Jehu Anointed King of Israel

1Now Elisha (God is salvation) the prophet summoned one of the sons of the prophets and said to him, “Tuck your cloak under your belt \Gird up your loins/,a take this flask of oil, and go to Ramoth-gilead (heights). (rocky region) 2When you arrive, look for Jehu (YHWH is He) son of Jehoshaphat (YHWH has judged), the son of Nimshi (rescued). Go in, get him away from his companions, and take him to an inner room. 3Then take the flask of oil, pour it on his head, and declare, ‘This is what the LORD {YHWH} says: I anoint you king over Israel (he wrestles with God).’ Then open the door and run. Do not delay!”

4So the young prophet went to Ramoth-gilead (heights), (rocky region) 5and when he arrived, the army commanders were sitting there. “I have a message for you, commander,” he said.

“For which of us?” asked Jehu (YHWH is He).

“For you, commander,” he replied.

6So Jehu got up and went into the house, where the young prophet poured the oil on his head and declared, “This is what the LORD, the God {YHWH Elohe} of Israel (he wrestles with God), says: ‘I anoint you king over the LORD’s people Israel. 7And you are to strike down the house of your master Ahab (father's brother), so that I may avenge the blood of My servants the prophets and the blood of all the servants of the LORD {YHWH} shed by the hand of Jezebel (Baal exalts). 8The whole house of Ahab (father's brother) will perish, and I will cut off from Ahab every male \those who urinate against a wall/,b both slave and free, in Israel (he wrestles with God). 9I will make the house of Ahab (father's brother) like the houses of Jeroboam (the people will contend) son of Nebat (aspect) and Baasha (wicked) son of Ahijah (brother of Yah). 10And on the plot of ground at Jezreel (God sows) the dogs will devour Jezebel (Baal exalts), and there will be no one to bury her.’”

Then the young prophet opened the door and ran.

11When Jehu (YHWH is He) went out to the servants of his master, they asked, “Is everything all right? Why did this madman come to you?”

“You⁺ know his kind and their babble,” he replied.

12“That is a lie!” they said. “Tell us now!”

So Jehu answered, “He talked to me about this and that, saying, ‘This is what the LORD {YHWH} says: I anoint you king over Israel (he wrestles with God).’”

13Quickly, each man took his garment and put it under Jehu on the bare steps. Then they blew the ram’s horn and proclaimed, “Jehu (YHWH is He) is king!”

Jehu Kills Joram and Ahaziah
(2 Chronicles 22:8–9)

14Thus Jehu (YHWH is He) son of Jehoshaphat (YHWH has judged), the son of Nimshi (rescued), conspired against Joram (YHWH is exalted).

(Now Joram and all Israel (he wrestles with God) had been defending Ramoth-gilead (heights) (rocky region) against Hazael (one who sees God) king of Aram (exalted), 15but King Joram (Jehoram)c had returned to Jezreel (God sows) to recover from the wounds he had suffered at the hands of the Arameans (exalted) in the battle against Hazael (one who sees God) their king.)

So Jehu (YHWH is He) said, “If you⁺ commanders wish to make me king, then do not let anyone escape from the city to go and tell it in Jezreel.”

16Then Jehu (YHWH is He) got into his chariot and went to Jezreel (God sows), because Joram (YHWH is exalted) was laid up there. And Ahaziah (YHWH holds) king of Judah (praised) had gone down to see him.

17Now the watchman standing on the tower in Jezreel (God sows) saw Jehu’s (YHWH is He) troops approaching, and he called out, “I see a company of troops!”

“Choose a rider,” Joram (YHWH is exalted) commanded. “Send him out to meet them and ask, ‘Have you come in peace?’”

18So a horseman rode off to meet Jehu and said, “This is what the king asks: ‘Have you come in peace?’”

“What do you know about peace?” Jehu (YHWH is He) replied. “Fall in behind me.”

And the watchman reported, “The messenger reached them, but he is not coming back.”

19So the king sent out a second horseman, who went to them and said, “This is what the king asks: ‘Have you come in peace?’”

“What do you know about peace?” Jehu (YHWH is He) replied. “Fall in behind me.”

20Again the watchman reported, “He reached them, but he is not coming back. And the charioteer is driving like Jehu (YHWH is He) son of Nimshi (grandson of Nimshi)d—he is driving like a madman!”

21“Harness!” Joram (YHWH is exalted) shouted, and they harnessed his chariot.

Then Joram king of Israel (he wrestles with God) and Ahaziah (YHWH holds) king of Judah (praised) set out, each in his own chariot, and met Jehu (YHWH is He) on the property of Naboth (fruits) the Jezreelite.

22When Joram (YHWH is exalted) saw Jehu (YHWH is He), he asked, “Have you come in peace, Jehu?”

“How can there be peace,” he replied, “as long as the idolatry \adultery/e and witchcraft of your mother Jezebel abound (Baal exalts)?”

23Joram (YHWH is exalted) turned around \turned his hands/f and fled, calling out to Ahaziah (YHWH holds), “Treachery, Ahaziah!”

24Then Jehu (YHWH is He) drew his bow and shot Joram (YHWH is exalted) between the shoulders. The arrow pierced his heart, and he slumped down in his chariot.

25And Jehu said to Bidkar (with a stab) his officer, “Pick him up and throw him into the field of Naboth (fruits) the Jezreelite. For remember that when you and I were riding together behind his father Ahab (father's brother), the LORD {YHWH} lifted up this burden (burden) against him: 26‘As surely as I saw the blood of Naboth (fruits) and the blood of his sons yesterday, declares the LORD {YHWH}, so will I repay you on this plot of ground, declares the LORD.’ Now then, according to the word of the LORD, pick him up and throw him on the plot of ground.”

27When King Ahaziah (YHWH holds) of Judah (praised) saw this, he fled up the road toward Beth-haggan.

And Jehu (YHWH is He) pursued him, shouting, “Shoot him too!”

So they shot Ahaziah in his chariot on the Ascent of Gur,g near Ibleam (devouring the people), and he fled to Megiddo (place of crowds) and died there. 28Then his servants carried him by chariot to Jerusalem (city of peace) and buried him with his fathers in his tomb in the City of David (beloved).

29(In the eleventh year of Joram (YHWH is exalted) son of Ahab (father's brother), Ahaziah (YHWH holds) had become king over Judah (praised).)

Jezebel’s Violent Death

30Now when Jehu (YHWH is He) arrived in Jezreel (God sows), Jezebel (Baal exalts) heard of it. So she painted her eyes, adorned her head, and looked down from a window. 31And as Jehu (YHWH is He) entered the gate, she asked, “Have you come in peace, O Zimri (my music), murderer of your master?”h

32He looked up at the window and called out, “Who is on my side? Who?”

And two or three eunuchs looked down at him.

33“Throw her down!” yelled Jehu.

So they threw her down, and her blood splattered on the wall and on the horses as they trampled her underfoot.

34Then Jehu went in and ate and drank. “Take care of this cursed woman,” he said, “and bury her, for she was the daughter of a king.”

35But when they went out to bury her, they found nothing but her skull, her feet, and the palms of her hands.

36So they went back and told Jehu, who replied, “This is the word of the LORD {YHWH}, which He spoke through His servant Elijah (my God is YHWH) the Tishbite (captivity): ‘On the plot of ground at Jezreel (God sows) the dogs will devour the flesh of Jezebel (Baal exalts). 37And Jezebel’s (Baal exalts) body will lie like dung in the field on the plot of ground at Jezreel (God sows), so that no one can say: This is Jezebel <1Ki 21:23>.’i”