2 Kings 9:1-13

Jehu Reigns over Israel

1 Now Elisha the prophet called one of ¹the sons of the prophets and said to him, "²Gird up your loins, and ³take this flask of oil in your hand and go to ⁴Ramoth-gilead.

2 "When you arrive there, search out ⁵Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in and ⁶bid 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, "⁷I have anointed you king over Israel."' Then open the door and flee and do not wait."

4 So ⁸the 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."

6 He arose and went into the house, and he poured the oil on his head and said to him, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, '⁹I have anointed you king over the people of the LORD, even over Israel.

7 'You shall strike the house of Ahab your master, ¹⁰that I may avenge ¹¹the blood of My servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD, ¹²at the hand of Jezebel.

8 'For the whole house of Ahab shall perish, and ¹³I will cut off from Ahab ¹⁴every male * person ¹⁵both bond and free in Israel.

9 '¹⁶I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and ¹⁷like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah.

10 '¹⁸The dogs shall eat Jezebel in the territory of Jezreel, and none shall bury her."' Then he opened the door and fled.

11 Now Jehu came out to the servants of his master, and one said to him, "¹⁹Is all well? Why did this ²⁰mad fellow come to you?" And he said to them, "You know very well the man and his talk."

12 They said, "It is a lie, tell us now." And he said, "Thus and thus he said to me, 'Thus says the LORD, "I have anointed you king over Israel.""'

13 Then ²¹they hurried and each man took his garment and placed it under him on the bare steps, and ²²blew the trumpet, saying, "Jehu is king!"

2 Kings 9:1-13 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.

Cross References

• 1. 2 Kings 2:3
• 2. 2 Kings 4:29
• 3. 1 Samuel 10:1; 1 Samuel 16:1; 1 Kings 1:39
• 4. 2 Kings 8:28, 29
• 5. 1 Kings 19:16, 17; 2 Kings 9:14, 20
• 6. 2 Kings 9:5, 11
• 7. 2 Chronicles 22:7
• 8. 2 Kings 9:1
• 9. 1 Samuel 2:7, 8; 1 Kings 19:16; 2 Kings 9:3; 2 Chronicles 22:7
• 10. Deuteronomy 32:35, 43
• 11. 1 Kings 18:4; 1 Kings 21:15, 21, 25
• 12. 2 Kings 9:32-37
• 13. 1 Kings 21:21; 2 Kings 10:17
• 14. 1 Samuel 25:22
• 15. Deuteronomy 32:36; 2 Kings 14:26
• 16. 1 Kings 14:10, 11; 1 Kings 15:29
• 17. 1 Kin 16:3-5, 11, 12
• 18. 1 Kings 21:23; 2 Kings 9:35, 36
• 19. 2 Kin 9:17, 19, 22
• 20. Jeremiah 29:26; Hosea 9:7; Mark 3:21
• 21. Matthew 21:7, 8; Mark 11:7, 8
• 22. 2 Samuel 15:10; 1 Kings 1:34, 39

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "and look there for"
• [b]. Lit "cause him to"
• [c]. Lit "To whom of us all?"