2 Kings 9:1-13

Jehu Anointed King of Israel

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

2 And when you arrive, look there for Jehu ⁵the son of Jehoshaphat, son of Nimshi. And go in and have him rise from among ⁶his fellows, and lead him to an inner chamber.

3 Then take the flask of oil and pour it on his head and say, 'Thus says the LORD, ⁷I anoint you king over Israel.' Then open the door and flee; do not linger."

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

5 And when he came, behold, the commanders of the army were in council. And he said, "I have a word for you, O commander." And Jehu said, "To which of us all?" And he said, "To you, O commander."

6 So he arose and went into the house. And the young man poured the oil on his head, saying to him, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ⁸I anoint you king over the people of the LORD, over Israel.

7 And you shall strike down the house of Ahab your master, so that I may avenge ⁹on Jezebel the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD.

8 For the whole house of Ahab shall perish, ¹⁰and I will cut off from Ahab ¹¹every male, ¹²bond or free, in Israel.

9 And I will make the house of Ahab like ¹³the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like ¹⁴the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah.

10 ¹⁵And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the territory of Jezreel, and none shall bury her." Then he opened the door and fled.

11 When Jehu came out to the servants of his master, they said to him, ¹⁶"Is all well? Why did ¹⁷this mad fellow come to you?" And he said to them, "You know the fellow and his talk."

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 ¹⁸every man of them took his garment and put it under him on the bare^[a] steps, and they blew the trumpet and proclaimed, ¹⁹"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. See 2 Kings 2:3
• 2. See 1 Kings 18:46
• 3. 1 Samuel 10:1
• 4. 2 Kings 8:28; [1 Kings 22:3]
• 5. ver. 14; [ver. 20; 1 Kings 19:16]
• 6. [ver. 5, 11]
• 7. [1 Kings 19:16; 2 Chronicles 22:7]
• 8. [See ver. 3 above]
• 9. [1 Kings 18:4]; See 1 Kings 21:5-15
• 10. 2 Kings 10:17; 1 Kings 21:21; [1 Kings 14:10]
• 11. See 1 Samuel 25:22
• 12. Deuteronomy 32:36
• 13. 1 Kings 14:10; 1 Kings 15:29; 1 Kings 21:22
• 14. 1 Kings 16:3, 11; 1 Kings 21:22
• 15. ver. 35, 36; 1 Kings 21:23
• 16. 2 Kings 5:21
• 17. Jeremiah 29:26; Hosea 9:7; [John 10:20; Acts 26:24]
• 18. [Matthew 21:8; Mark 11:8]
• 19. [1 Kings 1:34]

Footnotes

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