2 Kings 9
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 9
Anointing of Jehu. 1 Elisha the prophet summoned one of the sons of the prophets and said to him, “Gird up your loins and carry this flask of oil to Ramoth-gilead.[a] 2 When you arrive there, search for Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi. Go to him, and separate him from his companions, bringing him to an inner chamber. 3 Take the flask of oil and pour it on his head, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord: I have anointed you as king over Israel.’ Then open the door and flee, do not wait around.”
4 So the young man, the prophet, went to Ramoth-gilead. 5 When he arrived, the commanders of the army were sitting around. He said, “I have a message for you, commander.” Jehu said, “For which of us?” He answered, “For you, commander.”
6 Jehu got up and went into the house. He poured the oil on his head and said, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘I have anointed you as king over the people of the Lord, over Israel. 7 You are to wipe out the house of Ahab, your master, and take vengeance for the blood of my servants, the prophets, and the blood of all of the servants of the Lord that Jezebel has shed. 8 The entire house of Ahab must perish. Everyone who pees against the wall in Israel who belongs to Ahab must be cut off, whether he be slave or free. 9 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 as for Jezebel, the dogs will devour her on the Jezreel plot of ground. No one will bury her.’ ” Then he opened the door and fled.
11 When Jehu came outside to the servants of his lord, one of them said to him, “Is everything all right? Why did this madman[b] come to visit you?” He answered, “You know the man and the things he says.” 12 They said, “That is not true. Tell us now what he said.” Jehu said, “He said this to me, ‘Thus says the Lord: I have anointed you as king over Israel.’ ”
13 Each of them quickly took his cloak and put it under him upon the stairs. They blew the trumpets and proclaimed, “Jehu is king!”[c]
14 The Murder of Joram. So Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, plotted against Joram.
Joram and all of Israel had been defending Ramoth-gilead against Hazael, the king of Aram, 15 but Joram had returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds he had received from the Arameans when he fought against Hazael, the king of Aram. Jehu said, “If this is what you want, then prevent anyone from leaving the city and going to Jezreel to report it.”
16 Jehu then got in his chariot and rode to Jezreel, for that was where Joram was staying. Ahaziah, the king of Judah, had also gone down to visit Joram.
17 When the watchman upon the tower in Jezreel observed Jehu’s forces arriving, he said, “I see a company.” Joram said, “Get a horseman and send him out to meet them. Let him say, ‘Do you come in peace?’ ” 18 The horseman went to meet them and said, “Thus says the king: ‘Do you come in peace?’ ” Jehu answered, “What do you have to do with peace? Fall in behind me.” The watchman said, “The messenger has reached them, but he is not coming back.”
19 He sent out a second horseman who came to them and said, “Thus says the king: ‘Do you come in peace?’ ” Jehu answered, “What do you have to do with peace? Fall in behind me.”
20 The watchman reported, “He has reached them, but he is not coming back. The one who is driving is driving like Jehu, the son of Nimshi, for he is driving furiously.” 21 Joram said, “Prepare my chariot.”
When his chariot had been made ready, Joram, the king of Israel, and Ahaziah, the king of Judah, each drove out with his chariot against Jehu. They encountered him at the plot of Naboth, the Jezreelite. 22 When Joram saw that it was Jehu, he said, “Do you come in peace?” Jehu answered, “How can there be peace as long as the idolatries and witchcrafts of Jezebel, your mother, continue to multiply?”
23 Joram turned and fled, and he cried out to Ahaziah, “It is treachery, O Ahaziah!” 24 Jehu drew back his bow and struck Joram between his shoulders. The arrow pierced his heart, and he sunk down in his chariot.
25 [d]Jehu said to Bidkar, his captain, “Pick him up and throw him down in the plot that belonged to Naboth, the Jezreelite. Remem-ber how you and I were riding together behind Ahab, his father, when the Lord proclaimed this prophecy against him. 26 ‘As surely as yesterday I saw the blood of Naboth and his sons,’ says the Lord, ‘I will repay you upon this plot,’ says the Lord. Therefore, take him and throw him down upon this plot, in accordance with the word of the Lord.”
27 Death of Ahaziah. When Ahaziah, the king of Judah, saw this, he fled on the road to Beth-haggan. Jehu followed after him, shouting, “Kill him too!” They wounded him on the way up to Gur, which is by Ibleam. He escaped to Megiddo, but he died there. 28 His servants took him by chariot to Jerusalem, and they buried him in the tomb of his fathers in the City of David. 29 Ahaziah had begun to reign over Judah in the eleventh year of the reign of Joram, the son of Ahab.
30 Death of Jezebel. Jehu then went to Jezreel. When Jezebel heard, she painted her face and fixed her hair, and she leaned out the window. 31 When Jehu entered the gate, she said, “Do you come in peace, Zimri, you murderer of your master?”
32 He looked up at the window and said, “Who is on my side? Who?” Two or three eunuchs looked down to him. 33 He said, “Throw her down!” They threw her down so that her blood sprinkled on the wall and on the horses as they trampled her down.
34 He went in and ate and drank and said, “Go now, and bury that accursed woman, for she is the daughter of a king.” 35 When they went out to bury her, all they found was her skull, her feet, and the palms of her hands. 36 They went back and told him. He said, “This is the word of the Lord which he spoke through his servant, Elijah, the Tishbite, when he said, ‘The dogs will eat the flesh of Jezebel on the plot in Jezreel. 37 Jezebel’s body will be like dung spread over the surface of the field on the plot in Jezreel so that no one will be able to say: This is Jezebel.’ ”
Footnotes
- 2 Kings 9:1 Elisha carries out the third commission given to Elijah (1 Ki 19:16). He does it through the agency of one of the sons—that is, disciples—of the prophets; as Elisha’s envoy, he shares his authority.
- 2 Kings 9:11 Madman: so named because of the ecstatic manifestations that often accompanied prophetic inspiration.
- 2 Kings 9:13 They make a kind of throne for him with the means at hand; in like manner, the crowd will offer royal honors to Jesus on Palm Sunday (Mt 21:8).
- 2 Kings 9:25 An account that is independent of 1 Ki 21; the slaying of Naboth’s son is a new element in the story.
2 Kings 9
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.
17 Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel, and he saw the company of Jehu as he came and said, “I see a company.” And Joram said, “Take a horseman and send to meet them, and let him say, ‘Is it peace?’” 18 So a man on horseback went to meet him and said, “Thus says the king, ‘Is it peace?’” And Jehu said, “What do you have to do with peace? Turn around and ride behind me.” And the watchman reported, saying, “The messenger reached them, but he is not coming back.” 19 Then he sent out a second horseman, who came to them and said, “Thus the king has said, ‘Is it peace?’” And Jehu answered, “What do you have to do with peace? Turn around and ride behind me.” 20 Again the watchman reported, “He reached them, but he is not coming back. And the driving (W)is like the driving of Jehu (X)the son of Nimshi, for he drives furiously.”
21 Joram said, (Y)“Make ready.” And they made ready his chariot. (Z)Then Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah set out, each in his chariot, and went to meet Jehu, and met him (AA)at the property of Naboth the Jezreelite. 22 And when Joram saw Jehu, he said, “Is it peace, Jehu?” He answered, “What peace can there be, so long as (AB)the whorings and the sorceries of your mother Jezebel are so many?” 23 Then Joram reined about and fled, saying to Ahaziah, “Treachery, O Ahaziah!” 24 And Jehu drew his bow with his full strength, and shot Joram between the shoulders, so that the arrow pierced his heart, and he sank in his chariot. 25 Jehu said to Bidkar (AC)his aide, “Take him up and throw him (AD)on the plot of ground belonging to Naboth the Jezreelite. For remember, when you and I rode side by side behind Ahab his father, how (AE)the Lord made this (AF)pronouncement against him: 26 ‘As surely as I saw yesterday the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons—declares the Lord—I will repay you on this plot of ground.’ Now therefore take him up and throw him on the plot of ground, in accordance with the word of the Lord.”
27 (AG)When Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled in the direction of Beth-haggan. And Jehu pursued him and said, “Shoot him also.” And they shot him[b] in the chariot at the ascent of Gur, which is by (AH)Ibleam. And he fled to (AI)Megiddo and died there. 28 (AJ)His servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him in his tomb with his fathers in the city of David.
29 In the (AK)eleventh year of Joram the son of Ahab, Ahaziah began to reign over Judah.
Jehu Executes Jezebel
30 When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it. And (AL)she painted her eyes and adorned her head and looked out of the window. 31 And as Jehu entered the gate, she said, (AM)“Is it peace, you Zimri, murderer of your master?” 32 And he lifted up his face to the window and said, “Who is on my side? Who?” Two or three eunuchs looked out at him. 33 He said, “Throw her down.” So they threw her down. And some of her blood spattered on the wall and on the horses, and they trampled on her. 34 Then he went in and ate and drank. And he said, “See now to this cursed woman and bury her, (AN)for she is a king's daughter.” 35 But when they went to bury her, they found no more of her than the skull and the feet and the palms of her hands. 36 When they came back and told him, he said, “This is the word of the Lord, which he spoke by his servant Elijah the Tishbite: (AO)‘In the territory of Jezreel the dogs shall eat the flesh of Jezebel, 37 and the corpse of Jezebel shall be (AP)as dung on the face of the field in the territory of Jezreel, so that no one can say, This is Jezebel.’”
Footnotes
- 2 Kings 9:13 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain
- 2 Kings 9:27 Syriac, Vulgate (compare Septuagint); Hebrew lacks and they shot him
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
