1. Then Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets, “Prepare yourself. Take this flask of oil in your hand, and go to Ramoth Gilead.
2. When you get there, look for Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi. Go in and make him rise from among his brothers, and bring him into an inner chamber.
3. Then take the flask of oil, pour it on his head, and say, ‘Thus says the Lord: I have anointed you king over Israel.’ Then open the door and flee. Do not wait.”
4. So the young man, the prophet, went to Ramoth Gilead.
5. When he arrived, the commanders of the army were sitting, and he said, “I have a word for you, Commander.”Jehu said, “Which one of us?”And he said, “For you, Commander.”
6. So he arose, went into the house, poured the oil on his head, and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, God of Israel: I am anointing you king over the people of the Lord, over Israel.
7. You will strike the house of Ahab your master, and I will avenge the blood of my servants the prophets and the blood of all the servants of the Lord from the hand of Jezebel.
8. The whole house of Ahab will perish, and I will cut off from Ahab all the males in Israel, both imprisoned and free.
9. I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah.
10. Dogs will eat Jezebel in the territory of Jezreel, and no one will bury her.” Then he opened the door and fled.
11. When Jehu had returned to his master’s servants, one said to him, “Is all well? Why did this madman come to you?”And he said to them, “You know this man and his babble.”
12. They said, “A lie! Tell us.”Then he said, “Thus and thus he spoke to me, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord: I am anointing you king over Israel.’ ”
13. Then they hurried. Each took his clothes, put them under him on the bare stairs, and blew a horn, saying, “Jehu is king.”
14. So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, conspired against Joram. Joram had been guarding Ramoth Gilead, he and all Israel, because of Hazael king of Aram.
15. But King Joram had returned to be healed in Jezreel from the wounds with which the Arameans had stricken him when he fought with Hazael king of Aram. So Jehu said, “If this be your minds, let no fugitive exit the city to go tell Jezreel.”
16. Then Jehu rode in a chariot and went to Jezreel, for Joram lay there. Ahaziah king of Judah had come down to see Joram.
17. A watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel, and he saw the company of Jehu as he was coming and said, “I see a company.”And Joram said, “Take a horseman and send him to meet them, and let him say, ‘Is it peace?’ ”
18. So the horseman went to meet him and said, “Thus says the king, ‘Is it peace?’ ”But Jehu said, “What have you to do with peace? Circle in behind me.”So the watchman reported, “The messenger came to them, but he is not returning.”