⁹ Then the king sent a captain with his company of fifty men after Elijah. The prophet was seated on a hilltop when he found him. He said, “Man of God, the king commands you, ‘Come down.’” ¹⁰ Elijah answered the captain, “Well, if I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.” And fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty men.^{(A) 11} The king sent another captain with his company of fifty men after Elijah. He shouted up and said, “Man of God, the king says, ‘Come down immediately!’” ¹² Elijah answered them, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.” And divine fire^[a] came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty men. ¹³ The king sent a third captain with his company of fifty men. When the third captain had climbed the hill, he fell to his knees before Elijah, pleading with him. He said, “Man of God, let my life and the lives of these fifty men, your servants, count for something in your sight! ¹⁴ Already fire has come down from heaven, consuming the first two captains with their companies of fifty men. But now, let my life count for something in your sight!”