Jehu Anointed King over Israel

1Now Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets and said to him, “Gird up your loins, and take this flask of oil in your hand and go to Ramoth-gilead. 2And you will come there and look there for Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi. And you will come in and [†]bid him arise from among his brothers. And you will cause him to come in to an inner room. 3Then you will take the flask of oil and pour it on his head and say, ‘Thus says Yahweh, “I have anointed you king over Israel.”’ Then open the door and flee and do not wait.”

4So the young man—the young man of the prophet—went to Ramoth-gilead. 5Then he came, and behold, the commanders of the military were sitting, and he said, “I have a word for you, O commander.” And Jehu said, “[†]For which one of us?” And he said, “For you, O commander.” 6And he arose and came into the house, and he poured the oil on his head and said to him, “Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, ‘I have anointed you king over the people of Yahweh, even over Israel. 7And you shall strike the house of Ahab your master, that I may avenge the blood of My slaves the prophets, and the blood of all the slaves of Yahweh, at the hand of Jezebel. 8For the whole house of Ahab shall perish, and I will cut off from Ahab every [†]male person both bond and free in Israel. 9And 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. 10And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the [†]property of Jezreel, and none shall bury her.’” Then he opened the door and fled.

11Now Jehu came out to the servants of his master, and one said to him, “Is all well? Why did this mad fellow come to you?” And he said to them, “You know the man and his talk.” 12And they said, “It is a lie, declare it to us now.” And he said, “Thus and thus he said to me, ‘Thus says Yahweh, “I have anointed you king over Israel.”’” 13Then they hurried and each man took his garment and placed it under him on the bare steps, and blew the trumpet, saying, “Jehu is king!”

Jehu Deceives Joram

14So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. Now Joram [†]with all Israel was [†]guarding Ramoth-gilead against Hazael king of Aram, 15but King [†]Joram had returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Arameans had struck him with when he fought with Hazael king of Aram. So Jehu said, “If this is your mind, then let no one escape or [†]leave the city to go declare it in Jezreel.” 16Then Jehu rode in a chariot and went to Jezreel, for Joram was lying there. Ahaziah king of Judah had come down to see Joram.

17Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel and he saw the [†]company of Jehu as he came, and said, “I see a [†]company.” And Joram said, “Take a horseman and send him to meet them and let him say, ‘Is it peace?’” 18So a horseman went to meet him and said, “Thus says the king, ‘Is it peace?’” And Jehu said, “What have you to do with peace? Turn behind me.” And the watchman declared saying, “The messenger came to them, but he did not return.” 19Then he sent out a second horseman. And he came to them and said, “Thus says the king, ‘Is it peace?’” And Jehu [†]answered, “What have you to do with peace? Turn behind me.” 20And the watchman declared saying, “He came up to them, but he did not return; and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi, for he drives in madness.”

21Then [†]Joram said, “[†]Get ready.” And they made his chariot ready. [†]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 in the [†]property of Naboth the Jezreelite. 22Now it happened that when [†]Joram saw Jehu, he said, “Is it peace, Jehu?” And he [†]answered, “What peace, so long as the harlotries of your mother Jezebel and her sorceries are so many?” 23So [†]Joram [†]turned about and fled and said to Ahaziah, “There is deception, O Ahaziah!” 24And Jehu [†]drew his bow with his full strength and struck [†]Joram between his arms; and the arrow went [†]through his heart and he crouched down in his chariot. 25Then Jehu said to Bidkar his officer, “Lift him up and cast him into the [†]property of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite, for I remember when [†]you and I were riding together after Ahab his father, that Yahweh lifted up this oracle against him: 26‘Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons,’ says Yahweh, ‘and I will repay you in this [†]property,’ says Yahweh. So now, lift him up and cast him into the [†]property, according to the word of Yahweh.”

Jehu Strikes Down Ahaziah

27And Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this and fled by the way of the garden house. And Jehu pursued him and said, “Strike him down too, in the chariot.” So they struck him down at the ascent of Gur, which is at Ibleam. But he fled to Megiddo and died there. 28Then his servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem and buried him in his grave with his fathers in the city of David.

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

Jezebel Is Eaten by Dogs

30Then Jehu came to Jezreel, and Jezebel heard of it and she painted her eyes and adorned her head and looked out the window. 31As Jehu entered the gate, she said, “Is it [†]peace, Zimri, [†]your master’s killer?” 32Then he lifted up his face to the window and said, “Who is on my side? Who?” And two or three officials looked down at him. 33And 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 trampled her under foot. 34Then he came in and ate and drank. And he said, “Take care now of this cursed woman and bury her, for she is a king’s daughter.” 35They went to bury her, but they found nothing more of her than the skull and the feet and the palms of her hands. 36Therefore they returned and declared it to him. And he said, “This is the word of Yahweh, which He spoke by His servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, ‘In the [†]property of Jezreel the dogs shall eat the flesh of Jezebel; 37and the corpse of Jezebel will be as dung on the face of the field in the [†]property of Jezreel, so they cannot say, “This is Jezebel.”’”