Study Desk

King Joram went back to Israel so that he could get well from those wounds. He went to the area of Jezreel. Ahaziah son of Jehoram was the king of Judah. Ahaziah went to Jezreel to see Joram.

So this young man, the prophet, went to Ramoth Gilead.

So all Ahab's family will die. I will not let any male child in Ahab's family live. It doesn't matter if that male child is a slave or a free person in Israel.

So Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, son of Nimshi, made plans against Joram. At that time Joram and the Israelites had been trying to defend Ramoth Gilead from King Hazael of Aram.

King Joram had fought against King Hazael of Aram. But the Arameans wounded King Joram, and he went to Jezreel to get well from those injuries. So Jehu told the officers, "If you agree that I am the new king, don't let anyone escape from the city to tell the news in Jezreel."

Joram was resting in Jezreel, so Jehu got in his chariot and drove to Jezreel. King Ahaziah of Judah had also come to Jezreel to see Joram.

So the messenger rode on a horse to meet Jehu. The messenger said, "King Joram says, ‘Do you come in peace?'" Jehu said, "You have nothing to do with peace. Come and follow me." The guard told Joram, "The messenger went to the group, but he has not come back yet."

Joram said, "Get me my chariot!" So the servant got Joram's chariot. Both King Joram of Israel and King Ahaziah of Judah got their chariots and drove out to meet Jehu. They met him at the property of Naboth from Jezreel.

The Lord said, ‘Yesterday I saw the blood of Naboth and his sons. And I, the Lord , am telling you that I will punish Ahab in this field.' So take Joram's body and throw it into the field, just as the Lord said."

But the rulers and leaders of Jezreel were very afraid. They said, "The two kings could not stop Jehu. So we cannot stop him either!"

So Jehu killed all the people in Ahab's family living in Jezreel. He killed all the important men, close friends, and priests. None of Ahab's people were left alive.

Jehu said, "Come with me. You can see how strong my feelings are for the Lord ." So Jehonadab rode in Jehu's chariot.

Jehu said, "Prepare a holy meeting for Baal." So the priests announced the meeting.

Jehu said to the man who kept the robes, "Bring out the robes for all the worshipers of Baal." So that man brought out the robes for the Baal worshipers.

Quickly after Jehu had finished offering the burnt offering, he said to the guards and to the captains, "Go in and kill the worshipers of Baal! Don't let anyone come out of the temple alive!" So the captains used thin swords and killed the worshipers of Baal. They threw the bodies of the worshipers of Baal out. Then the guards and the captains went to the inner room of the temple of Baal.

So Jehu destroyed Baal worship in Israel,

The Lord said to Jehu, "You have done well. You have done what I say is good. You destroyed Ahab's family the way I wanted you to, so your descendants will rule Israel for four generations."

Athaliah was Ahaziah's mother. She saw that her son was dead, so she got up and killed all the king's family.

Jehosheba was King Joram's daughter and Ahaziah's sister. Joash was one of the king's sons. While the other children were being killed, Jehosheba took Joash and hid him. She put him and his nurse in her bedroom, so Jehosheba and the nurse hid Joash from Athaliah. That way Joash was not killed.

Queen Athaliah heard the noise from the guards and the people, so she went to them at the Lord 's Temple.