Add parallel Print Page Options

Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets, and said to him, “Put your belt on your waist, take this vial of oil in your hand, and go to Ramoth Gilead. When you come there, find Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in, and make him rise up from among his brothers, and take him to an inner room. Then take the vial of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, ‘Yahweh says, “I have anointed you king over Israel.”’ Then open the door, flee, and don’t wait.”

So the young man, even the young man, the prophet, went to Ramoth Gilead. When he came, behold, the captains of the army were sitting. Then he said, “I have a message for you, captain.”

Jehu said, “To which of us all?”

He said, “To you, O captain.” He arose, and went into the house. Then he poured the oil on his head, and said to him, “Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, ‘I have anointed you king over the people of Yahweh, even over Israel. You must strike your master Ahab’s house, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of Yahweh, at the hand of Jezebel. For the whole house of Ahab will perish. I will cut off from Ahab everyone who urinates against a wall,[a] both him who is shut up and him who is left at large in Israel. I will make Ahab’s house 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 on the plot of ground of Jezreel, and there shall be no one to bury her.’” Then he opened the door and fled.

11 When Jehu came out to the servants of his lord, and one said to him, “Is all well? Why did this mad fellow come to you?”

He said to them, “You know the man and how he talks.” 12 They said, “That is a lie. Tell us now.”

He said, “He said to me, ‘Yahweh says, I have anointed you king over Israel.’”

13 Then they hurried, and each man took his cloak, and put it under him on the top of the stairs, and blew the trumpet, saying, “Jehu is king.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 9:8 or, male

Anointing of Jehu

Then the prophet Elisha called a member of the company of prophets and said to him, “Gird up your loins; take this flask of oil in your hand, and go to Ramoth-gilead.(A) When you arrive, look there for Jehu son of Jehoshaphat son of Nimshi; go in and get him to leave his companions, and take him into an inner chamber.(B) Then take the flask of oil, pour it on his head, and say, ‘Thus says the Lord: I anoint you king over Israel.’ Then open the door and flee; do not linger.”(C)

So the young man, the young prophet, went to Ramoth-gilead. He arrived while the commanders of the army were in council, and he announced, “I have a message for you, commander.” “For which one of us?” asked Jehu. “For you, commander.” So Jehu[a] got up and went inside; the young man poured the oil on his head, saying to him, “Thus says the Lord the God of Israel: I anoint you king over the people of the Lord, over Israel.(D) You shall strike down the house of your master Ahab, so that I may avenge on Jezebel the blood of my servants the prophets and the blood of all the servants of the Lord.(E) For the whole house of Ahab shall perish; I will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel.(F) I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like the house of Baasha son of Ahijah.(G) 10 The dogs shall eat Jezebel in the territory of Jezreel, and no one shall bury her.” Then he opened the door and fled.(H)

11 When Jehu came back to his master’s officers, they said to him, “Is everything all right? Why did that madman come to you?” He answered them, “You know the sort and how they babble.” 12 They said, “Liar! Come on, tell us!” So he said, “This is just what he said to me: ‘Thus says the Lord, I anoint you king over Israel.’ ” 13 Then hurriedly they all took their cloaks and spread them for him on the bare[b] steps, and they blew the trumpet and proclaimed, “Jehu is king.”(I)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 9.6 Heb he
  2. 9.13 Meaning of Heb uncertain