⁶ “A man met us on our way there,” they replied. “He said to us, ‘Go back to the king who sent you. Tell him, “The Lord says, ‘You are sending messengers to ask Baal-Zebub for advice. He is the god of Ekron. Are you going there to pray to that god? Do you think there is no God in Israel? You will never leave the bed you are lying on. You can be sure that you will die!’ ” ’ ”

⁷ The king asked the messengers, “What kind of man came to see you? Who told you these things?”

⁸ They replied, “He was wearing clothes made out of hair. He had a leather belt around his waist.”

The king said, “That was Elijah from Tishbe.”