2 Kings 1:11

Context

1:11 The king¹ sent another captain and his fifty soldiers to retrieve Elijah. He went up and told him,² “Prophet, this is what the king says, ‘Come down at once!’”³

2 Kings 1:9

Context

1:9 The king⁴ sent a captain and his fifty soldiers⁵ to retrieve Elijah.⁶ The captain⁷ went up to him, while he was sitting on the top of a hill.⁸ He told him, “Prophet,⁹ the king says, ‘Come down!’”

[1:11] ¹tn Heb “he”; the referent (the king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[1:11] ²tc The MT reads, “he answered and said to him.” The verb “he answered” (וַיַּעַן, vayya’an) is probably a corruption of “he went up” (וַיַּעַל, vayya’al). See v. 9.

[1:11] ³sn In this second panel of the three-paneled narrative, the king and his captain are more arrogant than before. The captain uses a more official sounding introduction (“this is what the king says”) and the king adds “at once” to the command.

[1:9] ⁴tn Heb “he”; the referent (the king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[1:9] ⁵tn Heb “officer of fifty and his fifty.”

[1:9] ⁶tn Heb “to him.”

[1:9] ⁷tn Heb “he”; the referent (the captain) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[1:9] ⁸sn The prophet Elijah’s position on the top of the hill symbolizes his superiority to the king and his messengers.

[1:9] ⁹tn Heb “man of God” (also in vv. 10, 11, 12, 13).