1
Now Elisha the prophet called one of athe sons of the prophets and said to him, "bGird up your loins, and ctake this flask of oil in your hand and go to dRamoth-gilead.
2
"When you arrive there, search out aJehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in and bbid him arise from among his brothers, and bring him to an inner room.
3
"Then take the flask of oil and pour it on his head and say, 'Thus says the Lord, "aI have anointed you king over Israel."' Then open the door and flee and do not wait."
4
So athe young man, the servant of the prophet, went to Ramoth-gilead.
5
When he came, behold, the captains of the army were sitting, and he said, "I have a word for you, O captain." And Jehu said, "For which one of us?" And he said, "For you, O captain."
6
He arose and went into the house, and he poured the oil on his head and said to him, "Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, 'aI have anointed you king over the people of the Lord, even over Israel.
7
'You shall strike the house of Ahab your master, athat I may avenge bthe blood of My servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord, cat the hand of Jezebel.
8
'For the whole house of Ahab shall perish, and aI will cut off from Ahab bevery male person cboth bond and free in Israel.
9
'aI will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and blike the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah.
10
'aThe dogs shall eat Jezebel in the territory of Jezreel, and none shall bury her.'" Then he opened the door and fled.
11
Now Jehu came out to the servants of his master, and one said to him, "aIs all well? Why did this bmad fellow come to you?" And he said to them, "You know very well the man and his talk."
12
They said, "It is a lie, tell us now." And he said, "Thus and thus he said to me, 'Thus says the Lord, "I have anointed you king over Israel."'"
13
Then athey hurried and each man took his garment and placed it under him on the bare steps, and bblew the trumpet, saying, "Jehu is king!"
14
So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. aNow Joram with all Israel was defending Ramoth-gilead against Hazael king of Aram,
15
but aKing Joram had returned to Jezreel to be healed of the wounds which the Arameans had inflicted on him when he fought with Hazael king of Aram. So Jehu said, "If this is your mind, then let no one escape or leave the city to go tell it in Jezreel."
16
Then Jehu rode in a chariot and went to Jezreel, for Joram was lying there. aAhaziah king of Judah had come down to see Joram.
17
Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel and he saw the company of Jehu as he came, and said, "I see a company." And Joram said, "Take a horseman and send him to meet them and let him say, 'Is it peace?'"
18
So a horseman went to meet him and said, "Thus says the king, 'Is it peace?'" And Jehu said, "aWhat have you to do with peace? Turn behind me." And the watchman reported, "The messenger came to them, but he did not return."
19
Then he sent out a second horseman, who came to them and said, "Thus says the king, 'Is it peace?'" And Jehu answered, "What have you to do with peace? Turn behind me."
20
The watchman reported, "He came even to them, and he did not return; and athe driving is like the driving of bJehu the son of Nimshi, for he drives furiously."
21
Then Joram said, "Get ready." And they made his chariot ready. aJoram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his chariot, and they went out to meet Jehu and found him in the bproperty of Naboth the Jezreelite.
22
When Joram saw Jehu, he said, "Is it peace, Jehu?" And he answered, "What peace, aso long as the harlotries of your mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?"
23
So Joram reined about and fled and said to Ahaziah, "aThere is treachery, O Ahaziah!"
24
And aJehu drew his bow with his full strength and shot Joram between his arms; and the arrow went
Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.