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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.

Jezebel is Executed

30 As soon as Jehu arrived at Jezreel, Jezebel adorned her eyes, arranged her hair, and peered out a window. 31 When Jehu had entered through the gate, she asked, “Was Zimri, who murdered his master,[a] received well?”

32 Jehu[b] looked up toward the window and called out, “Who is on my side? Who?” When two or three eunuchs looked out at him, 33 he ordered, “Throw her down!”

So they did, and her blood splashed against the wall and on the horses, while Jehu trampled her underfoot. 34 Later on, after he had come in to eat and drink, he ordered, “Go and see to this cursed woman, and bury her, because she was a king’s daughter.” 35 But when they went out to bury her, they found nothing left of her except her skull, her feet, and the palms of her hands. 36 So they returned and reported to Jehu,[c] and he responded, “This fulfills[d] this message from the Lord that he spoke through his servant Elijah the foreigner,[e] who said:

‘Dogs will eat Jezebel’s flesh on the property of Jezreel, 37 and her corpse will lie like dung on the surface of the field on the property in Jezreel, but no one will say, “This is Jezebel.”’”

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 9:31 Cf. 1King 16:9-10
  2. 2 Kings 9:32 Lit. He
  3. 2 Kings 9:36 Lit. him
  4. 2 Kings 9:36 The Heb. lacks fulfills
  5. 2 Kings 9:36 Lit. Tishbite; or sojourner