The Divided Kingdom

In the twelfth year of Joram son of Ahab king of Israel reigned hath Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah;

a son of twenty and two years is Ahaziah in his reigning, and one year he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother is Athaliah daughter of Omri king of Israel,

and he walketh in the way of the house of Ahab, and doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, like the house of Ahab, for he is son-in-law of the house of Ahab.

And he goeth with Joram son of Ahab to battle with Hazael king of Aram in Ramoth-Gilead, and the Aramaeans smite Joram,

and Joram the king turneth back to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds with which the Arameans smite him in Ramah, in his fighting with Hazael king of Aram, and Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah hath gone down to see Joram son of Ahab in Jezreel, for he is sick.

And Elisha the prophet hath called to one of the sons of the prophets, and saith to him, `Gird up thy loins, and take this vial of oil in thy hand, and go to Ramoth-Gilead,

and thou hast gone in there, and see thou there Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, son of Nimshi, and thou hast gone in, and caused him to rise out of the midst of his brethren, and brought him in to the inner part of an inner-chamber,

and taken the vial of oil, and poured on his head, and said, Thus said Jehovah, I have anointed thee for king unto Israel; and thou hast opened the door, and fled, and dost not wait.'

And the young man goeth--the young man the prophet--to Ramoth-Gilead,

and cometh in, and lo, chiefs of the force are sitting, and he saith, `I have a word unto thee, O chief!' and Jehu saith, `Unto which of all of us?' and he saith, `Unto thee, O chief.'

And he riseth and cometh in to the house, and he poureth the oil on his head, and saith to him, `Thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, I have anointed thee for king unto the people of Jehovah, unto Israel,

and thou hast smitten the house of Ahab thy lord, and I have required the blood of My servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of Jehovah, from the hand of Jezebel;

and perished hath all the house of Ahab, and I have cut off to Ahab those sitting on the wall, and restrained, and left, in Israel,

and I have given up the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat, and as the house of Baasha son of Ahijah,

and Jezebel do the dogs eat in the portion of Jezreel, and there is none burying;' and he openeth the door and fleeth.

And Jehu hath gone out unto the servants of his lord, and one saith to him, `Is there peace? wherefore came this madman unto thee?' and he saith unto them, `Ye have known the man and his talk.'

And they say, `False, declare, we pray thee, to us;' and he saith, `Thus and thus spake he unto me, saying, Thus said Jehovah, I have anointed thee for king unto Israel.'

And they haste and take each his garment, and put it under him at the top of the stairs, and blow with a trumpet, and say, `Reigned hath Jehu!'

And Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, son of Nimshi, conspireth against Joram--(and Joram was keeping in Ramoth-Gilead, he and all Israel, from the presence of Hazael king of Aram,

and king Joram turneth back to be healed in Jezreel, of the wounds with which the Aramaeans smite him, in his fighting with Hazael king of Aram) --and Jehu saith, `If it is your mind, let not an escaped one go out from the city, to go to declare it in Jezreel.'

And Jehu rideth, and goeth to Jezreel, for Joram is lying there, and Ahaziah king of Judah hath gone down to see Joram.

And the watchman is standing on the tower in Jezreel, and seeth the company of Jehu in his coming, and saith, `A company I see;' and Joram saith, `Take a rider and send to meet them, and let him say, Is there peace?'

and the rider on the horse goeth to meet him, and saith, `Thus said the king, Is there peace?' and Jehu saith, `What--to thee and to peace? turn round behind me.' And the watchman declareth, saying, `The messenger came unto them, and he hath not returned.'

And he sendeth a second rider on a horse, and he cometh in unto them, and saith, `Thus said the king, Is there peace?' and Jehu saith, `What--to thee and to peace? turn round behind me.'

And the watchman declareth, saying, `He came unto them, and he hath not returned, and the driving is like the driving of Jehu son of Nimshi, for with madness he driveth.'