Jehu Kills Jezebel

30 When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard about it, so she painted her eyes,(A) fixed her hair,[a] and looked down from the window. 31 As Jehu entered the city gate, she said, “Do you come in peace, Zimri,(B) killer of your master?”

32 He looked up toward the window and said, “Who is on my side? Who?” Two or three eunuchs(C) looked down at him, 33 and he said, “Throw her down!” So they threw her down, and some of her blood splattered on the wall and on the horses, and Jehu rode over her.(D)

34 Then he went in, ate and drank, and said, “Take care of this cursed(E) woman and bury her, since she’s a king’s daughter.”(F) 35 But when they went out to bury her, they did not find anything but the skull, the feet, and the hands. 36 So they went back and told him, and he said, “This fulfills the Lord’s word that he spoke through his servant Elijah the Tishbite: ‘In the plot of land at Jezreel, the dogs will eat Jezebel’s flesh.(G) 37 Jezebel’s corpse will be like manure(H) on the surface of the ground in the plot of land at Jezreel so that no one will be able to say: This is Jezebel.’”

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Footnotes

  1. 9:30 Lit made her head pleasing

The Death of Jezebel

30 When Jezebel, the queen mother, heard that Jehu had come to Jezreel, she painted her eyelids and fixed her hair and sat at a window. 31 When Jehu entered the gate of the palace, she shouted at him, “Have you come in peace, you murderer? You’re just like Zimri, who murdered his master!”[a]

32 Jehu looked up and saw her at the window and shouted, “Who is on my side?” And two or three eunuchs looked out at him. 33 “Throw her down!” Jehu yelled. So they threw her out the window, and her blood spattered against the wall and on the horses. And Jehu trampled her body under his horses’ hooves.

34 Then Jehu went into the palace and ate and drank. Afterward he said, “Someone go and bury this cursed woman, for she is the daughter of a king.” 35 But when they went out to bury her, they found only her skull, her feet, and her hands.

36 When they returned and told Jehu, he stated, “This fulfills the message from the Lord, which he spoke through his servant Elijah from Tishbe: ‘At the plot of land in Jezreel, dogs will eat Jezebel’s body. 37 Her remains will be scattered like dung on the plot of land in Jezreel, so that no one will be able to recognize her.’”

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Footnotes

  1. 9:31 See 1 Kgs 16:9-10, where Zimri killed his master, King Elah.