2 Kings 9

Jehu Reigns over Israel

1Now Elisha the prophet called one of 1the sons of the prophets and said to him, “2Gird up your loins, and 3take this flask of oil in your hand and go to 4Ramoth-gilead. 2When you arrive there, 5search out 6Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in and 78bid him arise from among his brothers, and bring him to an inner room. 3Then take the flask of oil and pour it on his head and say, ‘Thus says the Lord, “9I have anointed you king over Israel.”’ Then open the door and flee and do not wait.”

4So 10the young man, the servant of the prophet, went to Ramoth-gilead. 5When he came, behold, the captains of the army were sitting, and he said, “I have a word for you, O captain.” And Jehu said, “11For which one of us?” And he said, “For you, O captain.” 6He arose and went into the house, and he poured the oil on his head and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘12I have anointed you king over the people of the Lord, even over Israel. 7You shall strike the house of Ahab your master, 13that I may avenge 14the blood of My servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord, 15at the hand of Jezebel. 8For the whole house of Ahab shall perish, and 16I will cut off from Ahab 17every male person 18both bond and free in Israel. 919I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and 20like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah. 1021The dogs shall eat Jezebel in the territory of Jezreel, and none shall bury her.’” Then he opened the door and fled.

11Now Jehu came out to the servants of his master, and one said to him, “22Is all well? Why did this 23mad fellow come to you?” And he said to them, “You know very well the man and his talk.” 12They said, “It is a lie, tell us now.” And he said, “Thus and thus he said to me, ‘Thus says the Lord, “I have anointed you king over Israel.”’” 13Then 24they hurried and each man took his garment and placed it under him on the bare steps, and 25blew the trumpet, saying, “Jehu is king!”

Jehoram (Joram) Is Assassinated

14So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. 26Now Joram 27with all Israel was 28defending Ramoth-gilead against Hazael king of Aram, 15but 29King 30Joram had returned to Jezreel to be healed of the wounds which the Arameans had 31inflicted on him when he fought with Hazael king of Aram. So Jehu said, “If this is your mind, then let no one escape or 32leave the city to go tell it in Jezreel.” 16Then Jehu rode in a chariot and went to Jezreel, for Joram was lying there. 33Ahaziah king of Judah had come down to see Joram.

17Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel and he saw the 34company of Jehu as he came, and said, “I see a 35company.” And Joram said, “Take a horseman and send him to meet them and let him say, ‘Is it peace?’” 18So a horseman went to meet him and said, “Thus says the king, ‘Is it peace?’” And Jehu said, “36What have you to do with peace? Turn behind me.” And the watchman 37reported, “The messenger came to them, but he did not return.” 19Then he sent out a second horseman, who came to them and said, “Thus says the king, ‘Is it peace?’” And Jehu 38answered, “What have you to do with peace? Turn behind me.” 20The watchman 39reported, “He came even to them, and he did not return; and 40the driving is like the driving of 41Jehu the son of Nimshi, for he drives furiously.”

21Then 42Joram said, “43Get ready.” And they made his chariot ready. 4445Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his chariot, and they went out to meet Jehu and found him in the 4647property of Naboth the Jezreelite. 22When 48Joram saw Jehu, he said, “Is it peace, Jehu?” And he 49answered, “What peace, 50so long as the harlotries of your mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?” 23So 51Joram 52reined about and fled and said to Ahaziah, “53There is treachery, O Ahaziah!” 24And 54Jehu 55drew his bow with his full strength and 56shot 57Joram between his arms; and the arrow went 58through his heart and he sank in his chariot. 25Then Jehu said to Bidkar his officer, “Take him up and 59cast him into the 60property of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite, for I remember when 61you and I were riding together after Ahab his father, that the 62Lord laid this 63oracle against him: 26‘Surely 64I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons,’ says the Lord, ‘and 65I will repay you in this 66property,’ says the Lord. Now then, take and cast him into the 67property, according to the word of the Lord.”

Jehu Assassinates Ahaziah

2768When Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the way of the garden house. And Jehu pursued him and said, “69Shoot him too, in the chariot.” So they shot him at the ascent of Gur, which is at 70Ibleam. But he fled to Megiddo and died there. 2871Then his servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem and buried him in his grave with his fathers in the city of David.

29Now in 72the eleventh year of Joram, the son of Ahab, Ahaziah became king over Judah.

30When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it, and 73she painted her eyes and adorned her head and looked out the window. 31As Jehu entered the gate, she said, “74Is it 75well, Zimri, 76your master’s murderer?” 32Then he lifted up his face to the window and said, “Who is on my side? Who?” And two or three officials looked down at him.

Jezebel Is Slain

33He said, “Throw her down.” So they threw her down, and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall and on the horses, and he trampled her under foot. 34When he came in, he ate and drank; and he said, “See now to 77this cursed woman and bury her, for 78she is a king’s daughter.” 35They went to bury her, but they found nothing more of her than the skull and the feet and the palms of her hands. 36Therefore they returned and told him. And he said, “This is the word of the Lord, which He spoke by His servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, ‘79In the 80property of Jezreel the dogs shall eat the flesh of Jezebel; 37and 81the corpse of Jezebel will be as dung on the face of the field in the 82property of Jezreel, so they cannot say, “This is Jezebel.”’”