2 Kings 1:3

1:3 But the Lord’s angelic messenger told Elijah the Tishbite, “Get up, go to meet the messengers from the king of Samaria. Say this to them: ‘You must think there is no God in Israel! That explains why you are on your way to seek an oracle from Baal Zebub the god of Ekron. ¹ 

2 Kings 1:8

1:8 They replied, ²  “He was a hairy man ³  and had a leather belt ⁴  tied around his waist.” The king ⁵  said, “He is Elijah the Tishbite.”

[1:3]  ¹ tn Heb “Is it because there is no God in Israel [that] you are going to inquire of Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron?” The translation seeks to bring out the sarcastic tone of the rhetorical question.

[1:8]  ² tn Heb “said to him.”

[1:8]  ³ tn Heb “an owner of hair.” This idiomatic expression indicates that Elijah was very hairy. For other examples where the idiom “owner of” is used to describe a characteristic of someone, see HALOT 143 s.v. בַּעַל. For example, an “owner of dreams” is one who frequently has dreams (Gen 37:19) and an “owner of anger” is a hot-tempered individual (Prov 22:24).

[1:8]  ⁴ tn Heb “belt of skin” (i.e., one made from animal hide).

[1:8]  ⁵ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.