2 Kings 9

2 Kings 9:1

H. King Jehu of Israel and Elisha’s Ministry (Chaps. 9, 10)1. Jehu’s Anointing (9:1-10)Elisha directed one of the sons of the prophets to go to Ramoth Gilead and secretly anoint Jehu as king of Israel to succeed Joram. Jehu was the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi (v. 2), not the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah. Jehu was commander of Joram’s army and had been stationed at Ramoth Gilead to hold back the Syrians. In anointing him, the prophet commissioned him to destroy the house of Ahab, in accordance with the prophecy of Elijah (1Ki_21:21-24).

Elijah had been told to anoint Jehu (1Ki_19:16), but it appears that he passed this responsibility on to his successor, Elisha, who in turn sent an unknown prophet to Ramoth Gilead that the anointing might be carried out in secret. This secrecy gave Jehu the element of surprise, which he skillfully used in seizing the throne.

2 Kings 9:11

2. Jehu’s Executions (9:1110:17)9:11-13 When Jehu emerged from the inner room, his fellow officers wanted to know what the “madman of a prophet” had said to him. Jehu first tried to evade the question by suggesting that they already knew. Perhaps he suspected that they had sent the prophet to anoint him in order to overthrow Joram. But at their insistence, he revealed that he had just been anointed . . . king. In haste, his men covered the steps with their garments and publicly proclaimed him as king of Israel. Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat was king of Israel for twenty-eight years (841814/13 B.C.; 2 Kings 9:1410:36). 9:14-26 Jehu’s reign began the fifth dynasty of the northern kingdom. Before news of his anointing could get to Jezreel, Jehu hurried there to kill Joram. A watchman . . . saw the approach of Jehu’s company and notified Joram. Messengers were sent out twice to learn the identity of the approaching company, but Jehu prevented them from returning. By then the watchmen notified the king that the furious driving resembled that of Jehu, the “son” (grandson) of Nimshi. Joram then went forth in his royal chariot, accompanied by his nephew Ahaziah, king of Judah, supposing that there was important news about Ramoth Gilead.

He greeted Jehu with “Is it peace (she3lf4m), Jehu?”, but received warlike words in reply. Sensing treachery, Joram tried to flee but was killed by Jehu’s arrow. In literal fulfillment of Elijah’s prophecy (1Ki_21:19), his body was cast to the ground in Naboth’s vineyard. 9:27-29 Ahaziah also tried to escape, but he too was hit by an arrow and died at Megiddo. By fraternizing with the house of Ahab, he fell under the divine curse that Jehu had been commissioned to carry out. His body was then returned to Jerusalem for burial. 2Ch_22:9 says that he died in Samaria, but this could refer to either the kingdom of Samaria or the region. Verse 29 is not in chronological order, being a repetition of 2Ki_8:25. The discrepancy between the years mentioned (eleventh and twelfth) is probably due to different methods of reckoning. 9:30-37 When Jehu reached the city of Jezreel itself, Jezebel mocked him, shouting, “Is it peace, Zimri, murderer of your master?” Zimri too had become king of Israel by murdering his master, but he enjoyed anything but peace. His abortive coup d’e9tat lasted only seven days (1Ki_16:9-19). Jezebel was intimating to Jehu that he would not prosper in his rebellion. Two eunuchs in the palace proved their loyalty to Jehu by throwing Jezebel out the window. Her blood spattered on the wall and on the horses, and her body was eaten by the dogs of Jezreel in fulfillment of 1Ki_21:23 all except the skull and the feet and the palms of her hands. Campbell Morgan remarks: The very dogs turned from the skull and hands and feet that had designed and executed such abominations; and no tomb but infamy perpetuates her memory.