2 Kings 1:13

¹¹ Again also he sent unto him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And he answered and said unto him, O man of God, thus hath the king said, Come down quickly.

¹² And Elijah answered and said unto them, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.

And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, O man of God, I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight.

¹⁴ 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.

¹⁵ And the angel of the LORD said unto Elijah, Go down with him: be not afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with him unto the king.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: So the king sent a third captain with his fifty men. And the third captain went up, fell on his knees before Elijah, and begged him, “Man of God, may my life and the lives of these fifty servants please be precious in your sight.
KJV: And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, O man of God, I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight.
WEB: Again he sent the captain of a third fifty with his fifty. The third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and begged him, and said to him, “Man of God, please let my life and the life of these fifty of your servants be precious in your sight.
ASV: And again he sent the captain of a third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, O man of God, I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight.
DARBY: And again he sent the captain of a third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him and said to him, Man of God, I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight.
BLB: And he turned and sent a third captain of fifty, and his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and he came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and he pleaded with him and said to him, “Man of God, let be precious, please, my life and the life of your servants—these fifty—in your eyes.

ÅB: Så sendte han igjen en tredje høvedsmann over femti med sine menn; og denne tredje høvedsmann gikk opp til Elias og falt på kne for ham og bønnfalt ham og sa til ham: Du Guds mann! La mitt liv og disse dine femti tjeneres liv være dyrt i dine øyne!
OTB: Så sendte kongen en tredje kaptein med sine femti menn. Denne tredje kapteinen gikk opp, falt på kne foran Elia, og ba ham, “Guds mann, vær så snill å ha omsorg for mitt liv og livet til disse femti tjenerne dine.
B1930: Så sendte han igjen en tredje høvedsmann over femti med sine menn; og denne tredje høvedsmann gikk op til Elias og falt på kne for ham og bønnfalt ham og sa til ham: Du Guds mann! La mitt liv og disse dine femti tjeneres liv være dyrt i dine øine!

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Isaiah 1:5
Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.
Read in context
Psalms 72:14
He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.
Read in context
Proverbs 27:22
Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.
Read in context
Isaiah 66:2
For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
Read in context
Psalms 102:17
He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.
Read in context
Exodus 11:8
And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down themselves unto me, saying, Get thee out, and all the people that follow thee: and after that I will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in a great anger.
Read in context
1 Samuel 26:21
Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.
Read in context
1 Kings 13:6
And the king answered and said unto the man of God, Intreat now the face of the LORD thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again. And the man of God besought the LORD, and the king’s hand was restored him again, and became as it was before.
Read in context