2 Kings
Chapter 9
1 The prophet Elisha called one of the student prophets and said to him, “Tie up your clothes and take this jar of oil in your hand, and go to Ramoth-gilead.”
2 When you get there, find Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi. Go inside, ask him to stand up from his brothers, and take him to a private room.
3 Take the bottle of oil, pour it on his head, and say, “God says, ‘I have made you king over Israel.’” Then open the door, run away, and don’t stop.
4 The young man, the prophet, went to Ramothgilead.
5 When he arrived, he saw the army leaders sitting and said, “I have a message for you, captain.” Jehu asked, “Which one of us?” He replied, “For you, captain.”
6 He got up, went into the house, put oil on his head, and said, “God of Israel says, I have made you king over God’s people, over Israel.”
7 You will strike down the family of Ahab your master, so I can get revenge for the murder of my prophets and all of God’s servants killed by Jezebel.
8 Everyone from Ahab’s family will die; I will destroy every male in Ahab’s family, whether free or imprisoned in Israel.
9 I will make Ahab’s family like Jeroboam’s family, the son of Nebat, and like Baasha’s family, the son of Ahijah.
10 Dogs will eat Jezebel in Jezreel’s land, and no one will bury her. He opened the door and ran away.
11 Then Jehu went out to his master’s servants. One asked him, “Is everything okay? Why did this crazy man come to you?” Jehu replied, “You know the man and what he talks about.”
12 They said, “That’s not true; tell us.” He replied, “He told me this: ‘God says, I have chosen you to be king of Israel.’”
13 They hurried, each man took his clothes, laid them on the steps under him, and blowing trumpets, said, “Jehu is king.”
14 Jehu, son of Jehoshaphat and grandson of Nimshi, plotted against Joram. Joram was defending Ramoth-gilead with all of Israel’s help against Hazael, the king of Syria.
15 King Joram went back to recover in Jezreel from injuries the Syrians caused him during his battle with Hazael, the king of Syria. Jehu said, “If you agree, make sure no one leaves the city to report this in Jezreel.”
16 So Jehu rode in a chariot to Jezreel because Joram was there. Ahaziah, the king of Judah, had come to visit Joram.
17 A guard on the tower in Jezreel saw Jehu’s group coming and said, “I see a group.” Joram said, “Send a horseman to ask if they come in peace.”
18 Someone rode out to meet him and said, “The king asks, ‘Is everything peaceful?’” Jehu replied, “What concern is peace to you? Follow me.” The lookout reported, “The messenger reached them but isn’t coming back.”
19 He sent another rider who went to them and said, “The king asks, ‘Is everything peaceful?’” Jehu replied, “What does peace matter to you? Follow me.”
20 The guard reported, “He reached them but hasn’t returned; his driving style is like Jehu, Nimshi’s son, because he drives very fast.”
21 Joram said, “Get ready.” His chariot was prepared. Joram, king of Israel, and Ahaziah, king of Judah, each rode in their chariots to confront Jehu. They met him on Naboth the Jezreelite’s land.
22 When Joram saw Jehu, he asked, “Is it peace, Jehu?” Jehu replied, “How can there be peace while your mother Jezebel does so many acts of unfaithfulness and witchcraft?”
23 Joram turned around, ran away, and said to Ahaziah, “It’s a trap, Ahaziah.”
24 Jehu pulled his bow with all his strength and hit Jehoram between his arms; the arrow came out through his heart, and he slumped down in his chariot.
25 Jehu told his officer Bidkar, “Pick him up and throw him into Naboth the Jezreelite’s field. Remember when you and I rode together after Ahab’s father, God placed this judgment on him.”
26 Indeed, I saw yesterday the murder of Naboth and his sons, says God; and I will repay you on this piece of land, says God. Now, take him and throw him onto this piece of land, following God’s command.
27 But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw it, he ran through the garden house. Jehu chased him, saying, “Hit him in his chariot too.” They did that near Gur, close to Ibleam. He escaped to Megiddo and died there.
28 His servants took him by chariot to Jerusalem and buried him in his tomb with his ancestors in the city of David.
29 In the eleventh year of Joram, Ahaziah, Ahab’s son, started to rule over Judah.
30 When Jehu arrived in Jezreel, Jezebel heard about it. She put makeup on her face, did her hair, and looked out the window.
31 As Jehu came through the gate, she asked, “Did Zimri have peace after he killed his master?”
32 He looked up at the window and asked, “Who’s with me? Who?” Two or three eunuchs peered down at him.
33 He said, “Throw her down.” So they threw her down, and her blood splattered on the wall and horses, and he trampled her.
34 When he came in, he ate and drank, and said, Go and see that cursed woman, and bury her, because she is the daughter of a king.
35 They went to bury her, but only found her skull, feet, and the palms of her hands.
36 So they returned and reported to him. He said, “This is God’s message, which He gave through His servant Elijah the Tishbite: ‘In the area of Jezreel, dogs will eat Jezebel’s body.’”
37 Jezebel’s dead body will be like manure on the ground in Jezreel, so no one can say, “This is Jezebel.”