Who brought kings down to destruction, and famous men from their beds: Good News Translation is probably thinking of King Ahaziah (2 Kgs 1.1-17) by saying “king” instead of kings, but Elijah also foretold the death of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel (1 Kgs 21.20-23). Presumably destruction applies to Ahab, and from their beds to Ahaziah (who was confined to bed from an injury). The use of the plural with each is an exaggeration. Alternative models for this verse are:

• You sent a famous king to his doom [or, destruction], and brought another down from his sickbed to death.

• You caused a famous king to be destroyed [or, receive destruction], and let another king die rather than recover from an injury.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Sirach. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.