2 Kings 9
Elisha gave a mission to a younger prophet - The young man was to head to Ramoth Gilead and seek out Jehu, son of Jehoshaphat, grandson of Nimshi.
In private he is to anoint Jehu as king with oil and then open the door and run away as fast as he can.
The young prophet found Jehu in company with his army officer buddies, so announced that he had a message for the commander - Which commander? - you!
Jehu is ordered to destroy the family of Ahab as God's revenge for Jezebel and Ahab's murder of the prophets of God.
This also has happened to Jeroboam and Baasha, both former kings in Israel.
The prophet also predicts that Jezebel the widow of Ahab would be eaten by dogs at Jezreel.
Having delivered his message, the prophet ran for it at top speed.
Jehu's army friends asked "What did he say?"
Jehu tried to make light - "You know what these madmen are like!"
Eventually they persuade him to say what the message from the prophet was - upon which they spread their cloaks over the bare steps and blew a trumpet and declared loudly Jehu is king.
I'm in two minds - was this serious or were they taking the micky? I honestly am not sure!
Jehu then formed a conspiracy against Joram of Israel and Ahaziah of Judah - both kings had been at Ramoth Gilead with the army but Joram had been injured and returned to Jezreel to recover.
Jehu arranges that nobody leaves the camp while he deals with the coup.
Riding to Jezreel in a chariot, the king sent out a guard to see who it was with a message "do you come in peace?"
Jehu ordered him "What do you have to do with peace? Fall in behind me soldier"
The lookout reported that the messenger was not coming back.
The king sent out a second mounted messenger - who is given the same orders as the first.
The lookout reported this and that the chariot driver was driving like a maniac, so it can only be Jehu! (One wonders how he got that reputation?)
King Joram ordered his chariot hitched up and went out to meet Jehu and they met a a former vinyard that used to belong to a man called Naboth (who Ahab and Jezebel had arranged to have murdered as he did not want to sell his ancestral land)
Joram asked "Have you come in peace, Jehu?"
Jehu answered "How can there be peace while the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother Jezebel abound?"
Joram panicked and tried to flee warning his friend king Ahaziah that treachery was afoot.
Jehu shot Joram and he died and was thrown onto the land that once belonged to Naboth.
Ahaziah made a run for it and managed to get away, though fatally wounded and he died in megiddo and was buried in Jerusalem.
Jezebel had prepared to meet with Jehu - putting on make up, and putting up her hair - she spoke to Jehu from a window - "Have you come in peace you Zimri, you murderer of your master?"
Zimri killed a king and became king for a whole week - so you can imagine the impact these words were expected to have on Jehu.
Jehu asked if anybody was on his side, and 3 Eunuchs threw Jezebel from the window where she died either from impact of from being trampled by the horses.
Jehu went into the building and had a meal and refreshed himself, eventually he told servants to go and give Jezebel a decent burial, after all she was the daughter of a king.
But when they came to take the body away they only found her skull, and extremities.
I think that this story has a lot to do with the unpopularity of the girls name Jezebel, about as popular as Samson's wife name Delilah.....
Elisha gave a mission to a younger prophet - The young man was to head to Ramoth Gilead and seek out Jehu, son of Jehoshaphat, grandson of Nimshi.
In private he is to anoint Jehu as king with oil and then open the door and run away as fast as he can.
The young prophet found Jehu in company with his army officer buddies, so announced that he had a message for the commander - Which commander? - you!
Jehu is ordered to destroy the family of Ahab as God's revenge for Jezebel and Ahab's murder of the prophets of God.
This also has happened to Jeroboam and Baasha, both former kings in Israel.
The prophet also predicts that Jezebel the widow of Ahab would be eaten by dogs at Jezreel.
Having delivered his message, the prophet ran for it at top speed.
Jehu's army friends asked "What did he say?"
Jehu tried to make light - "You know what these madmen are like!"
Eventually they persuade him to say what the message from the prophet was - upon which they spread their cloaks over the bare steps and blew a trumpet and declared loudly Jehu is king.
I'm in two minds - was this serious or were they taking the micky? I honestly am not sure!
Jehu then formed a conspiracy against Joram of Israel and Ahaziah of Judah - both kings had been at Ramoth Gilead with the army but Joram had been injured and returned to Jezreel to recover.
Jehu arranges that nobody leaves the camp while he deals with the coup.
Riding to Jezreel in a chariot, the king sent out a guard to see who it was with a message "do you come in peace?"
Jehu ordered him "What do you have to do with peace? Fall in behind me soldier"
The lookout reported that the messenger was not coming back.
The king sent out a second mounted messenger - who is given the same orders as the first.
The lookout reported this and that the chariot driver was driving like a maniac, so it can only be Jehu! (One wonders how he got that reputation?)
King Joram ordered his chariot hitched up and went out to meet Jehu and they met a a former vinyard that used to belong to a man called Naboth (who Ahab and Jezebel had arranged to have murdered as he did not want to sell his ancestral land)
Joram asked "Have you come in peace, Jehu?"
Jehu answered "How can there be peace while the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother Jezebel abound?"
Joram panicked and tried to flee warning his friend king Ahaziah that treachery was afoot.
Jehu shot Joram and he died and was thrown onto the land that once belonged to Naboth.
Ahaziah made a run for it and managed to get away, though fatally wounded and he died in megiddo and was buried in Jerusalem.
Jezebel had prepared to meet with Jehu - putting on make up, and putting up her hair - she spoke to Jehu from a window - "Have you come in peace you Zimri, you murderer of your master?"
Zimri killed a king and became king for a whole week - so you can imagine the impact these words were expected to have on Jehu.
Jehu asked if anybody was on his side, and 3 Eunuchs threw Jezebel from the window where she died either from impact of from being trampled by the horses.
Jehu went into the building and had a meal and refreshed himself, eventually he told servants to go and give Jezebel a decent burial, after all she was the daughter of a king.
But when they came to take the body away they only found her skull, and extremities.
I think that this story has a lot to do with the unpopularity of the girls name Jezebel, about as popular as Samson's wife name Delilah.....
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