2 Kings 9

This chapter falls in the middle portion of 2 Kings. At the end of 2 Kings 8, King Joram of Israel had been wounded while fighting King Hazael of Aram at Ramoth-gilead and had returned to Jezreel, and King Ahaziah of Judah had gone down to see him. Chapter 9 opens in that setting.

Outline

• Verses 1–10 Elisha sends one of the sons of the prophets to Ramoth-gilead. In an inner chamber the young man pours oil on the head of Jehu, delivers the command to strike the house of Ahab and the word that dogs will eat Jezebel in Jezreel, and then flees.
• Verses 11–15 The captains spread their garments on the stairs, blow the trumpet, and proclaim, "Jehu is king." Jehu prevents the news from reaching Jezreel.
• Verses 16–20 Jehu drives his chariot toward Jezreel. The two messengers Joram sends do not return, and the watchman recognizes Jehu by the way he drives his chariot "furiously."
• Verses 21–26 Joram meets Jehu at the plot of ground that belonged to Naboth and dies when Jehu's arrow pierces his heart. Jehu orders his captain Bidkar to cast the body into Naboth's field.
• Verses 27–29 Ahaziah flees, is struck at the ascent of Gur, and dies at Megiddo. His servants bury him in the city of David in Jerusalem.
• Verses 30–37 Jezebel paints her eyes, arranges her hair, and from a window calls Jehu "Zimri." The eunuchs throw her down, and when men go to bury her, only her skull, her feet, and the palms of her hands remain. Jehu declares this to be the fulfillment of the prophecy of Elijah.

Key Verses

• 2 Kings 9:7 "And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master" — Jehu's revolt is presented as a judgment carried out in accordance with the prophet's word.
• 2 Kings 9:20 "And the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi; for he driveth furiously" — frequently cited as revealing Jehu's character.
• 2 Kings 9:36 "This is the word of the LORD, which he spake by his servant Elijah the Tishbite" — identifies the fulfillment of the earlier prophecy.

Characters and Places

• Jehu: The son of Jehoshaphat and grandson of Nimshi, an army commander. In this chapter he receives anointing and becomes king.
• Joram: The son of Ahab and king of Israel.
• Ahaziah: King of Judah, who came to visit Joram and was killed along with him.
• Jezebel: The mother of Joram; for more details, see Ahab and Jezebel.
• Bidkar: Jehu's captain.
• Zimri (king of Israel): A man who killed his master and became king; Jezebel uses his name to taunt Jehu.
• Ramoth-gilead: A city east of the Jordan where Israel was fighting Aram.
• Jezreel: The place where Joram was staying and the site of Naboth's field.

Points to Consider

• In 1 Kings 19, Elijah was commanded to anoint Jehu. In this chapter, that task is carried out by a young prophet sent by Elisha. The prophecy concerning Naboth's field and the dogs connects to the events of 1 Kings 21.
• Verse 29 dates Ahaziah's accession to the eleventh year of Joram, whereas 8:25 dates it to the twelfth year. Some explain the discrepancy by differences in the method of reckoning regnal years, among other factors. The account of how Ahaziah died also differs in detail from the record in 2 Chronicles 22, and several interpretations have been offered to harmonize the two.
• The text does not say why Jezebel painted her face. Interpretations differ: some hold that she intended to meet death with the dignity of a queen, while others see a different motive.
• Hosea 1:4 states that God will avenge "the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu." Some read this verse as a judgment on Jehu for shedding blood excessively, beyond what he had been commanded, while others interpret it differently.
• In the New Testament, Revelation 2:20 calls the false prophetess of the church at Thyatira "Jezebel."