2 Kings 9:14–24

Jehu Deceives Joram

¹⁴So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. ^aNow Joram ¹with all Israel was ²guarding Ramoth-gilead against Hazael king of Aram,

¹⁵but ^aKing ¹Joram had returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Arameans had struck him with when he fought with Hazael king of Aram. So Jehu said, “If this is your mind, then let no one escape or ²leave the city to go declare it in Jezreel.”

¹⁶Then Jehu rode in a chariot and went to Jezreel, for Joram was lying there. ^aAhaziah king of Judah had come down to see Joram.

¹⁷Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel and he saw the ¹company of Jehu as he came, and said, “I see a ²company.” And Joram said, “Take a horseman and send him to meet them and let him say, ‘Is it peace?’”

¹⁸So a horseman went to meet him and said, “Thus says the king, ‘Is it peace?’” And Jehu said, “^aWhat have you to do with peace? Turn behind me.” And the watchman declared saying, “The messenger came to them, but he did not return.”

¹⁹Then he sent out a second horseman. And he came to them and said, “Thus says the king, ‘Is it peace?’” And Jehu ¹answered, “What have you to do with peace? Turn behind me.”

²⁰And the watchman declared saying, “He came up to them, but he did not return; and ^athe driving is like the driving of ^bJehu the son of Nimshi, for he drives in madness.”

²¹Then ¹Joram said, “²Get ready.” And they made his chariot ready. ^3aJoram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his chariot, and they went out to meet Jehu and found him in the ^4bproperty of Naboth the Jezreelite.

²²Now it happened that when ¹Joram saw Jehu, he said, “Is it peace, Jehu?” And he ²answered, “What peace, ^aso long as the harlotries of your mother Jezebel and her sorceries are so many?”

²³So ¹Joram ²turned about and fled and said to Ahaziah, “^aThere is deception, O Ahaziah!”

²⁴And ^aJehu ¹drew his bow with his full strength and struck ²Joram between his arms; and the arrow went ³through his heart and he crouched down in his chariot.