2 Kings 9:12-22

12 And they said, "That is not true; tell us now." And he said, "Thus and so he spoke to me, saying, 'Thus says the LORD, I anoint you king over Israel.'"

13 Then in haste ¹every man of them took his garment and put it under him on the bare^[a] steps, and they blew the trumpet and proclaimed, ²"Jehu is king."

Jehu Assassinates Joram and Ahaziah

14 Thus Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. (³Now Joram with all Israel had been on guard at Ramoth-gilead against ⁴Hazael king of Syria,

15 ⁵but King Joram had returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds that the Syrians had given him, when he fought with Hazael king of Syria.) So Jehu said, "If this is your decision, then let no one slip out of the city to go and tell the news in Jezreel."

16 Then Jehu mounted his chariot and went to Jezreel, for Joram lay there. And Ahaziah king of Judah had come down to visit Joram.

17 Now 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 to meet them, and let him say, 'Is it peace?'"

18 So a man on horseback went to meet him and said, "Thus says the king, 'Is it peace?'" And Jehu said, "What do you have to do with peace? Turn around and ride behind me." And the watchman reported, saying, "The messenger reached them, but he is not coming back."

19 Then he sent out a second horseman, who came to them and said, "Thus the king has said, 'Is it peace?'" And Jehu answered, "What do you have to do with peace? Turn around and ride behind me."

20 Again the watchman reported, "He reached them, but he is not coming back. And the driving ⁶is like the driving of Jehu ⁷the son of Nimshi, for he drives furiously."

21 Joram said, ⁸"Make ready." And they made ready his chariot. ⁹Then Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah set out, each in his chariot, and went to meet Jehu, and met him ¹⁰at the property of Naboth the Jezreelite.

22 And when Joram saw Jehu, he said, "Is it peace, Jehu?" He answered, "What peace can there be, so long as ¹¹the whorings and the sorceries of your mother Jezebel are so many?"

Read Chapter Compare

2 Kings 9:12-22 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 9

In this chapter we are told that one of the sons of the prophets was sent by Elisha to anoint Jehu king of Israel, and to order him to smite and destroy the whole house of Ahab, 2Ki 9:1-10, which being done unto him, and the order received by Jehu, he acquainted his captains with it, 2Ki 9:11-15, who set out with him immediately to Jezreel, 2Ki 9:16-21, where he slew Joram king of Israel, 2Ki 9:22-26, and Ahaziah king of Judah, 2Ki 9:27-29, and Jezebel, the widow of Ahab, and mother of Joram, 2Ki 9:30-37.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 11

1. [Matthew 21:8; Mark 11:8]
2. [1 Kings 1:34]
3. [2 Kings 8:28]
4. [1 Kings 19:17]
5. 2 Kings 8:29
6. [2 Samuel 18:27]
7. 1 Kings 19:17; [ver. 2, 14]
8. 1 Kings 18:44
9. 2 Chronicles 22:7
10. 1 Kings 21:1; [ver. 26]
11. [2 Chronicles 21:13]

Footnotes 1

[a]. The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.