Jehu Anointed as Israel's King
1 The prophet Elisha called one of the sons of the prophets and said, "Tuck your mantle under your belt, take this flask of oil with you, and go to Ramoth-gilead.
2
When you get there, look for Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, son of Nimshi. Go in, get him away from his colleagues, and take him to an inner room.
3
Then, take the flask of oil, pour it on his head, and say, 'This is what the Lord says: "I anoint you king over Israel." ' Open the door and escape. Don't wait."
4
So the young prophet went to Ramoth-gilead.
5
When he arrived, the army commanders were sitting there, so he said, "I have a message for you, commander." Jehu asked, "For which one of us?" He answered, "For you, commander."
6
So Jehu got up and went into the house. The young prophet poured the oil on his head and said, "This is what the Lord God of Israel says: 'I anoint you king over the Lord's people, Israel.
7
You are to strike down the house of your master Ahab so that I may avenge the blood shed by the hand of Jezebel-the blood of My servants the prophets and of all the servants of the Lord.
8
The whole house of Ahab will perish, and I will eliminate all of Ahab's males, both slave and free, in Israel.
9
I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like the house of Baasha son of Ahijah.
10
The dogs will eat Jezebel in the plot of land at Jezreel-no one will bury her.' " Then the young prophet opened the door and escaped.
11
When Jehu came out to his master's servants, they asked, "Is everything all right? Why did this crazy person come to you?" Then he said to them, "You know the sort and their ranting."
12
But they replied, "[That's] a lie! Tell us!" So Jehu said, "He talked to me about this and that and said, 'This is what the Lord says: I anoint you king over Israel.' "
13
Each man quickly took his garment and put it under Jehu on the bare steps.They blew the ram's horn and proclaimed, "Jehu is king!"
14
Then Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, son of Nimshi, conspired against Joram. Joram and all Israel had been at Ramoth-gilead on guard against Hazael king of Aram.
15
But King Joram had returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds that the Arameans had inflicted on him when he fought against Aram's King Hazael. Jehu said, "If you [commanders] wish [to make me king], then don't let anyone escape from the city to go tell about it in Jezreel."