2 Kings Chapter 9
Jehu Anointed King in Israel
1 Elisha called a man from the school of the prophets,
“Gird up*, take this flask of oil to Ramoth-gilead. 2Find Jehu Ben-Jehoshaphat Ben-Nimshi. Tell him to get up from his companions and take him to a room inside. 3 Pour the flask of olive oil on his head and say, ‘Yahveh says, “I’ve anointed you king over Israel.”’ Then open the door and run.”
4 The young man went to Ramoth-gilead. 5 The commanders of the army were sitting there, and he said, “I have a message for you, commander.”
Jehu said, “Which one?”
“You, Sir.” 2 Kg 9:1-5
6 He got up and went into the house. The young man poured the oil on his head,
“Yahveh God of Israel says, ‘I’ve anointed you king over his people Israel. 7 Strike Ahab’s family so I can avenge the blood of my prophets that Jezebel shed. 8 Ahab’s family will perish, and I’ll remove from him every male, bond and free. 9 I’ll destroy his family like Jeroboam’sI and Baasha’s. 10 Dogs will eat Jezebel in Jezreel, and nobody will bury her.’”
He opened the door and ran.
11 Jehu came out to the other officers, and one of them asked, “Is everything all right? Why did that mad fellow come to you?”
He said, “You know very well how a man like him can babble.”
12 “That’s not what happened. Tell us.”
He said, “He said such and such, ‘Yahveh says, “I’ve anointed you king of Israel.”’”
13 Each man hurried and put his cloak under Jehu on the bare steps, blew the bugle, and said, “Jehu is king!” 2 Kg 9:6-13
Jehu Kills Joram and Ahaziah
14 Jehu plotted against Joram. With all Israel, Joram had been defending Ramoth-gilead against Hazael, king of Aram, 15 but he’d gone back to Jezreel to heal from wounds he got from the Arameans. Jehu said, “If you agree, don’t let anybody leave the city to tell it in Jezreel.”
16 Then Jehu rode a chariot to Jezreel because Joram was lying there healing. Ahaziah, king of Judah, had come down to see Joram. 17 A watchman standing on the tower in Jezreel saw Jehu’s company of soldiers, “A company is coming.”
Joram said, “Send a horseman to meet them and ask him if he’s coming in peace.”
18 A horseman went to meet him, “The king asks if you’re coming in peace.”
Jehu said, “What do you have to do with peace? Defect and follow me.”
The watchman reported, “The messenger went to them, but didn’t come back.”
19 He sent out a second horseman, “The king asks if you’re coming in peace.”
Jehu answered, “What do you have to do with peace? Defect and follow me.”
20 The watchman reported, “He went to them, but didn’t come back. His driving is furious like Jehu’s.” 2 Kg 9:14-20
21 Joram said, “Get my chariot ready.” They got it ready. Joram and Ahaziah went out in their chariots to meet Jehu and found him on Naboth’s property. 22 When Joram saw Jehu, he said, “Are you coming in peace, Jehu?”
“What peace, with so many of your mother’s prostitutions and witchcrafts?”
23 Joram reined around and fled. He told Ahaziah, “It’s treason!”
24 Jehu drew his bow with his full strength and shot Joram between his arms. The arrow went through his heart, and he sank in his chariot. 25 Then Jehu told Bidkar his officer,
“Pick him up and throw him on Naboth’s field. Remember when we were riding behind his father Ahab, Yahveh laid this oracle against him: 26 ‘I certainly saw the blood of Naboth and his sons yesterday. I’ll pay you back on that property.’ Throw him on the property like Yahveh said.”
27 When Ahaziah saw that, he fled past the garden house. Jehu chased him and said, “Shoot him, too, in the chariot.” They shot him at the ascent of Gur, at Ibleam. He fled as far as Megiddo and died. 28 His servants hauled him to Jerusalem in a chariot and buried him in his own grave with his ancestors in The City of David. 29 Ahaziah had become king in Judah in the eleventh year of Joram. 2 Kg 9:21-29
Jezebel Killed
30 When Jehu arrived at Jezreel, Jezebel heard about it, and put on eye shadow and adorned her head, and looked out the window. 31 When Jehu came in the gate, she said, “Is everything all right, Zimri, your master’s murderer?”
32 He looked up at the window and said, “Who’s with me?”
Two of the three officials looked down.
33 “Throw her down.”
They threw her down, and her blood spattered on the wall and the horses, and he tramped her under his horses hooves. 34 He came in and ate, and said, “See to that cursed woman and bury her. She is a king’s daughter.” 35 They went to bury her, but they couldn’t find any of her except skull, feet, and palms. 36 They came back and told him. He said,
“Yahveh said by Elijah, ‘Dogs will eat her body on her property. 37 Her corpse will be like manure on her field; people won’t be able to tell if it’s Jezebel.’” 2 Kg 9:30-37