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Forsooth Elisha, the prophet, called one of the sons of (the) prophets, and said to him, Gird (up) thy loins, and take this vessel of oil in thine hand, and go into Ramoth of Gilead.

And when thou shalt come thither, thou shalt see Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi; and thou shalt enter, and shalt raise him (up) from the midst of his brethren, and thou shalt lead him into an inner closet.

And thou shalt hold the vessel of oil, and thou shalt pour it on his head, and thou shalt say, The Lord saith these things, I have anointed thee into king upon Israel (I have anointed thee king upon Israel); and then thou shalt open the door, and shalt flee (from) thence, and thou shalt not abide there.

Therefore the young waxing man, the child of the prophet, went into Ramoth of Gilead, (And so the young man, the young prophet, went to Ramoth of Gilead.)

and entered thither. Lo! soothly the princes of the host sat there; and he said, O! prince, I have a word to thee (O! prince, I have a word for thee). And Jehu said, To whom of all (of) us? And he said, To thee, thou prince.

And he rose, and entered into the closet. And that young man poured (the) oil upon the head of him, and said, The Lord God of Israel saith these things, I have anointed thee into king on the people of the Lord, of Israel; (And he rose up, and they went inside. And that young man poured the oil upon his head, and said, The Lord God of Israel saith these things, I have anointed thee king upon Israel, yea, upon the people of the Lord;)

and thou shalt smite the house of Ahab, thy lord, that I venge the blood of my servants (the) prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord, of the hand of Jezebel. (and thou shalt strike down the house of Ahab, thy lord, so that I avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord, at the hands of Jezebel.)

And I shall lose all the house of Ahab, and I shall slay of the house of Ahab a pisser to the wall, and the enclosed, and the last in Israel. (And I shall destroy all the house of Ahab, and I shall kill all the house of Ahab unto a pisser on the wall, and the captive, and the last in Israel.)

And I shall give the house of Ahab as the house of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, and as the house of Baasha, the son of Ahijah. (And I shall 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 Also dogs shall eat Jezebel in the field of Jezreel (And the dogs shall eat up Jezebel in the field of Jezreel); and there shall be none that shall bury her. And (then) the young man opened the door, and fled.

11 And Jehu went out to the servants of his lord, which said to him, Whether all things be rightful? (Is everything all right?) (For) What came this mad man to thee? Which said to them, Ye know the man, and what he spake.

12 And they answered, It is false; but more rather tell thou us what he said (but rather now tell thou us what he said). The which said to them, He spake these things and these to me, and said, The Lord saith these things, I have anointed thee king of Israel.

13 Therefore they hasted, and each man took his mantle, and putted under his feet by the likeness of a throne. And they sang with a trump, and said, Jehu shall reign.

14 Therefore Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, swore with others together against Joram[a]. Forsooth Joram had besieged Ramoth of Gilead, he and all Israel, against Hazael, king of Syria.

15 And Joram turned again to be healed in Jezreel for wounds that he had; for men of Syria had smitten him fighting against Hazael, king of Syria (Now Joram had returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds that he had; for the men of Syria had struck him when he fought against Hazael, the king of Syria). And Jehu said (to them), If it please you, (then let) no man go out fleeing from the city, lest he go, and tell (it) in Jezreel.

16 And (then) Jehu went up, and went forth into Jezreel; for Joram was sick there; and Ahaziah, king of Judah, came down to visit Joram.

17 Therefore a watchman, that stood above (in) a tower of Jezreel, saw the multitude of Jehu coming, and he said, I see a multitude. And Joram said, Take thou a chariot, and send it into the meeting of him; and say the goer, Whether all things be rightful? (and let the goer, or the driver, say to him, Is everything all right?)

18 Then he, that went upon the chariot, went into the meeting of Jehu, and said, The king saith these things, Whether all things be peaced? (Is everything at peace with you?) And Jehu said to him, What to thee and to peace? Pass thou from Joram, and follow me. And the watchman told to Joram, and said, The messenger came to them, and he turneth not again.

19 Also the king sent the second chariot of horses, and he came to them, and said, The king saith these things, Whether peace is with you? (And the king sent a second chariot of horses, and the man came to them, and said, The king saith these things, Is everything at peace with you?) And Jehu said, What to thee and to peace? Pass thou forth, and follow me.

20 And the espyer told to Joram, and said, He came unto them, and he turneth not again; forsooth the going of the duke is as the going of Jehu, son of Nimshi (and the driving of the leader is like the driving of Jehu, the son of Nimshi); certainly he goeth fast.

21 And Joram said, Join ye (up) a chariot. And they joined (up) his chariot. And Joram, king of Israel, went out, and Ahaziah, king of Judah, went out, each in his chariot; and they went out into the meeting of Jehu, and they found him in the field of Naboth of Jezreel.

22 And when Joram had seen Jehu, he said, Jehu, is (it) peace? (And when Joram had seen Jehu, he said, Jehu, is everything at peace with you?) And he answered, What peace? Yet the fornications, that is, (the) idolatries, of Jezebel, thy mother, and (the) many poisonings of her be in strength.

23 And Joram turned his hand, and fled, and said to Ahaziah, Treasons! treasons! (O!) Ahaziah.

24 Certainly Jehu bent a bow with his hand, and smote Joram betwixt the shoulders, and the arrow went out through his heart; and at once he felled down in his chariot.

25 And Jehu said to Bidkar the duke, Take thou (him) away, and cast forth him in the field of Naboth of Jezreel; for I have mind, when I and thou sat in the chariot, and followed Ahab, his father, that the Lord raised on him this burden, and said, (And Jehu said to Bidkar, his officer, Take thou him away, and throw him forth into the field of Naboth of Jezreel; for I remember, when I and thou sat in the chariot, and followed his father Ahab, that the Lord raised on him this burden, and said,)

26 If not for the blood of Naboth, and for the blood of his sons, which I saw yesterday, saith the Lord, I shall yield to thee in this field, saith the Lord. Now therefore do thou away him, and cast forth him in the field, by the word of the Lord. (For the blood of Naboth, and for the blood of his sons, which I saw yesterday, saith the Lord, I shall yield to thee in this field, saith the Lord. And so now do thou him away, and throw him forth into the field, by the word of the Lord.)

27 Forsooth Ahaziah, king of Judah, saw this, and fled by the way of the house of the garden; and Jehu pursued him, and said, Also smite ye this man in his chariot. And men smote Ahaziah in the going up of Gur, that is beside Ibleam; and Ahaziah fled into Megiddo, and was dead there (and Ahaziah fled to Megiddo, and died there).

28 And his servants putted him on his chariot, and brought him into Jerusalem; and they buried him in a sepulchre with his fathers, in the city of David.

29 In the eleventh year of Joram, the son of Ahab, king of Israel, Ahaziah reigned upon Judah (Ahaziah began to reign upon Judah).

30 And Jehu came into Jezreel. Forsooth when his entering was heard (And when she heard him coming), Jezebel painted her eyes with (the) ointment of lecherous women, and adorned her head; and she beheld by a window

31 Jehu entering by the gate, and she said, Whether peace may be to Zimri, that killed his lord?/that slew his lord? (Jehu entering by the gate, and she said, Can there be peace for Zimri, who killed his lord?)

32 And Jehu raised up his face to the window, and said, What woman is this? And twain either three chamberlains bowed themselves to him, and said to him, This is that Jezebel.

33 And he said to them, Cast ye her down. And they casted down her (And they went, and threw her down); and the wall was besprinkled with (her) blood, and (also) the hooves of (the) horses, that treaded (upon) her.

34 And when he had entered to eat and drink, he said, Go ye, and see that cursed woman, and bury ye her, for she is a king’s daughter.

35 And when they had gone to bury her, they found not of her, no but the skull, and the feet, and the ends of her hands;

36 and they turned again, and told to him (and they returned, and told him). And Jehu said, This is the word of the Lord, which he spake by his servant, Elijah of Tishbe/Elijah (the) Tishbite, and said, (The) Dogs shall eat (up) the flesh of Jezebel in the field of Jezreel;

37 and the fleshes of Jezebel shall be as dung upon the face of the earth in the field of Jezreel, so that men passing forth thereby say, Lo! this is that Jezebel.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 9:14 Also known as Jehoram.

Jehu Anointed King of Israel

The prophet Elisha summoned a man from the company(A) of the prophets and said to him, “Tuck your cloak into your belt,(B) take this flask of olive oil(C) with you and go to Ramoth Gilead.(D) When you get there, look for Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi. Go to him, get him away from his companions and take him into an inner room. Then take the flask and pour the oil(E) on his head and declare, ‘This is what the Lord says: I anoint you king over Israel.’ Then open the door and run; don’t delay!”

So the young prophet went to Ramoth Gilead. When he arrived, he found the army officers sitting together. “I have a message for you, commander,” he said.

“For which of us?” asked Jehu.

“For you, commander,” he replied.

Jehu got up and went into the house. Then the prophet poured the oil(F) on Jehu’s head and declared, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anoint you king over the Lord’s people Israel. You are to destroy the house of Ahab your master, and I will avenge(G) the blood of my servants(H) the prophets and the blood of all the Lord’s servants shed by Jezebel.(I) The whole house(J) of Ahab will perish. I will cut off from Ahab every last male(K) in Israel—slave or free.[a] I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam(L) son of Nebat and like the house of Baasha(M) son of Ahijah. 10 As for Jezebel, dogs(N) will devour her on the plot of ground at Jezreel, and no one will bury her.’” Then he opened the door and ran.

11 When Jehu went out to his fellow officers, one of them asked him, “Is everything all right? Why did this maniac(O) come to you?”

“You know the man and the sort of things he says,” Jehu replied.

12 “That’s not true!” they said. “Tell us.”

Jehu said, “Here is what he told me: ‘This is what the Lord says: I anoint you king over Israel.’”

13 They quickly took their cloaks and spread(P) them under him on the bare steps. Then they blew the trumpet(Q) and shouted, “Jehu is king!”

Jehu Kills Joram and Ahaziah(R)

14 So Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, conspired against Joram. (Now Joram and all Israel had been defending Ramoth Gilead(S) against Hazael king of Aram, 15 but King Joram[b] had returned to Jezreel to recover(T) from the wounds the Arameans had inflicted on him in the battle with Hazael king of Aram.) Jehu said, “If you desire to make me king, don’t let anyone slip out of the city to go and tell the news in Jezreel.” 16 Then he got into his chariot and rode to Jezreel, because Joram was resting there and Ahaziah(U) king of Judah had gone down to see him.

17 When the lookout(V) 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?(W)’”

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(X) 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(Y) 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(Z) abound?”

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

24 Then Jehu drew his bow(AB) 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(AC) against him: 26 ‘Yesterday I saw the blood of Naboth(AD) 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.’[c] Now then, pick him up and throw him on that plot, in accordance with the word of the Lord.”(AE)

27 When Ahaziah king of Judah saw what had happened, he fled up the road to Beth Haggan.[d] Jehu chased him, shouting, “Kill him too!” They wounded him in his chariot on the way up to Gur near Ibleam,(AF) but he escaped to Megiddo(AG) and died there. 28 His servants took him by chariot(AH) to Jerusalem and buried him with his ancestors in his tomb in the City of David. 29 (In the eleventh(AI) year of Joram son of Ahab, Ahaziah had become king of Judah.)

Jezebel Killed

30 Then Jehu went to Jezreel. When Jezebel heard about it, she put on eye makeup,(AJ) arranged her hair and looked out of a window. 31 As Jehu entered the gate, she asked, “Have you come in peace, you Zimri,(AK) you murderer of your master?”[e]

32 He looked up at the window and called out, “Who is on my side? Who?” Two or three eunuchs looked down at him. 33 “Throw her down!” Jehu said. So they threw her down, and some of her blood spattered the wall and the horses as they trampled her underfoot.(AL)

34 Jehu went in and ate and drank. “Take care of that cursed woman,” he said, “and bury her, for she was a king’s daughter.”(AM) 35 But when they went out to bury her, they found nothing except her skull, her feet and her hands. 36 They went back and told Jehu, who said, “This is the word of the Lord that he spoke through his servant Elijah the Tishbite: On the plot of ground at Jezreel dogs(AN) will devour Jezebel’s flesh.[f](AO) 37 Jezebel’s body will be like dung(AP) on the ground in the plot at Jezreel, so that no one will be able to say, ‘This is Jezebel.’”

Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 9:8 Or Israel—every ruler or leader
  2. 2 Kings 9:15 Hebrew Jehoram, a variant of Joram; also in verses 17 and 21-24
  3. 2 Kings 9:26 See 1 Kings 21:19.
  4. 2 Kings 9:27 Or fled by way of the garden house
  5. 2 Kings 9:31 Or “Was there peace for Zimri, who murdered his master?”
  6. 2 Kings 9:36 See 1 Kings 21:23.

Jehu Is Chosen King

At the same time, Elisha the prophet called a man from the ·groups [company; brotherhood; L sons] of prophets. Elisha said, “·Get ready [L Gird up your loins; 4:29], and take this ·small bottle [flask] of olive oil in your hand. Go to Ramoth in Gilead. When you arrive, find Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi. Go in and make Jehu get up from among his ·brothers [companions], and take him to an ·inner [private] room. Then take the ·bottle [flask] and pour the oil on Jehu’s head and say, ‘·This is what the Lord says [T Thus says the Lord]: I have ·appointed [anointed] you king over Israel.’ Then open the door and ·run away [flee]. Don’t wait!”

So the young man, the young prophet, went to Ramoth in Gilead. 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.”

Jehu got up and went into the house. Then the young prophet poured the olive oil on Jehu’s head and said to him, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: ‘I have ·appointed [anointed] you king over the Lord’s people Israel. You must ·destroy [strike down] the ·family [L house] of Ahab your ·master [lord]. I will ·punish [have vengeance against] Jezebel for the ·deaths [L blood] of my servants the prophets and ·for [L for the blood of] all the Lord’s servants. All of Ahab’s ·family [L house] must die. I will ·destroy [L cut off] every ·male [L one who urinates against the wall] child in Ahab’s ·family [L house] in Israel, whether slave or free. I will make Ahab’s ·family [L house] like the ·family [L house] of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like the ·family [L house] of Baasha son of Ahijah. 10 The dogs will ·eat [devour] Jezebel at Jezreel, and no one will bury her.’”

Then the young prophet opened the door and ·ran away [fled].

11 When Jehu went back to his ·master’s [lord’s] officers, one of them said to Jehu, “Is everything all right? Why did this ·crazy man [madman] come to you?”

Jehu answered, “You know ·the [that kind of] man and how he ·talks [babbles].”

12 They answered, “·That’s not true [Liar]. Tell us.”

Jehu said, “He said to me, ‘This is what the Lord says: I have ·appointed [anointed] you to be king over Israel.’”

13 Then the officers hurried, and each man took off his own coat and put it on the stairs for Jehu [C signifying submission]. They blew the trumpet and shouted, “Jehu is king!”

Joram and Ahaziah Are Killed(A)

14 So Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, ·made plans [conspired; plotted] against Joram. Now Joram and all Israel had been defending Ramoth in Gilead from Hazael king of Aram. 15 But King Joram had to return to Jezreel to ·heal [recover] from the ·injuries [wounds] the Arameans had given him when he fought against Hazael king of Aram.

Jehu said, “If you ·agree with this [want me to be king], don’t let anyone leave the city to tell the news in Jezreel.” 16 Then he got into his chariot and set out for Jezreel, where Joram was resting. Ahaziah king of Judah had gone down to see him.

17 The lookout was standing on the watchtower in Jezreel when he saw Jehu’s troops coming. He said, “I see ·some [a company of] soldiers!”

Joram said, “Take a horseman and send him to meet them. Tell him to ask, ‘·Is all in order [Do you come in peace; L Is it peace]?’”

18 The horseman rode out to meet Jehu, and he said, “This is what the king says: ‘·Is all in order [Do you come in peace; L Is it peace]?’”

Jehu said, “·Why bother yourself with order [What is peace to you]? ·Come along [Fall in] behind me.”

The lookout reported, “The messenger reached them, but he is not coming back.”

19 Then Joram sent out a second horseman. This rider came to Jehu’s group and said, “This is what the king says: ‘·Is all in order [Do you come in peace; L Is it peace]?’”

Jehu answered, “·Why bother yourself with order [What is peace to you]? ·Come along [Fall in] behind me.”

20 The lookout reported, “He 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 [like a madman/maniac]!”

21 Joram said, “Get my chariot ready.” Then the servant got Joram’s chariot ready. Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his own chariot, and met Jehu at the ·property of [plot of ground belonging to] Naboth the Jezreelite [1 Kin. 21:1–19].

22 When Joram saw Jehu, he said, “·Is all in order [Do you come in peace; L Is it peace], Jehu?”

Jehu answered, “There will never be any ·order [peace] as long as your mother ·Jezebel worships idols and uses witchcraft [Jezebel’s prostitutions/harlotries and witchcraft/sorceries abound].”

23 Joram turned the horses to run away and yelled to Ahaziah, “·It’s a trick [Treason; Treachery], Ahaziah!”

24 Then Jehu drew his bow with all his strength and shot Joram between his shoulders. The arrow ·went through [pierced] Joram’s heart, and he ·fell [sank; slumped] down in his chariot.

25 Jehu ordered Bidkar, his chariot officer, “Pick up Joram’s body, and throw it into the field of Naboth the Jezreelite. Remember when you and I rode together ·with [behind] Joram’s father Ahab. The Lord ·made this prophecy [pronounced this oracle; 1 Kin. 19:17, 21:19–29] against him: 26 ‘Yesterday I saw the blood of Naboth and his sons, says the Lord, so I will ·punish [repay] Ahab in his field, says the Lord.’ Take Joram’s body and throw it into the field, ·as the Lord has said [L in accordance with the word of the Lord].”

27 When Ahaziah king of Judah saw this, he ·ran away [fled] toward Beth Haggan. Jehu chased him, saying, “Shoot Ahaziah, too!” Ahaziah was wounded in his chariot ·on the way up to [at the Ascent of] Gur near Ibleam. He got as far as Megiddo but died there. 28 Ahaziah’s servants carried his body in a chariot to Jerusalem and buried him with his ·ancestors [fathers] in his tomb in the City of David [C Jerusalem]. 29 (Ahaziah had become king over Judah in the eleventh year Joram son of Ahab was king.)

Death of Jezebel

30 When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard about it. She ·put on her eye makeup [painted her eyes] and ·fixed her hair [adorned her head]. Then she ·looked out [appeared/sat at] the window. 31 When Jehu entered the city gate, Jezebel said, “·Have you come in peace [L Is it peace], ·you Zimri [L Zimri; C a sarcastic reference to a previous king who had assassinated his predecessor; 1 Kin. 16:8–12], you who ·killed [murdered] your ·master [lord]?”

32 Jehu looked up at the window and said, “Who is on my side? Who?” Two or three ·servants [officials] looked ·out the window [down] at Jehu. 33 He said to them, “Throw her down.” So they threw Jezebel down, and the horses ·ran over [trampled] her. Some of her blood ·splashed [spattered] 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 found only her skull, feet, and the palms of her hands. 36 When they came back and told Jehu, he said, “The ·Lord [word of the Lord] said this through his servant Elijah the Tishbite: ‘The dogs will eat Jezebel’s flesh at Jezreel [1 Kin. 21:23; 2 Kin. 9:7–10]. 37 Her body will be like ·manure [dung] on the field in the land at Jezreel. No one will be able to say that this is Jezebel.’”