2 Kings 9
Legacy Standard Bible
Jehu Anointed King over Israel
9 Now Elisha the prophet called one of (A)the sons of the prophets and said to him, “(B)Gird up your loins, and (C)take this flask of oil in your hand and go to (D)Ramoth-gilead. 2 And you will come there and look there for (E)Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi. And you will come in and [a](F)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, “(G)I have anointed you king over Israel.”’ Then open the door and flee and do not wait.”
4 So (H)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, “[b]For which one of 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)I have anointed you king over the people of Yahweh, even over Israel. 7 And you shall strike the house of Ahab your master, (J)that I may avenge (K)the blood of My slaves the prophets, and the blood of all the slaves of Yahweh, (L)at the hand of Jezebel. 8 For the whole house of Ahab shall perish, and (M)I will cut off from Ahab (N)every [c]male person (O)both bond and free in Israel. 9 (P)And I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and (Q)like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah. 10 (R)And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the [d]property of Jezreel, and none shall bury her.’” Then he opened the door and fled.
11 Now Jehu came out to the servants of his master, and one said to him, “(S)Is all well? Why did this (T)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, declare it to us now.” And he said, “Thus and thus he said to me, ‘Thus says Yahweh, “I have anointed you king over Israel.”’” 13 Then (U)they hurried and each man took his garment and placed it under him on the bare steps, and (V)blew the trumpet, saying, “Jehu is king!”
Jehu Deceives Joram
14 So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. (W)Now Joram [e]with all Israel was [f]guarding Ramoth-gilead against Hazael king of Aram, 15 but (X)King [g]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, then let no one escape or [h]leave the city to go declare it in Jezreel.” 16 Then Jehu rode in a chariot and went to Jezreel, for Joram was lying there. (Y)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 [i]company of Jehu as he came, and said, “I see a [j]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, “(Z)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 [k]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 (AA)the driving is like the driving of (AB)Jehu the son of Nimshi, for he drives in madness.”
21 Then [l]Joram said, “[m]Get ready.” And they made his chariot ready. [n](AC)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 [o](AD)property of Naboth the Jezreelite. 22 Now it happened that when [p]Joram saw Jehu, he said, “Is it peace, Jehu?” And he [q]answered, “What peace, (AE)so long as the harlotries of your mother Jezebel and her sorceries are so many?” 23 So [r]Joram [s]turned about and fled and said to Ahaziah, “(AF)There is deception, O Ahaziah!” 24 And (AG)Jehu [t]drew his bow with his full strength and struck [u]Joram between his arms; and the arrow went [v]through his heart and he crouched down in his chariot. 25 Then Jehu said to Bidkar his officer, “Lift him up and (AH)cast him into the [w]property of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite, for I remember when [x]you and I were riding together after Ahab his father, that (AI)Yahweh lifted up this (AJ)oracle against him: 26 ‘Surely (AK)I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons,’ says Yahweh, ‘and (AL)I will repay you in this [y]property,’ says Yahweh. So now, lift him up and cast him into the [z]property, according to the word of Yahweh.”
Jehu Strikes Down Ahaziah
27 (AM)And Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this and 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 down at the ascent of Gur, which is at (AN)Ibleam. But he fled to Megiddo and died there. 28 (AO)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 (AP)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 heard of it and (AQ)she painted her eyes and adorned her head and looked out the window. 31 As Jehu entered the gate, she said, “(AR)Is it [aa]peace, Zimri, [ab]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 (AS)this cursed woman and bury her, for (AT)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 declared it to him. And he said, “This is the word of Yahweh, which He spoke by His servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, ‘(AU)In the [ac]property of Jezreel the dogs shall eat the flesh of Jezebel; 37 and (AV)the corpse of Jezebel will be as dung on the face of the field in the [ad]property of Jezreel, so they cannot say, “This is Jezebel.”’”
Footnotes
- 2 Kings 9:2 Lit cause him to
- 2 Kings 9:5 Lit To whom of us all?
- 2 Kings 9:8 Lit him who urinates against the wall, cf. 1 Sam 25:22, 34; 1 Kin 14:10, 21:21; 2 Kin 9:8
- 2 Kings 9:10 Lit portion
- 2 Kings 9:14 Lit he and
- 2 Kings 9:14 Lit keeping
- 2 Kings 9:15 Heb Jehoram
- 2 Kings 9:15 Lit go out from
- 2 Kings 9:17 Lit multitude
- 2 Kings 9:17 Lit multitude
- 2 Kings 9:19 Lit said
- 2 Kings 9:21 Heb Jehoram
- 2 Kings 9:21 Lit Yoke the chariot
- 2 Kings 9:21 Heb Jehoram
- 2 Kings 9:21 Lit portion
- 2 Kings 9:22 Heb Jehoram
- 2 Kings 9:22 Lit said
- 2 Kings 9:23 Heb Jehoram
- 2 Kings 9:23 Lit turned his hands
- 2 Kings 9:24 Lit filled his hand with the bow
- 2 Kings 9:24 Heb Jehoram
- 2 Kings 9:24 Lit out at
- 2 Kings 9:25 Lit portion
- 2 Kings 9:25 Lit I and you
- 2 Kings 9:26 Lit portion
- 2 Kings 9:26 Lit portion
- 2 Kings 9:31 Or well
- 2 Kings 9:31 Lit his
- 2 Kings 9:36 Lit portion
- 2 Kings 9:37 Lit portion
2 Kings 9
King James Version
9 And Elisha the prophet called one of the children of the prophets, and said unto him, Gird up thy loins, and take this box of oil in thine hand, and go to Ramothgilead:
2 And when thou comest thither, look out there Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in, and make him arise up from among his brethren, and carry him to an inner chamber;
3 Then take the box of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, Thus saith the Lord, I have anointed thee king over Israel. Then open the door, and flee, and tarry not.
4 So the young man, even the young man the prophet, went to Ramothgilead.
5 And when he came, behold, the captains of the host were sitting; and he said, I have an errand to thee, O captain. And Jehu said, Unto which of all us? And he said, To thee, O captain.
6 And he arose, and went into the house; and he poured the oil on his head, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I have anointed thee king over the people of the Lord, even over Israel.
7 And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord, at the hand of Jezebel.
8 For the whole house of Ahab shall perish: and I will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left 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 portion of Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her. And he opened the door, and fled.
11 Then Jehu came forth to the servants of his lord: and one said unto him, Is all well? wherefore came this mad fellow to thee? And he said unto them, Ye know the man, and his communication.
12 And they said, It is false; tell us now. And he said, Thus and thus spake he to me, saying, Thus saith the Lord, I have anointed thee king over Israel.
13 Then they hasted, and took every man his garment, and put it under him on the top of the stairs, and blew with trumpets, saying, Jehu is king.
14 So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. (Now Joram had kept Ramothgilead, he and all Israel, because of Hazael king of Syria.
15 But king Joram was returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him, when he fought with Hazael king of Syria.) And Jehu said, If it be your minds, then let none go forth nor escape out of the city to go to tell it in Jezreel.
16 So Jehu rode in a chariot, and went to Jezreel; for Joram lay there. And Ahaziah king of Judah was come down to see Joram.
17 And there stood a watchman on the tower in Jezreel, and he spied the company of Jehu as he came, and said, I see a company. And Joram said, Take an horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say, Is it peace?
18 So there went one on horseback to meet him, and said, Thus saith the king, Is it peace? And Jehu said, What hast thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me. And the watchman told, saying, The messenger came to them, but he cometh not again.
19 Then he sent out a second on horseback, which came to them, and said, Thus saith the king, Is it peace? And Jehu answered, What hast thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me.
20 And the watchman told, saying, He came even unto them, and cometh not again: and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi; for he driveth furiously.
21 And Joram said, Make ready. And his chariot was made ready. And Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his chariot, and they went out against Jehu, and met him in the portion of Naboth the Jezreelite.
22 And it came to pass, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, Is it peace, Jehu? And he answered, What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?
23 And Joram turned his hands, and fled, and said to Ahaziah, There is treachery, O Ahaziah.
24 And Jehu drew a bow with his full strength, and smote Jehoram between his arms, and the arrow went out at his heart, and he sunk down in his chariot.
25 Then said Jehu to Bidkar his captain, Take up, and cast him in the portion of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite: for remember how that, when I and thou rode together after Ahab his father, the Lord laid this burden upon him;
26 Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth, and the blood of his sons, saith the Lord; and I will requite thee in this plat, saith the Lord. Now therefore take and cast him into the plat of ground, according to the word of the Lord.
27 But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the way of the garden house. And Jehu followed after him, and said, Smite him also in the chariot. And they did so at the going up to Gur, which is by Ibleam. And he fled to Megiddo, and died there.
28 And his servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him in his sepulchre with his fathers in the city of David.
29 And in the eleventh year of Joram the son of Ahab began Ahaziah to reign over Judah.
30 And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a window.
31 And as Jehu entered in at the gate, she said, Had Zimri peace, who slew his master?
32 And he lifted up his face to the window, and said, Who is on my side? who? And there looked out to him two or three eunuchs.
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 trode her under foot.
34 And when he was come in, he did eat and drink, and said, Go, see now this cursed woman, and bury her: for she is a king's daughter.
35 And they went to bury her: but they found no more of her than the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands.
36 Wherefore they came again, and told him. And he said, This is the word of the Lord, which he spake by his servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, In the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel:
37 And the carcase of Jezebel shall be as dung upon the face of the field in the portion of Jezreel; so that they shall not say, This is Jezebel.
2 Kings 9
International Children’s Bible
Jehu Is Chosen King
9 Elisha called a man from the group of the prophets. Elisha said, “Tighten your clothes around you. And take this small bottle of olive oil in your hand. Go to Ramoth in Gilead. 2 When you arrive, find Jehu son of Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat is the son of Nimshi. Go in and make Jehu get up from among his brothers. Take him to an inner room. 3 Take the bottle and pour the oil on Jehu’s head. Say, ‘This is what the Lord says: I have appointed you king over Israel.’ Then open the door and run away. Don’t wait!”
4 So the young man, the prophet, went to Ramoth in Gilead. 5 When he arrived, he saw the officers of the army sitting together. He said, “Commander, I have a message for you.”
Jehu asked, “For which one of us?”
The young man said, “For you, commander.”
6 Jehu got up and went into the house. Then the young prophet poured the olive oil on Jehu’s head. He said to Jehu, “This is what the Lord of Israel says: ‘I have appointed you king over the Lord’s people, Israel. 7 You must destroy the family of Ahab your master. I will punish Jezebel for the deaths of my servants the prophets. And I will punish her for all the Lord’s servants who were murdered. 8 So all Ahab’s family will die. I will not let any male child in Ahab’s family live in Israel. It does not matter if he is a slave or a free person. 9 I will make Ahab’s family like the family of Jeroboam son of Nebat. They will be like the family of Baasha son of Ahijah. 10 The dogs will eat Jezebel in the portion of land at Jezreel. And no one will bury her.’”
Then the young prophet opened the door and ran away.
11 Jehu went back to his master’s officers. One of them said to Jehu, “Is everything all right? Why did this crazy man come to you?”
Jehu answered, “You know the man and how he talks.”
12 They answered, “That’s not true! Tell us.”
Jehu said, “He said, ‘This is what the Lord says: I have appointed you to be king over Israel.’”
13 Then the officers hurried. Each man took off his own coat. They put them on the stairs for Jehu. Then they blew the trumpet. They said, “Jehu is king!”
Joram and Ahaziah Are Killed
14 So Jehu son of Jehoshaphat made plans against Joram. (Jehoshaphat was the son of Nimshi.) Now Joram and all Israel had been defending Ramoth in Gilead from Hazael king of Aram. 15 But King Joram had to return to Israel to heal from the injuries the Arameans had given him. He received these injuries when he fought against Hazael king of Aram.
Jehu said, “If you agree with this, don’t let anyone leave the city. They might tell the news in Jezreel.” 16 Then he got into his chariot and set out for Jezreel. Joram was resting there. And Ahaziah king of Judah had gone down to see him.
17 The lookout was standing on the watchtower in Jezreel. He saw Jehu’s troops coming. He said, “I see some soldiers!”
Joram said, “Take a horseman and send him to meet them. Tell him to ask, ‘Do you bring good news?’”
18 So the horseman rode out to meet Jehu. The horseman said, “This is what the king says: ‘Do you bring good news?’”
Jehu said, “That’s none of your business! Come along behind me.”
The lookout reported, “The messenger reached them. But he is not coming back.”
19 So Joram sent out a second horseman. This rider came to Jehu’s group and said, “This is what the king says: ‘Do you bring good news?’”
Jehu answered, “That’s none of your business! Come along behind me.”
20 The lookout reported, “The second man reached them. But he is not coming back. The man in the chariot is driving like Jehu son of Nimshi. He drives as if he were crazy!”
21 Joram said, “Get my chariot ready.” Then the servant got Joram’s chariot ready. Joram and Ahaziah king of Judah went out. Each king went in his own chariot to meet Jehu. And they met him at the property of Naboth the Jezreelite.
22 When Joram saw Jehu, he said, “Do you bring good news, Jehu?”
Jehu answered, “There will never be any good news as long as your mother Jezebel worships idols and uses witchcraft.”
23 Joram turned the horses to run away. He yelled to Ahaziah, “It’s a trick, Ahaziah!”
24 Then Jehu drew his bow and shot Joram between his shoulders. The arrow went through Joram’s heart. And he fell down in his chariot.
25 Jehu ordered Bidkar, his chariot officer, “Pick up Joram’s body. Throw it into the field of Naboth the Jezreelite. Remember when you and I rode together with Joram’s father Ahab. The Lord made this prophecy against him: 26 ‘Yesterday I saw the blood of Naboth and his sons, says the Lord. So I will punish Ahab in his field, says the Lord.’ So take Joram’s body and throw it into the field, as the Lord has said.”
27 When Ahaziah king of Judah saw this, he ran away toward Beth Haggan. Jehu chased him, saying, “Shoot Ahaziah, too!” Ahaziah was wounded in his chariot on the way up to Gur near Ibleam. Ahaziah got as far as Megiddo but died there. 28 His servants carried his body in a chariot to Jerusalem. They buried him with his ancestors in his tomb in Jerusalem. 29 (Ahaziah had become king over Judah in Joram’s eleventh year as king. Joram was the son of Ahab.)
Death of Jezebel
30 When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard about it. She put paint on her eyes and fixed her hair. Then she looked out the window. 31 Jehu entered the city gate. And Jezebel said, “Have you come in peace, you Zimri,[a] you who killed your master?”
32 Jehu looked up at the window. He said, “Who is on my side? Who?” Two or three eunuchs looked out from the window at Jehu. 33 Jehu said to them, “Throw her down!” So they threw Jezebel down. And the horses ran over her body. Some of her blood splashed on the wall and on the horses.
34 Jehu went into the house and ate and drank. Then he said, “Now see about this cursed woman. Bury her, because she is a king’s daughter.”
35 The men went to bury Jezebel. But they could not find her body. They could only find the skull, feet and palms of her hands. 36 So they came back and told Jehu. Then Jehu said, “The Lord said this through his servant Elijah the Tishbite: ‘The dogs will eat the body of Jezebel in the portion of land at Jezreel. 37 Her body will be like manure on the field in the land at Jezreel. Then people cannot say that the body is Jezebel.’”
Footnotes
- 9:31 Zimri He was the man who killed Elah and the family of Baasha. Read 1 Kings 16:8–12.
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