Jehu Is Anointed as King of Israel
1Elisha the prophet sent for a man from the group of the prophets. Elisha said to him, “Tuck your coat into your belt. Take this bottle of olive oil with you. Go to Ramoth Gilead. 2When you get there, look for Jehu. He’s the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi. Go to Jehu. Get him away from his companions. Take him into an inside room. 3Then get the bottle. Pour the oil on his head. Announce to him, ‘The Lord says, “I anoint you as king over Israel.” ’ After that, open the door and run away. Do it quickly!”
4So the young prophet went to Ramoth Gilead. 5When he arrived, he found the army officers sitting together. “Commander, I have a message for you,” he said.
“For which one of us?” asked Jehu.
“For you, commander,” he replied.
6Jehu got up and went into the house. Then the prophet poured the oil on Jehu’s head. He announced, “The Lord is the God of Israel. He says, ‘I am anointing you as king over the Lord’s people Israel. 7You must destroy the royal house of your master Ahab. I will pay them back for spilling the blood of my servants the prophets. I will also pay them back for the blood of all the Lord’s servants that Jezebel spilled. 8The whole house of Ahab will die out. I will destroy every male in Israel who is related to Ahab. It does not matter whether they are slaves or free. 9I will make Ahab’s royal house like the house of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat. I will make it like the house of Baasha, the son of Ahijah. 10Dogs will eat up Jezebel on a piece of land at Jezreel. No one will bury her.’ ” Then the prophet opened the door and ran away.
11Jehu went out to where the other officers were. One of them asked him, “Is everything all right? Why did that crazy man come to you?”
“You know the man. You know the kinds of things he says,” Jehu replied.
12“That’s not true!” they said. “Tell us.”
Jehu said, “Here is what he told me. He announced, ‘The Lord says, “I am anointing you as king over Israel.” ’ ”
13The officers quickly grabbed their coats. They spread them out under Jehu on the bare steps of the house. Then they blew a trumpet. They shouted, “Jehu is king!”
Jehu Kills Joram and Ahaziah
14Jehu was the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi. Jehu made plans against Joram. During that time Joram and Israel’s whole army had been guarding Ramoth Gilead. They had been guarding it against Hazael, the king of Aram. 15But King Joram had returned to Jezreel. He had gone there to give his wounds time to heal. The soldiers of Aram had wounded him in his battle against Hazael, the king of Aram. Jehu said to his men, “Do you want to make me king? If you do, don’t let anyone sneak out of the city. Don’t let them go and tell the news in Jezreel.” 16Then Jehu got into his chariot. He rode off to Jezreel. Joram was resting there. And Ahaziah, the king of Judah, had gone down to see him.
17A lookout was standing on the roof of the tower in Jezreel. He saw Jehu’s troops approaching. So he called out, “I see some troops coming.”
“Get a horseman,” Joram ordered. “Send him to ride out to them. Have him ask, ‘Are you coming in peace?’ ”
18The horseman rode out to where Jehu was. He said, “The king asks, ‘Are you coming in peace?’ ”
“What do you know about peace?” Jehu answered. “Get in line behind me.”
The lookout reported, “The messenger has reached them. But he isn’t coming back.”
19So the king sent out a second horseman. When he came to them, he said, “The king asks, ‘Are you coming in peace?’ ”
Jehu replied, “What do you know about peace? Get in line behind me.”
20The lookout reported, “The second messenger has reached them. But he isn’t coming back either. The one driving the chariot drives like Jehu, the son of Nimshi. He’s driving like a crazy person.”
21“Get my chariot ready,” King Joram ordered. When it was ready, he rode out. Ahaziah, the king of Judah, rode out with him. Each of them was in his own chariot. They both went to meet Jehu. They met him at the piece of land that had belonged to Naboth from Jezreel. 22When Joram saw Jehu he asked, “Have you come here in peace, Jehu?”
“Your mother Jezebel worships statues of gods,” Jehu replied. “She also worships evil powers. The evil things she does have spread everywhere. As long as all of that goes on, how can there be peace?”
23Joram turned around and tried to get away. He called out, “It’s treason, Ahaziah!”
24Then Jehu shot an arrow at Joram. It hit him between the shoulders. It went through his heart. He sank down slowly in his chariot. 25Jehu spoke to Bidkar, his chariot officer. Jehu said, “Pick Joram up. Throw him on the field that belonged to Naboth from Jezreel. Remember how you and I were riding together in chariots behind Joram’s father Ahab? It was when the Lord spoke this prophecy against him. The Lord announced, 26‘Yesterday I saw the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons. You can be sure that I will make you pay for it on this piece of land.’ So pick Joram up. Throw him on that piece of land. That’s what the Lord said would happen.”
27Ahaziah, the king of Judah, saw what had happened. So he tried to get away. He went up the road toward Beth Haggan. Jehu chased him. He shouted, “Kill him too!” Jehu’s men wounded Ahaziah in his chariot. It happened on the way up to Gur near Ibleam. But Ahaziah escaped to Megiddo. And that’s where he died. 28Ahaziah’s servants took him to Jerusalem in his chariot. They buried him in his family tomb in the City of David. 29Ahaziah had become king of Judah. It was in the 11th year of Joram, the son of Ahab.
Jehu Kills Jezebel
30Jehu went to Jezreel. Jezebel heard about it. So she put makeup on her eyes and fixed her hair. Then she looked out of a window. 31Jehu entered the gate below. Jezebel said to him, “You are just like Zimri. You murdered your master. Have you come here in peace?”
32Jehu looked up at the window. “Who is on my side?” he called out. “Who?” Two or three officials looked down at him. 33“Throw her down!” Jehu said. So they threw her down. Some of her blood splashed on the wall. Some of it splashed on Jehu’s chariot horses as they ran over her.
34Jehu went inside. He ate and drank. “The Lord put a curse on that woman,” he said. “Take proper care of her body. Bury her. After all, she was a king’s daughter.” 35So they went out to bury her. But all they found was her head, feet and hands. 36They went back and reported it to Jehu. He told them, “That’s what the Lord said would happen. He announced it through his servant Elijah, who was from Tishbe. He said, ‘On a piece of land at Jezreel, dogs will eat up Jezebel’s body. 37Her body will end up as garbage on that piece of land. So no one will be able to say, “Here’s where Jezebel is buried.” ’ ”
Yehu Adzozedwa Ufumu wa ku Israeli
1Mneneri Elisa anayitanitsa mmodzi mwa ana a aneneri, namuwuza kuti, “Manga lamba mʼchiwuno mwako, tenga botolo la mafuta mʼdzanja lako ndipo upite ku Ramoti Giliyadi. 2Ukakafika kumeneko, ukafunefune Yehu mwana wa Yehosafati, mwana wa Nimisi. Ukapite kwa iye, ukamuchotse pakati pa anzake ndi kukamulowetsa mʼchipinda chamʼkati. 3Ndipo ukatenge botololi ndi kuthira mafuta pa mutu wake ndipo ukanene kuti, ‘Yehova akuti, Ine ndikudzoza iwe kukhala mfumu ya Israeli.’ Kenaka ukatsekule chitseko ndi kuthawa ndipo usakachedwe!”
4Choncho mneneri wachinyamatayo anapita ku Ramoti Giliyadi. 5Atafika ku Giliyadiko anapeza atsogoleri a ankhondo ali pa msonkhano. Iye anati, “Mtsogoleri, ine ndili ndi uthenga wanu.”
Ndipo Yehu anafunsa kuti, “Uthengawo ndi wa yani pakati pathu?”
Mneneriyo anayankha kuti, “Ndi wa inuyo, mtsogoleri.”
6Yehu anayimirira nakalowa mʼnyumba. Pamenepo mneneriyo anakhuthulira mafuta pamutu pa Yehu ndipo ananena kuti, “Yehova Mulungu wa Israeli akuti, ‘Ine ndikukudzoza kukhala mfumu ya Israeli, anthu a Yehova. 7Uyenera kuwononga nyumba ya mbuye wako Ahabu ndipo ndidzabwezera imfa ya atumiki anga, aneneri ndiponso imfa ya atumiki ena onse a Yehova amene anaphedwa ndi Yezebeli. 8Banja lonse la Ahabu lidzatheratu. Ndidzachotsa munthu aliyense wamwamuna wa banja la Ahabu kaya ndi kapolo kapena mfulu. 9Ndidzachititsa kuti banja la Ahabu lifanane ndi banja la Yeroboamu mwana wa Nebati ndiponso ngati banja la Baasa mwana wa Ahiya. 10Kunena za Yezebeli, agalu adzamudya ku dera la Yezireeli ndipo palibe amene adzamuyike mʼmanda.’ ” Kenaka mneneriyo anatsekula chitseko nʼkuthawa.
11Yehu atatuluka kupita kumene kunali atsogoleri anzake, mmodzi mwa iwo anamufunsa kuti, “Kodi zonse zili bwino? Kodi munthu wamisala uja anabwera kudzatani kwa iwe?”
Yehu anayankha kuti, “Iwe ukumudziwa munthu uja ndiponso ukudziwa zomwe amayankhula.”
12Atsogoleri aja anati, “Ukunama! Tiwuze.”
Yehu anati, “Zimene wandiwuza ndi izi: ‘Yehova akuti: Ine ndakudzoza iwe kukhala mfumu ya Israeli.’ ”
13Atsogoleri aja mofulumira anatenga zofunda zawo naziyala pansi pa makwerero kuti Yehu akhalepo. Kenaka analiza lipenga, nafuwula kuti, “Yehu ndiye mfumu!”
Yehu Apha Yoramu ndi Ahaziya
14Choncho Yehu mwana wa Yehosafati, mwana wa Nimisi, anachitira chiwembu Yoramu. (Nthawi imeneyi nʼkuti Yoramu ndi Aisraeli onse akuteteza Ramoti Giliyadi kwa Hazaeli mfumu ya ku Aramu, 15koma nʼkuti Yoramu atabwerera ku Yezireeli kuti akachire mabala amene Aaramu anamuvulaza pa nkhondo ndi Hazaeli mfumu ya ku Aramu.) Yehu anati, “Ngati mukugwirizana nazo zimenezi, wina aliyense asatuluke mu mzinda muno kupita kukafotokoza nkhaniyi ku Yezireeli.” 16Pamenepo Yehu anakwera galeta lake, napita ku Yezireeli, chifukwa Yoramu anali akupumula kumeneko ndipo Ahaziya, mfumu ya ku Yuda, nʼkuti ali komweko kudzamuona.
17Mlonda amene ankayimirira pa nsanja yolondera mzinda wa Yezireeli ataona gulu lankhondo la Yehu likuyandikira, anafuwula kuti, “Ndikuona gulu lankhondo likubwera.”
Yoramu analamula kuti, “Peza munthu wokwera kavalo, mutume kuti akakumane nawo ndi kuwafunsa kuti, ‘Kodi mukubwera mwamtendere?’ ”
18Choncho munthu wokwera kavalo anapita kukakumana ndi Yehu ndipo anati, “Mfumu ikufunsa kuti, ‘Kodi mukubwera mwamtendere?’ ”
Yehu anayankha kuti, “Kodi iwe nkhani ya mtendere yakukhudza bwanji? Tiye, zinditsata pambuyo panga.”
Mlonda uja anakafotokoza kwa mfumu kuti, “Wamthenga uja wakafika kwa anthuwo koma sakubwerera.”
19Choncho mfumu inatumanso munthu wina wachiwiri wokwera kavalo. Atafika kwa anthuwo iye anati, “Mfumu ikufunsa kuti, ‘Kodi mukubwera mwamtendere?’ ”
Yehu anayankha kuti, “Kodi iwe nkhani ya mtendere yakukhudza bwanji? Tiye, zinditsata pambuyo panga.”
20Mlonda uja anakanenanso kuti, “Wamthenga uja wakafika kwa anthuwo koma sakubwereranso. Kuyendako kukukhala ngati kwa Yehu mwana wa Nimisi, iye amayenda ngati munthu wamisala.”
21Yoramu analamula kuti, “Konzani galeta langa.” Ndipo atakonza galeta lake, Yoramu mfumu ya Israeli ndi Ahaziya mfumu ya ku Yuda anakwera nʼkutuluka mu mzindamo, aliyense atakwera galeta lake, kukakumana ndi Yehu. Iwo anakumana ndi Yehu pa munda umene unali wa Naboti, wa ku Yezireeli. 22Yoramu ataona Yehu anafunsa kuti, “Yehu, kodi wabwera mwamtendere?”
Yehu anayankha kuti, “Pangakhale bwanji mtendere pamene zopembedza mafano zonse zilipo ndiponso ufiti wa amayi ako Yezebeli uli ponseponse?”
23Yoramu anatembenuka, nathawa akufuwula kwa Ahaziya kuti, “Ahaziya, anthuwa atiwukira!”
24Pamenepo Yehu anakoka uta wake ndipo analasa Yoramu kumsana pakati pa mapewa. Muviwo unakalasa mtima wake ndipo anagwa pansi mʼgaleta lakelo. 25Yehu anawuza Bidikara, mtsogoleri wa galeta lake kuti, “Munyamule ndipo ukamuponye mʼmunda umene unali wa Naboti wa ku Yezireeli, chifukwa kumbukira mmene iwe ndi ine tinkayenda pambuyo pa Ahabu abambo ake, kuti Yehova ananeneratu za iye kuti, 26‘Zoonadi dzulo ndinaona magazi a Naboti ndi magazi a ana ake, akutero Yehova, ndipo Ine ndidzakubwezera ndithu choyipa chimenechi pa munda womwe uno, akutero Yehova.’ Tsono munyamule ndipo ukamuponye mʼmundamo, potsatira zimene Yehova ananena.”
27Ahaziya mfumu ya ku Yuda ataona zimene zinachitika, anathawira ku Beti Hagani. Yehu anamuthamangitsa, uku akufuwula kuti, “Mupheninso!” Iwo anamuvulaza ali mʼgaleta lakelo pa njira yopita ku Guri pafupi ndi Ibuleamu, koma iye anathawira ku Megido ndipo anakafera kumeneko. 28Antchito ake anamunyamulira mʼgaleta kupita naye ku Yerusalemu ndipo anamuyika mʼmanda pamodzi ndi makolo ake mu mzinda wa Davide. 29(Mʼchaka cha khumi ndi chimodzi cha ufumu wa Yoramu mwana wa Ahabu, Ahaziya anakhala mfumu ya ku Yuda).
Kuphedwa kwa Yezebeli
30Kenaka Yehu anapita ku Yezireeli. Yezebeli atamva zimene zinachitika, anapaka zodzikometsera mʼmaso, naluka tsitsi lake, namasuzumira pa zenera. 31Pamene Yehu ankalowa pa chipata iye anafunsa kuti, “Kodi wabwera mwamtendere, iwe Zimuri, munthu wopha mbuye wako?”
32Yehu anakweza maso nayangʼana pa zenera, ndipo anafuwula kuti, “Kodi ndani ali mbali yanga? Ndani?” Anthu ofulidwa awiri kapena atatu anayangʼana Yehu pansipo. 33Yehu anawawuza kuti, “Muponyeni pansi!” Motero anamuponya pansi ndipo magazi ake ena anafalikira pa khoma ndi pa akavalo pamene ankamupondaponda.
34Yehu analowa mʼnyumba yaufumu ndipo anadya ndi kumwa. Kenaka iye anati, “Kamutoleni mkazi wotembereredwayo, ndipo kamuyikeni mʼmanda, popeza ndi mwana wa mfumu.” 35Koma atapita kuti akamuyike mʼmanda, sanapeze kanthu kupatula chibade cha mutu wokha, mapazi ake ndi manja ake. 36Choncho iwo anabwerera kwa Yehu ndi kukamufotokozera kuti, “Mawu amene Yehova anayankhula kudzera mwa mtumiki wake Eliya wa ku Tisibe ndi awa: Pa munda wa ku Yezireeli agalu adzadya mtembo wa Yezebeli. 37Mtembo wa Yezebeli udzakhala ngati zinyalala pa munda wa ku Yezireeli, kotero kuti palibe amene adzathe kunena kuti, ‘Uyu ndi Yezebeli.’ ”
