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Jehú es ungido rey de Israel

Entonces el profeta Eliseo llamó a uno de los hijos de los profetas y le dijo:

—Cíñete los lomos, toma este frasco de aceite en tu mano, y ve a Ramot de Galaad. Cuando llegues allá, verás allí a Jehú hijo de Josafat, hijo de Nimsi. Entra, haz que se levante de entre sus compañeros y llévalo a una habitación interior. Luego toma el frasco de aceite y derrámalo sobre su cabeza diciendo: “Así ha dicho el SEÑOR: ‘Yo te he ungido rey de Israel’ ”. Luego abre la puerta y escápate. ¡No esperes!

Aquel joven, el criado del profeta, fue a Ramot de Galaad. Entonces entró, y he aquí que los jefes del ejército estaban sentados. Y dijo:

—Jefe, tengo un mensaje para ti.

Jehú preguntó:

—¿Para cuál de todos nosotros?

Y él respondió:

—Para ti, jefe.

Jehú se levantó y entró en la casa, y el joven derramó el aceite sobre su cabeza y le dijo:

—Así ha dicho el SEÑOR Dios de Israel: “Yo te he ungido rey del pueblo del SEÑOR, de Israel. Tú herirás a los de la casa de Acab, tu señor, para que yo vengue la sangre de mis siervos los profetas y la sangre de todos los siervos del SEÑOR derramada por mano de Jezabel. Toda la casa de Acab perecerá; exterminaré a todo varón de Acab en Israel, tanto a los esclavos como a los libres. Yo haré a su casa como a la casa de Jeroboam hijo de Nabat y a la casa de Baasa hijo de Ajías. 10 Y a Jezabel la comerán los perros en la parcela de Jezreel. No habrá quien le dé sepultura”.

En seguida abrió la puerta y huyó.

El ejército proclama rey a Jehú

11 Después Jehú salió a donde estaban los servidores de su señor, y le preguntaron:

—¿Todo va bien? ¿Para qué vino a ti ese loco?

Y él les dijo:

—Ustedes conocen a ese hombre y sus palabras.

12 Ellos dijeron:

—¡Mentira! ¡Decláranoslo, por favor!

Y él dijo:

—Así y así me habló diciendo: “Así ha dicho el SEÑOR: ‘Yo te he ungido rey de Israel’ ”.

13 Entonces tomaron rápidamente cada uno su manto y lo tendieron debajo de Jehú sobre las gradas desnudas. Luego tocaron la corneta y proclamaron:

—¡Jehú reina!

14 Así conspiró Jehú hijo de Josafat, hijo de Nimsi, contra Joram.

Jehú elimina a Joram rey de Israel

Joram había estado guardando Ramot de Galaad con todo Israel, por causa de Hazael, rey de Siria. 15 Pero el rey Joram había regresado a Jezreel para curarse de las heridas que le habían ocasionado los sirios cuando combatía contra Hazael, rey de Siria. Entonces Jehú dijo:

—Si es el deseo de ustedes, que nadie se escape de la ciudad para ir a dar las noticias en Jezreel.

16 Luego Jehú mismo subió al carro y fue a Jezreel, porque Joram estaba allí, en cama. También Ocozías, rey de Judá, había descendido para ver a Joram.

17 Entonces el centinela que estaba apostado en la torre de Jezreel vio al grupo de gente de Jehú que venía, y dijo:

—¡Veo un grupo de gente!

Joram dijo:

—Toma un jinete y envíalo a su encuentro, y que les pregunte: “¿Hay paz?”.

18 Fue el jinete a caballo a su encuentro, y le dijo:

—Así ha dicho el rey: “¿Hay paz?”.

Y Jehú respondió:

—¿Qué te importa a ti la paz? ¡Vuélvete conmigo!

Entonces el centinela informó diciendo:

—¡El mensajero llegó hasta ellos, pero no regresa!

19 Envió otro jinete a caballo, el cual llegó hasta ellos y dijo:

—Así ha dicho el rey: “¿Hay paz?”.

Y Jehú respondió:

—¿Qué te importa a ti la paz? ¡Vuélvete conmigo!

20 También el centinela informó diciendo:

—¡Ese llegó hasta ellos, pero no regresa! Y la manera de conducir del que viene es como la de Jehú hijo de Nimsi, porque conduce como un loco.

21 Entonces Joram dijo:

—¡Unce el carro!

Cuando unció su carro, Joram rey de Israel y Ocozías rey de Judá, cada uno en su carro, salieron al encuentro de Jehú, y lo encontraron en la parcela de Nabot de Jezreel. 22 Y cuando Joram vio a Jehú, le preguntó:

—¿Hay paz, Jehú?

Y él respondió:

—¿Cómo va a haber paz, mientras continúen las fornicaciones y las muchas hechicerías de tu madre Jezabel?

23 Entonces Joram, volviendo las riendas, huyó diciendo a Ocozías:

—¡Traición, Ocozías!

24 Pero Jehú puso la flecha en su arco e hirió a Joram por la espalda. La flecha le atravesó el corazón, y él cayó sobre sus rodillas en su carro. 25 Luego Jehú dijo a Bidcar, uno de sus comandantes:

—¡Tómalo y arrójalo en la parcela del campo de Nabot de Jezreel! Acuérdate que cuando tú y yo íbamos juntos cabalgando detrás de su padre Acab, el SEÑOR pronunció contra él esta sentencia: 26 “Ciertamente vi ayer la sangre de Nabot y la sangre de sus hijos, dice el SEÑOR. Y tengo que darte la retribución en esta parcela, dice el SEÑOR”. Ahora pues, tómalo y arrójalo en la parcela, conforme a la palabra del SEÑOR.

Jehú elimina a Ocozías rey de Judá

27 Al ver esto Ocozías, rey de Judá, huyó por el camino de Bet-hagan, y Jehú lo persiguió diciendo:

—¡Maten también a ese!

Y lo hirieron[a] en el carro en la cuesta de Gur, junto a Ibleam; pero huyó a Meguido, donde murió. 28 Entonces sus servidores lo llevaron a Jerusalén en un carro, y le dieron sepultura con sus padres en su sepulcro en la Ciudad de David.

29 En el año once de Joram hijo de Acab había comenzado a reinar Ocozías sobre Judá.

Jehú elimina a Jezabel

30 Jehú fue después a Jezreel. Y cuando lo oyó Jezabel, se pintó los ojos, arregló su cabello y miró por la ventana. 31 Cuando Jehú entraba por la puerta de la ciudad, ella dijo:

—¿Cómo le va a Zimri, asesino de su señor?

32 Jehú levantó la cara hacia la ventana y dijo:

—¿Quién está conmigo? ¿Quién?

Miraron hacia él dos o tres funcionarios, 33 y él les dijo:

—¡Échenla abajo!

La echaron, y parte de su sangre salpicó la pared y los caballos, los cuales la atropellaron[b]. 34 Luego entró, y después que comió y bebió, dijo:

—Ocúpense de esa maldita y sepúltenla, pues es hija de rey.

35 Pero cuando fueron para sepultarla, no hallaron de ella más que el cráneo, los pies y las palmas de las manos. 36 Volvieron y se lo informaron. Y él dijo:

—¡Esta es la palabra que el SEÑOR habló por medio de su siervo Elías el tisbita, diciendo: “En la parcela de Jezreel, los perros comerán la carne de Jezabel; 37 y el cadáver de Jezabel será como estiércol sobre la superficie del campo en la parcela de Jezreel, de modo que nadie pueda decir: ‘Esta es Jezabel’”.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Reyes 9:27 Según Peshita y Vulgata; cf. LXX; heb. omite Y lo hirieron.
  2. 2 Reyes 9:33 Según Qere y muchos mss.; TM, y él la atropelló.

Jehu Becomes King

Now Elisha the prophet summoned a member of the prophetic guild[a] and told him, “Tuck your robes into your belt, take this container[b] of olive oil in your hand, and go to Ramoth Gilead. When you arrive there, look for Jehu son of Jehoshaphat son of Nimshi and take him aside into an inner room.[c] Take the container of olive oil, pour it over his head, and say, ‘This is what the Lord has said, “I have designated[d] you as king over Israel.”’ Then open the door and run away quickly!”[e]

So the young prophet[f] went to Ramoth Gilead. When he arrived, the officers of the army were sitting there.[g] So he said, “I have a message for you, O officer.”[h] Jehu asked, “For which one of us?”[i] He replied, “For you, O officer.” So Jehu[j] got up and went inside. Then the prophet[k] poured the olive oil on his head and said to him, “This is what the Lord God of Israel has said, ‘I have designated you as king over the Lord’s people Israel. You will destroy the family of your master Ahab.[l] I will get revenge against Jezebel for the shed blood of my servants the prophets and for the shed blood of all the Lord’s servants.[m] Ahab’s entire family will die. I[n] will cut off every last male belonging to Ahab in Israel, including even the weak and incapacitated.[o] I will make Ahab’s dynasty[p] like those of Jeroboam son of Nebat and Baasha son of Ahijah. 10 Dogs will devour Jezebel on the plot of ground in Jezreel; she will not be buried.’”[q] Then he opened the door and ran away.

11 When Jehu rejoined[r] his master’s servants, they[s] asked him, “Is everything all right?[t] Why did this madman visit you?” He replied, “Ah, it’s not important. You know what kind of man he is and the kinds of things he says.”[u] 12 But they said, “You’re lying! Tell us what he said.” So he told them what he had said. He also related how he had said,[v] “This is what the Lord has said, ‘I have designated you as king over Israel.’” 13 Each of them quickly took off his cloak, and they spread them out at Jehu’s[w] feet on the steps.[x] The trumpet was blown[y] and they shouted, “Jehu is[z] king!” 14 Then Jehu son of Jehoshaphat son of Nimshi conspired against Joram.

Jehu the Assassin

Now Joram had been in Ramoth Gilead with the whole Israelite army,[aa] guarding against an invasion by King Hazael of Syria. 15 But King Joram had returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds he received from the Syrians[ab] when he fought against King Hazael of Syria.[ac] Jehu told his supporters,[ad] “If you really want me to be king,[ae] then don’t let anyone escape from the city to go and warn Jezreel.” 16 Jehu drove his chariot[af] to Jezreel, for Joram was recuperating[ag] there. (Now King Ahaziah of Judah had come down to visit[ah] Joram.)

17 Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel and saw Jehu’s troops approaching.[ai] He said, “I see troops!”[aj] Joram[ak] ordered,[al] “Send a rider out to meet them and have him ask, ‘Is everything all right?’”[am] 18 So the horseman[an] went to meet him and said, “This is what the king says, ‘Is everything all right?’”[ao] Jehu replied, “None of your business![ap] Follow me.” The watchman reported, “The messenger reached them, but hasn’t started back.” 19 So he sent a second horseman out to them[aq] and he said, “This is what the king says, ‘Is everything all right?’”[ar] Jehu replied, “None of your business! Follow me.” 20 The watchman reported, “He reached them, but hasn’t started back. The one who drives the lead chariot drives like Jehu son of Nimshi;[as] he drives recklessly.” 21 Joram ordered, “Hitch up my chariot.”[at] When his chariot had been hitched up,[au] King Joram of Israel and King Ahaziah of Judah went out in their respective chariots[av] to meet Jehu. They met up with him[aw] in the plot of land that had once belonged to Naboth of Jezreel.

22 When Joram saw Jehu, he asked, “Is everything all right, Jehu?” He replied, “How can everything be all right as long as your mother Jezebel promotes idolatry and pagan practices?”[ax] 23 Joram turned his chariot around and took off.[ay] He said to Ahaziah, “It’s a trap,[az] Ahaziah!” 24 Jehu aimed his bow and shot an arrow right between Joram’s shoulders.[ba] The arrow went through[bb] his heart and he fell to his knees in his chariot. 25 Jehu ordered[bc] his officer Bidkar, “Pick him up and throw him into the part of the field that once belonged to Naboth of Jezreel. Remember, you and I were riding together behind his father, Ahab, when the Lord pronounced this oracle against him, 26 ‘“Know for sure that I saw the shed blood of Naboth and his sons yesterday,” says the Lord, “and that I will give you what you deserve[bd] right here in this plot of land,” says the Lord.’ So now pick him up and throw him into this plot of land, just as in the Lord’s message.”

27 When King Ahaziah of Judah saw what happened, he took off[be] up the road to Beth Haggan. Jehu chased him and ordered, “Shoot him too.” They shot him while he was driving his chariot up the ascent of Gur near Ibleam.[bf] He fled to Megiddo and died there. 28 His servants took his body[bg] back to Jerusalem and buried him in his tomb with his ancestors in the City of David. 29 Ahaziah had become king over Judah in the eleventh year of Joram son of Ahab.

30 Jehu approached Jezreel. When Jezebel heard the news, she put on some eye liner,[bh] fixed up her hair, and leaned out the window. 31 When Jehu came through the gate, she said, “Is everything all right, Zimri, murderer of his master?”[bi] 32 He looked up at the window and said, “Who is on my side? Who?” Two or three[bj] eunuchs looked down at him. 33 He said, “Throw her down!” So they threw her down, and when she hit the ground,[bk] her blood splattered against the wall and the horses, and Jehu drove his chariot over her.[bl] 34 He went inside and had a meal.[bm] Then he said, “Dispose of this accursed woman’s corpse. Bury her, for after all, she was a king’s daughter.”[bn] 35 But when they went to bury her, they found nothing left but[bo] the skull, feet, and palms of the hands. 36 So they went back and told him. Then he said, “It is the fulfillment of the Lord’s message[bp] that he had spoken through his servant, Elijah the Tishbite, ‘In the plot of land at Jezreel, dogs will devour Jezebel’s flesh. 37 Jezebel’s corpse will be like manure on the surface of the ground in the plot of land at Jezreel. People will not be able to even recognize her.’”[bq]

Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 9:1 tn Heb “one of the sons of the prophets.”
  2. 2 Kings 9:1 tn Or “flask.”
  3. 2 Kings 9:2 tn Heb “and go and set him apart from his brothers and bring him into an inner room in an inner room.”
  4. 2 Kings 9:3 tn Heb “anointed.”
  5. 2 Kings 9:3 tn Heb “and open the door and run away and do not delay.”
  6. 2 Kings 9:4 tc Heb “the young man, the young man, the prophet.” The MT is probably dittographic, the phrase “the young man” being accidentally repeated. The phrases “the young man” and “the prophet” are appositional, with the latter qualifying more specifically the former.
  7. 2 Kings 9:5 tn Heb “and he arrived and look, the officers of the army were sitting.”
  8. 2 Kings 9:5 tn Heb “[there is] a word for me to you, O officer.”
  9. 2 Kings 9:5 tn Heb “To whom from all of us?”
  10. 2 Kings 9:6 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jehu) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  11. 2 Kings 9:6 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the prophet) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  12. 2 Kings 9:7 tn Heb “strike down the house of Ahab your master.”
  13. 2 Kings 9:7 tn Heb “I will avenge the shed blood of my servants the prophets and the shed blood of all the servants of the Lord from the hand of Jezebel.”
  14. 2 Kings 9:8 tc The LXX has the second person, “you.”
  15. 2 Kings 9:8 tn Heb “and I will cut off from Ahab those who urinate against a wall, [including both those who are] restrained and let free [or, ‘abandoned’] in Israel.” On the phrase וְעָצוּר וְעָזוּב (veʿatsur veʿazur, translated here “weak and incapacitated”) see the note at 1 Kgs 14:10.
  16. 2 Kings 9:9 tn Heb “house.”
  17. 2 Kings 9:10 sn Note how the young prophet greatly expands the message Elisha had given to him. In addition to lengthening the introductory formula (by adding “the God of Israel”) and the official declaration that accompanies the act of anointing (by adding “the Lord’s people”), he goes on to tell how Jehu will become king (by a revolt against Ahab’s dynasty), makes it clear that Jehu will be an instrument of divine vengeance, and predicts the utter annihilation of Ahab’s family and the violent death of Jezebel.
  18. 2 Kings 9:11 tn Heb “went out to.”
  19. 2 Kings 9:11 tc The MT has the singular, “he said,” but many witnesses correctly read the plural.
  20. 2 Kings 9:11 tn Heb “Is there peace?”
  21. 2 Kings 9:11 tn Heb “He said, ‘You, you know the man and his thoughts.’” Jehu tries to deflect their question by reminding them that the man is an eccentric individual who says strange things. His reply suggests that the man said nothing of importance. The translation seeks to bring out the tone and intent of Jehu’s reply.
  22. 2 Kings 9:12 tn Heb “So he said, ‘Like this and like this he said to me, saying.’” The words “like this and like this” are probably not a direct quote of Jehu’s words to his colleagues. Rather this is the narrator’s way of avoiding repetition and indicating that Jehu repeated, or at least summarized, what the prophet had said to him.
  23. 2 Kings 9:13 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Jehu) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  24. 2 Kings 9:13 tn Heb “and they hurried and took, each one his garment, and they placed [them] beneath him on the bone [?] of the steps.” The precise nuance of גֶּרֶם (gerem), “bone,” is unclear. Some suggest the nuance “bare” here; it may be a technical architectural term in this context.
  25. 2 Kings 9:13 tn Heb “they blew the trumpet.” This has been translated as a passive to avoid the implication that the same ones who shouted had all blown trumpets.
  26. 2 Kings 9:13 tn Or “has become.”
  27. 2 Kings 9:14 tn Heb “he and all Israel.”
  28. 2 Kings 9:15 tn Heb “which the Syrians inflicted [on] him.”
  29. 2 Kings 9:15 sn See 2 Kgs 8:28-29a.
  30. 2 Kings 9:15 tn The words “his supporters” are added for clarification.
  31. 2 Kings 9:15 tn Heb “If this is your desire.” נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) refers here to the seat of the emotions and will. For other examples of this use of the word, see BDB 660-61 s.v.
  32. 2 Kings 9:16 tn Heb “rode [or, ‘mounted’] and went.”
  33. 2 Kings 9:16 tn Heb “lying down.”
  34. 2 Kings 9:16 tn Heb “to see.”
  35. 2 Kings 9:17 tn Heb “the quantity [of the men] of Jehu, when he approached.” Elsewhere שִׁפְעַה (shifʿah), “quantity,” is used of a quantity of camels (Isa 60:6) or horses (Ezek 26:10) and of an abundance of water (Job 22:11; 38:34).
  36. 2 Kings 9:17 tn The term שִׁפְעַת (shifʿat) appears to be a construct form of the noun, but no genitive follows.
  37. 2 Kings 9:17 tn Heb “Jehoram” here and in vv. 21, 22, 23, 24; Joram is a short form of the name Jehoram.
  38. 2 Kings 9:17 tn Heb “said.”
  39. 2 Kings 9:17 tn Heb “Get a rider and send [him] to meet him and let him ask, ‘Is there peace?’”
  40. 2 Kings 9:18 tn Heb “the rider of the horse.”
  41. 2 Kings 9:18 tn Heb “Is there peace?”
  42. 2 Kings 9:18 tn Heb “What concerning you and concerning peace?” That is, “What concern is that to you?”
  43. 2 Kings 9:19 tn Heb “and he came to them.”
  44. 2 Kings 9:19 tc The MT has simply “peace,” omitting the prefixed interrogative particle. It is likely that the particle has been accidentally omitted; several ancient witnesses include it or assume its presence.
  45. 2 Kings 9:20 tn Heb “and the driving is like the driving of Jehu son of Nimshi.”
  46. 2 Kings 9:21 tn The words “my chariot” are added for clarification.
  47. 2 Kings 9:21 tn Heb “and he hitched up his chariot.”
  48. 2 Kings 9:21 tn Heb “each in his chariot and they went out.”
  49. 2 Kings 9:21 tn Heb “they found him.”
  50. 2 Kings 9:22 tn Heb “How [can there be] peace as long as the adulterous acts of Jezebel your mother and her acts of sorcery [are] many?” In this instance “adulterous acts” is employed metaphorically for idolatry. As elsewhere in the OT, worshiping other gods is viewed as spiritual adultery and unfaithfulness to the one true God. The phrase “many acts of sorcery” could be taken literally, for Jezebel undoubtedly utilized pagan divination practices, but the phrase may be metaphorical, pointing to her devotion to pagan customs in general.
  51. 2 Kings 9:23 tn Heb “and Jehoram turned his hands and fled.” The phrase “turned his hands” refers to how he would have pulled on the reins in order to make his horses turn around.
  52. 2 Kings 9:23 tn Heb “Deceit, Ahaziah.”
  53. 2 Kings 9:24 tn Heb “and Jehu filled his hand with the bow and he struck Jehoram between his shoulders.”
  54. 2 Kings 9:24 tn Heb “went out from.”
  55. 2 Kings 9:25 tn Heb “said to.”
  56. 2 Kings 9:26 tn Heb “I will pay you back.”
  57. 2 Kings 9:27 tn Heb “and Ahaziah king of Judah saw and fled.”
  58. 2 Kings 9:27 tn After Jehu’s order (“kill him too”), the MT has simply, “to the chariot in the ascent of Gur which is near Ibleam.” The main verb in the clause, “they shot him” (וַיַּכֻּהוּ, vayyakkuhu), has been accidentally omitted by virtual haplography/homoioteleuton. Note that the immediately preceding form הַכֻּהוּ (hakkuhu), “shoot him,” ends with the same suffix.
  59. 2 Kings 9:28 tn Heb “drove him.”
  60. 2 Kings 9:30 tn Heb “she fixed her eyes with antimony.” Antimony (פּוּךְ, pukh) was used as a cosmetic. The narrator portrays her as a prostitute (see Jer 4:30), a role she has played in the spiritual realm (see the note at v. 22).
  61. 2 Kings 9:31 sn Jezebel associates Jehu with another assassin, Zimri, who approximately 44 years before had murdered King Elah, only to meet a violent death just a few days later (1 Kgs 16:9-20). On the surface Jezebel’s actions seem contradictory. On the one hand, she beautifies herself as if to seduce Jehu, but on the other hand, she insults and indirectly threatens him with this comparison to Zimri. Upon further reflection, however, her actions reveal a clear underlying motive. She wants to retain her power, not to mention her life. By beautifying herself, she appeals to Jehu’s sexual impulses; by threatening him, she reminds him that he is in the same precarious position as Zimri. But, if he makes Jezebel his queen, he can consolidate his power. In other words through her actions and words Jezebel is saying to Jehu, “You desire me, don’t you? And you need me!”
  62. 2 Kings 9:32 tn Heb “two, three.” The narrator may be intentionally vague or uncertain here, or the two numbers may represent alternate traditions.
  63. 2 Kings 9:33 tn The words “when she hit the ground” are added for stylistic reasons.
  64. 2 Kings 9:33 tn Heb “and he trampled her.”
  65. 2 Kings 9:34 tn Heb “and he went in and ate and drank.”
  66. 2 Kings 9:34 tn Heb “Attend to this accursed woman and bury her for she was the daughter of a king.”
  67. 2 Kings 9:35 tn Heb “they did not find her, except for.”
  68. 2 Kings 9:36 tn Heb “It is the Lord’s message.”
  69. 2 Kings 9:37 tn Heb “so that they will not say, ‘This is Jezebel.’”

Jehu Anointed King of Israel

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. 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. 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.”

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

  1. 2 Kings 9:1 Lit. Gird up your loins
  2. 2 Kings 9:13 Lit. under his feet
  3. 2 Kings 9:15 Jehoram, v. 24
  4. 2 Kings 9:17 Are you peaceful?
  5. 2 Kings 9:18 Lit. Turn behind me
  6. 2 Kings 9:21 Harness up
  7. 2 Kings 9:21 Lit. found
  8. 2 Kings 9:24 Lit. filled his hand
  9. 2 Kings 9:26 on this property
  10. 2 Kings 9:27 Lit. The Garden House
  11. 2 Kings 9:27 Lit. Strike