3 But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, ‘Go up and meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, “Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going off to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?”
4 Therefore this is what the Lord says: “You will not leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!” ’ So Elijah went.
5 When the messengers returned to the king, he asked them, ‘Why have you come back?’
6 ‘A man came to meet us,’ they replied. ‘And he said to us, “Go back to the king who sent you and tell him, ‘This is what the Lord says: is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending messengers to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you will not leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!’ ” ’
7 The king asked them, ‘What kind of man was it who came to meet you and told you this?’
8 They replied, ‘He had a garment of hair and had a leather belt round his waist.’The king said, ‘That was Elijah the Tishbite.’
9 Then he sent to Elijah a captain with his company of fifty men. The captain went up to Elijah, who was sitting on the top of a hill, and said to him, ‘Man of God, the king says, “Come down!” ’