The End Of Ahabs Selfish Family
Elisha the prophet called one of the followers of the prophets and said
to him, "Tighten your belt, take this flask of oil in your hand and go
to Ramoth in Gilead. When you arrive there, look for Jehu, the son of
Jehoshaphat, and when you go in take him into an inner room, away from
those who are with him. Then from the flask pour oil on his head, and
say, 'Jehovah declares, I have anointed you to rule over Israel.' Then
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open the door and flee without delay."
So the young man went to Ramoth in Gilead. When he arrived, the
officers of the army were sitting together. And he said, "Commander, I
have a message for you." Jehu said, "To which of us?" He replied, "To
you, O commander." Then Jehu rose and went into the house; and the young
man poured the oil on his head and said to him, "Jehovah the God of
Israel says, 'I have anointed you to rule over Jehovah's people, over
Israel!'" Then he opened the door and hurried away.
When Jehu came out to the servants of his master, they asked him, "Is
all well? Why did this insane fellow come to you?" He answered, "You
know the man and his message." But they said, "You are deceiving us. You
must tell us." Jehu replied, "He said this to me: 'Jehovah says, I have
anointed you to rule over Israel.'" Then each quickly took his garment,
laid it at his feet on the bare stairs, and blew the horn and cried,
"Jehu is the ruler of Israel." So Jehu plotted against Joram.
Now Joram, with all the Israelites, had been defending Ramoth in Gilead
against Hazael king of Aram, but Joram had gone back to Jezreel to
recover from the wounds which he had received from the Arameans when he
fought with Hazael king of Aram. So Jehu said, "If it is your will, let
no one escape from the city to bring news to Jezreel." Then Jehu mounted
his chariot and went toward Jezreel.
While the watchman was standing on the tower of Jezreel, he saw the
cloud of dust about Jehu, as he came, and said, "I see a cloud of dust."
Joram said, "Send a horseman to meet him and ask whether he comes with
peaceful purpose." So the horseman went out to meet him and said, "The
ruler of Israel asks, 'Do you come with peaceful purpose?'" Jehu
replied, "What have you to do with peace? Turn and follow me." So the
watchman said, "The messenger went to them, but does not return." Then
Joram sent out a second horseman who went to them and said, "The ruler
of Israel asks, 'Do you come with peaceful purpose?'" Jehu answered,
"What have you to do with peace? Turn and follow me." So the watchman
said, "He also went to them but does not return; however, the driving is
like the driving of Jehu, for he drives very fast."
Then Joram said, "Get my chariot ready," and when it was ready he went
to meet Jehu and found him in the field of Naboth the Jezreelite. When
Joram saw Jehu, he said, "Do you come with peaceful purpose, Jehu?" Then
Joram turned to flee, but Jehu drew his bow and struck Joram between
the shoulders, so that the arrow went through his heart, and he fell
down in his chariot.
Then Jehu said to Bidkar, his charioteer, "Take him up and throw him
into the field of Naboth the Jezreelite, for I well remember that, as
you and I rode together after Ahab, his father, Jehovah pronounced this
sentence upon him: 'Surely I saw yesterday the blood of Naboth and his
sons, and I will punish you on this same piece of land.' So throw him
into this piece of land, as Jehovah said."
Then Jehu arrived at Jezreel. As soon as Jezebel heard of it, she
painted her eyes, arranged her hair, and looked out of the window. As
Jehu came in at the gate, she said, "Is all well with you, you traitor,
you murderer of your master?" But he looked up to the window and cried,
"Who is on my side? who?" Two or three slaves looked down at him, and he
said, "Throw her down." And they threw her down and the horses trampled
on her. When Jehu had gone in and had had something to eat and drink, he
gave this command, "Look after this woman and bury her, for she is a
king's daughter." But when they went to bury her, they found no more of
her than the skull, the feet, and the hands. When they went back and
told Jehu, he said, "This is what Jehovah declared by his servant Elijah
when he said, 'On the piece of land at Jezreel the dogs shall eat
Jezebel's flesh, and her body shall be as refuse on the surface of the
field, so that no one can say, This is Jezebel.'"