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.’”
Jehu ma rire ombara mOisrael
1 Kombunda yanao omuprofete Elisa wa isana umwe wokambumba kovaprofete omitanda na tja ku ye: “Rirongera nu u yende kOramot mOgilead. Twaerera onya ndji yomaze womiṋinga; 2 nu tji wa kavaza ngo, kapahe Jehu, omuzandu wa Josafat, omuzandu wa Nimsi. Mu twara ketuwo peke ohumburuko novakwao; 3 tirira omaze womiṋinga nga kotjiuru tje, nu itja nai: ‘Muhona ma tja eye we ku twirisa u rire ombara ya Israel!’ Nu zapo tjimanga poṋa mbo.”
4 Ingwi umwe wokambumba kovaprofete otja ya kOramot mOgilead 5 ka kavaza ovahongore votjimbumba tjovita ava wongara pamwe. Eye wa tja nai: “Muhongore omunene, ami mbi nombuze yoye.”
Jehu wa pura nai: “Ove mo hungire na uṋe wetu?”
Eye wa zira a tja: “Me hungire na ove, muhona.” 6 Tjazumba aveyevari otji va hita mondjuwo, nomuprofete ingwi omutanda wa tirira omaze womiṋinga kotjiuru tja Jehu na tja ku ye: “Muhona, Ndjambi wa Israel, ma tja nai: ‘Ami me ku twirisa u rire ombara yotjiwaṋa tjandje Israel. 7 Ove mo zepa omuhona woye ombara, ingwi omuzandu wa Ahab, kokutja mbi vere Isebel mena raindu tja zepa ovaprofete vandje varwe. 8 Eṱunḓu arihe ra Ahab nozondekurona ze mave ṱu; ami me zepa omuvena auhe meṱunḓu re, omunene nokaṱiṱi. 9 Ami me tjiti keṱunḓu re otja pu mba tjitire keṱunḓu ra Jerobeam, ombara ya Israel, nora Basa, ombara ya Israel. 10 Isebel ke nakupakwa; nungwari orurova rwe maru riwa i ozombwa mokuti kwa Jesreel.’ ” Ingwi omuprofete omutanda tja za nokuhungira omambo nga otja pita metuwo na tupuka.
11 Jehu wa yaruka kovakarere ovakwao, nowo ve mu pura nave tja: “Oviṋa avihe vi ri nawa? Omundu ngo omunaviyoze aa vanga tjike na ove?”
Jehu wa zira a tja: “Mamu tjiwa omundu ngo nokuhungira kwe!”
12 Nowo va zira nave tja: “Ayee, kako, eṱe katu nokutjiwa. Tu raera kutja eye wa tja vi!”
Nu Jehu wa zira a tja: “Eye we ndji raere kutja Muhona wa tja nai: ‘Ami me ku twirisa u rire ombara ya Israel?’ ”
13 Mokamanga imba ovakarere vapuna Jehu va yara ozombanda zawo kozondondo kutja Jehu a kurame ko, ave posisa ozohiva nave ravaere nai: “Jehu eye ombara!”
Joram, ombara ya Israel, ma ṱu
14 Jehu we rikuta kuna ovakwao okusekamena Joram. 15 Ombara Joram wa ri mOjesreel ka ya okukaveruka ovito vye mbya tendwa movita tji va rwa na Hasael, ombara ya Sirie, mOramot-Gilead. Nu Jehu wa tja nai kovakarere vapuna ye: “Tji mamu kara puna ami, ape ningi umwe ngu ma hene mOramot okukaraera otjiwaṋa mOjesreel.” 16 Jehu wa ronda metemba re rovita na i kOjesreel. Joram ingee wa ri e hiya veruka, nu Ahasia, ombara ya Juda, wa ri ngo okumuvarura.
17 Omutjevere ngwa ri moruhungu romatjeverero mOjesreel wa muna Jehu novandu ve amave ya. Eye wa ravaera na tja: “Me munu otjimbumba tjovandu.”
Joram wa zira a tja: “Hinda omukavire a katjiwe kutja ovandu mbo ovanahange poo ovanavita.”
18 Nomukavire ngwi wa katjakanena Jehu ne mu raere nai: “ombara mai vanga okutjiwa kutja ove weya otja omunahange?”
Jehu wa zira na tja: “Ihi katjiṋa tjoye! Ndji kongorera!”
Omutjevere ngwi ngwa ri moruhungu wa hepura kutja omuhindwa wa vaza otjimbumba, nungwari ka kotokere. 19 Omuhindwa warwe wa tumwa na kapura Jehu epuriro tjingero. Jehu wa zira rukwao a tja: “Ihi katjiṋa tjoye! Ndji kongorera!”
20 Nomutjevere ngwa ri moruhungu romatjeverero wa hepura rukwao kutja omuhindwa wa vaza otjimbumba, nungwari ka kotokere, neye wa weza na tja: “Omuhongore wotjimbumba ma hingi etemba re rovita tjimuna omundu ngwa vera oviyoze otja Jehu tje hinga.”
21 Joram wa rakiza a tja: “Kutireye etemba randje rovita!” Nowo va tjita nao. Nu Joram, ombara ya Israel, na Ahasia, ombara ya Juda, va hinga auhe metemba re okukahakaena na Jehu. Owo va kahakaenena mehi rotjikunino tji tja ri otja Nabot, Omujesreel. 22 Joram wa pura Jehu na tja: “We ya mohange?”
Jehu wa zira na tja: “Mape kara vi ohange, ngunda atu noundjai auhe natu karera ovisenginina mbya utwa i nyoko Isebel?”
23 Joram ngunda ama tanaura etemba re rovita okutupuka wa ravaera na tja: “Ihi otjiwova, Ahasia!” 24 Jehu opa nanena outa we na yaha Joram pokati kozohongwe, notjiku tja tuvakaṋa omutima; neye wa wira metemba re na koka. 25 Nu Jehu wa tja nai komukarere we ohongora Bidkar: “Toora orurova rwe nu u keruyumbe mehi rotjikunino tji tja ri otja Nabot; rizemburuka kutja ami na ove tji twa kavirire ozombarakana kongotwe yombara Ahab, ihe ya Joram, Muhona otja hungira omambo nga ku Ahab: 26 ‘Tjiri, ami erero mba mwine omaṱiro wa Nabot nowovazandu ve. Nu ami mba kwizika kutja me ku verere mba mehi rotjikunino tjingetjo!’ ” Jehu wa rakiza komukarere we ohongora na tja: “Nambano toora orurova rwa Joram u ru yumbe mehi rotjikunino tji tja ri otja Nabot otja Muhona pa hungira kutja mape tjitwa nao.”
Ombara Ahasia ma ṱu
27 Ahasia, ombara ya Juda, wa muna imbi mbya tjitwa, notja tupuka metemba re rovita okuhungama otjihuro Bet-Gan, ama rambwa i Jehu wa rakiza kovarwe ve wovita na tja: “Eye wina mu zepeye!” Nowo ve mu tanda ngunda ama hingi etemba re rovita mondjira okuyenda kOgur, popezu notjihuro Jibleam. Nungwari eye wa kondja okukayenda nga tja kavaza kotjihuro Megido ka kakokera. 28 Ovakarere ve va yarura orurova rwe metemba re rovita kOjerusalem, nave kemupaka momaendo wouhona mOtjihuro tja David.
29 Ahasia wa rira ombara ya Juda mombura oitjamurongo na imwe youhona wa Joram, omuzandu wa Ahab.
Ombara oserekaze Isebel ma ṱu
30 Jehu wa vaza mOjesreel. Isebel tja za nokuzuva imbi mbya tjitwa, we rivava omuti momeho okuyezorerisa, a ṱunu ozondjise ze na kurama poruiho rwondjuwo youhona ama tara komuvanda. 31 Jehu tja hita momuvero worumbo, Isebel wa ravaera na tja: “Ove, Simri! Ove, muzepe womuhona woye! We ere tjike mba?”
32 Jehu wa yera omeho we na ravaere a tja: “Owaṋi ngu ri komukuma wandje?” Ovakarere vevari poo vetatu vondjuwo youhona ve mu mwina moruiho, 33 nu Jehu wa tja nai ku wo: “Yumbeye Isebel pehi!” Nowo va yumba Isebel pehi, nombinḓu ye ya rimbarera kekuma rondjuwo na koukambe. Jehu wa hingira oukambe netemba re rovita kombanda yorurova rwa Isebel. 34 Neye otja hita mondjuwo youhona na karya nokunwa. Tjazumba wa tja nai: “Tooreye omukazendu ngo ngwa sengwa mu kemupake, orundu eye omusuko wombara.” 35 Nungwari ovarumendu mba mbe kemupaka kave vazere po otjiṋa posi yotjikongo tjotjiuru tje, nomaṱupa womake nowozombaze ze. 36 Owo tji va serekarera otjiṋa hi ku Jehu, eye wa tja nai: “Imbi Muhona ombya hungira kutja mavi tjitwa, indu tja hungira notjinyo tjomukarere we Elia na tja: ‘Ozombwa maze ri orurova rwa Isebel mokuti kwa Jesreel. 37 Orurova rwe maru rimbarere mbo tjimuna ombumbi, nga tji pe hi nomundu ngu me ru zemburuka!’ ”
