Jehu is anointed king of Israel
1 ① The prophet Elisha called one of the fellow prophets, and said to him, “Prepare to go to the city of Ramoth in Gilead taking this bottle of oil. 2Look there for Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat, son of Nimshi. Make him leave his companions, and lead him to a place apart from them. 3There you shall take the bottle and pour the oil on his head, saying: Yahweh has anointed you king of Israel. Then open the door and flee without delay.” 4So the young man went to Ramoth.
5When he arrived, the commanders of the army were seated together, and he said, “I have to talk with you, commander.” Jehu asked, “To which of us?” He answered, “To you, commander.” 6So Jehu arose and went into the house.
Then the young man poured the oil on Jehu’s head, and said to him, “Yahweh, the God of Israel, has consecrated you king of the people of Israel. Thus says Yahweh: 7You shall overthrow the kings of the family of Ahab, that I may avenge the blood of my servants, the prophets, whom Jezebel has murdered. 8I shall destroy the family of Ahab and all their men shall perish. 9The family of Ahab shall be like the family of Jeroboam and the family of Baasha. 10And regarding Jezebel, no one shall bury her, for the dogs shall devour her in the field of Jezreel.” Then the young man opened the door and fled.
11Jehu came out to join the officers of the king. They said to him, “What happened? Why did that fool call you?” Jehu answered, “You know that fellow and you also know why he came.” 12They said, “We do not know anything. Tell us what he said to you.” He answered, “These are his exact words: Yahweh has consecrated you king of Israel.”
13Then all the commanders, the companions of Jehu, took their cloaks and put them on a wooden platform in the shape of a throne. And with blast of trumpets, they proclaimed, “Jehu is king!”
14Thus Jehu, son of Jehoshaphat, son of Nimshi, conspired against Joram. At that time, Joram was with the Israelites defending the city of Ramoth in Gilead against Hazael, king of Aram, 15but Joram had retreated to Jezreel to recover from the wounds he had received in battle.
Jehu said, “If it seems good to you, let no one leave the city, lest they go and tell the news to the king in Jezreel.” 16Jehu then mounted his chariot and went to Jezreel, where Joram lay sick, and Ahaziah, king of Judah, had gone to visit him.
17The watchman at the tower in Jezreel saw the retinue of Jehu coming and said, “I see a company.” Joram said, “Take your horse and run to meet them, and ask them if they have any news.”
18So the man went out to meet them and said, “The king sent me to ask if you have any news.” Jehu answered, “Do not worry about the news. Turn around and follow me.” And the watchman immediately reported, “The messenger reached them, but he has not returned.” 19They sent another messenger who came to them and said, “The king wants to know if you bring any news.” And Jehu again answered, “Do not worry about the news, turn around and ride behind me.” 20Again the watchman reported, “He has reached them, but has not returned. The way of driving of him who comes resembles that of Jehu, son of Nimshi, for he drives like a madman.”
21Joram then said, “Harness the horses of my chariot.” And Joram, the king of Israel, went out with Ahaziah, the king of Judah, each in his chariot, to meet Jehu. They met him in the field of Naboth of Jezreel.
Jehu murders Joram
22When Joram saw Jehu, he asked, “Do you bring peace, Jehu?” Jehu answered, “Why do you ask for peace when the prostitution of your mother, Jezebel, and her many sorceries still continue?” 23So Joram turned his chariot around and fled, saying to Ahaziah, “Treachery, Ahaziah!”
24Jehu then drew his bow with all his strength and shot Joram in the back, so that the arrow pierced his heart. And Joram fell dead in his chariot.
25Jehu said to his shield bearer Bidkar, “Take the body and throw it in the field of Naboth of Jezreel; for remember, when we served together in the cavalry of his father, Ahab, Yahweh pronounced this sentence against him: 26I swear that in this field, I shall take vengeance on you, for the blood of Naboth and for the blood of his sons which I saw you shed yesterday. So take his body and throw it into the field according to the word of Yahweh.” 27As for Ahaziah, the king of Judah, he fled in the direction of Beth-haggan. Jehu pursued him, crying out, “Kill him, too!” And they shot him in his chariot at the slope of Gur near Ibleam. He reached Megiddo, took refuge there and died. 28His servants carried his body in a chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him with his fathers in the city of David. 29Ahaziah had begun his reign in Judah in the eleventh year of Joram, son of Ahab.
Jezebel is killed
30 ② Jehu entered the city of Jezreel. When Jezebel learned this, she painted her eyes, adorned her neck, and looked out of the window. 31As Jehu entered the gates, she said to him, “Do you bring peace? Will you not have Zimri’s fate after murdering your master?”
32Jehu looked up to the window and cried out, “Who is on my side?” Two or three eunuchs looked down at him. 33He ordered them, “Throw her down.” They threw her down through the window, and her blood splashed on the walls and on the horses, and Jehu in his chariot ran over her.
34Jehu entered Jezreel. After he had eaten and drunk, he gave these orders, “Take care of that cursed woman and bury her, for she was a king’s daughter.” 35They went to bury her, but they found no more than her hands and feet with the skull. 36When they told Jehu about it, he said, “This is what Elijah of Tishbe said in the name of Yahweh: In the field of Jezreel, the dogs shall eat Jezebel. 37Her body shall be as dung on the land, so that no one can say: This was Jezebel.”
- 2 K 9,1 While the descendants of David continue to rule in Judah, in Israel there is one coup after another. Elisha is the one who had Jehu anointed, namely, consecrated with oil. 2 K 9,30 Jehu will only be a good soldier. It seems that he was not even successful in his wars and lost the province to the east of the Jordan, the land of Gilead. However, he was dedicated to the faith (see 10:22) and to the service of Yahweh and the prophets expected that he would suppress all the influence of the foreign religions introduced by Jezebel, which he did. Jezebel dies: she will be considered in the Bible as an example of a godless woman and a murderess of the servants of Yahweh (see Rev 2:20).
- 2 K 9,1 While the descendants of David continue to rule in Judah, in Israel there is one coup after another. Elisha is the one who had Jehu anointed, namely, consecrated with oil. 2 K 9,30 Jehu will only be a good soldier. It seems that he was not even successful in his wars and lost the province to the east of the Jordan, the land of Gilead. However, he was dedicated to the faith (see 10:22) and to the service of Yahweh and the prophets expected that he would suppress all the influence of the foreign religions introduced by Jezebel, which he did. Jezebel dies: she will be considered in the Bible as an example of a godless woman and a murderess of the servants of Yahweh (see Rev 2:20).
