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2 Kings 9
New American Standard Bible

Jehu Reigns over Israel

9 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. 2 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. 3 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.”

4 So (H)the young man, the servant of the prophet, went to Ramoth-gilead. 5 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.” 6 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. 7 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. 8 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. 9 (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!”

Jehu Assassinates Jehoram (Joram)

14 So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. (W)Now Joram [d]with all Israel was [e]defending Ramoth-gilead against Hazael king of Aram, 15 but (X)King [f]Joram had returned to Jezreel to have himself healed of the wounds which the Arameans had [g]inflicted on him when he fought Hazael king of Aram. So Jehu said to the other men, “If this is your [h]intent, then let no [i]one escape from the city to go tell about it in Jezreel.” 16 Then Jehu rode in a chariot and went to Jezreel, since Joram was lying there recovering. (Y)And Ahaziah the king of Judah had come down to see Joram.

17 Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel and he saw the [j]company of Jehu as he came, and he said, “I see a [k]company.” And [l]Joram said, “Take a horseman and send him to meet them and have him [m]ask, ‘Is your intention peace?’” 18 So a horseman went to meet him and said, “This is what the king says: ‘Is your intention peace?’” But Jehu said, “[n](Z)How is peace any business of yours? Turn and follow me.” And the watchman [o]reported, “The messenger came to them, but he did not return.” 19 Then he sent a second horseman, and he came to them and said, “This is what the king says: ‘Is your intention peace?’” And Jehu [p]answered, “[q]How is peace any business of yours? Turn and follow me.” 20 And the watchman [r]reported, “He came up to them, but he did not return; and (AA)the [s]driving is like the driving of (AB)Jehu the son of Nimshi, for he drives furiously.”

21 Then [t]Joram said, “[u]Get ready.” And they [v]made his chariot ready. (AC)Then [w]Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his chariot, and they went out to meet Jehu and found him on the [x](AD)property of Naboth the Jezreelite. 22 When [y]Joram saw Jehu, he said, “Is your intention peace, Jehu?” And he [z]answered, “What ‘peace,’ (AE)so long as your mother Jezebel’s acts of prostitution and witchcraft are so many?” 23 So [aa]Joram [ab]turned back and fled, and he said to Ahaziah, “(AF)There is treachery, Ahaziah!” 24 Then (AG)Jehu [ac]drew his bow with his full strength and [ad]shot [ae]Joram between his arms; and the arrow went [af]through his heart, and he sank in his chariot. 25 And Jehu said to Bidkar his officer, “Pick him up and (AH)throw him on the [ag]property of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite; for remember, when [ah]you and I were riding together after his father Ahab, that the (AI)Lord brought this (AJ)pronouncement against him: 26 ‘(AK)I have certainly seen yesterday the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons,’ declares the Lord, ‘and (AL)I will repay you on this [ai]property,’ declares the Lord. Now then, pick him up and throw him on the [aj]property, in accordance with the word of the Lord.”

Jehu Assassinates Ahaziah

27 (AM)When Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by way of the garden house. But Jehu pursued him and said, “[ak]Shoot him too, in the chariot.” So they shot him at the ascent of Gur, which is at (AN)Ibleam. But he fled to Megiddo and died there. 28 (AO)Then his servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him in his grave with his fathers in the city of David.

29 Now in (AP)the eleventh year of Joram, the son of Ahab, Ahaziah became king over Judah.

30 When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard about it, and (AQ)she put makeup on her eyes and adorned her head, and looked down through the window. 31 As Jehu entered the gate, she said, “(AR)Is your intention peace, Zimri, his master’s murderer?” 32 Then he raised his face toward the window and said, “Who is with me, who?” And two or three officials looked down at him.

Jezebel Is Killed

33 Then he said, “Throw her down.” So they threw her down, and some of her blood spattered on the wall and on the horses, and he trampled her underfoot. 34 When he came in, he ate and drank; and he said, “See now to (AS)this cursed woman and bury her, for (AT)she is a king’s daughter.” 35 So they went to bury her, but they found nothing of her except the skull, the feet, and the palms of her hands. 36 Therefore they returned and informed him. And he said, “This is the word of the Lord, which He spoke by His servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, ‘(AU)On the [al]property of Jezreel the dogs shall eat the flesh of Jezebel; 37 and (AV)the corpse of Jezebel will be like dung on the face of the field in the [am]property of Jezreel, so they cannot say, “This is Jezebel.”’”

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
  4. 2 Kings 9:14 Lit he and
  5. 2 Kings 9:14 Lit protecting
  6. 2 Kings 9:15 Heb Jehoram
  7. 2 Kings 9:15 Lit struck
  8. 2 Kings 9:15 Lit soul
  9. 2 Kings 9:15 Lit escapee leave
  10. 2 Kings 9:17 Lit crowd
  11. 2 Kings 9:17 Lit crowd
  12. 2 Kings 9:17 Heb Jehoram
  13. 2 Kings 9:17 Lit say
  14. 2 Kings 9:18 Lit What to you and to peace
  15. 2 Kings 9:18 Lit reported, saying
  16. 2 Kings 9:19 Lit said
  17. 2 Kings 9:19 See note 1 v 18
  18. 2 Kings 9:20 Lit reported, saying
  19. 2 Kings 9:20 I.e., of the chariot
  20. 2 Kings 9:21 Heb Jehoram
  21. 2 Kings 9:21 Lit Harness the chariot
  22. 2 Kings 9:21 Lit harnessed
  23. 2 Kings 9:21 Heb Jehoram
  24. 2 Kings 9:21 Lit portion
  25. 2 Kings 9:22 Heb Jehoram
  26. 2 Kings 9:22 Lit said
  27. 2 Kings 9:23 Heb Jehoram
  28. 2 Kings 9:23 Lit turned his hands
  29. 2 Kings 9:24 Lit filled his hand with the bow
  30. 2 Kings 9:24 Lit struck
  31. 2 Kings 9:24 Heb Jehoram
  32. 2 Kings 9:24 Lit out from
  33. 2 Kings 9:25 Lit portion
  34. 2 Kings 9:25 Lit I and you
  35. 2 Kings 9:26 Lit portion
  36. 2 Kings 9:26 Lit portion
  37. 2 Kings 9:27 Lit strike
  38. 2 Kings 9:36 Lit portion
  39. 2 Kings 9:37 Lit portion
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2 Kings 9
King James Version

9 And Elisha the prophet called one of the children of the prophets, and said unto him, Gird up thy loins, and take this box of oil in thine hand, and go to Ramothgilead:

2 And when thou comest thither, look out there Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in, and make him arise up from among his brethren, and carry him to an inner chamber;

3 Then take the box of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, Thus saith the Lord, I have anointed thee king over Israel. Then open the door, and flee, and tarry not.

4 So the young man, even the young man the prophet, went to Ramothgilead.

5 And when he came, behold, the captains of the host were sitting; and he said, I have an errand to thee, O captain. And Jehu said, Unto which of all us? And he said, To thee, O captain.

6 And he arose, and went into the house; and he poured the oil on his head, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I have anointed thee king over the people of the Lord, even over Israel.

7 And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord, at the hand of Jezebel.

8 For the whole house of Ahab shall perish: and I will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel:

9 And 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 And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her. And he opened the door, and fled.

11 Then Jehu came forth to the servants of his lord: and one said unto him, Is all well? wherefore came this mad fellow to thee? And he said unto them, Ye know the man, and his communication.

12 And they said, It is false; tell us now. And he said, Thus and thus spake he to me, saying, Thus saith the Lord, I have anointed thee king over Israel.

13 Then they hasted, and took every man his garment, and put it under him on the top of the stairs, and blew with trumpets, saying, Jehu is king.

14 So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. (Now Joram had kept Ramothgilead, he and all Israel, because of Hazael king of Syria.

15 But king Joram was returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him, when he fought with Hazael king of Syria.) And Jehu said, If it be your minds, then let none go forth nor escape out of the city to go to tell it in Jezreel.

16 So Jehu rode in a chariot, and went to Jezreel; for Joram lay there. And Ahaziah king of Judah was come down to see Joram.

17 And there stood a watchman on the tower in Jezreel, and he spied the company of Jehu as he came, and said, I see a company. And Joram said, Take an horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say, Is it peace?

18 So there went one on horseback to meet him, and said, Thus saith the king, Is it peace? And Jehu said, What hast thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me. And the watchman told, saying, The messenger came to them, but he cometh not again.

19 Then he sent out a second on horseback, which came to them, and said, Thus saith the king, Is it peace? And Jehu answered, What hast thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me.

20 And the watchman told, saying, He came even unto them, and cometh not again: and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi; for he driveth furiously.

21 And Joram said, Make ready. And his chariot was made ready. And Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his chariot, and they went out against Jehu, and met him in the portion of Naboth the Jezreelite.

22 And it came to pass, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, Is it peace, Jehu? And he answered, What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?

23 And Joram turned his hands, and fled, and said to Ahaziah, There is treachery, O Ahaziah.

24 And Jehu drew a bow with his full strength, and smote Jehoram between his arms, and the arrow went out at his heart, and he sunk down in his chariot.

25 Then said Jehu to Bidkar his captain, Take up, and cast him in the portion of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite: for remember how that, when I and thou rode together after Ahab his father, the Lord laid this burden upon him;

26 Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth, and the blood of his sons, saith the Lord; and I will requite thee in this plat, saith the Lord. Now therefore take and cast him into the plat of ground, according to the word of the Lord.

27 But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the way of the garden house. And Jehu followed after him, and said, Smite him also in the chariot. And they did so at the going up to Gur, which is by Ibleam. And he fled to Megiddo, and died there.

28 And his servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him in his sepulchre with his fathers in the city of David.

29 And in the eleventh year of Joram the son of Ahab began Ahaziah to reign over Judah.

30 And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a window.

31 And as Jehu entered in at the gate, she said, Had Zimri peace, who slew his master?

32 And he lifted up his face to the window, and said, Who is on my side? who? And there looked out to him two or three eunuchs.

33 And he said, Throw her down. So they threw her down: and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses: and he trode her under foot.

34 And when he was come in, he did eat and drink, and said, Go, see now this cursed woman, and bury her: for she is a king's daughter.

35 And they went to bury her: but they found no more of her than the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands.

36 Wherefore they came again, and told him. And he said, This is the word of the Lord, which he spake by his servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, In the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel:

37 And the carcase of Jezebel shall be as dung upon the face of the field in the portion of Jezreel; so that they shall not say, This is Jezebel.

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2 Kings 9
Living Bible

9 Meanwhile Elisha had summoned one of the young prophets.

“Get ready to go to Ramoth-gilead,” he told him. “Take this vial of oil with you 2 and find Jehu (the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi). Call him into a private room away from his friends, 3 and pour the oil over his head. Tell him that the Lord has anointed him to be the king of Israel; then run for your life!”

4 So the young prophet did as he was told. When he arrived in Ramoth-gilead, 5 he found Jehu sitting around with the other army officers.

“I have a message for you, sir,” he said.

“For which one of us?” Jehu asked.

“For you,” he replied.

6 So Jehu left the others and went into the house, and the young man poured the oil over his head and said, “The Lord God of Israel says, ‘I anoint you king of the Lord’s people, Israel. 7 You are to destroy the family of Ahab; you will avenge the murder of my prophets and of all my other people who were killed by Jezebel. 8 The entire family of Ahab must be wiped out—every male, no matter who. 9 I will destroy the family of Ahab as I destroyed the families of Jeroboam (son of Nebat) and of Baasha (son of Ahijah). 10 Dogs shall eat Ahab’s wife Jezebel at Jezreel, and no one will bury her.’”

Then he opened the door and ran.

11 Jehu went back to his friends and one of them asked him, “What did that crazy fellow want? Is everything all right?”

“You know very well who he was and what he wanted,” Jehu replied.

12 “No, we don’t,” they said. “Tell us.”

So he told them what the man had said and that he had been anointed king of Israel!

13 They quickly carpeted the bare steps with their coats and blew a trumpet, shouting, “Jehu is king!”

14 That is how Jehu (son of Jehoshaphat, son of Nimshi) rebelled against King Joram. (King Joram had been with the army at Ramoth-gilead, defending Israel against the forces of King Hazael of Syria. 15 But he had returned to Jezreel to recover from his wounds.)

“Since you want me to be king,” Jehu told the men who were with him, “don’t let anyone escape to Jezreel to report what we have done.”

16 Then Jehu jumped into a chariot and rode to Jezreel himself to find King Joram, who was lying there wounded. (King Ahaziah of Judah was there too, for he had gone to visit him.) 17 The watchman on the Tower of Jezreel saw Jehu and his company approaching and shouted, “Someone is coming.”

“Send out a rider and find out if he is friend or foe,” King Joram shouted back. 18 So a soldier rode out to meet Jehu.

“The king wants to know whether you are friend or foe,” he demanded. “Do you come in peace?”

Jehu replied, “What do you know about peace? Get behind me!”

The watchman called out to the king that the messenger had met them but was not returning. 19 So the king sent out a second rider. He rode up to them and demanded in the name of the king to know whether their intentions were friendly or not.

Jehu answered, “What do you know about friendliness? Get behind me!”

20 “He isn’t returning either!” the watchman exclaimed. “It must be Jehu, for he is driving so furiously.”

21 “Quick! Get my chariot ready!” King Joram commanded.

Then he and King Ahaziah of Judah rode out to meet Jehu. They met him at the field of Naboth, 22 and King Joram demanded, “Do you come as a friend, Jehu?”

Jehu replied, “How can there be friendship as long as the evils of your mother Jezebel are all around us?”

23 Then King Joram reined the chariot horses around and fled, shouting to King Ahaziah, “There is treachery, Ahaziah! Treason!”

24 Then Jehu drew his bow with his full strength and shot Joram between the shoulders; and the arrow pierced his heart, and he sank down dead in his chariot.

25 Jehu said to Bidkar, his assistant, “Throw him into the field of Naboth, for once when you and I were riding along behind his father Ahab, the Lord revealed this prophecy to me: 26 ‘I will repay him here on Naboth’s property for the murder of Naboth and his sons.’ So throw him out on Naboth’s field, just as the Lord said.”

27 Meanwhile, King Ahaziah of Judah had fled along the road to Beth-haggan. Jehu rode after him, shouting, “Shoot him too.”

So they shot him in his chariot at the place where the road climbs to Gur, near Ibleam. He was able to go on as far as Megiddo, but died there. 28 His officials took him by chariot to Jerusalem where they buried him in the royal cemetery. 29 (Ahaziah’s reign over Judah had begun in the twelfth year[a] of the reign of King Joram of Israel.)

30 When Jezebel 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, “How are you today, you murderer! You son of a Zimri who murdered his master!”

32 He 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!” he yelled.

So they threw her out the window, and her blood spattered against the wall and on the horses; and she was trampled by the horses’ hoofs.

34 Then Jehu went into the palace for lunch. Afterwards 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 him, he remarked, “That is just what the Lord said would happen. He told Elijah the prophet that dogs would eat her flesh 37 and that her body would be scattered like manure upon the field, so that no one could tell whose it was.”

Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 9:29 twelfth year, implied in 8:25; literally, “eleventh.”
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