John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 4. Now therefore thus saith the Lord , etc.] Jehovah, the only true God: thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shall surely die ; this sickness should be unto death, and the bed he had betaken himself to should be his deathbed. The phrases of going up to bed, and coming down, are used with great propriety; for in the eastern countries, in their bedchambers, they had a gallery raised four or five feet above the floor, with a balustrade on the front f4 , and steps leading up to it; or ladders, which had more or fewer rounds, according as the beds were higher or lower f5 : and Elijah departed ; having met the messengers, and delivered his message from the Lord unto them.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-8 - When Ahaziah rebelled against the Lord, Moab revolted from him. Sin weakens and impoverishes us. Man's revolt from God is often punished by the rebellion of those who owe subjection to him. Ahaziah fell throug a lattice, or railing. Wherever we go, there is but a step between u and death. A man's house is his castle, but not to secure him agains God's judgments. The whole creation, which groans under the burden of man's sin, will, at length, sink and break under the weight like thi lattice. He is never safe that has God for his enemy. Those that wil not inquire of the word of God for their comfort, shall hear it to their terror, whether they will or no.
Original Hebrew ולכן3651 כה3541 אמר559 יהוה3068 המטה4296 אשׁר834 עלית5927 שׁם8033 לא3808 תרד3381 ממנה4480 כי3588 מות4191 תמות4191 וילך1980 אליה׃452
