2 Kings 9

Jehu Reigns over Israel

1Now Elisha the prophet summoned one of 1the sons of the prophets and said to him, “23Get ready and 4take this flask of oil in your hand, and go to 5Ramoth-gilead. 2When you arrive there, then look there for 6Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in and 7have him get up 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, ‘This is what the Lord says: “8I have anointed you king over Israel.”’ Then open the door and flee, and do not wait.”

4So 9the young man, the servant of the prophet, went to Ramoth-gilead. 5When he arrived, behold, the commanders of the army were sitting, and he said, “I have a word for you, commander.” And Jehu said, “10For which one of us?” And he said, “For you, commander.” 6He then got up and went into the house, and the prophet’s servant poured the oil on his head and said to him, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: ‘11I have anointed you king over the people of the Lord, over Israel. 7And you shall strike the house of Ahab your master, 12so that I may avenge 13the blood of My servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord, 14at the hand of Jezebel. 8For the entire house of Ahab shall perish, and 15I will eliminate from Ahab 16every male person 17both 18slave 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 will eat Jezebel in the territory of Jezreel, and no one will bury her.’” Then he opened the door and fled.

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

Jehu Assassinates Jehoram (Joram)

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 have himself healed of the wounds which the Arameans had 31inflicted on him when he fought Hazael king of Aram. So Jehu said to the other men, “If this is your 32intent, then let no 33one escape from the city to go tell about it in Jezreel.” 16Then Jehu rode in a chariot and went to Jezreel, since Joram was lying there recovering. 34And Ahaziah the king of Judah had come down to see Joram.

17Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel and he saw the 35company of Jehu as he came, and he said, “I see a 36company.” And 37Joram said, “Take a horseman and send him to meet them and have him 38ask, ‘Is your intention peace?’” 18So a horseman went to meet him and said, “This is what the king says: ‘Is your intention peace?’” But Jehu said, “3940How is peace any business of yours? Turn and follow me.” And the watchman 41reported, “The messenger came to them, but he did not return.” 19Then he sent a second horseman, and he came to them and said, “This is what the king says: ‘Is your intention peace?’” And Jehu 42answered, “43How is peace any business of yours? Turn and follow me.” 20And the watchman 44reported, “He came up to them, but he did not return; and 45the 46driving is like the driving of 47Jehu the son of Nimshi, for he drives furiously.”

21Then 48Joram said, “49Get ready.” And they 50made his chariot ready. 51Then 52Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his chariot, and they went out to meet Jehu and found him on the 5354property of Naboth the Jezreelite. 22When 55Joram saw Jehu, he said, “Is your intention peace, Jehu?” And he 56answered, “What ‘peace,’ 57so long as your mother Jezebel’s acts of prostitution and witchcraft are so many?” 23So 58Joram 59turned back and fled, and he said to Ahaziah, “60There is treachery, Ahaziah!” 24Then 61Jehu 62drew his bow with his full strength and 63shot 64Joram between his arms; and the arrow went 65through his heart, and he sank in his chariot. 25And Jehu said to Bidkar his officer, “Pick him up and 66throw him on the 67property of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite; for remember, when 68you and I were riding together after his father Ahab, that the 69Lord brought this 70pronouncement against him: 26‘71I have certainly seen yesterday the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons,’ declares the Lord, ‘and 72I will repay you on this 73property,’ declares the Lord. Now then, pick him up and throw him on the 74property, in accordance with the word of the Lord.”

Jehu Assassinates Ahaziah

2775When Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by way of the garden house. But Jehu pursued him and said, “76Shoot him too, in the chariot.” So they shot him at the ascent of Gur, which is at 77Ibleam. But he fled to Megiddo and died there. 2878Then 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 79the eleventh year of Joram, the son of Ahab, Ahaziah became king over Judah.

30When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard about it, and 80she put makeup on her eyes and adorned her head, and looked down through the window. 31As Jehu entered the gate, she said, “81Is your intention peace, Zimri, his master’s murderer?” 32Then he raised his face toward the window and said, “Who is with me, who?” And two or three officials looked down at him.

Jezebel Is Killed

33Then he said, “Throw her down.” So they threw her down, and some of her blood spattered on the wall and on the horses, and he trampled her underfoot. 34When he came in, he ate and drank; and he said, “See now to 82this cursed woman and bury her, for 83she is a king’s daughter.” 35So they went to bury her, but they found nothing of her except the skull, the feet, and the palms of her hands. 36Therefore they returned and informed him. And he said, “This is the word of the Lord, which He spoke by His servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, ‘84On the 85property of Jezreel the dogs shall eat the flesh of Jezebel; 37and 86the corpse of Jezebel will be like dung on the face of the field in the 87property of Jezreel, so they cannot say, “This is Jezebel.”’”