Elijah

==== Ahaziah ====
[[File:094.Elijah Destroys the Messengers of Ahaziah.jpg|thumb|Elijah destroying the messengers of Ahaziah (illustration by [[Gustave Doré]] from the 1866 ''La Sainte Bible'')|278x278px]]
Elijah's story continues now from Ahab to an encounter with [[Ahaziah of Israel|Ahaziah]] ([[2 Kings 1]]). The scene opens with Ahaziah seriously injured in a fall. He sends to the priests of [[Beelzebub|Baalzebub]] in [[Ekron]], outside the kingdom of Israel, to know if he will recover. Elijah intercepts his messengers and sends them back to Ahaziah with a message "Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?"<ref name=EB1911/><ref>{{Bibleverse|2|Kings|1:6|NRSV}}</ref> Ahaziah asks the messengers to describe the person who gave them this message. They tell him he was a hairy man with a leather belt around his waist and he instantly recognizes the description as Elijah the Tishbite.

Ahaziah sends out three groups of soldiers to arrest Elijah. The first two are destroyed by fire which Elijah calls down from heaven. The leader of the third group asks for mercy for himself and his men. Elijah agrees to accompany this third group to Ahaziah, where he gives his prophecy in person. Ahaziah dies without recovering from his injuries in accordance with Elijah's word.<ref>[[2 Kings 1:17]]</ref>