9 The prophet Elisha told a man from the group of prophets to come to him. Elisha said to him, ‘Tie your belt around you and prepare to travel. Take this bottle of olive oil with you and go to Ramoth Gilead. 2 When you arrive there, look for Jehu. He is the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi. Go to him and take him into a room away from his friends. 3 Pour the oil from the bottle onto his head. Say to him, “This is what the Lord says to you: I have now chosen you to be king of Israel.” Then open the door and run away quickly!’
4 The young prophet that Elisha had sent went to Ramoth Gilead. 5 When he arrived there, he found the army officers. They were sitting together. The prophet said, ‘Captain, I have a message for you.’ Jehu asked him, ‘The message is for which of us?’ The prophet replied, ‘It is for you, sir.’ 6 So Jehu stood up and he went into the house. The young prophet poured the oil onto Jehu's head. He said to him, ‘This is what the Lord , Israel's God, says to you: “I have now chosen you to be king of the Lord 's people, Israel. 7 You will destroy the family of your master, Ahab. In this way I will punish Ahab's wife Jezebel, because she killed the prophets and other people who served me. 8 The whole family of Ahab must die. I will kill every male among his descendants in Israel, whoever they are. 9 I will destroy Ahab's family as I did to the family of Nebat's son Jeroboam and the family of Ahijah's son Baasha. 10 Dogs will eat Jezebel's body on the ground in Jezreel. Nobody will bury her.” ’
Then the young prophet opened the door and he ran away.
11 Jehu went out to the other army officers. They asked him, ‘Is everything well? Why did that crazy man come to you?’ Jehu replied, ‘It was not important. You know what that man is like and the kind of things he says.’ 12 But the officers said, ‘That is not true! Tell us what he said.’ So Jehu told them what the prophet had said. He told them, ‘The prophet said, “This is what the Lord says: I have now chosen you to be the king of Israel.” ’
13 The other officers then quickly took their coats. They put them on the stone steps for Jehu to walk on. Then they made a loud noise with a trumpet. They shouted, ‘Jehu is king!’
14 So Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat and grandson of Nimshi, became an enemy of King Joram.
Joram had been in Ramoth Gilead with the whole army of Israel. They were fighting against Hazael, the king of Syria, who wanted to attack Israel. 15 The Syrian soldiers had hurt King Joram in the battle against King Hazael. So he returned to Jezreel to get well again.
Jehu said to his men, ‘If you really want to help me, do not let anyone leave this city. Nobody must go to warn the people in Jezreel.’ 16 Then Jehu got into his chariot and he rode to Jezreel, because King Joram was resting there. Ahaziah, the king of Judah, had also gone to Jezreel to visit King Joram.
17 A guard was standing on the tower in Jezreel to watch for enemies. He saw Jehu's soldiers coming towards the city. He shouted, ‘I can see a group of soldiers who are coming here on horses.’
King Joram said, ‘Send out a man on a horse to meet the soldiers. Ask them. “Are you coming to us as friends?” ’ 18 The man on the horse rode out of the city to meet Jehu. He said to Jehu, ‘The king asks you, “Are you coming here as friends?” ’ Jehu replied, ‘Whether we are friends or not, turn round and ride behind me!’
The guard on the tower reported to Joram, ‘The man that you sent with the message has reached them. But he is not coming back yet.’ 19 So King Joram sent a second man out on a horse. The rider said to Jehu, ‘The king asks you, “Are you coming here as friends?” ’ Jehu replied, ‘Whether we are friends or not, turn round and ride behind me!’
20 The guard reported to Joram, ‘The man has reached them, but he is not coming back yet either. Their leader is driving his chariot like Nimshi's son, Jehu. He drives like a crazy man!’
21 Then King Joram commanded, ‘Prepare my chariot for me.’ So they brought his chariot to him. Then King Joram of Israel and King Ahaziah of Judah rode out of the city to meet Jehu. Each king was riding in his own chariot. They met Jehu at the piece of land that had once belonged to Naboth, the man from Jezreel. [ a ] 22 When Joram saw Jehu, he asked, ‘Have you come as a friend, Jehu?’ Jehu replied, ‘We cannot be friends. Your mother Jezebel still causes people to worship idols and to use magic.’
23 Joram turned his chariot round and he drove away quickly. He shouted to King Ahaziah, ‘Ahaziah, they have deceived us!’ 24 Then Jehu used his bow to shoot an arrow at Joram. The arrow hit Joram between his shoulders and it went through his heart. He fell over in his chariot and he died. 25 Jehu gave a command to his officer, Bidkar. He said to him, ‘Pick him up! Throw his body onto the field that once belonged to Naboth. Remember, you and I rode together in chariots behind Joram's father, Ahab. That was when the Lord said this about Ahab: 26 “Yesterday, I saw the blood of Naboth and his sons where you murdered them. One day, I will punish you as you deserve. I will do it here on this piece of land. That is what the Lord says.” So now pick up Joram's body and throw it on this piece of land. Do what the Lord has promised he would do.’
27 King Ahaziah of Judah saw what had happened to Joram. So he rode away quickly on the road towards Beth Haggan. Jehu chased after him and he shouted, ‘Kill him too!’ Jehu's men shot arrows at Ahaziah as he rode in his chariot up the hill to Gur, near Ibleam. He escaped to Megiddo and he died there.
28 King Ahaziah's servants took his body back to Jerusalem in a chariot. They buried him there in a grave beside his ancestors in the City of David. 29 Ahaziah had become king of Judah when Ahab's son Joram had been king of Israel for 11 years.
30 After that, Jehu went to Jezreel. Jezebel heard what had happened. So she made her eyes and her hair look beautiful. Then she looked out of a window in the palace. [ b ] 31 When Jehu came through the gate of the city, Jezebel called out to him, ‘Have you come as a friend, Zimri? No, you have murdered your master!’ [ c ] 32 Jehu looked up at the window and he saw her. Then he shouted, ‘Who wants to help me? Anyone there?’ Two or three eunuchs looked out though a window at him. [ d ] 33 Jehu shouted to them, ‘Throw her down!’ So they threw her down. When she hit the ground, some of her blood splashed on the wall. It also splashed on Jehu's horses as he drove them over her body.
34 Jehu went into the palace and he ate a meal. Then he said, ‘Take away that evil woman's body. She was the daughter of a king, so you should bury her properly.’ 35 But when they went out to bury her, not much of her body was still there. They found only her skull, her feet and her hands. 36 They went back and they told Jehu. He said, ‘The Lord told his servant, Elijah from Tishbe, that this would happen. He said, “Dogs will eat Jezebel's dead body on the ground in Jezreel. 37 Her dead body will lie on the ground in Jezreel like dung. Nobody will be able to recognize who it is.” ’
9 Elisha the prophet called one of the men from the group of prophets [ a ] and said to him, “Get ready and take this small bottle of oil in your hand. Go to Ramoth Gilead. 2 When you arrive, find Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi. Then go in and make him get up from among his brothers. Take him to an inner room. 3 Take the small bottle of oil and pour the oil on Jehu’s head. Say, ‘This is what the Lord says: I have anointed you to be the new king over Israel.’ Then open the door and run away. Don’t wait!”
4 So this young man, the prophet, went to Ramoth Gilead. 5 When the young man arrived, he saw the captains of the army sitting. He said, “Captain, I have a message for you.”
Jehu asked, “Which one of us is the message for?”
The young man said, “For you, sir.”
6 Jehu got up and went into the house. Then the young prophet poured the oil on Jehu’s head and said to him, “The Lord , the God of Israel, says, ‘I am anointing you to be the new king over the Lord ’s people, Israel. 7 You must destroy the family of Ahab your king. In this way I will punish Jezebel for the deaths of my servants, the prophets, and the deaths of all the Lord ’s servants who were murdered. 8 So all Ahab’s family will die. I will not let any male child in Ahab’s family live. It doesn’t matter if that male child is a slave or a free person in Israel. 9 I will make Ahab’s family like the family of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like the family of Baasha son of Ahijah. 10 The dogs will eat Jezebel in the area of Jezreel, and she will not be buried.’”
Then the young prophet opened the door and ran away.
11 Jehu went back to his king’s officers. One of the officers said to Jehu, “Is everything all right? Why did this crazy man come to you?”
Jehu answered the servants, “You know the man and the crazy things he says.”
12 The officers said, “No, tell us the truth. What did he say?” Jehu told the officers what the young prophet said. Jehu said, “He said a few things and then he said, ‘This is what the Lord says: I have anointed you to be the new king over Israel.’”
13 Then each officer quickly took his robe off and put it on the steps in front of Jehu. Then they blew the trumpet and made the announcement, “Jehu is king!”
14 So Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, son of Nimshi, made plans against Joram.
At that time Joram and the Israelites had been trying to defend Ramoth Gilead from King Hazael of Aram. 15 King Joram had fought against King Hazael of Aram. But the Arameans wounded King Joram, and he went to Jezreel to get well from those injuries.
So Jehu told the officers, “If you agree that I am the new king, don’t let anyone escape from the city to tell the news in Jezreel.”
16 Joram was resting in Jezreel, so Jehu got in his chariot and drove to Jezreel. King Ahaziah of Judah had also come to Jezreel to see Joram.
17 A guard was standing on the tower in Jezreel. He saw Jehu’s large group coming. He said, “I see a large group of people!”
Joram said, “Send someone on a horse to meet them. Tell this messenger to ask if they come in peace.”
18 So the messenger rode on a horse to meet Jehu. The messenger said, “King Joram says, ‘Do you come in peace?’”
Jehu said, “You have nothing to do with peace. Come and follow me.”
The guard told Joram, “The messenger went to the group, but he has not come back yet.”
19 Then Joram sent out a second messenger on a horse. This man came to Jehu’s group and said, “King Joram says, ‘Peace.’ [ b ] ”
Jehu answered, “You have nothing to do with peace. Come and follow me.”
20 The guard told Joram, “The second messenger went to the group, but he has not come back yet. There is a man driving his chariot like a mad man. He is driving like Jehu son of Nimshi.”
21 Joram said, “Get me my chariot!”
So the servant got Joram’s chariot. Both King Joram of Israel and King Ahaziah of Judah got their chariots and drove out to meet Jehu. They met him at the property of Naboth from Jezreel.
22 Joram saw Jehu and asked, “Do you come in peace, Jehu?”
Jehu answered, “There is no peace as long as your mother Jezebel does many acts of prostitution and witchcraft.”
23 Joram turned the horses to run away. He said to Ahaziah, “It is a trick, Ahaziah!”
24 But Jehu grabbed his bow and shot Joram in the middle of his back, through the heart. Joram fell dead in his chariot.
25 Jehu said to his chariot driver Bidkar, “Take Joram’s body up and throw it into the field of Naboth from Jezreel. Remember when you and I rode together with Joram’s father Ahab, the Lord said this would happen to him. 26 The Lord said, ‘Yesterday I saw the blood of Naboth and his sons. And I, the Lord , am telling you that I will punish Ahab in this field.’ So take Joram’s body and throw it into the field, just as the Lord said.”
27 King Ahaziah of Judah saw this and ran away. He tried to escape through the garden house, but Jehu followed him. Jehu had said, “Shoot Ahaziah too!”
Ahaziah was wounded when he was in his chariot on the road to Gur near Ibleam. He got as far as Megiddo, but he died there. 28 Ahaziah’s servants carried his body in the chariot to Jerusalem. They buried him in his tomb with his ancestors in the City of David.
29 Ahaziah had become king over Judah during Joram’s [ c ] eleventh year as king of Israel.
30 When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard the news. She put her makeup on and fixed her hair. Then she stood by the window and looked out. 31 Jehu entered the city. Jezebel said, “Hello, you Zimri. [ d ] You killed your master just as he did.”
32 Jehu looked up at the window and said, “Who is on my side? Who?”
Two or three eunuchs looked out at Jehu. 33 Jehu said, “Throw Jezebel down!”
Then the eunuchs threw her down. Some of her blood splashed on the wall and on the horses that trampled her body. 34 Jehu went into the house and ate and drank. Then he said, “Now see about this cursed woman. Bury her, because she is a king’s daughter.”
35 The men went to bury Jezebel, but they could not find her body. They could only find her skull, her feet, and the palms of her hands. 36 When the men came back and told Jehu, he said, “The Lord told his servant Elijah the Tishbite to give this message: ‘Dogs will eat the body of Jezebel in the area of Jezreel. 37 Her body will be like dung on the field in the area of Jezreel. No one will be able to recognize her body!’”
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.
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!”
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 .”
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.
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.”’”
9 The prophet Elisha summoned a man from the company ( A ) of the prophets and said to him, “Tuck your cloak into your belt, ( B ) take this flask of olive oil ( C ) with you and go to Ramoth Gilead. ( D ) 2 When you get there, look for Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi. Go to him, get him away from his companions and take him into an inner room. 3 Then take the flask and pour the oil ( E ) on his head and declare, ‘This is what the Lord says: I anoint you king over Israel.’ Then open the door and run; don’t delay!”
4 So the young prophet went to Ramoth Gilead. 5 When he arrived, he found the army officers sitting together. “I have a message for you, commander,” he said.
“For which of us?” asked Jehu.
“For you, commander,” he replied.
6 Jehu got up and went into the house. Then the prophet poured the oil ( F ) on Jehu’s head and declared, “This is what the Lord , the God of Israel, says: ‘I anoint you king over the Lord ’s people Israel. 7 You are to destroy the house of Ahab your master, and I will avenge ( G ) the blood of my servants ( H ) the prophets and the blood of all the Lord ’s servants shed by Jezebel. ( I ) 8 The whole house ( J ) of Ahab will perish. I will cut off from Ahab every last male ( K ) in Israel—slave or free. [ a ] 9 I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam ( L ) son of Nebat and like the house of Baasha ( M ) son of Ahijah. 10 As for Jezebel, dogs ( N ) will devour her on the plot of ground at Jezreel, and no one will bury her.’” Then he opened the door and ran.
11 When Jehu went out to his fellow officers, one of them asked him, “Is everything all right? Why did this maniac ( O ) come to you?”
“You know the man and the sort of things he says,” Jehu replied.
12 “That’s not true!” they said. “Tell us.”
Jehu said, “Here is what he told me: ‘This is what the Lord says: I anoint you king over Israel.’”
13 They quickly took their cloaks and spread ( P ) them under him on the bare steps. Then they blew the trumpet ( Q ) and shouted, “Jehu is king!”
14 So Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, conspired against Joram. (Now Joram and all Israel had been defending Ramoth Gilead ( S ) against Hazael king of Aram, 15 but King Joram [ b ] had returned to Jezreel to recover ( T ) from the wounds the Arameans had inflicted on him in the battle with Hazael king of Aram.) Jehu said, “If you desire to make me king, don’t let anyone slip out of the city to go and tell the news in Jezreel.” 16 Then he got into his chariot and rode to Jezreel, because Joram was resting there and Ahaziah ( U ) king of Judah had gone down to see him.
17 When the lookout ( V ) standing on the tower in Jezreel saw Jehu’s troops approaching, he called out, “I see some troops coming.”
“Get a horseman,” Joram ordered. “Send him to meet them and ask, ‘Do you come in peace? ( W ) ’”
18 The horseman rode off to meet Jehu and said, “This is what the king says: ‘Do you come in peace?’”
“What do you have to do with peace?” Jehu replied. “Fall in behind me.”
The lookout reported, “The messenger has reached them, but he isn’t coming back.”
19 So the king sent out a second horseman. When he came to them he said, “This is what the king says: ‘Do you come in peace?’”
Jehu replied, “What do you have to do with peace? Fall in behind me.”
20 The lookout reported, “He has reached them, but he isn’t coming back either. The driving is like ( X ) that of Jehu son of Nimshi—he drives like a maniac.”
21 “Hitch up my chariot,” Joram ordered. And when it was hitched up, Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah rode out, each in his own chariot, to meet Jehu. They met him at the plot of ground that had belonged to Naboth ( Y ) the Jezreelite. 22 When Joram saw Jehu he asked, “Have you come in peace, Jehu?”
“How can there be peace,” Jehu replied, “as long as all the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother Jezebel ( Z ) abound?”
23 Joram turned about and fled, calling out to Ahaziah, “Treachery, ( AA ) Ahaziah!”
24 Then Jehu drew his bow ( AB ) and shot Joram between the shoulders. The arrow pierced his heart and he slumped down in his chariot. 25 Jehu said to Bidkar, his chariot officer, “Pick him up and throw him on the field that belonged to Naboth the Jezreelite. Remember how you and I were riding together in chariots behind Ahab his father when the Lord spoke this prophecy ( AC ) against him: 26 ‘Yesterday I saw the blood of Naboth ( AD ) and the blood of his sons, declares the Lord , and I will surely make you pay for it on this plot of ground, declares the Lord .’ [ c ] Now then, pick him up and throw him on that plot, in accordance with the word of the Lord .” ( AE )
27 When Ahaziah king of Judah saw what had happened, he fled up the road to Beth Haggan. [ d ] Jehu chased him, shouting, “Kill him too!” They wounded him in his chariot on the way up to Gur near Ibleam, ( AF ) but he escaped to Megiddo ( AG ) and died there. 28 His servants took him by chariot ( AH ) to Jerusalem and buried him with his ancestors in his tomb in the City of David. 29 (In the eleventh ( AI ) year of Joram son of Ahab, Ahaziah had become king of Judah.)
30 Then Jehu went to Jezreel. When Jezebel heard about it, she put on eye makeup, ( AJ ) arranged her hair and looked out of a window. 31 As Jehu entered the gate, she asked, “Have you come in peace, you Zimri, ( AK ) you murderer of your master?” [ e ]
32 He looked up at the window and called out, “Who is on my side? Who?” Two or three eunuchs looked down at him. 33 “Throw her down!” Jehu said. So they threw her down, and some of her blood spattered the wall and the horses as they trampled her underfoot. ( AL )
34 Jehu went in and ate and drank. “Take care of that cursed woman,” he said, “and bury her, for she was a king’s daughter.” ( AM ) 35 But when they went out to bury her, they found nothing except her skull, her feet and her hands. 36 They went back and told Jehu, who said, “This is the word of the Lord that he spoke through his servant Elijah the Tishbite: On the plot of ground at Jezreel dogs ( AN ) will devour Jezebel’s flesh. [ f ] ( AO ) 37 Jezebel’s body will be like dung ( AP ) on the ground in the plot at Jezreel, so that no one will be able to say, ‘This is Jezebel.’”
