2 Go there and look there for Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi. Go, for you must cause him to arise from among his brothers, and you must bring him into an ⌊inner room⌋.a 3 You must take the flask of olive oil and pour it out on his head. You must say, ‘Thus says Yahweh, “I hereby anoint you as king over Israel.” ’ Then you must open the door and flee; do not linger!”

4 So the young man, servant of the prophet, went to Ramoth-Gilead. 5 He came, and look, the commanders of the army were sitting there. He said, “I have a word for you, O commander!” Jehu said, “For whom? For all of us?” And he said, “For you, O commander!” 6 He got up and went to the house, and poured the olive oil on his head and said to him, “Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel: ‘I hereby anoint you as king over the people of Yahweh, over Israel. 7 You will destroy the house of Ahab your master, and you will avenge the blood of my servants the prophets and the blood of all of the servants of Yahweh, from the hand of Jezebel. 8 All of the house of Ahab will perish, and I shall cut off ⌊all males⌋b from Ahab, both bond and free. 9 I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah. 10 The dogs will eat Jezebel in the territory of Jezreel, and there shall not be ⌊anyone to bury her⌋.’ ”c Then he opened the door and fled.

Jehu Assassinates Joram

11 Then Jehu came out to the officers of his master, and they said to him, “Peace? Why did this madman come to you?” And he said to them, “You know the man and his foolish talk.” 12 Then they said, “Liar. Please tell us.” He said, “⌊Thus and so⌋d he said to me, saying, ‘Thus says Yahweh, “I hereby anoint you as king over Israel.” ’ ” 13 So they hastened each one to take his cloak, and they spread them under him on the bare steps, blew on the trumpet, and said, “Jehu is king!”

14 So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. Now Joram was keeping guard in Ramoth-Gilead, he and all of Israel, because of the ⌊threat⌋e of Hazael king of Aram. 15 But Joram the king had returned to heal in Jezreel from the wounds that the Arameans had inflicted on him when he fought with Hazael king of Aram. Jehu said, “⌊If this is what you want⌋,f do not let him go out as a fugitive from the city to go to make it known in Jezreel.” 16 Jehu mounted his chariot and went to Jezreel, for Joram was lying there, and Ahaziah king of Judah had gone down to visit Joram. 17 Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel, and he saw the company of Jehu when he came, and he said, “I see a company.” Joram said, “Take a horseman and send him to meet them.” And he said, “Is it peace?” 18 So the rider of the horse went out to meet him, and he said, “Thus the king asks, ‘Is it peace?’ ” Then Jehu said, “⌊What do you have to do with peace⌋?g Turn after me.” Then the watchman reported, saying, “The messenger went up to them, but he did not return.” 19 Then he sent out a second horseman, and he came to them and said, “Thus the king asks, ‘Is it peace?’ ” Then Jehu said, “⌊What do you have to do with peace⌋?h Turn after me.” 20 So the sentinel reported, saying, “He went up to them, but he did not return, and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi, for he drives with madness.”