5When he arrived, the army commanders were sitting there, so he said, “I have a message for you, commander.”

6So 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.

7You 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.9:7 1Kg 18:4; 21:15

8The whole house of Ahab will perish, and I will wipe out all of Ahab’s males,9:8 Lit wipe out Ahab’s one who urinates against a wall both slave and free,9:8 Or males, even the weak and impaired; Hb obscure in Israel.9:8 1Kg 21:21; 2Kg 10:17

9I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like the house of Baasha son of Ahijah.9:9 1Kg 16:3–5,11–12

10The dogs will eat Jezebel in the plot of land at Jezreel — no one will bury her.’”9:10 1Kg 21:23; 2Kg 9:30–37 Then the young prophet opened the door and escaped.

11When Jehu came out to his master’s servants, they asked, “Is everything all right? Why did this crazy person9:11 1Sm 10:11; Mk 3:21 come to you?”

12But they replied, “That’s a lie! Tell us!”

13Each man quickly took his garment and put it under Jehu on the bare steps.9:13 Lit on the bones of the steps9:13 Mt 21:8 They blew the ram’s horn9:13 2Sm 15:10 and proclaimed, “Jehu is king!” 9:13 1Kg 1:39

14Then Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, son of Nimshi, conspired against Joram.9:14–16 2Kg 8:28–29; 2Ch 22:6 Joram and all Israel had been at Ramoth-gilead on guard against King Hazael of Aram.

15But 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,9:15 Lit “If your desire exists then don’t let anyone escape from the city to go tell about it in Jezreel.”

18So a horseman went to meet Jehu and said, “This is what the king asks: ‘Do you come in peace? ’”

19So he sent out a second horseman, who went to them and said, “This is what the king asks: ‘Do you come in peace? ’”

20Again the watchman reported, “He reached them but hasn’t started back. Also, the driving is like that of Jehu son of Nimshi9:20 1Kg 19:17; 2Kg 9:2 — he drives like a madman.”

21“Get the chariot ready!” Joram shouted, and they got it ready. Then King Joram of Israel and King Ahaziah of Judah set out, each in his own chariot, and met Jehu at the plot of land of Naboth the Jezreelite.9:21 1Kg 21:1–7

22When Joram saw Jehu he asked, “Do you come in peace, Jehu?”

23Joram turned around and fled, shouting to Ahaziah, “It’s treachery,9:23 2Kg 11:14 Ahaziah!”

24Then Jehu drew his bow and shot Joram between the shoulders. The arrow went through his heart, and he slumped down in his chariot.9:24 1Kg 22:34–35

25Jehu said to Bidkar his aide, “Pick him up and throw him on the plot of ground belonging to Naboth the Jezreelite.9:25 1Kg 21:1 For remember when you and I were riding side by side behind his father Ahab, and the Lord uttered this pronouncement against him:

26‘As surely as I saw the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons yesterday’ — this is the Lord’s declaration — ‘so will I repay you on this plot of land’ — this is the Lord’s declaration. So now, according to the word of the Lord, pick him up and throw him on the plot of land.”9:25–26 1Kg 21:13,19,24

27When King Ahaziah of Judah saw what was happening, he fled up the road toward Beth-haggan. Jehu pursued him, shouting, “Shoot him too!” So they shot him in his chariot9:27 LXX, Syr, Vg; MT omits So they shot him at Gur Pass near Ibleam,9:27 Jos 17:11; Jdg 1:27 but he fled to Megiddo9:27 2Kg 23:29 and died there.9:27 2Ch 22:7,9

28Then his servants carried him to Jerusalem in a chariot and buried him in his ancestors’ tomb in the city of David.9:27–28 2Kg 23:30; 2Ch 22:9

29It was in the eleventh year of Joram son of Ahab that Ahaziah had become king over Judah.9:29 2Kg 8:25

32He looked up toward the window and said, “Who is on my side? Who?” Two or three eunuchs9:32 Est 1:10; 2:14 looked down at him,

33and he said, “Throw her down!” So they threw her down, and some of her blood splattered on the wall and on the horses, and Jehu rode over her.9:33 Ps 7:5

34Then he went in, ate and drank, and said, “Take care of this cursed9:34 1Kg 21:21–24 woman and bury her, since she’s a king’s daughter.”9:34 1Kg 16:31

35But when they went out to bury her, they did not find anything but the skull, the feet, and the hands.

36So they went back and told him, and he said, “This fulfills the Lord’s word that he spoke through his servant Elijah the Tishbite: ‘In the plot of land at Jezreel, the dogs will eat Jezebel’s flesh.9:36 1Kg 21:23; 2Kg 9:10

37Jezebel’s corpse will be like manure9:37 Jr 8:1–2; Zph 1:17 on the surface of the ground in the plot of land at Jezreel so that no one will be able to say: This is Jezebel.’”