And when the messengers turned back unto him, he said unto them, Why are ye now turned back?
Parallel translations
- WEB The messengers returned to him, and he said to them, “Why is it that you have returned?”
- BSB When the messengers returned to the king, he asked them, “Why have you returned?”
- NKJV And when the messengers returned to him, he said to them, “Why have you come back?”
- NASB When the messengers returned to Ahaziah, he said to them, “Why have you returned?”
- NLT When the messengers returned to the king, he asked them, “Why have you returned so soon?”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The messengers returned far sooner than expected, prompting the king's surprised question. Their quick return signals that something extraordinary had intervened.
Overview
Having been turned back by Elijah's word, the messengers came home before reaching Ekron. The king's question opens the way for the prophet's message to confront him directly. The narrative builds tension as God's word overtakes the king's plans.
Cross-references & the web
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Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Amid the long decline toward exile, the promise to David's house refuses to die; the flickering lamp kept burning anticipates the coming King who will not fail or be cut off.
How 2 Kings 1:5 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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