2 Kings 9:36

KJV

Wherefore they came again, and told him. And he said, This [is] the word of the LORD, which he spake by his servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, In the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel:

KJV (with Strong's)

Wherefore they came again {H7725}, and told {H5046} him. And he said {H559}, This is the word {H1697} of the LORD {H3068}, which he spake {H1696} by {H3027} his servant {H5650} Elijah {H452} the Tishbite {H8664}, saying {H559}, In the portion {H2506} of Jezreel {H3157} shall dogs {H3611} eat {H398} the flesh {H1320} of Jezebel {H348}:

Complete Jewish Bible

So they came back and told him. He said, "This is what ADONAI said through his servant Eliyahu from Tishbe: 'In the field of Yizre'el the dogs will eat the flesh of Izevel;

Berean Standard Bible

So they went back and told Jehu, who replied, “This is the word of the LORD, which He spoke through His servant Elijah the Tishbite: ‘On the plot of ground at Jezreel the dogs will devour the flesh of Jezebel.

American Standard Version

Wherefore they came back, and told him. And he said, This is the word of Jehovah, which he spake by his servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, In the portion of Jezreel shall the dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel;

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Second Kings 9:36 records the chilling and precise fulfillment of Elijah's prophecy against Jezebel, confirming that her ignominious death and the consumption of her flesh by dogs in the portion of Jezreel was indeed "the word of the LORD." This verse serves as a stark declaration of divine judgment against unrepentant wickedness and idolatry, underscoring God's unwavering sovereignty and the absolute certainty of His spoken word.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is the climactic confirmation of a gruesome event, immediately following the detailed account of Jezebel's death in [2 Kings 9:30-35](/2_kings/9-30 "2 Kings 9:30-35 - Jezebel's Death"). Jehu, divinely commissioned to execute judgment upon the house of Ahab ([2 Kings 9:7-10](/2_kings/9-7 "2 Kings 9:7-10 - Jehu's Commission")), has just arrived in Jezreel. After Jezebel's defiant appearance and subsequent violent demise—thrown from a window, trampled by horses, and then left in the street—Jehu orders her burial. However, when his men go to inter her, they find only her skull, feet, and the palms of her hands, the rest having been devoured by dogs. Verse 36 directly links this horrific discovery to the prophecy spoken by Elijah, providing the theological explanation and validation for the events.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** Jezebel, a Phoenician princess and wife of King Ahab, was notorious for her zealous promotion of Baal worship in Israel, persecution of Yahweh's prophets, and her role in the murder of Naboth to seize his vineyard ([1 Kings 21:1-16](/1_kings/21-1 "1 Kings 21 - Naboth's Vineyard")). Her actions represented a direct assault on the covenant faith of Israel. In the ancient Near East, a proper burial was paramount, signifying honor, dignity, and a peaceful transition to the afterlife. To be left unburied, or worse, to have one's body consumed by scavenging animals, was considered the ultimate disgrace, a sign of divine curse and utter abandonment. The prophecy's fulfillment in Jezreel, a significant royal city and site of Naboth's murder, adds a layer of poetic justice, as the very ground where she committed her atrocities became the place of her ignominy.
* **Key Themes:** The central themes converging in [2 Kings 9:36](/2_kings/9-36 "2 Kings 9:36 - Fulfillment of Prophecy") are divine judgment and the absolute reliability of God's prophetic word. Jezebel's end is presented not as a random act of violence but as a direct consequence of her persistent wickedness and idolatry, demonstrating God's righteous wrath against those who defy Him and lead His people astray. The explicit mention of Elijah's prophecy ([1 Kings 21:23](/1_kings/21-23 "1 Kings 21:23 - Elijah's Prophecy Against Jezebel")) highlights the certainty of God's warnings; what He declares through His prophets will inevitably come to pass, often in precise and dramatic fashion. This also underscores the theme of consequences of sin, illustrating that unrepentant rebellion against God ultimately leads to disgrace and destruction, even for the powerful.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Jezreel (Hebrew, _Yizre'el'_):** This term refers to both a prominent city and a fertile valley in northern Israel, strategically important and frequently associated with the Israelite monarchy. It was the location of Ahab's palace and Naboth's vineyard. The prophecy's specification of "the portion of Jezreel" is significant, indicating not just the city but the surrounding territory, emphasizing that her disgrace would occur precisely where her power and wickedness had been most manifest.
* **dogs (Hebrew, _kelev'_):** In ancient Israel, dogs were generally scavengers, often wild or feral, and associated with uncleanness and disgrace. To be devoured by dogs was a deeply humiliating and cursed fate, signifying a lack of proper burial and complete dishonor. It was a common motif in prophetic curses against the wicked, highlighting their utter abandonment by God and man.
* **flesh (Hebrew, _basar'_):** This word refers to the physical body or meat. Its consumption by dogs emphasizes the complete destruction and desecration of Jezebel's corporeal form, leaving nothing for a respectful burial. This detail underscores the severity of the divine judgment and the total erasure of her earthly presence and legacy.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Wherefore they came again, and told him."**: This refers to the messengers Jehu had sent to bury Jezebel. Their return to Jehu with the report of her partial consumption by dogs sets the stage for the prophetic declaration. It signifies the immediate, empirical confirmation of the horrific event.
* **"And he said, This [is] the word of the LORD,"**: Jehu, upon hearing the report, immediately recognizes it as the fulfillment of a divine prophecy. This declarative statement elevates the gruesome event from a mere accident to a divinely orchestrated act of justice. It underscores Jehu's role as God's instrument and validates the entire purge of Ahab's house.
* **"which he spake by his servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying,"**: This clause explicitly identifies the prophet through whom God's word was delivered. Elijah, the fierce opponent of Baal worship and Jezebel's nemesis, is named as the vessel of this long-standing prophecy ([1 Kings 21:23](/1_kings/21-23 "1 Kings 21:23 - Elijah's Prophecy Against Jezebel")). This connection emphasizes the continuity of God's plan and the unwavering nature of His word across decades.
* **"In the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel:"**: This is the verbatim or near-verbatim restatement of Elijah's original prophecy. Its precise fulfillment, down to the detail of dogs consuming her flesh in the specific geographical region, serves as irrefutable proof of God's sovereignty, His perfect memory of injustice, and the certainty of His promised judgment.

#### Literary Devices
The passage powerfully employs **Foreshadowing**, as Elijah's prophecy, delivered years earlier, meticulously details Jezebel's eventual fate, building anticipation for its fulfillment. The dramatic events leading to her death and the subsequent discovery serve as a stark **Irony**: Jezebel, who lived a life of opulence, power, and defiance, meets an utterly ignominious end, stripped of all dignity, her body becoming carrion. This contrasts sharply with her final defiant act of painting her eyes and adorning herself. The **Symbolism** of dogs is crucial; they represent uncleanness and a cursed fate, making their consumption of her flesh a powerful visual metaphor for her complete disgrace and divine abandonment. The narrative also uses **Poetic Justice**, as her body is desecrated in the very region where she committed her most heinous crimes, particularly the murder of Naboth.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
The fulfillment of Elijah's prophecy against Jezebel in [2 Kings 9:36](/2_kings/9-36 "2 Kings 9:36 - Fulfillment of Prophecy") powerfully affirms the absolute truthfulness and unwavering reliability of God's word. It demonstrates that divine judgment, though sometimes delayed, is certain and comprehensive, reaching even the most powerful and defiant. This event underscores God's active involvement in human history, orchestrating the rise and fall of individuals and kingdoms to accomplish His righteous purposes. Jezebel's fate serves as a vivid warning against idolatry, persecution of God's people, and unrepentant sin, revealing that there are ultimate, inescapable consequences for rebellion against the Almighty.

* [Deuteronomy 28:26](/deuteronomy/28-26 "Deuteronomy 28:26 - Curse of Unburied Bodies")
* [Psalm 79:2-3](/psalms/79-2 "Psalm 79:2-3 - Bodies Given to Wild Animals")
* [Jeremiah 16:4](/jeremiah/16-4 "Jeremiah 16:4 - Unburied Bodies as a Sign of Judgment")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The account of Jezebel's end is a sobering reminder that God is not mocked; His word, whether of promise or warning, will always come to pass. For believers today, this passage instills a profound sense of awe at God's sovereignty and His unwavering commitment to justice. It challenges us to take sin seriously, recognizing that while God is rich in mercy, He is also perfectly righteous and will ultimately hold all accountable for their actions. This narrative should strengthen our faith in the Bible's truth, knowing that if such specific and seemingly improbable prophecies were fulfilled, then all of God's promises—including those of salvation and ultimate victory—are equally trustworthy. It also offers comfort to those who witness rampant injustice, assuring them that divine justice, though it may tarry, is inevitable and will ultimately prevail.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does the precise fulfillment of Elijah's prophecy deepen your trust in the reliability of God's word in Scripture?**
* **What does Jezebel's ignominious end teach us about the long-term consequences of unrepentant sin and rebellion against God?**
* **In what ways does this passage affirm God's sovereignty over human affairs, even in the midst of violence and political upheaval?**
* **How might this account encourage you when you feel that injustice is prevailing in the world around you?**

### FAQ

**Why was it considered such a severe curse to have one's body eaten by dogs?**

Answer: In the ancient Near East, a proper burial was considered essential for honor, dignity, and the peaceful repose of the deceased. It was a deeply ingrained cultural and religious practice. To be left unburied, or to have one's body consumed by scavenging animals like dogs, was the ultimate disgrace. It signified that the person was utterly abandoned by both God and humanity, unworthy of respect in life or death. It was a powerful symbol of divine judgment and a complete lack of mourning or memorial, effectively erasing the individual's legacy and condemning them to utter contempt. This fate was often prophesied for the most wicked and rebellious individuals, like Jezebel, as a sign of God's utter rejection.

**What is the significance of Jezebel's body being consumed "in the portion of Jezreel"?**

Answer: The specification of "the portion of Jezreel" is highly significant because Jezreel was a royal city and the location of King Ahab's palace. More importantly, it was the site of Naboth's vineyard, which Jezebel had unjustly seized after orchestrating Naboth's murder ([1 Kings 21:1-16](/1_kings/21-1 "1 Kings 21 - Naboth's Vineyard")). Elijah's original prophecy against Ahab and Jezebel explicitly linked their judgment to the very place of their sin ([1 Kings 21:19](/1_kings/21-19 "1 Kings 21:19 - Elijah's Prophecy to Ahab")). Thus, Jezebel's desecration in Jezreel represents a profound act of poetic justice, where the scene of her most egregious crime became the scene of her ultimate humiliation and divine retribution. It underscores God's meticulous attention to justice and His memory of every wicked deed.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While [2 Kings 9:36](/2_kings/9-36 "2 Kings 9:36 - Fulfillment of Prophecy") speaks of a specific act of divine judgment in Old Testament history, it points forward to the ultimate fulfillment of God's justice and the unwavering certainty of His word in Jesus Christ. The precision with which Elijah's prophecy against Jezebel was fulfilled foreshadows the even greater precision of prophecies concerning the Messiah. Jesus himself declared that "not one jot or one tittle will by any means pass from the law till all is fulfilled" ([Matthew 5:18](/matthew/5-18 "Matthew 5:18 - Fulfillment of the Law")). Christ is the ultimate fulfiller of all prophecy, embodying God's faithfulness to His word. Furthermore, while Jezebel's judgment was a specific historical event, Christ's return will usher in the final, universal judgment, where all unrepentant wickedness will be definitively dealt with ([Revelation 20:11-15](/revelation/20-11 "Revelation 20:11-15 - The Great White Throne Judgment")). Just as God used Jehu as an instrument of justice, so too will Christ, the righteous Judge, execute perfect justice, bringing an end to all evil and establishing His eternal kingdom ([Revelation 19:11-16](/revelation/19-11 "Revelation 19:11-16 - Christ as the Righteous Judge")). The certainty of Jezebel's fate assures us of the certainty of Christ's triumph over sin and death, and the ultimate vindication of God's righteousness.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

1 Kings 21:23

And of Jezebel also spake the LORD, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.

Leviticus 8:36

So Aaron and his sons did all things which the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.

2 Samuel 12:25

And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his name Jedidiah, because of the LORD.

2 Kings 14:25

He restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath unto the sea of the plain, according to the word of the LORD God of Israel, which he spake by the hand of his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet, which [was] of Gathhepher.