֶ֑םfifty [men] their
chamisheihemH2572 →163 times
וְעַתָּ֕הand now
veatahH6258 →433 times
תִּיקַ֥רlet it be precious
tikarH3365 →
נַפְשִׁ֖יlife my
nafshiH5315 →754 times
בְּעֵינֶֽיךָ׃ סin view your
beeineikhaH5869 →887 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Acts 20:24But I consider my life of no value to me, if only I may finish my course and complete the ministry I have received from the Lord Jesus—the ministry of testifying to the good…
it leads to
- 2 Timothy 4:6–8
For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.
- 2 Corinthians 12:10
That is why, for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
- 2 Corinthians 4:1
Therefore, since God in His mercy has given us this ministry, we do not lose heart.
- 1 Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and immovable. Always excel in the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
- Acts 21:13
Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”
- 2 Timothy 4:6–8
Through
Psalms 116:15Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints.
it leads to
- Psalms 72:14
He will redeem them from oppression and violence, for their blood is precious in his sight.
- 1 Samuel 25:29
And should someone pursue you and seek your life, then the life of my lord will be bound securely by the LORD your God in the bundle of the living. But He shall fling…
- Psalms 37:32–33
Though the wicked lie in wait for the righteous, and seek to slay them,
- Psalms 72:14
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies3
On this verse
On this chapter
About 2 Kings
This page draws on Caesarius of Arles, SERMON 125.2; Caesarius of Arles, Sermon 125.2; Caesarius of Arles, SERMON 125.1; Ephrem the Syrian, ON THE SECOND BOOK OF KINGS 1:1; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.