Jehu Reigns over Israel

Now Elisha the prophet summoned one of (A)the sons of the prophets and said to him, “[a](B)Get ready and (C)take this flask of oil in your hand, and go to (D)Ramoth-gilead. When you arrive there, then look there for (E)Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in and (F)have him get up from among his brothers, and bring him to an inner room. Then take the flask of oil and pour it on his head, and say, ‘This is what the Lord says: “(G)I have anointed you king over Israel.”’ Then open the door and flee, and do not wait.”

So (H)the young man, the servant of the prophet, went to Ramoth-gilead. When he arrived, behold, the commanders of the army were sitting, and he said, “I have a word for you, commander.” And Jehu said, “[b]For which one of us?” And he said, “For you, commander.” He then got up and went into the house, and the prophet’s servant poured the oil on his head and said to him, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: ‘(I)I have anointed you king over the people of the Lord, over Israel. And you shall strike the house of Ahab your master, (J)so that I may avenge (K)the blood of My servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord, (L)at the hand of Jezebel. For the entire house of Ahab shall perish, and (M)I will eliminate from Ahab (N)every male person (O)both [c]slave and free in Israel. (P)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)The dogs will eat Jezebel in the territory of Jezreel, and no one will bury her.’” Then he opened the door and fled.

11 Now Jehu went out to the servants of his master, and one said to him, “(S)Is everything well? Why did this (T)crazy fellow come to you?” And he said to them, “You know very well the man and his talk.” 12 And they said, “It is a lie; tell us now.” And he said, “Such and such he said to me, saying, ‘This is what the Lord says: “I have anointed you king over Israel.”’” 13 Then (U)they hurried, and each man took his garment and put it under him on the bare steps, and (V)blew the trumpet, saying, “Jehu is king!”

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 9:1 Lit Belt up your waist
  2. 2 Kings 9:5 Lit To whom of us all?
  3. 2 Kings 9:8 Or child and adult

Jehu Anointed Prophetically to Rule in Place of Joram of Israel

Now Elisha the prophet called for one of the sons of the prophets, and he said to him, “Gird your loins, and take this flask of olive oil in your hand, and go to Ramoth-Gilead. Go there and look there for Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi. Go, for you must cause him to arise from among his brothers, and you must bring him into an inner room.[a] You must take the flask of olive oil and pour it out on his head. You must say, ‘Thus says Yahweh, “I hereby anoint you as king over Israel.”’ Then you must open the door and flee; do not linger!”

So the young man, servant of the prophet, went to Ramoth-Gilead. He came, and look, the commanders of the army were sitting there. He said, “I have a word for you, O commander!” Jehu said, “For whom? For all of us?” And he said, “For you, O commander!” He got up and went to the house, and poured the olive oil on his head and said to him, “Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel: ‘I hereby anoint you as king over the people of Yahweh, over Israel. You will destroy the house of Ahab your master, and you will avenge the blood of my servants the prophets and the blood of all of the servants of Yahweh, from the hand of Jezebel. All of the house of Ahab will perish, and I shall cut off all males[b] from Ahab, both bond and free. 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 The dogs will eat Jezebel in the territory of Jezreel, and there shall not be anyone to bury her.’”[c] Then he opened the door and fled.

Jehu Assassinates Joram

11 Then Jehu came out to the officers of his master, and they said to him, “Peace? Why did this madman come to you?” And he said to them, “You know the man and his foolish talk.” 12 Then they said, “Liar. Please tell us.” He said, “Thus and so[d] he said to me, saying, ‘Thus says Yahweh, “I hereby anoint you as king over Israel.”’” 13 So they hastened each one to take his cloak, and they spread them under him on the bare steps, blew on the trumpet, and said, “Jehu is king!”

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 9:2 Literally “inner room of the inner room”
  2. 2 Kings 9:8 Literally “the one who urinates against a wall”
  3. 2 Kings 9:10 Literally “burying”
  4. 2 Kings 9:12 Literally “As this and as this”