16 Then Jehu rode in a chariot and went to Jezreel, since Joram was lying there recovering. (A)And Ahaziah the king of Judah had come down to see Joram.

17 Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel and he saw the [a]company of Jehu as he came, and he said, “I see a [b]company.” And [c]Joram said, “Take a horseman and send him to meet them and have him [d]ask, ‘Is your intention peace?’” 18 So a horseman went to meet him and said, “This is what the king says: ‘Is your intention peace?’” But Jehu said, “[e](B)How is peace any business of yours? Turn and follow me.” And the watchman [f]reported, “The messenger came to them, but he did not return.” 19 Then he sent a second horseman, and he came to them and said, “This is what the king says: ‘Is your intention peace?’” And Jehu [g]answered, “[h]How is peace any business of yours? Turn and follow me.” 20 And the watchman [i]reported, “He came up to them, but he did not return; and (C)the [j]driving is like the driving of (D)Jehu the son of Nimshi, for he drives furiously.”

21 Then [k]Joram said, “[l]Get ready.” And they [m]made his chariot ready. (E)Then [n]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 on the [o](F)property of Naboth the Jezreelite. 22 When [p]Joram saw Jehu, he said, “Is your intention peace, Jehu?” And he [q]answered, “What ‘peace,’ (G)so long as your mother Jezebel’s acts of prostitution and witchcraft are so many?” 23 So [r]Joram [s]turned back and fled, and he said to Ahaziah, “(H)There is treachery, Ahaziah!” 24 Then (I)Jehu [t]drew his bow with his full strength and [u]shot [v]Joram between his arms; and the arrow went [w]through his heart, and he sank in his chariot. 25 And Jehu said to Bidkar his officer, “Pick him up and (J)throw him on the [x]property of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite; for remember, when [y]you and I were riding together after his father Ahab, that the (K)Lord brought this (L)pronouncement against him: 26 (M)I have certainly seen yesterday the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons,’ declares the Lord, ‘and (N)I will repay you on this [z]property,’ declares the Lord. Now then, pick him up and throw him on the [aa]property, in accordance with the word of the Lord.”

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 9:17 Lit crowd
  2. 2 Kings 9:17 Lit crowd
  3. 2 Kings 9:17 Heb Jehoram
  4. 2 Kings 9:17 Lit say
  5. 2 Kings 9:18 Lit What to you and to peace
  6. 2 Kings 9:18 Lit reported, saying
  7. 2 Kings 9:19 Lit said
  8. 2 Kings 9:19 See note 1 v 18
  9. 2 Kings 9:20 Lit reported, saying
  10. 2 Kings 9:20 I.e., of the chariot
  11. 2 Kings 9:21 Heb Jehoram
  12. 2 Kings 9:21 Lit Harness the chariot
  13. 2 Kings 9:21 Lit harnessed
  14. 2 Kings 9:21 Heb Jehoram
  15. 2 Kings 9:21 Lit portion
  16. 2 Kings 9:22 Heb Jehoram
  17. 2 Kings 9:22 Lit said
  18. 2 Kings 9:23 Heb Jehoram
  19. 2 Kings 9:23 Lit turned his hands
  20. 2 Kings 9:24 Lit filled his hand with the bow
  21. 2 Kings 9:24 Lit struck
  22. 2 Kings 9:24 Heb Jehoram
  23. 2 Kings 9:24 Lit out from
  24. 2 Kings 9:25 Lit portion
  25. 2 Kings 9:25 Lit I and you
  26. 2 Kings 9:26 Lit portion
  27. 2 Kings 9:26 Lit portion

16 Then he got into his chariot and rode to Jezreel, because Joram was resting there and Ahaziah(A) king of Judah had gone down to see him.

17 When the lookout(B) standing on the tower in Jezreel saw Jehu’s troops approaching, he called out, “I see some troops coming.”

“Get a horseman,” Joram ordered. “Send him to meet them and ask, ‘Do you come in peace?(C)’”

18 The horseman rode off to meet Jehu and said, “This is what the king says: ‘Do you come in peace?’”

“What do you have to do with peace?” Jehu replied. “Fall in behind me.”

The lookout reported, “The messenger has reached them, but he isn’t coming back.”

19 So the king sent out a second horseman. When he came to them he said, “This is what the king says: ‘Do you come in peace?’”

Jehu replied, “What do you have to do with peace? Fall in behind me.”

20 The lookout reported, “He has reached them, but he isn’t coming back either. The driving is like(D) that of Jehu son of Nimshi—he drives like a maniac.”

21 “Hitch up my chariot,” Joram ordered. And when it was hitched up, Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah rode out, each in his own chariot, to meet Jehu. They met him at the plot of ground that had belonged to Naboth(E) the Jezreelite. 22 When Joram saw Jehu he asked, “Have you come in peace, Jehu?”

“How can there be peace,” Jehu replied, “as long as all the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother Jezebel(F) abound?”

23 Joram turned about and fled, calling out to Ahaziah, “Treachery,(G) Ahaziah!”

24 Then Jehu drew his bow(H) and shot Joram between the shoulders. The arrow pierced his heart and he slumped down in his chariot. 25 Jehu said to Bidkar, his chariot officer, “Pick him up and throw him on the field that belonged to Naboth the Jezreelite. Remember how you and I were riding together in chariots behind Ahab his father when the Lord spoke this prophecy(I) against him: 26 ‘Yesterday I saw the blood of Naboth(J) and the blood of his sons, declares the Lord, and I will surely make you pay for it on this plot of ground, declares the Lord.’[a] Now then, pick him up and throw him on that plot, in accordance with the word of the Lord.”(K)

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 9:26 See 1 Kings 21:19.