2 Kings 9:3

3 "Then take the flask of oil and pour it on his head and say, 'Thus says the LORD, "¹I have anointed you king over Israel."' Then open the door and flee and do not 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 Now 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.

2 "When you arrive there, search out Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in and bid him arise from among his brothers, and bring him to an inner room.

3 "Then take the flask of oil and pour it on his head and say, 'Thus says the LORD , "I have anointed you king over Israel."' Then open the door and flee and do not wait."

4 So the young man, the servant of the prophet, went to Ramoth-gilead.

5 When he came, behold, the captains of the army were sitting, and he said, "I have a word for you, O captain." And Jehu said, "For which one of us?" And he said, "For you, O captain."

Cross References

• 1. 2 Chronicles 22:7