2 Kings 9:1-16

English Standard Version

Jehu Anointed King of Israel

9 Then Elisha the prophet called one of ^(A)the sons of the prophets and said to him, ^(B)“Tie up your garments, and take this ^(C)flask of oil in your hand, and go to ^(D)Ramoth-gilead. ² And when you arrive, look there for Jehu ^(E)the son of Jehoshaphat, son of Nimshi. And go in and have him rise from among ^(F)his fellows, and lead him to an inner chamber. ³ Then take the flask of oil and pour it on his head and say, ‘Thus says the Lord, ^(G)I anoint you king over Israel.’ Then open the door and flee; do not linger.”

⁴ So the young man, the servant of the prophet, went to Ramoth-gilead. ⁵ And when he came, behold, the commanders of the army were in council. And he said, “I have a word for you, O commander.” And Jehu said, “To which of us all?” And he said, “To you, O commander.” ⁶ So he arose and went into the house. And the young man poured the oil on his head, saying to him, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ^(H)I anoint you king over the people of the Lord, over Israel. ⁷ And you shall strike down the house of Ahab your master, so that I may avenge ^(I)on Jezebel the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord. ⁸ For the whole house of Ahab shall perish, ^(J)and I will cut off from Ahab ^(K)every male, ^(L)bond or free, in Israel. ⁹ And I will make the house of Ahab like ^(M)the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like ^(N)the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah. ^10 (O)And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the territory of Jezreel, and none shall bury her.” Then he opened the door and fled.

¹¹ When Jehu came out to the servants of his master, they said to him, ^(P)“Is all well? Why did ^(Q)this mad fellow come to you?” And he said to them, “You know the fellow and his talk.” ¹² And they said, “That is not true; tell us now.” And he said, “Thus and so he spoke to me, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord, I anoint you king over Israel.’” ¹³ Then in haste ^(R)every man of them took his garment and put it under him on the bare^[a] steps, and they blew the trumpet and proclaimed, ^(S)“Jehu is king.”

Jehu Assassinates Joram and Ahaziah

¹⁴ Thus Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. (^(T)Now Joram with all Israel had been on guard at Ramoth-gilead against ^(U)Hazael king of Syria, ^15 (V)but King Joram had returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds that the Syrians had given him, when he fought with Hazael king of Syria.) So Jehu said, “If this is your decision, then let no one slip out of the city to go and tell the news in Jezreel.” ¹⁶ Then Jehu mounted his chariot and went to Jezreel, for Joram lay there. And Ahaziah king of Judah had come down to visit Joram.