Jehu Is Anointed King of Israel
1 Meanwhile the prophet Elisha called one of the young prophets and said to him, “Get ready and go to Ramoth in Gilead. Take this jar of olive oil with you, 2 and when you get there look for Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat and grandson of Nimshi. Take him to a private room away from his companions, 3 pour this olive oil on his head, and say, ‘The Lord proclaims that he anoints you king of Israel.’ Then leave there as fast as you can.”
4 So the young prophet went to Ramoth, 5 where he found the army officers in a conference. He said, “Sir, I have a message for you.”
Jehu asked, “Which one of us are you speaking to?”
“To you, sir,” he replied. 6 Then the two of them went indoors, and the young prophet poured the olive oil on Jehu's head and said to him, “The Lord, the God of Israel, proclaims: ‘I anoint you king of my people Israel. 7 You are to kill your master the king, that son of Ahab, so that I may punish Jezebel for murdering my prophets and my other servants. 8 All of Ahab's family and descendants are to die; I will get rid of every male in his family, young and old alike. 9 I will treat his family as I did the families of King Jeroboam of Israel and of King Baasha of Israel. 10 Jezebel will not be buried; her body will be eaten by dogs in the territory of Jezreel.’” After saying this, the young prophet left the room and fled.
11 Jehu went back to his fellow officers, who asked him, “Is everything all right? What did that crazy fellow want with you?”
“You know what he wanted,” Jehu answered.
12 “No we don't!” they replied. “Tell us what he said!”
“He told me that the Lord proclaims: ‘I anoint you king of Israel.’”
13 At once Jehu's fellow officers spread their cloaks at the top of the steps for Jehu to stand on, blew trumpets, and shouted, “Jehu is king!”
King Joram of Israel Is Killed
14-15 Then Jehu plotted against King Joram, who was in Jezreel, where he had gone to recover from the wounds which he had received in the battle at Ramoth against King Hazael of Syria. So Jehu said to his fellow officers, “If you are with me, make sure that no one slips out of Ramoth to go and warn the people in Jezreel.” 16 Then he got into his chariot and set off for Jezreel. Joram had still not recovered, and King Ahaziah of Judah was there, visiting him.
17 A guard on duty in the watchtower at Jezreel saw Jehu and his men approaching. “I see some men riding up!” he called out.
Joram replied, “Send a rider to find out if they are friends or enemies.”
18 The messenger rode out to Jehu and said to him, “The king wants to know if you come as a friend.”
“That's none of your business!” Jehu answered. “Fall in behind me.”
The guard on the watchtower reported that the messenger had reached the group but was not returning. 19 Another messenger was sent out, who asked Jehu the same question. Again Jehu answered, “That's none of your business! Fall in behind me.”
20 Once more the guard reported that the messenger had reached the group but was not returning. And he added, “The leader of the group is driving his chariot like a madman, just like Jehu!”
21 “Get my chariot ready,” King Joram ordered. It was done, and he and King Ahaziah rode out, each in his own chariot, to meet Jehu. They met him at the field which had belonged to Naboth. 22 “Are you coming in peace?” Joram asked him.
“How can there be peace,” Jehu answered, “when we still have all the witchcraft and idolatry that your mother Jezebel started?”
23 “It's treason, Ahaziah!” Joram cried out, as he turned his chariot around and fled. 24 Jehu drew his bow, and with all his strength shot an arrow that struck Joram in the back and pierced his heart. Joram fell dead in his chariot, 25 and Jehu said to his aide Bidkar, “Get his body and throw it in the field that belonged to Naboth. Remember that when you and I were riding together behind King Joram's father Ahab, the Lord spoke these words against Ahab: 26 ‘I saw the murder of Naboth and his sons yesterday. And I promise that I will punish you here in this same field.’ So take Joram's body,” Jehu ordered his aide, “and throw it in the field that belonged to Naboth, so as to fulfill the Lord's promise.”
King Ahaziah of Judah Is Killed
27 King Ahaziah saw what happened, so he fled in his chariot toward the town of Beth Haggan, pursued by Jehu. “Kill him too!” Jehu ordered his men, and they wounded him as he drove his chariot on the road up to Gur, near the town of Ibleam. But he managed to keep on going until he reached the city of Megiddo, where he died. 28 His officials took his body back to Jerusalem in a chariot and buried him in the royal tombs in David's City.
29 Ahaziah had become king of Judah in the eleventh year that Joram son of Ahab was king of Israel.
Queen Jezebel Is Killed
30 Jehu arrived in Jezreel. Jezebel, having heard what had happened, put on eye shadow, arranged her hair, and stood looking down at the street from a window in the palace. 31 As Jehu came through the gate, she called out, “You Zimri! You assassin! Why are you here?”
32 Jehu looked up and shouted, “Who is on my side?” Two or three palace officials looked down at him from a window, 33 and Jehu said to them, “Throw her down!” They threw her down, and her blood spattered on the wall and on the horses. Jehu drove his horses and chariot over her body, 34 entered the palace, and had a meal. Only then did he say, “Take that cursed woman and bury her; after all, she is a king's daughter.” 35 But the men who went out to bury her found nothing except her skull and the bones of her hands and feet. 36 When they reported this to Jehu, he said, “This is what the Lord said would happen, when he spoke through his servant Elijah: ‘Dogs will eat Jezebel's body in the territory of Jezreel. 37 Her remains will be scattered there like dung, so that no one will be able to identify them.’”
1 Bet pravietis Elīsa ataicināja kādu no praviešu mācekļiem un tam sacīja: "Apjoz savus gurnus un ņem savā rokā šo eļļas trauku, un ej uz Ramotu Gileādā. 2 Tur nonācis lūko, kur ir Jehus, Jošafata dēls, Nimšija mazdēls, ej pie viņa namā iekšā, liec viņam celties un iznākt no savu brāļu vidus un ved viņu tālākā istabā. 3 Tad ņem eļļas trauku, izlej pār viņu un iezied viņa galvu, un saki: tā saka Tas Kungs: Es tevi svaidu par ķēniņu pār Israēlu! - Pēc tam atver durvis un bēdz, bet nevilcinies!" 4 Tā šis jauneklis, šis pravieša puisis, nāca uz Ramotu Gileādā. 5 Kad viņš iegāja, redzi, tur pašreiz bija karaspēka virsnieki sapulcējušies. Un viņš teica: "Man tev kas sakāms, virsniek!" Kad Jehus jautāja: "Kuram no mums?" - viņš atbildēja: "Tev, virsniek!" 6 Tad Jehus piecēlās un iegāja namā, un tas izlēja eļļu uz viņa galvu un tam sacīja: "Tā saka Tas Kungs, Israēla Dievs: Es tevi svaidu par ķēniņu pār Tā Kunga tautu, pār Israēlu. 7 Un tev būs sava kunga Ahaba nams jāsadragā, jo Es atriebšu pie Izebeles Savu kalpu, praviešu, asinis un visu Tā Kunga kalpu asinis. 8 Tiešām, visam Ahaba namam ir jāiet bojā; un Es izdeldēšu visus no Ahaba nama, ikvienu, kas vīriešu kārtas, kas stiprs un kas vājš, Israēlā. 9 Un Es darīšu Ahaba namam kā Jerobeāma, Nebata dēla, namam un kā Baešas, Ahijas dēla, namam. 10 Bet Izebeli suņi ēdīs Jezreēlas tīrumā, un nebūs neviena, kas to apraks!" Tad viņš atdarīja durvis un metās bēgt. 11 Kad Jehus izgāja pie sava kunga kalpiem, tad tie viņam jautāja: "Vai viss kārtībā? Kāpēc šis trakais ir pie tevis nācis?" Un viņš tiem atbildēja: "Jūs jau pazīstat šo vīru un viņa valodu." 12 Bet tie sauca: "Tie ir aplami apgalvojumi! Pasaki taču mums!" Tad viņš sacīja: "Tā un tā viņš man teica un sacīja: tā saka Tas Kungs: Es tevi svaidu par ķēniņu pār Israēlu!" 13 Tad tie visi steidzās, ņēma ikviens savu apģērba gabalu un paklāja zem viņa uz trepju pakāpieniem, un tie pūta taures un sauca: "Jehus ir ķēniņš!" 14 Un tā Jehus, Jošafata dēls, Nimšija dēladēls, sacēlās pret Jorāmu. Bet Jorāms pašreiz ar visu Israēlu bija Ramotā, Gileādā, kara nometnē pret Hazaēlu, Aramas ķēniņu. 15 Tobrīd gan ķēniņš Jorāms bija atgriezies uz Jezreēlu, lai liktos dziedināties no brūcēm, kuras aramieši bija viņam situši, kad viņš cīnījās ar Aramas ķēniņu Hazaēlu. Bet Jehus sacīja: "Ja tāds ir jūsu prāts, tad lai neviens no pilsētas neizmūk, lai ietu un nonestu vēsti uz Jezreēlu." 16 Tad Jehus kāpa savos ratos un brauca uz Jezreēlu, Jorāms tur gulēja slims, un Ahasja, Jūdas ķēniņš, bija nācis, lai apraudzītu Jorāmu. 17 Kad sargs, kurš stāvēja sargu tornī Jezreēlā, ieraudzīja Jehus pulku nākam, tad viņš sauca: "Es redzu lielu karapulku!" Tad Jorāms pavēlēja: "Izraugi jātnieku un sūti to viņiem pretī, un tas lai jautā: vai miers?" 18 Un jātnieks izjāja tam pretī un sacīja: "Ķēniņš liek jautāt: vai jūs nākat ar mieru?" Un Jehus atbildēja: "Kāda tev daļa gar mieru? Griezies apkārt un seko man!" Tad sargs vēstīja un sacīja: "Vēstnieks gan ir pie tiem nonācis, bet negriežas atpakaļ." 19 Tad viņš izsūtīja otru jātnieku; un tas nonāca pie tiem un sacīja: "Ķēniņš liek jautāt: vai jūs nākat ar mieru?" Bet Jehus atbildēja: "Kāda tev daļa gar mieru? Griezies apkārt un seko man!" 20 Tad sargs pavēstīja, sacīdams: "Viņš pie tiem ir nonācis, bet negriežas atpakaļ. Bet viņa braukšana līdzinās Jehus, Nimšija dēladēla, braukšanai, jo viņš brauc kā neprātīgs." 21 Tad Jorāms pavēlēja: "Iejūdziet!" Tad iejūdza, un Jorāms, Israēla ķēniņš, un Ahasja, Jūdas ķēniņš, izbrauca, ikkatrs savos ratos; un tie devās pretī Jehum, un tie viņu sastapa pie jezreēlieša Nabota tīruma. 22 Kad Jorāms ieraudzīja Jehu, viņš jautāja: "Jehu, vai tu nāc ar mieru?" Bet tas atbildēja: "Kas par mieru, kamēr tavas mātes Izebeles netiklība un burvestība aug augumā!" 23 Tad Jorāms grieza apkārt, bēga un sauca Ahasjam: "Nodevība, Ahasja!" 24 Bet Jehus satvēra savu loku un iešāva Jorāmam starp viņa lāpstiņām, tā ka bulta izskrēja cauri viņa sirdij, un tas saļima savos ratos. 25 Tad viņš pavēlēja savam virsniekam Bidkaram: "Ņem viņu un nomet viņu jezreēlieša Nabota tīrumā! Tu taču atminies, kā mēs abi pārī jājām pa pēdām viņa tēvam Ahabam un kā Tas Kungs pasludināja šādu spriedumu par viņu: 26 tik tiešām, kā Es vakar esmu redzējis Nabota un viņa dēlu asinis, saka Tas Kungs, Es tev to atmaksāšu tanī pašā tīrumā, saka Tas Kungs. - Un tagad ņem un nomet viņu tajā tīrumā, kā Tā Kunga vārds ir sacījis!" 27 Kad Ahasja, Jūdas ķēniņš, to redzēja, tad viņš metās bēgt uz dārza nama pusi, bet Jehus to vajāja un sauca: "Kaujiet arī šo kara ratos!" Un tad šāva uz viņu ratos un viņu ievainoja; bet tas bija pie uzkalna, ejot uz Gūru, kas atrodas pie Jibleāmas; un viņš bēga uz Megidu un tur nomira. 28 Un viņa kalpi to pārveda ratos uz Jeruzālemi, un viņu apglabāja tā kapu vietā pie viņa tēviem Dāvida pilsētā. 29 Ahasja kļuva ķēniņš pār Jūdu Jorāma, Ahaba dēla, vienpadsmitajā valdīšanas gadā. 30 Bet, kad Jehus bija nonācis Jezreēlā un Izebele to dzirdēja, tad viņa izkrāsoja uzacis un izrotāja savu galvu, un skatīdamās izliecās pa logu. 31 Kad Jehus ienāca pa vārtiem, tad tā viņam uzsauca: "Vai miers Zimrijam, sava kunga slepkavam?" 32 Tad viņš pacēla savas acis pret viņas logu un izsaucās: "Kurš ir manā pusē? Kurš?" Kad nu kādi divi vai trīs galminieki izliecās pa logu un uz to skatījās, 33 tad viņš tiem sauca: "Gāziet viņu zemē!" Un tie to arī nogrūda zemē, tā ka ar viņas asinīm tika apslacīts mūris un zirgi, un tie to samina. 34 Kad viņš bija ienācis pilī, ēdis un dzēris, tad viņš pavēlēja: "Lūkojiet pēc šīs nolādētās sievas un aprociet viņu, jo viņa taču ir ķēniņa meita." 35 Kad viņi nogāja, lai viņu apraktu, tad tie nekā no viņas neatrada kā vien galvaskausu, kāju stilbu kaulus un abu roku plaukstas. 36 Tad tie atgriezās atpakaļ un to viņam pastāstīja, un viņš teica: "Šis ir Tā Kunga vārds, ko Viņš sacījis caur Savu kalpu, tisbieti Eliju, sacīdams: Jezreēlas tīrumā suņi ēdīs Izebeles miesas. 37 Un Izebeles līķis paliks kā mēsli uz tīruma Jezreēlas laukos, tā ka neviens nevarēs teikt: tā ir Izebele."
