2 Kings 9:6-20 Modern English Version (MEV)

6. So he arose, went into the house, poured the oil on his head, and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, God of Israel: I am anointing you king over the people of the Lord, over Israel.

7. You will strike the house of Ahab your master, and I will avenge the blood of my servants the prophets and the blood of all the servants of the Lord from the hand of Jeze­bel.

8. The whole house of Ahab will perish, and I will cut off from Ahab all the males in Israel, both imprisoned and free.

9. I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah.

10. Dogs will eat Jezebel in the territory of Jezreel, and no one will bury her.” Then he opened the door and fled.

11. When Jehu had returned to his master’s servants, one said to him, “Is all well? Why did this madman come to you?”And he said to them, “You know this man and his babble.”

12. They said, “A lie! Tell us.”Then he said, “Thus and thus he spoke to me, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord: I am anointing you king over Israel.’ ”

13. Then they hurried. Each took his clothes, put them under him on the bare stairs, and blew a horn, saying, “Jehu is king.”

14. So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, conspired against Joram. Joram had been guarding Ramoth Gilead, he and all Israel, because of Hazael king of Aram.

15. But King Joram had returned to be healed in Jezreel from the wounds with which the Arameans had stricken him when he fought with Hazael king of Aram. So Jehu said, “If this be your minds, let no fugitive exit the city to go tell Jezreel.”

16. Then Jehu rode in a chariot and went to Jezreel, for Joram lay there. Ahaziah king of Judah had come down to see Joram.

17. A watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel, and he saw the company of Jehu as he was coming and said, “I see a company.”And Joram said, “Take a horseman and send him to meet them, and let him say, ‘Is it peace?’ ”

18. So the horseman went to meet him and said, “Thus says the king, ‘Is it peace?’ ”But Jehu said, “What have you to do with peace? Circle in behind me.”So the watchman reported, “The messenger came to them, but he is not returning.”

19. Then he sent out a second horseman, who came to them and said, “Thus says the king, ‘Is it peace?’ ”Again, Jehu said, “What have you to do with peace? Circle in behind me.”

20. The watchman reported, “He came to them, but he is not returning. The driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi, for he drives furiously.”

2 Kings 9