2 Kings 9 Introduction

Structure and Formatting

This chapter begins the story of how Yahweh fulfilled the prophecy that he spoke through Elijah that Ahab’s entire family would be destroyed because of his wickedness. It tells how Elisha sent a young prophet to anoint as the next king Jehu, one of the military commanders of Ahab’s son Jehoram. It then tells how Jehu went to Jezreel and killed Jehoram as well as his mother, Jezebel, and the Judean king Ahaziah.

Translation Issues in This Chapter

Long quotation within quotation

In verses 6–10, as the young prophet whom Elisha sent speaks a message to Jehu from Yahweh, there is a long quotation within a quotation. If it would be clearer in your language, you could translate this so that there is not a quotation within a quotation. Notes to each verse suggest ways in which you can do this consistently.

The names Jehoram and Joram

In this chapter the author continues to call the son of Ahab who succeeded him as king of Israel by two different names. He calls him Joram in verses 15, 16, 21, and 29, and he calls him Jehoram in verses 17, 21, 22, 23, and 24. See whether you decided in chapter 8 to call him Jehoram consistently or whether you decided to use the same forms of his name that the author does in each place.