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SECOND KINGS
9.23

O captain.' And Jehu said: 'Unto which of us all?' And he said: 'To thee, O captain.' 6And he arose, and went into the house; and he poured the oil on his head, and said unto him: 'Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel: I have anointed thee king over the people of the Lord, even over Israel. 7And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may avenge the blood of My servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord, at the hand of Jezebel. 8For the whole house of Ahab shall perish; and I will cut off from Ahab every man-child, and him that is shut up and him that is left at large in Israel. 9And I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasa the son of Ahijah. 10And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her.' And he opened the door, and fled.

11Then Jehu came forth to the servants of his lord; and one said unto him: 'Is all well? wherefore came this mad fellow to thee?' And he said unto them: 'Ye know the man and what his talk was.' 12And they said: 'It is false; tell us now.' And he said: 'Thus and thus spoke he to me, saying: Thus saith the Lord: I have anointed thee king over Israel.' 13Then they hastened, and took every man his garment, and put it under him on the top of the stairs, and blew the horn, saying: 'Jehu is king.'

14So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram.—Now Joram had been guarding Ramoth-gilead, he and all Israel, because of Hazael king of Aram; 15but king [1]Joram was returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Arameans had given him, when he fought with Hazael king of Aram.—And Jehu said: 'If this be your mind, then let none escape and go forth out of the city, to go to tell it in Jezreel.' 16So Jehu rode in a chariot, and went to Jezreel; for Joram lay there. And Ahaziah king of Judah was come down to see Joram.

17Now the watchman stood on the tower in Jezreel, and he spied the company of Jehu as he came, and said: 'I see a company.' And Joram said: 'Take a horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say: Is it peace?' 18So there went one on horseback to meet him, and said: 'Thus saith the king: Is it peace?' And Jehu said: 'What hast thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me.' And the watchman told, saying: 'The messenger came to them, but he cometh not back.' 19Then he sent out a second on horseback, who came to them, and said: 'Thus saith the king: Is it peace?' And Jehu answered: 'What hast thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me.' 20And the watchman told, saying: 'He came even unto them, and cometh not back; and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi; for he driveth furiously.'

21And Joram said: 'Make ready.' And they made ready his chariot. And Joram 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 portion of Naboth the Jezreelite. 22And it came to pass, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said: 'Is it peace, Jehu?' And he answered: 'What peace, so long as the harlotries of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?' 23And Joram turned

  1. Heb. Jehoram, and in verses 17, 21, 22, 23, 24.

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