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JUNE 11
Ahab your master, that I may avenge the blood
JUNE 11 of My servants the prophets, and the blood of all

For the whole house of Ahab shall perish; and
8 the servants of the LORD, at the hand of Jezebel.
I will cut off from Ahab all the males in Israel,
2 Kings 9:1–10:36
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both bond and free. So I will make the house
And Elisha the prophet called one of the of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son
9 sons of the prophets, and said to him, “Get of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the
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yourself ready, take this flask of oil in your son of Ahijah. The dogs shall eat Jezebel on
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hand, and go to Ramoth Gilead. Now when the plot of ground at Jezreel, and there shall be
you arrive at that place, look there for Jehu the none to bury her.’” And he opened the door and
son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, and go fled.
in and make him rise up from among his asso- 11 Then Jehu came out to the servants of his
ciates, and take him to an inner room. Then master, and one said to him, “Is all well? Why
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take the flask of oil, and pour it on his head, did this madman come to you?”
and say, ‘Thus says the LORD: “I have anointed And he said to them, “You know the man
you king over Israel.” ’ Then open the door and and his babble.”
flee, and do not delay.” 12 And they said, “A lie! Tell us now.”
So he said, “Thus and thus he spoke to me,
saying, ‘Thus says the LORD: “I have anointed
you king over Israel.” ’ ”
9:2 Jehu. The Lord had previously told Elijah 13 Then each man hastened to take his gar-
that Jehu would become king over Israel and ment and put it under him on the top of the
kill those involved in the worship of Baal steps; and they blew trumpets, saying, “Jehu
(1 Kin. 19:16,17).The fulfillment of the prophe- is king!”
cy is recorded from 9:1–10:31. inner room. A 14 So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of
private room that could be closed off to the Nimshi, conspired against Joram. (Now Joram
public. Elisha commissioned one of the had been defending Ramoth Gilead, he and all
younger prophets to anoint Jehu alone behind Israel, against Hazael king of Syria. But King
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closed doors. The rite was to be a secret affair Joram had returned to Jezreel to recover from
without Elisha present so that Jehoram would the wounds which the Syrians had inflicted on
not suspect that a coup was coming.
him when he fought with Hazael king of Syria.)
And Jehu said, “If you are so minded, let no
9:3 anointed you king over Israel. The one leave or escape from the city to go and tell
anointing with olive oil by a prophet of the it in Jezreel.” So Jehu rode in a chariot and
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Lord confirmed that God Himself had earlier
chosen that man to be king (1 Sam. 10:1; went to Jezreel, for Joram was laid up there;
16:13). This action of anointing by a commis- and Ahaziah king of Judah had come down to
sioned prophet indicated divine investiture see Joram.
17 Now a watchman stood on the tower in
with God’s sovereign power to Jehu. flee, and
do not delay.The need for haste by the young Jezreel, and he saw the company of Jehu as he
prophet underscored the danger of the assign- came, and said, “I see a company of men.”
ment. A prophet in the midst of Israel’s army And Joram said, “Get a horseman and send
camp would alert the pro-Jehoram elements him to meet them, and let him say, ‘Is it
to the possibility of the coup. peace?’ ”
18 So the horseman went to meet him, and
said, “Thus says the king: ‘Is it peace?’ ”
So the young man, the servant of the And Jehu said, “What have you to do with
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prophet, went to Ramoth Gilead. And when he peace? Turn around and follow me.”
arrived, there were the captains of the army sit- So the watchman reported, saying, “The
ting; and he said, “I have a message for you, messenger went to them, but is not coming
Commander.” back.”
Jehu said, “For which one of us?” 19 Then he sent out a second horseman who
And he said, “For you, Commander.” Then came to them, and said, “Thus says the king:
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he arose and went into the house. And he ‘Is it peace?’ ”
poured the oil on his head, and said to him, And Jehu answered, “What have you to do
“Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘I have with peace? Turn around and follow me.”
anointed you king over the people of the LORD, 20 So the watchman reported, saying, “He
over Israel. You shall strike down the house of went up to them and is not coming back; and
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