Baal-zebub

Narrator: Chris Genthree
2 Kings 1:2‑3,6,16  •  1 min. read  •  grade level: 12
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Name of Baal as the god of Ekron, signifying “lord of the fly.” Josephus says with reference to king Ahaziah sending to this god, “Now it happened that Ahaziah, as he was coming down from the top of his house, fell down from it, and in his sickness sent to the Fly, which was the god of Ekron, for that was this god’s name” (Ant. 9, 2, 1). It was regarded as a preserver from poisonous flies, and hence as a healer of diseases (2 Kings 1:2-3, 6, 162And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go, inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease. 3But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron? (2 Kings 1:2‑3)
6And they said unto him, There came a man up to meet us, and said unto us, Go, turn again unto the king that sent you, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that thou sendest to inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron? therefore thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. (2 Kings 1:6)
16And he said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron, is it not because there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word? therefore thou shalt not come down off that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. (2 Kings 1:16)). In the New Testament there is the similar name of BEELZEBUB to whom the miracles of the Lord in casting out demons were blasphemously attributed.