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.
2 Kings 9
New King James Version
Jehu Anointed King of Israel
9 And Elisha the prophet called one of (A)the sons of the prophets, and said to him, (B)“Get[a] yourself ready, take this flask of oil in your hand, (C)and go to Ramoth Gilead. 2 Now when you arrive at that place, look there for Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, and go in and make him rise up from among (D)his associates, and take him to an inner room. 3 Then (E)take the flask of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, ‘Thus says the Lord: “I have anointed you king over Israel.” ’ Then open the door and flee, and do not delay.”
4 So the young man, the servant of the prophet, went to Ramoth Gilead. 5 And when he arrived, there were the captains of the army sitting; and he said, “I have a message for you, Commander.”
Jehu said, “For which one of us?”
And he said, “For you, Commander.” 6 Then he arose and went into the house. And he poured the oil on his head, and said to him, (F)“Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘I have anointed you king over the people of the Lord, over Israel. 7 You shall strike down the house of Ahab your master, that I may (G)avenge the blood of My servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord, (H)at the hand of Jezebel. 8 For the whole house of Ahab shall perish; and (I)I will cut off from Ahab all (J)the males in Israel, both (K)bond and free. 9 So I will make the house of Ahab like the house of (L)Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of (M)Baasha the son of Ahijah. 10 (N)The dogs shall eat Jezebel on the plot of ground at Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her.’ ” And he opened the door and fled.
11 Then Jehu came out to the servants of his master, and one said to him, “Is all well? Why did (O)this madman come to you?”
And he said to them, “You know the man and his babble.”
12 And they said, “A lie! Tell us now.”
So he said, “Thus and thus he spoke to me, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord: “I have anointed you king over Israel.” ’ ”
13 Then each man hastened (P)to take his garment and put it [b]under him on the top of the steps; and they blew trumpets, saying, “Jehu is king!”
Joram of Israel Killed
14 So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, conspired against (Q)Joram. (Now Joram had been defending Ramoth Gilead, he and all Israel, against Hazael king of Syria. 15 But (R)King [c]Joram had returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds which the Syrians had inflicted on him when he fought with Hazael king of Syria.) And Jehu said, “If you are so minded, let no one leave or escape from the city to go and tell it in Jezreel.” 16 So Jehu rode in a chariot and went to Jezreel, for Joram was laid up there; (S)and Ahaziah king of Judah had come down to see Joram.
17 Now a watchman stood on the tower in Jezreel, and he saw the company of Jehu as he came, and said, “I see a company of men.”
And Joram said, “Get a horseman and send him to meet them, and let him say, [d]‘Is it peace?’ ”
18 So the horseman went to meet him, and said, “Thus says the king: ‘Is it peace?’ ”
And Jehu said, “What have you to do with peace? [e]Turn around and follow me.”
So the watchman reported, saying, “The messenger went to them, but is not coming back.”
19 Then he sent out a second horseman who came to them, and said, “Thus says the king: ‘Is it peace?’ ”
And Jehu answered, “What have you to do with peace? Turn around and follow me.”
20 So the watchman reported, saying, “He went up to them and is not coming back; and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi, for he drives furiously!”
21 Then Joram said, [f]“Make ready.” And his chariot was made ready. Then (T)Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his chariot; and they went out to meet Jehu, and [g]met him (U)on the property of Naboth the Jezreelite. 22 Now it happened, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, “Is it peace, Jehu?”
So he answered, “What peace, as long as the harlotries of your mother Jezebel and her witchcraft are so many?”
23 Then Joram turned around and fled, and said to Ahaziah, “Treachery, Ahaziah!” 24 Now Jehu [h]drew his bow with full strength and shot Jehoram between his arms; and the arrow came out at his heart, and he sank down in his chariot. 25 Then Jehu said to Bidkar his captain, “Pick him up, and throw him into the tract of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite; for remember, when you and I were riding together behind Ahab his father, that (V)the Lord laid this (W)burden upon him: 26 ‘Surely I saw yesterday the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons,’ says the Lord, (X)‘and I will repay you [i]in this plot,’ says the Lord. Now therefore, take and throw him on the plot of ground, according to the word of the Lord.”
Ahaziah of Judah Killed(Y)
27 But when Ahaziah king of Judah saw this, he fled by the road to [j]Beth Haggan. So Jehu pursued him, and said, [k]“Shoot him also in the chariot.” And they shot him at the Ascent of Gur, which is by Ibleam. Then he fled to (Z)Megiddo, and died there. 28 And his servants carried him in the chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him in his tomb with his fathers in the City of David. 29 In the eleventh year of Joram the son of Ahab, Ahaziah had become king over Judah.
Jezebel’s Violent Death
30 Now when Jehu had come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; (AA)and she put paint on her eyes and adorned her head, and looked through a window. 31 Then, as Jehu entered at the gate, she said, (AB)“Is it peace, Zimri, murderer of your master?”
32 And he looked up at the window, and said, “Who is on my side? Who?” So two or three eunuchs looked out at him. 33 Then he said, “Throw her down.” So they threw her down, and some of her blood spattered on the wall and on the horses; and he trampled her underfoot. 34 And when he had gone in, he ate and drank. Then he said, “Go now, see to this accursed woman, and bury her, for (AC)she was a king’s daughter.” 35 So 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 Therefore they came back and told him. And he said, “This is the word of the Lord, which He spoke by His servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, (AD)‘On the plot of ground at Jezreel dogs shall eat the flesh of Jezebel; 37 and the corpse of Jezebel shall be (AE)as refuse on the surface of the field, in the plot at Jezreel, so that they shall not say, “Here lies Jezebel.” ’ ”
Footnotes
- 2 Kings 9:1 Lit. Gird up your loins
- 2 Kings 9:13 Lit. under his feet
- 2 Kings 9:15 Jehoram, v. 24
- 2 Kings 9:17 Are you peaceful?
- 2 Kings 9:18 Lit. Turn behind me
- 2 Kings 9:21 Harness up
- 2 Kings 9:21 Lit. found
- 2 Kings 9:24 Lit. filled his hand
- 2 Kings 9:26 on this property
- 2 Kings 9:27 Lit. The Garden House
- 2 Kings 9:27 Lit. Strike
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.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.