The Tanakh · JPS 1917 Translation

2 Kings 9

Jewish Publication Society 1917 · Nevi'im — the Prophets

2 Kings chapter 9 — part of the Nevi'im — the Prophets in the Jewish Bible. In the classic JPS 1917 translation it opens: “And Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets, and said unto him: 'Gird up thy loins, and take this vial of oil…” — the complete text of all 37 verses is below, free to read online.

1And Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets, and said unto him: 'Gird up thy loins, and take this vial of oil in thy hand, and go to Ramoth-gilead.

2And 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.

3Then take the vial of oil, and pour it on his head, and say: Thus saith HaShem: I have anointed thee king over Israel. Then open the door, and flee, and tarry not.'

4So the young man, even the young man the prophet, went to Ramoth-gilead.

5And 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 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 HaShem, the G-d of Israel: I have anointed thee king over the people of HaShem, 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 HaShem, 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 HaShem: 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 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 his hands, and fled, and said to Ahaziah: `There is treachery, O Ahaziah.'

24And Jehu drew his bow with his full strength, and smote Joram between his arms, and the arrow went out at his heart, and he sunk down in his chariot.

25Then said Jehu to Bidkar his captain: 'Take up, and cast him in the portion of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite; for remember how that, when I and thou rode together after Ahab his father, HaShem pronounced this burden against him:

26Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth, and the blood of his sons, saith HaShem; and I will requite thee in this plot, saith HaShem. Now therefore take and cast him into the plot of ground, according to the word of HaShem.'

27But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the way of the garden-house. And Jehu followed after him, and said: 'Smite him also in the chariot'; and they smote him at the ascent of Gur, which is by Ibleam. And he fled to Megiddo, and died there.

28And his servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him in his sepulchre with his fathers in the city of David.

29And in the eleventh year of Joram the son of Ahab began Ahaziah to reign over Judah.

30And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her eyes, and attired her head, and looked out at the window.

31And as Jehu entered in at the gate, she said: 'Is it peace, thou Zimri, thy master's murderer?'

32And he lifted up his face to the window, and said: 'Who is on my side? who?' And there looked out to him two or three officers.

33And he said: 'Throw her down.' So they threw her down; and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses; and she was trodden under foot.

34And when he was come in, he did eat and drink; and he said: 'Look now after this cursed woman, and bury her; for she is a king's daughter.'

35And they went to bury her; but they found no more of her than the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands.

36Wherefore they came back, and told him. And he said: 'This is the word of HaShem, which He spoke by His servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying: In the portion of Jezreel shall the dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel;

37and the carcass 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.'

37 verses · JPS 1917 (public domain)

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