{"id":62808,"date":"2018-07-09T17:44:28","date_gmt":"2018-07-09T14:44:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wall\/wall-310\/"},"modified":"2023-04-13T11:45:35","modified_gmt":"2023-04-13T08:45:35","slug":"wall-310","status":"publish","type":"wall","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wall\/wall-310\/","title":{"rendered":"chapter-Prophets-II Kings-1"},"parent":0,"template":"","acf":{"type":"chapter","wall_id":"310","date":"20261105","book":"II Kings","chapter":"1","chapter_main_number":"310","books_group":"Prophets","posts":[{"order":1,"id":"63002","color":"#f8ebe3","size":"1","name":"JPS Audio Bible - 2 Kings Chapter 1 ","post_title":"JPS Audio Bible - 2 Kings Chapter 1","slug":"jps-audio-bible-2-kings-chapter-1","old_id":"63002","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34686,"post_title":"Soundcloud","slug":"soundcloud","old_id":"34686","first_name":"","last_name":"","description":"","short_description":"","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34656,"alt":"","title":"491","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","width":300,"height":300,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","medium_large-width":300,"medium_large-height":300,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","large-width":300,"large-height":300,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","1536x1536-width":300,"1536x1536-height":300,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","2048x2048-width":300,"2048x2048-height":300,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","post_full_size-width":300,"post_full_size-height":300,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","home_baner-width":300,"home_baner-height":300}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"310","type_929":"4","show_author_image":true,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"","post_main_content_image":"","post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"JPS Audio Bible","tile_main_caption":"2 Kings Chapter 1","tile_main_caption_size":"2","tile_sub_caption":"Hear the daily chapter","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":"","tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/929-bible\/JPS_Audio_Bible_2_Kings_Chapter_1","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","old_create_date":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"II Kings","chapter":"1","chapter_main_number":"310","date":"20261105","wall_id":"310"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":2,"id":"63122","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"2","name":"Welcome To The Book Of 2 Kings ","post_title":"Welcome To The Book Of 2 Kings","slug":"welcome-to-the-book-of-2-kings","old_id":"63122","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":36837,"post_title":"Ben Schachter","slug":"ben-schachter","old_id":"36837","first_name":"Ben","last_name":"Schachter","description":"Ben Schachter is Professor of Visual Art at Saint Vincent College. 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saga 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","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":78134,"alt":"","title":"josh blechner","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","width":276,"height":351,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner-236x300.jpg","medium-width":236,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","medium_large-width":276,"medium_large-height":351,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","large-width":276,"large-height":351,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","1536x1536-width":276,"1536x1536-height":351,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","2048x2048-width":276,"2048x2048-height":351,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","post_full_size-width":276,"post_full_size-height":351,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","home_baner-width":276,"home_baner-height":351}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"310","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"But does that mean that King Ahaziah acts like a Moabite?\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

The opening chapter of II Kings continues the Elijah story. Ahaziah falls through the roof of the palace and is bedridden. Instead of inquiring of God, he sends messengers to Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron. God sends Elijah with a message that Ahaziah will die. Ahaziah is suspicious about the message and requests that his messengers describe the prophet. A hairy man with a leather belt is all Ahaziah needs to hear to confirm that it was Elijah. Ahaziah sends three groups of soldiers to summon Elijah. Elijah sends fire down from heaven, burning the first two groups and only after the third troop leader begs for mercy does an angel tell Elijah he can go with them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

There are a few parallels in this story to the story of Balaam. The first is the opening verse of the chapter indicating that Moab rebelled against Israel. Balak is the king of Moab. The next connection is between Baal-Peor the god from the Balaam story and Baal-Zebub. The worship of Peor involved some sort of scatological act, and the name Baal Zebub, \u201cthe Lord of the Flies,\u201d could indicate a similar worship practice. In both stories there are repeated attempts to summon the prophet.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In Numbers 22, Balak sends two groups of messengers to convince Balaam to come curse the Israelites. Balaam rebuffs the first group, but then acquiesces with the second when God tells him to go. Elijah kills the first two groups, while Balaam simply sends the first group away. Elijah was hiding from the edict of Jezebel, so when a group of soldiers arrived, he felt he needed to defend himself. Balaam is not under any sort of threat. The contrast here is indicated by the directive from God:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Elijah: \u201cGo down with him, do not be afraid of him.\u201d (verse 15). <\/span>
\r\n<\/span>Balaam: \u201cIf the agents have come to invite you, you may go with them. But whatever I command you, that you shall do\u2019\u201d (Numbers 22:20).\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Balaam not only asks God what to do, but he also needs to sleep to connect with God. Elijah does not need to ask God, he simply acts on his own. This shows Elijah\u2019s intense zeal to act without God. The fact that Elijah does not need sleep to speak to God is also an indication of his higher connection to God.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Why make the connection between the two stories? The connection may have two purposes: one to praise and one to chastise. The praise comes in the connection between Elijah and Balaam showing Elijah\u2019s status as a prophet. The chastising may be in the connection between Achaziah and Balak. The king of Israel has fallen so far down (literally and spiritually) that he acts like the old king of Moab.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

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","short_description":"Dr. Julie Lieber is a Jewish educator, and is the Director of the Pardes-Kevah Teaching Fellowship.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":40789,"alt":"","title":"Julie Lieber","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Julie-Lieber-e1537820405688.jpg","width":627,"height":680,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Julie-Lieber-e1537820405688-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Julie-Lieber-e1537820405688-277x300.jpg","medium-width":277,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Julie-Lieber-e1537820405688.jpg","medium_large-width":627,"medium_large-height":680,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Julie-Lieber-e1537820405688.jpg","large-width":627,"large-height":680,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Julie-Lieber-e1537820405688.jpg","1536x1536-width":627,"1536x1536-height":680,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Julie-Lieber-e1537820405688.jpg","2048x2048-width":627,"2048x2048-height":680,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Julie-Lieber-e1537820405688.jpg","post_full_size-width":627,"post_full_size-height":680,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Julie-Lieber-e1537820405688-387x420.jpg","home_baner-width":387,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"310","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Made from a very special ram with very special symbolism","post_main_content_content":"

Elijah prophesies and performs miracles in the Kingdom of Israel throughout the Book of 1 Kings. Yet, it is not until his <\/span>final<\/em> <\/span>prophecy, in 2 Kings, Chapter 1, that we learn anything about Elijah\u2019s physical appearance. After King Ahaziah\u2019s messengers return with devastating news about his impending death from a \u201cman,\u201d King Ahaziah asks his messengers to identify this man. They describe him as, \u201da hairy man girded with a leather belt.\u201d Based on this description, Ahaziah immediately knows this man was Elijah the Prophet.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

It is indeed curious that this brief exchange describing the physical appearance of Elijah is included at all in the narration of the story in Kings, let alone waiting until this final prophecy to do so.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Pirkei De-Rabbi Eliezer tell us that the leather belt worn by Elijah was made from the skin of the very ram that was sacrificed in place of Isaac, averting his sacrifice at the hands of his father, Abraham. Why, though, must the reader know, specifically at the sunset of Elijah\u2019s life, that he was a prophet known by his donning this telltale belt of historic importance?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

If there is one dominant theme of the Book of 1 Kings it is Israel\u2019s struggle with loyalty to the God of Israel and Elijah\u2019s mission to help them reverse course. Their continual straying from this path, primarily through their indulgence in worship and <\/span>sacrifice <\/span>to foreign gods popular among their contemporary cultures was their Achilles' heel. Could there be a greater contrast to their chosen lifestyle than the life of Abraham? Abraham begins his relationship with the God of Israel by destroying the idols of his father and culminates his journey of unwavering faith in his willingness to perform an unimaginable sacrificial act at the behest of God. The ram, which replaces Isaac on the altar, serves as a symbol of God\u2019s intervening mercy for those who remain faithful.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

When we finally arrive at the end of his life, we now know that the centerpiece of Elijah\u2019s prophetic work has been helping Israel break the cycle of false and fleeting sacrifice and returning to faith in the one God of Israel. There could be no better uniform for a man with such a mission than a leather belt made from this very ram.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Image: Mosaic on the floor of Beth Alpha depicting the Akedah, 6th C. C.E. \/ wikipedia<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":63126,"alt":"","title":"2kings1-Abraha-Beit_alfa","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Abraha-Beit_alfa.jpg","width":600,"height":386,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Abraha-Beit_alfa-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Abraha-Beit_alfa-300x193.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":193,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Abraha-Beit_alfa.jpg","medium_large-width":600,"medium_large-height":386,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Abraha-Beit_alfa.jpg","large-width":600,"large-height":386,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Abraha-Beit_alfa.jpg","1536x1536-width":600,"1536x1536-height":386,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Abraha-Beit_alfa.jpg","2048x2048-width":600,"2048x2048-height":386,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Abraha-Beit_alfa.jpg","post_full_size-width":600,"post_full_size-height":386,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Abraha-Beit_alfa.jpg","home_baner-width":600,"home_baner-height":386}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"You Are What You Wear: Elijah\u2019s Belt","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Made from a very special ram with very special symbolism","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":63126,"alt":"","title":"2kings1-Abraha-Beit_alfa","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Abraha-Beit_alfa.jpg","width":600,"height":386,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Abraha-Beit_alfa-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Abraha-Beit_alfa-300x193.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":193,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Abraha-Beit_alfa.jpg","medium_large-width":600,"medium_large-height":386,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Abraha-Beit_alfa.jpg","large-width":600,"large-height":386,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Abraha-Beit_alfa.jpg","1536x1536-width":600,"1536x1536-height":386,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Abraha-Beit_alfa.jpg","2048x2048-width":600,"2048x2048-height":386,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Abraha-Beit_alfa.jpg","post_full_size-width":600,"post_full_size-height":386,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Abraha-Beit_alfa.jpg","home_baner-width":600,"home_baner-height":386}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"II Kings","chapter":"1","chapter_main_number":"310","date":"20261105","wall_id":"310"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"375","name":"Faith","old_id":"775"},{"term_id":"387","name":"Sacrifice","old_id":"787"},{"term_id":"418","name":"Abraham","old_id":"818"},{"term_id":"429","name":"Idolatry","old_id":"829"},{"term_id":"858","name":"Elijah","old_id":"1258"}]},{"order":5,"id":"63132","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Elijah (Finally) Relents ","post_title":"Elijah (Finally) Relents","slug":"elijah-finally-relents","old_id":"63132","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34250,"post_title":"Sarah Rudolph","slug":"sarah-rudolph","old_id":"34250","first_name":"Sarah ","last_name":"Rudolph","description":"Sarah Rudolph is a freelance Jewish educator, writer, and editor. She has been sharing her passion for Jewish texts of all kinds for over 15 years, with students of all ages. Sarah\u2019s essays have been published in a variety of internet and print media, including Times of Israel, Kveller, Jewish Action, OU Life, The Lehrhaus, TorahMusings, and more. Sarah lives in Cleveland with her husband and four children, but is privileged to learn online with students all over the world through www.TorahTutors.org and www.WebYeshiva.org. \r\n\r\n","short_description":"Sarah Rudolph is a freelance Jewish educator, writer, and editor.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34251,"alt":"","title":"Sarah R","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Sarah-R.jpg","width":2824,"height":4246,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Sarah-R-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Sarah-R-200x300.jpg","medium-width":200,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Sarah-R-681x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":681,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Sarah-R-681x1024.jpg","large-width":681,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Sarah-R.jpg","1536x1536-width":1022,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Sarah-R.jpg","2048x2048-width":1362,"2048x2048-height":2048,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Sarah-R-798x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":798,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Sarah-R-279x420.jpg","home_baner-width":279,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"310","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"After all, what good is zeal for God if it destroys His people?","post_main_content_content":"

If we got the impression from the last few chapters of I Kings that Elijah would rather be left alone with God than have to deal with the fickle people who persist in betraying Him, we might find further support when he sets Ahaziah\u2019s messengers on fire.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Fifty men show up with their captain, interrupting Elijah\u2019s solitude at the top of a mountain, and demand, \u201cMan of God, by order of the king, come down!\u201d (1:9) \u2013 but Elijah is not impressed with the orders of this king who would turn to Baal Zebub before his own God. <\/span>Oh, really? Do you really believe, then, that I\u2019m a man of God? Do you accept the power of the God Whose man I am? Let me show you!<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n

And fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty men (vs. 10).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Ahaziah and his next captain don\u2019t take the lesson, and the encounter is repeated: the brazen demand, the fire, the deaths.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The third time, however, is the charm \u2013 and as it turns out, captain number 3 doesn\u2019t just learn the lesson that passed over the others\u2019 heads, but perhaps has something to teach Elijah, too.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

How does he avoid the same fate as his predecessors? Not by proclaiming his faith in God, or by distancing himself from the king and his sins, or by apologizing \u2013 though all of that is implied by his submissive stance and language, and by the fact that he doesn\u2019t even mention the king\u2019s order. His focus is on something else:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

'Oh, man of God, please have regard for my life and the lives of these fifty servants of yours!' (vs. 13)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Why the strange phrasing, \u201chave regard\u201d? Why not just \u201cdon\u2019t kill me\u201d?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Even assuming that the first two groups deserved their fate \u2013 it seems that captain number 3 sees another element in the prophet\u2019s choice of response to their offenses: a lack of regard for their lives.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Elijah shared his driving force, what he regards above all, at the end of I Kings: \u201cI am moved by zeal for the LORD, the God of Hosts\u2026\u201d (I Kings 19:10).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Zealous for God, but what about His people? Elijah repeats in frustration that they \u201chave forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and put Your prophets to the sword.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u201cHave regard for my life,\u201d pleads the captain. See me as valuable in my own right, and worth your energy. The previous two groups were dispensable, vehicles through which Elijah displayed the power of his God. This time, the captain says, <\/span>Look at me. I, and my men, have value \u2013 not as pawns in a grand message to the kingdom, but as individuals, as servants of God and His prophets<\/span>.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n

It is this sort of regard Elijah struggles with, and so his time is nearing an end.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

For what good is zeal for God if it destroys His people?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Image: Elijah destroying the messengers of Ahaziah (illustration by Gustave Dor\u00e9 from the 1866 La Sainte Bible)<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":63134,"alt":"","title":"2kings1-Elijah_Destroys_the_Messengers_of_Ahaziah","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Elijah_Destroys_the_Messengers_of_Ahaziah.jpg","width":800,"height":995,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Elijah_Destroys_the_Messengers_of_Ahaziah-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Elijah_Destroys_the_Messengers_of_Ahaziah-241x300.jpg","medium-width":241,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Elijah_Destroys_the_Messengers_of_Ahaziah-768x955.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":955,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Elijah_Destroys_the_Messengers_of_Ahaziah.jpg","large-width":800,"large-height":995,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Elijah_Destroys_the_Messengers_of_Ahaziah.jpg","1536x1536-width":800,"1536x1536-height":995,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Elijah_Destroys_the_Messengers_of_Ahaziah.jpg","2048x2048-width":800,"2048x2048-height":995,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Elijah_Destroys_the_Messengers_of_Ahaziah.jpg","post_full_size-width":800,"post_full_size-height":995,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Elijah_Destroys_the_Messengers_of_Ahaziah-338x420.jpg","home_baner-width":338,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Elijah 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He is the author of TANAKH: An Owner\u2019s Manual (Jerusalem: Urim\/Ktav, 2015).\r\n\r\n","short_description":"Dr. Moshe Sokolow is Associate Dean of the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration, Yeshiva University","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34244,"alt":"","title":"sokolow","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","width":302,"height":300,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow-300x298.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":298,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","medium_large-width":302,"medium_large-height":300,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","large-width":302,"large-height":300,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","1536x1536-width":302,"1536x1536-height":300,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","2048x2048-width":302,"2048x2048-height":300,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","post_full_size-width":302,"post_full_size-height":300,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","home_baner-width":302,"home_baner-height":300}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"310","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Why did the emissaries not recognize this distinctive figure?","post_main_content_content":"

In yet another of a number of encounters between prophets and people who seek prognoses of their illnesses (see, inter alia, 1 Kings 17 and 2 Kings 8), Elijah intercepted the emissaries of King Ahaziah and diverted them from their intended destination: Baal-Zebub, the deity of the Philistine city of Ekron, literally \u201cLord of the Flies\u201d (as in the William Golding novel) but\u2014in Aramaic\u2014a common noun meaning enemy. In response to the king\u2019s interrogation, they identify their interlocutor as \u201ca hairy man\u2026 with a leather belt tied around his waist,\u201d whom Ahaziah immediately identified as \u201cElijah the Tishbite\u201d (8).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Was the giveaway the hair or the belt, and was Elijah the only man in Israel who matched that description? And if he, indeed, was so distinctive as to be immediately recognizable, why did the emissaries not recognize him? In answering these questions, Radak manages to connect several of the dots that have led us here since we were first introduced to Elijah in 1 Kings 17. He wrote:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

[The king] recognized [Elijah\u2019s] habit of wearing a leather belt, and [also] knew that he was hairy. It is curious that the emissaries of the king of Israel did not recognize him when he was accustomed to spending time with Ahab in Samaria. It is possible that these men whom the king of Israel dispatched were not present in Samaria at the time that Elijah was regularly there. It was also quite some time since he had been there because Jezebel had ordered his death (1 Kings 19:2). Indeed, during the war against Ben Hadad (1 Kings 20) we did not see him there, nor during the war of Ramot Gilead when Micaiah ben Yimla served as God\u2019s [true] prophet in Samaria (1 Kings 22).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

A particularly poignant note was struck here by Yosef Ibn Kaspi (Provence, 14<\/span>th<\/span> century), who identified the leather belt as one that was worn above all of one\u2019s other clothes. He had actually visited the Holy Land and interpolated some of its realia into his commentaries. He wrote: \u201cIt is the custom of that land to this very day to wear a belt over all their clothes,\u201d which, possibly, were robes rather than separate shirts and pants.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Image: Le Proph\u00e8te \u00c9lie by Marc Arcis, c. 1690 \/ 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","post_title":"When Did Jehoram Become King?","slug":"when-did-jehoram-become-king","old_id":"63140","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":61002,"post_title":"Yogev Bar-Gad","slug":"yogev-bar-gad","old_id":"61002","first_name":"Yogev ","last_name":"Bar-Gad","description":"Yogev Bar-Gad is a lawyer and a Torah lecturer.","short_description":"Yogev Bar-Gad is a lawyer and a Torah lecturer.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":61003,"alt":"","title":"yogev bar gad","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/yogev-bar-gad.jpg","width":431,"height":582,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/yogev-bar-gad-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/yogev-bar-gad-222x300.jpg","medium-width":222,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/yogev-bar-gad.jpg","medium_large-width":431,"medium_large-height":582,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/yogev-bar-gad.jpg","large-width":431,"large-height":582,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/yogev-bar-gad.jpg","1536x1536-width":431,"1536x1536-height":582,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/yogev-bar-gad.jpg","2048x2048-width":431,"2048x2048-height":582,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/yogev-bar-gad.jpg","post_full_size-width":431,"post_full_size-height":582,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/yogev-bar-gad-311x420.jpg","home_baner-width":311,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"310","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"The answer is to be found in the empty spaces in the text","post_main_content_content":"

Our chapter reports that in the second year of King Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat of Judah, King Ahaziah son of Ahab of Israel died and his brother Jehoram succeeded him as king of Israel, for Ahaziah had no son (17).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Surprisingly this report is in flat contradiction to other reports in the Bible. These other reports state that King Ahaziah son of Ahab died and Jehoram son of Ahab became King almost eight years earlier.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

According to two other chapters in 2 Kings, Jehoram son of Ahab of Israel became king in the eighteenth year of King Jehoshaphat of Judah (2 Kings 3:1), and Jehoram son of King Jehoshaphat of Judah became king in the fifth year of King Joram son of Ahab of Israel (2 Kings 8:16).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Also according to 1 Kings, Ahaziah died and Jehoram succeeded him as king of Israel in the eighteenth year of King Jehoshaphat of Judah. 1 Kings tells that King Ahaziah who reigned over Israel two years, had become king in the seventeenth year of King Jehoshaphat, who reigned over Judah twenty-five years (1 Kings 22, 41-42, 52).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

How can we explain this contradiction? By understanding better the meaning of the very verse in our chapter.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In the original text in Hebrew there is a large space (\"\u05e4\") in the middle of the problematic verse in our chapter. It divides it into two open sections (parashot petuchot). One section is \"And [Ahaziah] died, according to the word of the LORD that Elijah had spoken. Jehoram succeeded him as king\" (17). The second section is \"In the second year of King Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat of Judah\" (17). The meaningful way of separating this verse into two sections tells us that maybe the second section \"In the second year of King Jehoram of Judah\" is related to a different story.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Maybe in the second year of King Jehoram of Judah the LORD took Elijah the prophet up to heaven in a whirlwind (2 Kings 2). It makes sense chronologically and logically as given that just before the prophet was taken up, a frightening letter from Elijah came to King Jehoram of Judah, telling his majesty that because of his severe sins the LORD will inflict a great blow upon his people, his family and his possessions, and he himself will be severely stricken until his bowels drop out\u201d (2 Chronicles 21, 12-15).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

image: the \"parasha petucha\" [open line] in the text, from the Keter edition of 2 Kings (Menachem Cohen, ed.).<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":63147,"alt":"","title":"2kings1-parasha petucha","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-parasha-petucha-1.jpg","width":2061,"height":855,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-parasha-petucha-1-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-parasha-petucha-1-300x124.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":124,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-parasha-petucha-1-768x319.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":319,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-parasha-petucha-1-1024x425.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":425,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-parasha-petucha-1.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":637,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-parasha-petucha-1.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":850,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-parasha-petucha-1-1200x498.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":498,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-parasha-petucha-1-1012x420.jpg","home_baner-width":1012,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"When Did Jehoram Become King?","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"The answer is to be found in the empty spaces in the text","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":63147,"alt":"","title":"2kings1-parasha petucha","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-parasha-petucha-1.jpg","width":2061,"height":855,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-parasha-petucha-1-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-parasha-petucha-1-300x124.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":124,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-parasha-petucha-1-768x319.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":319,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-parasha-petucha-1-1024x425.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":425,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-parasha-petucha-1.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":637,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-parasha-petucha-1.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":850,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-parasha-petucha-1-1200x498.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":498,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-parasha-petucha-1-1012x420.jpg","home_baner-width":1012,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"II Kings","chapter":"1","chapter_main_number":"310","date":"20261105","wall_id":"310"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"721","name":"Text","old_id":"1121"}]},{"order":9,"id":"63136","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"2","name":"Lord Of The Flies ","post_title":"Lord Of The Flies","slug":"lord-of-the-flies","old_id":"63136","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":42746,"post_title":"Michal Kohane","slug":"michal-kohane","old_id":"42746","first_name":"Michal ","last_name":"Kohane ","description":"Currently based in Israel, Rabbanit Michal Kohane is a graduate of Yeshivat Maharat, a writer, community leader and teacher of Talmud & Torah. She holds degrees in Israel studies , education and psychology, and has been a leader and educator in Northern California for over 25 years. Her first novel, Hachug (\"Extracurricular\") was published in Israel in 2016 and her weekly blog can be found at http:\/\/www.miko284.com\r\n\r\n\r\n","short_description":"Currently based in Israel, Rabbanit Michal Kohane is a graduate of Yeshivat Maharat, a writer, community leader and teacher of Talmud & Torah. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":42747,"alt":"","title":"michal kohane","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/michal-kohane-e1540448078529.jpg","width":214,"height":226,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/michal-kohane-e1540448078529-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/michal-kohane-e1540448078529.jpg","medium-width":214,"medium-height":226,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/michal-kohane-e1540448078529.jpg","medium_large-width":214,"medium_large-height":226,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/michal-kohane-e1540448078529.jpg","large-width":214,"large-height":226,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/michal-kohane-e1540448078529.jpg","1536x1536-width":214,"1536x1536-height":226,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/michal-kohane-e1540448078529.jpg","2048x2048-width":214,"2048x2048-height":226,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/michal-kohane-e1540448078529.jpg","post_full_size-width":214,"post_full_size-height":226,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/michal-kohane-e1540448078529.jpg","home_baner-width":214,"home_baner-height":226}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"310","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"An image of death which echoes through the ages\u00a0","post_main_content_content":"

For many of us, Lord of the Flies is a book we have had to read in school. The famously horrifying 1954 novel by William Golding (his first!) tells the story of a group of boys who are stranded on an uninhabited, paradise-like island, and their descent into savagery.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In the book, the Lord of the Flies is a pig\u2019s head, mounted on a sharpened stick, which is soon swarmed by flies. It\u2019s disgusting but it reveals the truth to one of them: the beast, whom they are trying to offer the pig\u2019s head to, is really not outside, but rather, inside them all. The boy who discovers this, rushes to tell the other boys, but ends up being mistaken for the beast; attacked and killed by them. Even though Lord of Flies tells the truth, it is a truth that can\u2019t be handled safely, and becomes part of the confusing, dangerous world they all live in.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The book, which was originally entitled <\/span>Strangers From Within<\/span><\/em>, was initially rejected by a reader at <\/span>Faber and Faber<\/span> as \"rubbish & dull. Pointless.\" The title was considered \"too abstract and too explicit\". Following a further review, the book was eventually published as <\/span>Lord of the Flies<\/span><\/em>. In Hebrew it\u2019s been translated as <\/span>Baal Zvuv<\/span><\/em>, and it\u2019s hard not to think of the Philistine god mentioned in the second verse of this chapter:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Ahaziah\u2026 sent messengers, whom he instructed: \u201cGo inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this injury.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Baal literally means owner, master, and is the name of the Canaanite god, while zvuv<\/em> means fly. Malbim and Rav Shimshon Rafael Hirsch think that <\/span>there was a relationship between the Philistine god and cults of flies\u2014referring to seeing them as pests, feasting on excrement\u2014symbolizing the power to heal and destroy, affect life and death, as is also evident by our verse.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Others think, that its original name was actually Baal Zevul<\/em> (like Zevulun, son of Leah and Jacob) which could have meant \u201cLord of (heavenly) dwelling\u201d, and <\/span>zvuv<\/span><\/em> might have been a derogatory pun on it.One more possibility is that its name is associated with the fly\u2019s small size, based on the Babylonian Talmud (Shabbat 183b), where is says that \u201ceach and every person made for themselves an image and put it in their pocket; when they remembered it, they would pull it out and kiss it\u201d. Indeed, archeologists have found little statutes of flies near Ekron.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Lord of the Flies appears in religious Christian literature from the New Testament and onwards throughout the centuries as Satan or the devil. It even made its way into Queen\u2019s \u201cBohemian Rhapsody\u201d: \u201c<\/span>Oh mama mia, mama mia, mama mia let me go; <\/span>Beelzebub<\/span> has a devil put aside for me\u201d\u2026.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n

Ultimately, Ahaziah\u2019s efforts to be healed through this Lord of Flies, did not succeed. His reign lasts only this one chapter.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Image by Ben Schachter, courtesy of the artist.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":63138,"alt":"","title":"2kings1-Schachter-LordofFlies","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Schachter-LordofFlies.jpg","width":928,"height":1094,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Schachter-LordofFlies-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Schachter-LordofFlies-254x300.jpg","medium-width":254,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Schachter-LordofFlies-768x905.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":905,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Schachter-LordofFlies-869x1024.jpg","large-width":869,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Schachter-LordofFlies.jpg","1536x1536-width":928,"1536x1536-height":1094,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Schachter-LordofFlies.jpg","2048x2048-width":928,"2048x2048-height":1094,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Schachter-LordofFlies.jpg","post_full_size-width":928,"post_full_size-height":1094,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Schachter-LordofFlies-356x420.jpg","home_baner-width":356,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Lord Of The Flies","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"An image of death which echoes through the ages\u00a0","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":63138,"alt":"","title":"2kings1-Schachter-LordofFlies","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Schachter-LordofFlies.jpg","width":928,"height":1094,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Schachter-LordofFlies-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Schachter-LordofFlies-254x300.jpg","medium-width":254,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Schachter-LordofFlies-768x905.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":905,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Schachter-LordofFlies-869x1024.jpg","large-width":869,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Schachter-LordofFlies.jpg","1536x1536-width":928,"1536x1536-height":1094,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Schachter-LordofFlies.jpg","2048x2048-width":928,"2048x2048-height":1094,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Schachter-LordofFlies.jpg","post_full_size-width":928,"post_full_size-height":1094,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings1-Schachter-LordofFlies-356x420.jpg","home_baner-width":356,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"II Kings","chapter":"1","chapter_main_number":"310","date":"20261105","wall_id":"310"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"373","name":"Literature","old_id":"773"},{"term_id":"429","name":"Idolatry","old_id":"829"}]},{"order":10,"id":"63117","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"The Hairy Prophet ","post_title":"The Hairy Prophet","slug":"the-hairy-prophet","old_id":"63117","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":33692,"post_title":"Alex Israel","slug":"33692-2","old_id":"33692","first_name":"Alex","last_name":"Israel","description":"Alex Israel teaches Tanakh at the Pardes Institute, Yeshivat Eretz Hatzvi and Matan, Jerusalem. His first book \"I Kings - Torn in Two\" was published in 2013. See his website www.alexisrael.org, and his podcasts at https:\/\/elmad.pardes.org\/ and https:\/\/tanachstudy.com\/ \r\n","credit":"","image_url":"","short_description":"Alex Israel teaches Tanakh at the Pardes Institute, Yeshivat Eretz Hatzvi and Matan, Jerusalem.","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":33693,"alt":"","title":"alex israel","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel.jpg","width":1657,"height":2500,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel-199x300.jpg","medium-width":199,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel-679x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":679,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel-679x1024.jpg","large-width":679,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel.jpg","1536x1536-width":1018,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel.jpg","2048x2048-width":1357,"2048x2048-height":2048,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel-795x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":795,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel-278x420.jpg","home_baner-width":278,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"310","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"But was it his head or his cloak?","post_main_content_content":"

In I Kings, Elijah's ability to enact miracles, withhold the rain, revive the dead, and elicit heavenly fire has already been established. This chapter further compounds our impression of the formidable prophet as a man who can summon divine force at will. Our chapter furnishes us with an intriguing visual description of Elijah, namely: \"A hairy man (<\/span>ish baal se'ar<\/span><\/em>) wearing a leather belt around his waist\" (1:8). Evidently this was Elijah's standard comportment, as these sparse specifications allow Ahaziah to instantly identify him: \"That is Elijah the Tishbite!\" (1:8).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Elijah is not the only prophet with a distinctive manner of dress. We read how Samuel's mother would make him a little robe (<\/span>me\u2019il<\/span><\/em>) every year (I Sam. 2:19) which Samuel continues to wear until he is an old man (I Sam. 28:13-14).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

So we see that Samuel has a trademark robe<\/span> which he wore from infancy to death and by which he could be clearly identified! It would seem that Elijah also dressed in a unique style, and his appearance was unusual and immediately identifiable.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

We have translated the phrase \"<\/span>ish baal se'ar<\/span><\/em>\" as referring to Elijah's abundance of hair. Possibly his hair or his beard was particularly long and unkempt:\u00a0 \"A hairy man\": with wild hair. \"And a leather belt around his waist\": and he cannot appear this way before the king\u201d (Malbim).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Beyond personal proclivity, might Elijah have been a nazirite? The classic nazir withdraws from society to live in a sacred zone. His long hair marks him as separate from the community, away from the common people. This certainly matches Elijah's reclusive persona.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Others, however, advocate that the phrase refers to a hairy coat worn by prophets rather than to body hair. This is supported by the depiction of prophets as wearing an \"<\/span>aderet se'ar<\/span><\/em>\" (Zech. 13:4). Elijah too is repeatedly depicted as wearing an \"aderet<\/em>,\" a piece of apparel that will feature prominently in the forthcoming chapter. Does the hairy appearance refer to his coat or cloak? Whatever the precise explanation, II Kings 2:23 will cite a depiction of Elisha, Elijah's successor, as bald. This stark difference between the hairy man and the bald one will allow us to ponder the differences between the prophet and his student.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Alex Israel, II Kings: In a Whirlwind, Maggid Books, 2019<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":63310,"alt":"","title":"Alex Israel - 2_kings_cover","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover.jpg","width":1711,"height":1821,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover-282x300.jpg","medium-width":282,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover-768x817.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":817,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover-962x1024.jpg","large-width":962,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover.jpg","1536x1536-width":1443,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover.jpg","2048x2048-width":1711,"2048x2048-height":1821,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover-1128x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":1128,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover-395x420.jpg","home_baner-width":395,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"Excerpts from: II Kings - In A Whirlwind","tile_main_caption":"The Hairy Prophet","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"But was it his head or his cloak?","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":63310,"alt":"","title":"Alex Israel - 2_kings_cover","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover.jpg","width":1711,"height":1821,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover-282x300.jpg","medium-width":282,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover-768x817.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":817,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover-962x1024.jpg","large-width":962,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover.jpg","1536x1536-width":1443,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover.jpg","2048x2048-width":1711,"2048x2048-height":1821,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover-1128x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":1128,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover-395x420.jpg","home_baner-width":395,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"II Kings","chapter":"1","chapter_main_number":"310","date":"20261105","wall_id":"310"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"390","name":"Prophets","old_id":"790"},{"term_id":"576","name":"Clothes","old_id":"976"},{"term_id":"800","name":"Nazirite","old_id":"1200"},{"term_id":"858","name":"Elijah","old_id":"1258"},{"term_id":"932","name":"Hairy","old_id":"1332"}]},{"order":11,"id":"63066","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"The King Will Pay ","post_title":"The King Will Pay","slug":"the-king-will-pay","old_id":"63066","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":54356,"post_title":"Robert Alter","slug":"robert-alter","old_id":"54356","first_name":"Robert ","last_name":"Alter","description":"Robert Alter is the Class of 1937 Professor of Hebrew and Comparative Literature at the University of California at Berkeley, where he has taught since 1967. He has written over twenty books, focusing on such topics as the European novel from the 18th century to the present, contemporary American fiction, and modern Hebrew literature. He has also written extensively on the literary aspects of the Bible. His most recent work is his monumental three volume translation of the entire Hebrew Bible - The Hebrew Bible, W. W. Norton & Co., 2019 - from which the selections in 929 are taken. ","short_description":"Robert Alter is the Class of 1937 Professor of Hebrew and Comparative Literature at the University of California at Berkeley, and author of the three-volume translation of the entire Hebrew Bible - The Hebrew Bible, W. W. Norton & Co., 2019.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":54357,"alt":"","title":"robert alter","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","width":184,"height":275,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","medium-width":184,"medium-height":275,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","medium_large-width":184,"medium_large-height":275,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","large-width":184,"large-height":275,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","1536x1536-width":184,"1536x1536-height":275,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","2048x2048-width":184,"2048x2048-height":275,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","post_full_size-width":184,"post_full_size-height":275,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","home_baner-width":184,"home_baner-height":275}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"310","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Is it for lack of a God in Israel that you turn to a pagan oracle?","post_main_content_content":"

1:6 \u201cAnd they said to him, \u2018A man came up to meet us and said to us, 'Go back to the king who sent you and speak to him: thus said the Lord -- Is it for lack of a god in Israel that he sent to inquire of Baal-Zebub god of Ekron? Therefore, from the bed you mounted you shall not come down, for you are doomed to die.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\r\n

In the reiterated pattern of verbatim repetition in this story, this clause stands out as an added element that was not part of Elijah\u2019s speech to the messengers. The clause has the effect of underscoring the king\u2019s responsibility for sending the messengers to a pagan oracle.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

From: Robert Alter, The Hebrew Bible<\/em>, vol. 2: Prophets, W. W. Norton & Co., 2019, ad loc. By permission of the author.<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":54890,"alt":"","title":"Alter-Cover","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","width":1200,"height":693,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-300x173.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":173,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-768x444.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":444,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-1024x591.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":591,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","1536x1536-width":1200,"1536x1536-height":693,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","2048x2048-width":1200,"2048x2048-height":693,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-1200x693.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":693,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-727x420.jpg","home_baner-width":727,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"From Robert Alter's Bible Translation and Commentary","tile_main_caption":"The King Will Pay","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Is it for lack of a God in Israel that you turn to a pagan oracle?","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":54890,"alt":"","title":"Alter-Cover","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","width":1200,"height":693,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-300x173.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":173,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-768x444.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":444,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-1024x591.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":591,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","1536x1536-width":1200,"1536x1536-height":693,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","2048x2048-width":1200,"2048x2048-height":693,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-1200x693.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":693,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-727x420.jpg","home_baner-width":727,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"II Kings","chapter":"1","chapter_main_number":"310","date":"20261105","wall_id":"310"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":12,"id":"114108","color":"#f6edf6","size":"1","name":"The Tanakh Podcast-IIKings1","post_title":"The Tanakh Podcast-IIKings1","slug":"the-tanakh-podcast-iikings1","old_id":"114108","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":33692,"post_title":"Alex Israel","slug":"33692-2","old_id":"33692","first_name":"Alex","last_name":"Israel","description":"Alex Israel teaches Tanakh at the Pardes Institute, Yeshivat Eretz Hatzvi and Matan, Jerusalem. 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\u201cPain, Disability, and Suffering\u201d<\/a> by Aron Wander: Jewish sources on personal struggle.<\/p>\r\n

\u201cThe Prophet that Never Died\u201d<\/a> by Tzachi Posner: Explore texts about Elijah.<\/p>","post_main_content_image":"","post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"Go deeper into the chapter....","tile_main_caption":"Source Sheets - 2 Kings 1","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Links to learning resources","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":42232,"alt":"","title":"sefaria-words-sunburst","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","width":608,"height":395,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst-300x195.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":195,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","medium_large-width":608,"medium_large-height":395,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","large-width":608,"large-height":395,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","1536x1536-width":608,"1536x1536-height":395,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","2048x2048-width":608,"2048x2048-height":395,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","post_full_size-width":608,"post_full_size-height":395,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","home_baner-width":608,"home_baner-height":395}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"Sefaria word sunburst visualization","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","old_create_date":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"II Kings","chapter":"1","chapter_main_number":"310","date":"20261105","wall_id":"310"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":15,"id":"63118","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Points to Ponder - 2 Kings 1 ","post_title":"Points to Ponder - 2 Kings 1","slug":"points-to-ponder-2-kings-1","old_id":"63118","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":38102,"post_title":"929-English","slug":"929-english","old_id":"38102","first_name":"","last_name":"929-English","description":"","short_description":"","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":38333,"alt":"","title":"\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5.png","width":1513,"height":860,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-300x171.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":171,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-768x437.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":437,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-1024x582.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":582,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5.png","1536x1536-width":1513,"1536x1536-height":860,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5.png","2048x2048-width":1513,"2048x2048-height":860,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-1200x682.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":682,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-739x420.png","home_baner-width":739,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"310","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"

    \r\n\t
  1. Lord of the Flies (Ba\u2019al-zebub)<\/em>. That was the name of the local god of Ekron. There seems to be no connection to the flying insect, but rather could have been a distortion of the original <\/span>Ba\u2019al Zebul <\/span><\/i>(gift, bounty), as intentionally deprecatory.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  2. Positive ID<\/em>. The king\u2019s messengers didn\u2019t know Elijah. As far as they were concerned, the man they met was some guy. But as soon as they describe him as \u201cA hairy man,\u201d they replied, \u201cwith a leather belt tied around his waist\u201d (verse 8), Ahaziah has no doubt of his identity.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  3. Arm-wrestling.<\/em> Elijah and Ahaziah duel over the question of authority. Who is subservient to whom, who shall appear before whom. Elijah does not accept the authority of the king, or the mission of his messengers, who were sent to Baal-zebub, and sends them back where they came from. The delegations of fifty he puts a permanent end to. Just obsequious pleading and a direct order from an angel get him to go to the king. But with a harsh judgement, that is not open to negotiation.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  4. Prophet of fire<\/em>. This is the second time that Elijah brings down fire from the heavens. 5 chapters ago (1 Kings 18), the fire that descended consumed the sacrifice and proved that the LORD is God. Here, the heavenly fire that consumes Ahaziah\u2019s messengers, proves that Elijah is the man of God.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  5. Not by fire<\/em>. Given the consuming fire in this chapter, it\u2019s hard not to be reminded that four chapters ago, Elijah was told to cool it and lower the flames a bit, \u201cfor God was not in the fire\u2026\u201d (1 Kings 19:12).<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>","post_main_content_image":{"id":86314,"alt":"","title":"Points to ponder","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","width":1000,"height":1000,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-768x768.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","large-width":1000,"large-height":1000,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","1536x1536-width":1000,"1536x1536-height":1000,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","2048x2048-width":1000,"2048x2048-height":1000,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","post_full_size-width":1000,"post_full_size-height":1000,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-420x420.jpg","home_baner-width":420,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"2 Kings 1","tile_main_caption":"Points to Ponder","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Insights and questions for personal reflection and group discussion","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":86314,"alt":"","title":"Points to ponder","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","width":1000,"height":1000,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-768x768.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","large-width":1000,"large-height":1000,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","1536x1536-width":1000,"1536x1536-height":1000,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","2048x2048-width":1000,"2048x2048-height":1000,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","post_full_size-width":1000,"post_full_size-height":1000,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-420x420.jpg","home_baner-width":420,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"II Kings","chapter":"1","chapter_main_number":"310","date":"20261105","wall_id":"310"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false}],"hide_acf":true,"home_image":false,"home_posts":false,"home_posts_title":"","posts_home":[],"static_cube_title":"","static_cube_brief":"","static_cube_color":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wall\/62808"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wall"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/wall"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=62808"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}