Jehu Anointed King of Israel

9 Now Elisha the prophet summoned one of the sons of the prophets and said to him, “Tuck your cloak under your belt,[fn] take this flask of oil, and go to Ramoth-gilead. 2 When you arrive, look for Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi. Go in, get him away from his companions, and take him to an inner room. 3 Then take the flask of oil, pour it on his head, and declare, ‘This is what the LORD says: I anoint you king over Israel.’ Then open the door and run. Do not delay!”

4 So the young prophet went to Ramoth-gilead, 5 and when he arrived, the army commanders were sitting there. “I have a message for you, commander,” he said.

“For which of us?” asked Jehu.

“For you, commander,” he replied.

6 So Jehu got up and went into the house, where the young prophet poured the oil on his head and declared, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anoint you king over the LORD’s people Israel. 7 And you are to strike down the house of your master Ahab, so that I may avenge the blood of My servants the prophets and the blood of all the servants of the LORD shed by the hand of Jezebel. 8 The whole house of Ahab will perish, and I will cut off from Ahab every male,[fn] both slave and free, in Israel. 9 I will make the house of Ahab like the houses of Jeroboam son of Nebat and Baasha son of Ahijah. 10 And on the plot of ground at Jezreel the dogs will devour Jezebel, and there will be no one to bury her.’ ”

Then the young prophet opened the door and ran.

11 When Jehu went out to the servants of his master, they asked, “Is everything all right? Why did this madman come to you?”

“You know his kind and their babble,” he replied.

12 “That is a lie!” they said. “Tell us now!”

So Jehu answered, “He talked to me about this and that, and he said, ‘This is what the LORD says: I anoint you king over Israel.’ ”

13 Quickly, each man took his garment and put it under Jehu on the bare steps. Then they blew the ram’s horn and proclaimed, “Jehu is king!”