2 Kings 1:14

¹² Again Elijah replied, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.” And the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed the captain and his fifty men.

¹³ 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.

Behold, fire has come down from heaven and consumed the first two captains of fifty, with all their men. But now may my life be precious in your sight.”

¹⁵ Then the angel of the LORD said to Elijah, “Go down with him. Do not be afraid of him.” So Elijah got up and went down with him to the king.

¹⁶ And Elijah said to King Ahaziah, “This is what the LORD says: Is there really no God in Israel for you to inquire of His word? Is that why you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you will not get up from the bed on which you are lying. You will surely die.”

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: Behold, fire has come down from heaven and consumed the first two captains of fifty, with all their men. But now may my life be precious in your sight.”
KJV: 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.
WEB: Behold, fire came down from the sky and consumed the last two captains of fifty with their fifties. But now let my life be precious in your sight.”
ASV: Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and consumed the two former captains of fifty with their fifties; but now let my life be precious in thy sight.
DARBY: Behold, there came down fire from the heavens, and consumed the two captains of the former fifties with their fifties; but now, let my life be precious in thy sight.
BLB: Behold, fire has come down from the heavens and burned up the first two captains of fifty, and their fifties. And let my life be precious in your eyes.”

ÅB: Ild fór ned fra himmelen og fortærte begge de første høvedsmenn over femti med sine menn; men la nå mitt liv være dyrt i dine øyne!
OTB: Se, ild har kommet ned fra himmelen og fortært de to første kapteinene og deres menn. Men nå, vær så snill å la mitt liv være dyrebart i dine øyne.”
B1930: Ild fór ned fra himmelen og fortærte begge de første høvedsmenn over femti med sine menn; men la nu mitt liv være dyrt i dine øine!

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Acts 20:24
But I consider my life of no value to me, if only I may finish my course and complete the ministry I have received from the Lord Jesus—the ministry of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.
Read in context
Psalms 116:15
Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints.
Read in context
Psalms 49:8
For the redemption of his soul is costly, and never can payment suffice,
Read in context
2 Kings 1:10–11
Elijah answered the captain, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.” And fire came down from heaven and consumed the captain and his fifty men.
Read in context
Matthew 16:25–26
For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
Read in context
1 Samuel 26:21
Then Saul replied, “I have sinned. Come back, David my son. I will never harm you again, because today you considered my life precious. I have played the fool and have committed a grave error!”
Read in context
Psalms 72:14
He will redeem them from oppression and violence, for their blood is precious in his sight.
Read in context
Proverbs 6:26
For the levy of the prostitute is poverty, and the adulteress preys upon your very life.
Read in context