2 Kings 9

Jehu Reigns over Israel

1Now Elisha the prophet called one of athe sons of the prophets and said to him, bGird up your loins, and ctake this flask of oil in your hand and go to dRamoth-gilead. 2When you arrive there,
Lit and look there for
search out fJehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in and
Lit cause him to
,
hbid 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, iI have anointed you king over Israel.”’ Then open the door and flee and do not wait.”

4So jthe 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,
Lit To whom of us all?
For 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, ‘ lI have anointed you king over the people of the Lord, even over Israel. 7You shall strike the house of Ahab your master, mthat I may avenge nthe blood of My servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord, oat the hand of Jezebel. 8For the whole house of Ahab shall perish, and pI will cut off from Ahab qevery male person rboth bond and free in Israel. 9sI will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and tlike the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah. 10uThe 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, vIs all well? Why did this wmad 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 xthey hurried and each man took his garment and placed it under him on the bare steps, and yblew the trumpet, saying, “Jehu is king!”

Jehoram (Joram) Is Assassinated

14So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. zNow Joram
Lit he and
with all Israel was
Lit keeping
defending Ramoth-gilead against Hazael king of Aram,
15but acKing
Heb Jehoram
Joram had returned to Jezreel to be healed of the wounds which the Arameans had
Lit struck
inflicted on him when he fought with Hazael king of Aram. So Jehu said, “If this is your mind, then let no one escape or
Lit go out from
leave the city to go tell it in Jezreel.”
16Then Jehu rode in a chariot and went to Jezreel, for Joram was lying there. agAhaziah king of Judah had come down to see Joram.

17Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel and he saw the
Lit multitude
company of Jehu as he came, and said, “I see a
Lit multitude
company.” 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, ajWhat have you to do with peace? Turn behind me.” And the watchman
Lit told, saying
reported, “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
Lit said
answered, “What have you to do with peace? Turn behind me.”
20The watchman
Lit told, saying
reported, “He came even to them, and he did not return; and anthe driving is like the driving of aoJehu the son of Nimshi, for he drives furiously.”

21Then
Heb Jehoram
Joram said,
Lit Yoke the chariot
Get ready.” And they made his chariot ready.
Heb Jehoram
,
asJoram 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
Lit portion
,
auproperty of Naboth the Jezreelite.
22When
Heb Jehoram
Joram saw Jehu, he said, “Is it peace, Jehu?” And he
Lit said
answered, “What peace, axso long as the harlotries of your mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?”
23So
Heb Jehoram
Joram
Lit turned his hands
reined about and fled and said to Ahaziah, baThere is treachery, O Ahaziah!”
24And bbJehu
Lit filled his hand with the bow
drew his bow with his full strength and
Lit smote
shot
Heb Jehoram
Joram between his arms; and the arrow went
Lit out at
through his heart and he sank in his chariot.
25Then Jehu said to Bidkar his officer, “Take him up and bgcast him into the
Lit portion
property of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite, for I remember when
Lit I and you
you and I were riding together after Ahab his father, that the bjLord laid this bkoracle against him:
26Surely blI have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons,’ says the Lord, ‘and bmI will repay you in this
Lit portion
property,’ says the Lord. Now then, take and cast him into the
Lit portion
property, according to the word of the Lord.”

Jehu Assassinates Ahaziah

27 bpWhen Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the way of the garden house. And Jehu pursued him and said,
Lit smite
Shoot him too, in the chariot.” So they shot him at the ascent of Gur, which is at brIbleam. But he fled to Megiddo and died there.
28 bsThen 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 btthe eleventh year of Joram, the son of Ahab, Ahaziah became king over Judah.

30When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it, and bushe painted her eyes and adorned her head and looked out the window. 31As Jehu entered the gate, she said, bv“Is it
Lit peace
well, Zimri,
Lit his
your 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 bythis cursed woman and bury her, for bzshe 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, ‘ caIn the
Lit portion
property of Jezreel the dogs shall eat the flesh of Jezebel;
37and ccthe corpse of Jezebel will be as dung on the face of the field in the
Lit portion
property of Jezreel, so they cannot say, “This is Jezebel.”’”
Copyright information for NASB1995