2 Kings 9:3

3 Then take the bottle and pour the oil on Jehu's head and say, 'This is what the Lord says: I have appointed you king over Israel.' Then open the door and run away. Don't wait!"

2 Kings 9:3 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 9:3

Then take the box of oil, and pour it on his head
When in the chamber together alone:

and say, thus saith the Lord, I have anointed thee king over Israel;
which was done, not with the anointing oil in the temple, which could not be come by; and with which, as Kimchi from their Rabbins says, only the kings of the house of David were anointed, and they only when there was a division, or the crown was translated to another family, as was the case now; but with common oil, or the oil of balsam, such as the prophet had in his house:

then open the door and flee, and tarry not;
lest he should be examined by the captains, and come into danger; though before he went out he was to say what is recorded in ( 2 Kings 9:7-10 ) .

2 Kings 9:3 In-Context

1 At the same time, Elisha the prophet called a man from the groups of prophets. Elisha said, "Get ready, and take this small bottle of olive oil in your hand. Go to Ramoth in Gilead.
2 When you arrive, find Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi. Go in and make Jehu get up from among his brothers, and take him to an inner room.
3 Then take the bottle and pour the oil on Jehu's head and say, 'This is what the Lord says: I have appointed you king over Israel.' Then open the door and run away. Don't wait!"
4 So the young man, the prophet, went to Ramoth in Gilead.
5 When he arrived, he saw the officers of the army sitting together. He said, "Commander, I have a message for you." Jehu asked, "For which one of us?" The young man said, "For you, commander."
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.