After Ahab’s death, Moab rebelled against Israel.
Palestinian Hamas supporters in Gaza City chant anti Israel slogans during a protest in solidarity with Muslim worshipers in Jerusalem on April. 23, 2021. (Khalil Hamra/Associated Press)
Mounted Israeli police officers ride past a fire during clashes with Palestinians, just outside Jerusalem’s Old City on April 22, 2021. (Ariel Schalit/Associated Press)
Now Ahaziah had fallen through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria and injured himself. So he sent messengers, saying to them, “Go and consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, to see if I will recover from this injury.”
Man wounded in clashes at Damascus Gate just outside Jerusalem’s Old City on April. 22, 2021. (Ariel Schalit/Associated Press)
Israeli border police during clashes between Palestinians and Jewish extremist group Lahava just outside Jerusalem’s Old City on April 22, 2021. (Ariel Schalit/Associated Press)
But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Go up and meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going off to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?’ Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘You will not leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!’” So Elijah went.
Israeli riot police talk to a person dressed as a clown during clashes at Damascus Gate just outside Jerusalem’s Old City on April 22, 2021. (Ariel Schalit/Associated Press)
When the messengers returned to the king, he asked them, “Why have you come back?”
“A man came to meet us,” they replied. “And he said to us, ‘Go back to the king who sent you and tell him, This is what the Lord says: Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending messengers to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you will not leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!’” … So he died, according to the word of the Lord that Elijah had spoken.
