II Kings 9:1-16a
“And Elisha the prophet called one of the children of the prophets, and said unto him, Gird up thy loins, and take this box of oil in thine hand, and go to Ramothgilead: And when thou comest thither, look out there Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in, and make him arise up from among his brethren, and carry him to an inner chamber; Then take the box of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, Thus saith the LORD, I have anointed thee king over Israel. Then open the door, and flee, and tarry not.” (II Kings 9:1-3)
Over twenty years before, God had commanded Elijah to anoint Jehu king over Israel. For all those years, Jehu had observed the consequences of not serving God and been able to compare it with the results when Asa and Jehoshaphat did serve God. Finally the time had come for him to step up and take the leadership.
Jehu was in an area of Israel that was controlled by the Syrians. The army was still there, although Jehoram had gone back to Jezreel. When the young aspiring prophet anointed Jehu as king, both Hazael, who was the king of that region as a Syrian and Jehoram king of Israel were likely to get upset. He was to secretly announce the anointing, then get away as quickly as possible, so he didn’t get caught up in the political upheaval.
“So the young man, even the young man the prophet, went to Ramothgilead. And when he came, behold, the captains of the host were sitting; and he said, I have an errand to thee, O captain.
And Jehu said, Unto which of all us?
And he said, To thee, O captain.
And he arose, and went into the house; and he poured the oil on his head, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I have anointed thee king over the people of the LORD, even over Israel. And 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.
For the whole house of Ahab shall perish: and I will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel: And I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah: And 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.” (II Kings 9:4-10)
Convincing Jehu to hear him privately, the young prophet poured the oil on his head, and informed him that God had chosen him to be the next king of Israel. He was to kill Ahab’s family because Ahab had allowed God’s prophets to be murdered by Jezebel, along with the people that worshipped God. Both the healthy and those who were disabled were to be executed. The punishment was the same as what had happened to Jeroboam and to Baasha because of their sin. What a powerful warning this should have been to Jehu. Unfortunately, like most people, he would hear only the part about becoming the next king.
Because Jezebel had played such a pivotal role in Ahab’s wickedness, She would not even be buried but would be eaten by the dogs as a sign of God’s displeasure and to prevent people coming back and making a shrine of her tomb.
“Then 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 his communication.
And they said, It is false; tell us now.
And he said, Thus and thus spake he to me, saying, Thus saith the LORD, I have anointed thee king over Israel.” (II Kings 9:11-12)
Jehu’s initial reaction was to assume his fellow officers were pulling a prank on him. When they asked him what was said, he accused them of putting him up to it. Finally they convinced him they weren’t involved and he told them what had been said.
“Then they hasted, and took every man his garment, and put it under him on the top of the stairs, and blew with trumpets, saying, Jehu is king.
So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. (Now Joram had kept Ramothgilead, he and all Israel, because of Hazael king of Syria. But king Joram was returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him, when he fought with Hazael king of Syria.)
And Jehu said, If it be your minds, then let none go forth nor escape out of the city to go to tell it in Jezreel. Jehu rode in a chariot, and went to Jezreel; for Joram lay there.” (II Kings 9:13-16a)
Though they had served under Ahab, Ahaziah, and Jehoram, the army was unhappy with the corruption and wickedness and when Jehu told them God had said he was to be the next king, they celebrated the idea of getting rid of the current administration.
Jehoram had been wounded in the battle with Syria and had returned to the family home in Jezreel medical treatment. This gave the army time to make preparations to overthrow Jehoram. Jehu led a contingent of troops to Jezreel to kill Jehoram before he could make a defense.
“And Elisha the prophet called one of the children of the prophets, and said unto him, Gird up thy loins, and take this box of oil in thine hand, and go to Ramothgilead: And when thou comest thither, look out there Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in, and make him arise up from among his brethren, and carry him to an inner chamber; Then take the box of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, Thus saith the LORD, I have anointed thee king over Israel. Then open the door, and flee, and tarry not.” (II Kings 9:1-3)
Over twenty years before, God had commanded Elijah to anoint Jehu king over Israel. For all those years, Jehu had observed the consequences of not serving God and been able to compare it with the results when Asa and Jehoshaphat did serve God. Finally the time had come for him to step up and take the leadership.
Jehu was in an area of Israel that was controlled by the Syrians. The army was still there, although Jehoram had gone back to Jezreel. When the young aspiring prophet anointed Jehu as king, both Hazael, who was the king of that region as a Syrian and Jehoram king of Israel were likely to get upset. He was to secretly announce the anointing, then get away as quickly as possible, so he didn’t get caught up in the political upheaval.
“So the young man, even the young man the prophet, went to Ramothgilead. And when he came, behold, the captains of the host were sitting; and he said, I have an errand to thee, O captain.
And Jehu said, Unto which of all us?
And he said, To thee, O captain.
And he arose, and went into the house; and he poured the oil on his head, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I have anointed thee king over the people of the LORD, even over Israel. And 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.
For the whole house of Ahab shall perish: and I will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel: And I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah: And 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.” (II Kings 9:4-10)
Convincing Jehu to hear him privately, the young prophet poured the oil on his head, and informed him that God had chosen him to be the next king of Israel. He was to kill Ahab’s family because Ahab had allowed God’s prophets to be murdered by Jezebel, along with the people that worshipped God. Both the healthy and those who were disabled were to be executed. The punishment was the same as what had happened to Jeroboam and to Baasha because of their sin. What a powerful warning this should have been to Jehu. Unfortunately, like most people, he would hear only the part about becoming the next king.
Because Jezebel had played such a pivotal role in Ahab’s wickedness, She would not even be buried but would be eaten by the dogs as a sign of God’s displeasure and to prevent people coming back and making a shrine of her tomb.
“Then 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 his communication.
And they said, It is false; tell us now.
And he said, Thus and thus spake he to me, saying, Thus saith the LORD, I have anointed thee king over Israel.” (II Kings 9:11-12)
Jehu’s initial reaction was to assume his fellow officers were pulling a prank on him. When they asked him what was said, he accused them of putting him up to it. Finally they convinced him they weren’t involved and he told them what had been said.
“Then they hasted, and took every man his garment, and put it under him on the top of the stairs, and blew with trumpets, saying, Jehu is king.
So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. (Now Joram had kept Ramothgilead, he and all Israel, because of Hazael king of Syria. But king Joram was returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him, when he fought with Hazael king of Syria.)
And Jehu said, If it be your minds, then let none go forth nor escape out of the city to go to tell it in Jezreel. Jehu rode in a chariot, and went to Jezreel; for Joram lay there.” (II Kings 9:13-16a)
Though they had served under Ahab, Ahaziah, and Jehoram, the army was unhappy with the corruption and wickedness and when Jehu told them God had said he was to be the next king, they celebrated the idea of getting rid of the current administration.
Jehoram had been wounded in the battle with Syria and had returned to the family home in Jezreel medical treatment. This gave the army time to make preparations to overthrow Jehoram. Jehu led a contingent of troops to Jezreel to kill Jehoram before he could make a defense.
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