2 Kings 9

God’s plans began being worked out in 2 Kings 9 as Jehu was declared as king in Israel. Ahab’s family would no longer have the privilege an honor of reigning in Israel (over God’s chosen people). Because of their continual disobedience to His commands, He stripped the kingdom out of their hands and gave it Jehu instead. Jehu was commanded to kill off everyone who was associated with the house of Ahab, which would include Jezebel, his wife who had caused Elijah so many problems, Joram, his son who was the current king in Israel, and Ahaziah, the king in Judah. All of these people were in some way related to Ahab, and they had all followed in His ways. As a result, they would all die.


Jehu did not hesitate and followed the commands given to him by Elisha’s servant. Knowing that the Israelites were currently in battle with Syria, Jehu found the perfect opportunity to find time alone with their king, Joram. Joram had sustained an injury in battle and was encamped away from the battle so that he could heal. By convincing Joram’s messengers to stay with him, Jehu forced Joram to come out to meet him face to face, giving Jehu the perfect opportunity to kill him. The situation only grew better when Joram brought Ahaziah out with him (king of Judah). They had formed an alliance and were fighting together against the Syrians. This worked to Jehu’s benefits as he found both kings hiding out in the same place.

Being upfront with Joram, Jehu plainly stated why he had come. He told Joram of the sins he had committed and that he had come to deal with that issue. Joram quickly caught on and knew that Jehu was about to kill him. So he and Ahaziah both fled, hoping to escape from Jehu, but they were not fast enough. In a matter of moments, Jehu was able to kill off both kings. Not only did this fulfill the promise God had made to Ahab about the future of his family, but it also fulfilled the promise God had made to Naboth’s family. If you do not know this story, go back and read 1 Kings 21. Apparently, a promise had been made to Naboth’s family that the blood for the death of Naboth and his sons would be repaid with the blood of their enemies. Amazingly, the sight of that vineyard was close by, and Jehu had Joram’s body thrown on to that land in order to fulfill that promise made by God.

When Jehu returned to Jezreel, he found Jezebel waiting for him. She knew what he had done, but Jehu had the upper hand. With the help of his servants, he had Jezebel thrown out the window, and she died when her body hit the ground. Another prophecy God had given (through Elijah) was that the dogs would eat the body of Jezebel and she would be unrecognizable. When Jehu and his men went down to retrieve her body, they found that only her skull and a few other body parts remained. They only knew that it was Jezebel because of where the body was.

So many stories come to a close in 2 Kings 9 as we see the fulfillment of several of God’s prophecies through Elijah and Elisha. Not only did these events put an end to the line of Ahab, but they also brought reconciliation to the house of Naboth. Furthermore, Jehu would be able to reign as king of Israel, having successfully taken over the kingdom (with God’s help). It is clear from the events of 2 Kings 9 that God’s plans always come to pass. It may take years for situations to resolve themselves, but we can trust that God will keep His word. So when we find ourselves in a troubling situation, we can be confident that God will stick by our side. He has a plan, and if we will remain obedient to His commands and do as He asks, then we will see His plans work out for our ultimate good.

Matt