1 Jehu Anointed King over Israel Now Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets and said to him, “Gird up your loins, and take this flask of oil in your hand and go to Ramoth-gilead.
2 And you will come there and look there for Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi. And you will come in and 9:2 Lit cause him to bid him arise from among his brothers. And you will cause him to come in to an inner room.
3 Then you will take the flask of oil and pour it on his head and say, ‘Thus says Yahweh, “I have anointed you king over Israel.” ’ Then open the door and flee and do not wait.”
4 So the young man—the young man of the prophet—went to Ramoth-gilead.
5 Then he came, and behold, the commanders of the military were sitting, and he said, “I have a word for you, O commander.” And Jehu said, “ 9:5Lit To whom of us all? For whichoneof us?” And he said, “For you, O commander.”
6 And he arose and came into the house, and he poured the oil on his head and said to him, “Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, ‘I have anointed you king over the people of Yahweh,evenover Israel.
7 And you shall strike the house of Ahab your master, that I may avenge the blood of My slaves the prophets, and the blood of all the slaves of Yahweh, at the hand of Jezebel.
8 For the whole house of Ahab shall perish, and I will cut off from Ahab every 9:8Lit him who urinates against the wall, cf. 1 Sam 25:22, 34;1Kin14:10, 21:21;2Kin9:8 male person both bond and free in Israel.
9 And I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah.
10 And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the 9:10Lit portion property of Jezreel, and none shall buryher.’ ” Then he opened the door and fled.
11 Now Jehu came out to the servants of his master, and one said to him, “Is all well? Why did this mad fellow come to you?” And he said to them, “You know the man and his talk.”
12 And they said, “It is a lie, declareitto us now.” And he said, “Thus and thus he said to me, ‘Thus says Yahweh, “I have anointed you king over Israel.” ’ ”
13 Then they hurried and each man took his garment and placed it under him on the bare steps, and blew the trumpet, saying, “Jehu is king!”Jehu Deceives Joram
14 So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. Now Joram 9:14Lit he and with all Israel was 9:14Lit keeping guarding Ramoth-gilead against Hazael king of Aram,
15 but King 9:15Heb Jehoram Joram had returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Arameans had struck him with when he fought with Hazael king of Aram. So Jehu said, “If this is your mind,thenlet no one escapeor 9:15Lit go out from leave the city to go declareitin Jezreel.”
16 Then Jehu rode in a chariot and went to Jezreel, for Joram was lying there. Ahaziah king of Judah had come down to see Joram.
17 Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel and he saw the 9:17Lit multitude company of Jehu as he came, and said, “I see a 9:17Lit multitude company.” And Joram said, “Take a horseman and send him to meet them and let him say, ‘Is it peace?’ ”
18 So a horseman went to meet him and said, “Thus says the king, ‘Is it peace?’ ” And Jehu said, “What have you to do with peace? Turn behind me.” And the watchman declared saying, “The messenger came to them, but he did not return.”
19 Then he sent out a second horseman. And he came to them and said, “Thus says the king, ‘Is it peace?’ ” And Jehu 9:19 Lit said answered, “What have you to do with peace? Turn behind me.”
20 And the watchman declared saying, “He came up to them, but he did not return; and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi, for he drives in madness.”
21 Then 9:21Heb Jehoram Joram said, “ 9:21Lit Yoke the chariot Get ready.” And they made his chariot ready. 9:21Heb Jehoram Joram 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 9:21Lit portion property of Naboth the Jezreelite.
22 Now it happened that when 9:22Heb Jehoram Joram saw Jehu, he said, “Is it peace, Jehu?” And he 9:22Lit said answered, “What peace, so long as the harlotries of your mother Jezebel and her sorceries are so many?”
23 So 9:23 Heb Jehoram Joram 9:23 Lit turned his hands turned about and fled and said to Ahaziah, “There isdeception, O Ahaziah!”
24 And Jehu 9:24 Lit filled his hand with the bow drew his bow with his full strength and struck 9:24 Heb Jehoram Joram between his arms; and the arrow went 9:24 Lit out at through his heart and he crouched down in his chariot.
25 ThenJehusaid to Bidkar his officer, “Lifthimup and cast him into the 9:25Lit portion property of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite, for I remember when 9:25Lit I and you you and I were riding together after Ahab his father, that Yahweh lifted up this oracle against him:
26 ‘Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons,’ says Yahweh, ‘and I will repay you in this 9:26Lit portion property,’ says Yahweh. So now, lifthimup and cast him into the 9:26Lit portion property, according to the word of Yahweh.”Jehu Strikes Down Ahaziah
27 And Ahaziah the king of Judah sawthisand fled by the way of the garden house. And Jehu pursued him and said, “Strike him down too, in the chariot.”So they struck him downat the ascent of Gur, which is at Ibleam. But he fled to Megiddo and died there.
28 Then his servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem and buried him in his grave with his fathers in the city of David.
29 Now in the eleventh year of Joram, the son of Ahab, Ahaziah became king over Judah.Jezebel Is Eaten by Dogs
30 Then Jehu came to Jezreel, and Jezebel heardof itand she painted her eyes and adorned her head and looked out the window.
31 As Jehu entered the gate, she said, “Is it 9:31Or well peace, Zimri, 9:31Lit his your master’s killer?”
32 Then 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.
33 And he 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.
34 Then he came in and ate and drank. And he said, “Take care now of this cursed woman and bury her, for she is a king’s daughter.”
35 They went to bury her, but they found nothing more of her than the skull and the feet and the palms of her hands.
36 Therefore they returned and declareditto him. And he said, “This is the word of Yahweh, which He spoke by His servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, ‘In the 9:36Lit portion property of Jezreel the dogs shall eat the flesh of Jezebel;
37 and the corpse of Jezebel will be as dung on the face of the field in the 9:37Lit portion property of Jezreel, so they cannot say, “This is Jezebel.” ’ ”