Jehu Becomes King of Israel
1 One day, Elisha called for one of the other prophets and said:
Take this bottle of olive oil and get ready to go to the town of Ramoth in Gilead. 2 When you get there, find Jehu son of Jehoshaphat and grandson of Nimshi. Take him to a place where the two of you can be alone, 3 then pour olive oil on his head to show that he is the new king. Say to him, “The Lord has chosen you to be king of Israel.” Then leave quickly—don't wait around for anything!
4 The young prophet left for Ramoth. 5 When he arrived, the army officers were meeting together. “Sir, I have a message for you,” he said.
“For which one of us?” Jehu asked.
“You, sir,” the prophet answered. 6 So Jehu got up and went inside. The prophet poured olive oil on Jehu's head and told him:
The Lord God of Israel has this message for you: “I am the Lord, and I have chosen you to be king of my people Israel. 7 I want you to wipe out the family of Ahab, so Jezebel will be punished for killing the prophets and my other servants. 8 Every man and boy in Ahab's family must die, whether slave or free. 9 His whole family must be destroyed, just like the families of Jeroboam son of Nebat and Baasha son of Ahijah. 10 As for Jezebel, her body will be eaten by dogs in the town of Jezreel. There won't be enough left of her to bury.”
Then the young prophet opened the door and ran out.
11 Jehu went back to his officers, and one of them asked, “What did that crazy prophet want? Is everything all right?”
“You know him and how he talks,” Jehu answered.
12 “No, we don't. What did he say?” they asked.
“He had a message from the Lord,” Jehu replied. “He said that the Lord has chosen me to be the next king of Israel.”
13 They quickly grabbed their coats and spread them out on the steps where Jehu was standing. Someone blew a trumpet, and everyone shouted, “Jehu is king!”
Jehu Kills Joram and Ahaziah
14-16 King Joram of Israel had been badly wounded in the battle at Ramoth, trying to defend it against King Hazael and the Syrian army. Joram was now recovering in Jezreel, and King Ahaziah of Judah was there, visiting him.
Meanwhile, Jehu was in Ramoth, making plans to kill Joram. He said to his officers, “If you want me to be king, then don't let anyone leave this town. They might go to Jezreel and tell Joram.” Then Jehu got in his chariot and rode to Jezreel.
17 When the guard in the watchtower at Jezreel saw Jehu and his men riding up, he shouted to the king, “I see a large group of men coming this way.”
Joram ordered, “Send someone out to ask them if this is a friendly visit.”
18 One of the soldiers rode out and said to Jehu, “King Joram wants to know if this is a friendly visit.”
“What's it to you?” Jehu asked. “Just stay behind me with the rest of my troops!”
About the same time the guard in the watchtower said, “Your Majesty, the rider got there, but he isn't coming back.”
19 So Joram sent out another rider, who rode up to Jehu and said, “The king wants to know if this is a friendly visit.”
“What's it to you?” Jehu asked. “Just get behind me with the rest of my troops!”
20 The guard in the watchtower said, “Your Majesty, the rider got there, but he isn't coming back either. Wait a minute! That one man is a reckless chariot driver—it must be Jehu!”
21 Joram commanded, “Get my chariot ready.” Then he and Ahaziah got in their chariots and rode out to meet Jehu. They all met on the land that had belonged to Naboth. 22 Joram asked, “Jehu, is this a peaceful visit?”
“How can there be peace?” Jehu asked. “Your mother Jezebel has caused everyone to worship idols and practice witchcraft.”
23 “Ahaziah, let's get out of here!” Joram yelled. “It's a trap!” As Joram tried to escape, 24 Jehu shot an arrow. It hit Joram between his shoulders, then it went through his heart and came out his chest. He fell over dead in his chariot.
25-26 Jehu commanded his assistant Bidkar, “Get Joram's body and throw it in the field that Naboth once owned. Do you remember when you and I used to ride side by side behind Joram's father Ahab? It was then that the Lord swore to Ahab that he would be punished in the same field where he had killed Naboth and his sons. So throw Joram's body there, just as the Lord said.”
27 Ahaziah saw all of this happen and tried to escape to the town of Beth-Haggan, but Jehu caught up with him and shouted, “Kill him too!” So his troops shot Ahaziah with an arrow while he was on the road to Gur near Ibleam. He went as far as Megiddo, where he died. 28 Ahaziah's officers put his body in a chariot and took it back to Jerusalem, where they buried him beside his ancestors.
29 Ahaziah had become king of Judah in the eleventh year of the rule of Ahab's son Joram.
Jehu Kills Jezebel
30 Jehu headed toward Jezreel, and when Jezebel heard he was coming, she put on eye shadow and brushed her hair. Then she stood at the window, waiting for him to arrive. 31 As he walked through the city gate, she shouted down to him, “Why did you come here, you murderer? To kill the king? You're no better than Zimri!”
32 He looked up toward the window and asked, “Is anyone up there on my side?” A few palace workers stuck their heads out of a window, 33 and Jehu shouted, “Throw her out the window!” They threw her down, and her blood splattered on the walls and on the horses that trampled her body.
34 Jehu left to get something to eat and drink. Then he told some workers, “Even though she was evil, she was a king's daughter, so make sure she has a proper burial.”
35 But when they went out to bury her body, they found only her skull, her hands, and her feet. 36 They reported this to Jehu, and he said, “The Lord told Elijah the prophet that Jezebel's body would be eaten by dogs right here in Jezreel. 37 And he warned that her bones would be spread all over the ground like manure, so that no one could tell who it was.”
1 Then Elisha the Prophet called one of ye children of the Prophets, and sayde vnto him, Gird thy loynes and take this boxe of oyle in thine hand and get thee to Ramoth Gilead. 2 And when thou commest thither, looke where is Iehu ye sonne of Iehoshaphat, the sonne of Nimshi, and go, and make him arise vp from among his brethren, and leade him to a secret chamber. 3 Then take the boxe of oyle and powre it on his head, and say, Thus sayth the Lord, I haue anointed thee for King ouer Israel. then open the doore, and flee without any tarying. 4 So the seruat of ye Prophet gate him to Ramoth Gilead. 5 And when he came in, behold, the captaines of the armie were sitting. And he sayde, I haue a message to thee, O captaine. And Iehu sayd, Vnto which of all vs? And he answered, To thee, O captaine. 6 And he arose, and went into the house, and he powred the oyle on his head and sayde vnto him, Thus sayth the Lord God of Israel, I haue anointed thee for King ouer the people of the Lord, euen ouer Israel. 7 And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may auenge the blood of my seruants the Prophets, and the blood of al the seruants of the Lord of the hand of Iezebel. 8 For the whole house of Ahab shalbe destroied: and I will cut off from Ahab, him that maketh water against the wall, as well him that is shut vp, as him that is left in Israel. 9 And I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the sonne of Ahiiah. 10 And the dogges shall eate Iezebel in the fielde of Izreel, and there shalbe none to burie her. And he opened the doore, and fled. 11 Then Iehu came out to the seruants of his lord. And one sayd vnto him, Is all well? wherefore came this mad fellowe to thee? And hee sayde vnto them, Ye knowe the man, and what his talke was. 12 And they sayde, It is false, tell vs it nowe. Then he sayd, Thus and thus spake he to me, saying, Thus saieth the Lord, I haue anointed thee for King ouer Israel. 13 Then they made haste, and tooke euerie man his garment, and put it vnder him on the top of the staires, and blewe the trumpet, saying, Iehu is King. 14 So Iehu ye sonne of Iehoshaphat the sonne of Nimshi conspired against Ioram: (Now Ioram kept Ramoth Gilead, he and all Israel, because of Hazael King of Aram. 15 And King Ioram returned to bee healed in Izreel of the woundes, which the Aramites had giuen him, when hee fought with Hazael King of Aram) and Iehu sayde, If it be your mindes, let no man depart and escape out of the citie, to goe and tell in Izreel. 16 So Iehu gate vp into a charet, and went to Izreel: for Ioram lay there, and Ahaziah King of Iudah was come downe to see Ioram. 17 And the watchman that stoode in the towre in Izreel spyed the companie of Iehu as hee came, and sayd, I see a companie. And Iehoram said, Take a horseman and send to meete them, that hee may say, Is it peace? 18 So there went one on horseback to meete him, and sayde, Thus sayth the King, Is it peace? And Iehu sayd, What hast thou to do with peace? Turne behinde me. And the watchman tolde, saying, The messenger came to them, but he commeth not againe. 19 Then hee sent out another on horsebacke, which came to them, and sayde, Thus sayth the King, Is it peace? And Iehu answered, What hast thou to doe with peace? turne behinde me. 20 And the watchman tolde, saying, He came to them also, but commeth not againe, and the marching is like the marching of Iehu the sonne of Nimshi: for he marcheth furiously. 21 Then Iehoram sayd, Make ready: and his charet was made ready. And Iehoram King of Israel and Ahaziah King of Iudah went out eyther of them in his charet against Iehu, and met him in the fielde of Naboth the Izreelite. 22 And when Iehoram sawe Iehu, he sayde, Is it peace, Iehu? And he answered, What peace? whiles the whoredomes of thy mother Iezebel, and her witchcraftes are yet in great nomber? 23 Then Iehoram turned his hand, and fled, and said to Ahaziah, O Ahaziah, there is treason. 24 But Iehu tooke a bowe in his hande, and smote Iehoram betweene the shoulders, that the arowe went through his heart: and he fell downe in his charet. 25 Then said Iehu to Bidkar a captaine, Take, and cast him in some place of the fielde of Naboth the Izreelite: for I remember that when I and thou rode together after Ahab his father, the Lord layed this burden vpon him. 26 Surely I haue seene yesterday the blood of Naboth, and the blood of his sonnes, saide the Lord, and I will render it thee in this fielde, saith the Lord: nowe therefore take and cast him in the fielde, according to the word of the Lord. 27 But when Ahaziah the King of Iudah saw this, he fled by the way of the garden house: And Iehu pursued after him, and sayd, Smite him also in the charet: and they smote him in the going vp to Gur, which is by Ibleam. And hee fled to Megiddo, and there dyed. 28 And his seruants caried him in a charet to Ierusalem, and buried him in his sepulchre with his fathers in the citie of Dauid. 29 And in the eleuenth yere of Ioram the sonne of Ahab, began Ahaziah to reigne ouer Iudah. 30 And when Iehu was come to Izreel, Iezebel heard of it, and painted her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a windowe. 31 And as Iehu entred at the gate, shee sayde, Had Zimri peace, which slewe his master? 32 And he lift vp his eyes to the windowe, and sayd, Who is on my side, who? Then two or three of her Eunuches looked vnto him. 33 And he sayde, Cast her downe: and they cast her downe, and hee sprinkled of her blood vpon the wall, and vpon the horses, and he trode her vnder foote. 34 And when he was come in, he did eate and drinke, and sayde, Visite now yonder cursed woman, and burie her: for she is a Kings daughter. 35 And they went to burie her, but they foud no more of her, then the skull and the feete, and the palmes of her handes. 36 Wherefore they came agayne and tolde him. And he said, This is the worde of the Lord, which he spake by his seruant Eliiah the Tishbite, saying, In the fielde of Izreel shall ye dogs eate the flesh of Iezebel. 37 And the carkeis of Iezebel shalbe as doung vpon the ground in the field of Izreel, so that none shall say, This is Iezebel.