Chapter XXXII: Jehu—the Eleventh King of Israel

WE read of Jehu first in the time of Elijah, when God commissioned the Prophet to anoint Jehu as a future King of Israel, and announced that he would be used to punish Ahab and the Children of Israel for their idolatry and departure from the Lord.

For some reason which is not told us in the Bible, it was not Elijah, but Elisha, who was in the end sent to anoint Jehu. We read the story of this in the 9th chapter of the Second Book of Kings.

Elisha was now the Lord's Prophet in Israel.

One day he said to one of the younger prophets with whom he lived: "Prepare yourself for a journey, and take this box of oil in your hand, and go to Ramothgilead."

"When you get there, find Jehu, the son of Nimshi, and ask him to come with you into an inner chamber away from the rest of the company, and when you are there, 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 do not wait a moment."

So the young man went to Ramothgilead, and when he got there he found all the captains of the host sitting round Jehu.

So he said: "I have an errand to thee, O Captain!"

And when Jehu understood that the secret message was to him, he went into a private room.

So the young prophet did as Elisha bade him, and anointed Jehu king of Israel, telling him that God had appointed him to execute His judgments against the house of Ahab, and that the dogs should eat Jezebel in Jezreel, as the Prophet Elijah had told Ahab years before.

Then the young man opened the door and fled.

So Jehu came back amongst the other captains, and they inquired: "Why did this mad fellow come to you?"

So Jehu said he expected that they knew the errand. But they assured him they did not, and asked what the news was.

Then Jehu told them the young man's solemn message, and that he ended by saying: "Thus saith the Lord, I have anointed thee king over Israel."

Then the soldiers and those around him spread their garments for him to step on, in token that they accepted him as king, and they blew a special blast of the trumpets, saying "Jehu is King!"

So Jehu charged the soldiers that no news should be carried to Jezreel, where King Joram was lying to be healed of his wounds received in battle against Hazael, King of Syria.

Then Jehu rode in a chariot, and hastened to Jezreel, and there he found Ahaziah, King of Judah, who had come to visit the wounded king.

Now on the Tower of Jezreel there stood a watchman who told Joram: and as Jehu came fast in his chariot, Joram sent a messenger to meet him with these words: "Is it peace?"

But the watchman said: "The messenger has not returned; he came to them but has not come again. And the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi, for he driveth furiously."

Then Joram got into his chariot, and Ahaziah got into his, and they started to meet Jehu. But they only got as far as the vineyard of Naboth when they met Jehu face to face.

And Joram said: "Is it peace, Jehu?"

And Jehu answered: "What peace can there be so long as thy mother Jezebel and her wickedness remain?"

Then Joram turned and fled, crying out: "There is treachery, O Ahaziah!"

And Jehu took an arrow and drew the bow to its full strength, and aimed it at Joram's heart. So Joram sank down in his chariot.

Then Jehu told Bidkar his captain to throw the king's body into the field of Naboth, "for remember that when I and thou rode with Ahab his father, the Lord laid this burden upon him."

Then Jehu followed after Ahaziah and smote him, and he was carried in his chariot to Jerusalem and died there, and was buried in his own sepulchre.

So Jehu came into Jezreel, where Jezebel lived; and when she heard all that had happened, she painted her face and put ornaments on her head, and came and looked out of a window.

And as Jehu entered in at a gate she tauntingly said: "Had Zimri peace, who slew his master?"

Then Jehu looked up to the window and said: "Who is on my side? Who?"

And two or three of the queen's chamberlains looked out at him.

So he said: "Throw her down!"

And they threw her down, and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses, and he trode her underfoot.

Then Jehu came in, and he ate and drank; and when he rose up from table he said: "Go, and see now this cursed woman, and bury her; for she is a king's daughter."

And they went to bury her, but found nothing left of her body but the skull and the feet and the palms of her hands.

So they returned to Jehu and told him.

And he answered in these solemn words—

"This is the Word of the Lord, which He spake by His servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, In the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel: and the carcase of Jezebel shall be as dung upon the face of the field in the portion of Jezreel: so that they shall not say, This is Jezebel."