Study it in the app“The watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel, and he saw the company of Jehu as he came, and said, “I see a company.” Joram said, “Take a horseman and send him to meet them, and let him say, ‘Is there peace?’””
The watchmanוְהַצֹּפֶהwas standingעֹמֵדonעַלthe towerהַמִּגְדָּלin Jezreel,בְּיִזְרְעֶאלand he sawוַיַּרְאthe companyשִׁפְעַתof Jehuיֵהוּאas he came,בְּבֹאוֹand said,וַיֹּאמֶר“Iאֲנִיseeרֹאֶהa company.”שִׁפְעַתJoramיְהוֹרָםsaid,וַיֹּאמֶר“Takeקַחa horsemanרַכָּבand send himוּשְׁלַחto meet them,לִקְרָאתָםand let him say,וְיֹאמַר‘Is there peace?’”הֲשָׁלוֹם
watchman
One who stands guard on the wall.
Where else “tsofe” appearsstand
To be on one's feet, firm in a place, or to rise up to act.
Where else “omed” appearstower
A tall, strong structure, for keeping watch or defense.
Where else “migdal” appearsJezreel
See it on the mapWhere else “yizrel” appearssee
To see with one's eyes.
Where else “yar” appearsabundance, multitude
Abundance, a great quantity of something: of waters (Job 22:11), of camels (Isaiah 60:6), of horses (Ezekiel 26:10); also a crowd of people (2 Kings 9:17).
Where else “shifat” appearsJehu
Jehu: a name meaning "YHWH is he." It is borne by several people, among them the prophet, son of Hanani, who spoke against Baasha (1 Kings 16), and the king of Israel anointed to put an end to the house of Ahab (2 Kings 9–10).
Where else “yehu” appearscome
To come, arrive: "days are coming".
Where else “vo” appearssay
To say with the mouth to someone what one thinks or wants, or to answer him.
Where else “yomer” appearsJoram
Joram (also written Jehoram): a name meaning "YHWH is exalted." It is borne by the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah (1 Kings 22:50), by the son of Ahab, king of Israel (2 Kings 3:1), and by others.
Where else “yehoram” appearstake
To grasp something in the hand to carry or use it.
Where else “kach” appearshorseman
A soldier or messenger who goes on horseback.
Where else “rakav” appearssend
To send someone or something.
Where else “shelach” appearsmeet
To go out to greet someone who arrives, in order to receive him.
Where else “kerata” appearspeace
Living without war or quarrels, in harmony.
Where else “shalom” appears“Is there peace?” translates the usual Hebrew question to find out whether all is well (shalom). “Peace” is kept because Jehu’s answer plays on that same word (9:18, 19, 22).
Other books that tell the same thing or quote these words.
The death of Ahaziah
An account told more fully or more briefly in one of the books.
2 Kings 9:14-29
14Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, son of Nimshi, conspired against Joram. Now Joram had been guarding Ramoth Gilead, he and all Israel, against Hazael king of Aram; 15but King Joram had returned to be healed in Jezreel from the wounds that the Arameans had inflicted on him when he fought against Hazael king of Aram. And Jehu said, “If this is your will, let no survivor get out of the city to go and tell it in Jezreel.” 16Jehu mounted his chariot and went to Jezreel, for Joram was lying there; and Ahaziah king of Judah had come down to see Joram. 17The watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel, and he saw the company of Jehu as he came, and said, “I see a company.” Joram said, “Take a horseman and send him to meet them, and let him say, ‘Is there peace?’” 18The rider on horseback went to meet him and said, “Thus says the king, ‘Is there peace?’” Jehu said, “What have you to do with peace? Turn behind me.” The watchman reported, saying, “The messenger came to them, but he has not come back.” 19He sent a second rider on horseback, and he came to them and said, “Thus says the king, ‘Peace?’” Jehu said, “What have you to do with peace? Turn behind me.” 20The watchman reported, saying, “He came to them, but he has not come back. And the driving is like the driving of Jehu son of Nimshi, for he drives like a madman.” 21Joram said, “Hitch up.” And his chariot was hitched up, and Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his chariot, and they went out to meet Jehu, and they found him at the plot of Naboth the Jezreelite. 22And it happened, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, “Is there peace, Jehu?” He said, “What peace, as long as the prostitutions of Jezebel your mother and her many sorceries go on?” 23Joram turned his hands and fled and said to Ahaziah, “Treachery, Ahaziah!” 24Jehu filled his hand with the bow and struck Joram between his arms, and the arrow came out from his heart, and he sank down in his chariot. 25He said to Bidkar his captain, “Pick him up, throw him into the plot of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite; for remember how I and you were riding side by side behind Ahab his father, when YHWH lifted up against him this oracle: 26‘Surely the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons I saw yesterday, declares YHWH, and I will repay you in this plot, declares YHWH.’ So now pick him up and throw him into the plot, according to the word of YHWH.” 27Ahaziah king of Judah saw this and fled by the way of Beth-haggan. Jehu pursued him and said, “Him too! Strike him!” And they struck him in the chariot at the ascent of Gur, which is by Ibleam. And he fled to Megiddo and died there. 28His servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem and buried him in his tomb with his fathers in the city of David. 29In year eleven of Joram son of Ahab, Ahaziah had begun to reign over Judah.
7The ruin of Ahaziah was from Elohim, by coming to Joram; for when he came, he went out with Joram against Jehu son of Nimshi, whom YHWH had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab. 8And it happened, when Jehu was executing judgment on the house of Ahab, that he found the officials of Judah and the sons of the brothers of Ahaziah, ministering to Ahaziah, and he killed them. 9He sought Ahaziah, and they captured him —he was hiding in Samaria— and brought him to Jehu, and put him to death; and they buried him, for they said, “He is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought YHWH with all his heart.” And there was no one in the house of Ahaziah to retain strength for the kingdom.
Jezreel
Today: Zir'in and the Jezreel Valley, Israel
A city and valley in northern Israel, between Galilee and Samaria.
There Ahab and Jezebel took Naboth's vineyard (1 Kgs 21:1-16), and Jezebel died there (2 Kgs 9:30-37).
16Jehu mounted his chariot and went to Jezreel, for Joram was lying there; and Ahaziah king of Judah had come down to see Joram.
17 · This verse (above)
18The rider on horseback went to meet him and said, “Thus says the king, ‘Is there peace?’” Jehu said, “What have you to do with peace? Turn behind me.” The watchman reported, saying, “The messenger came to them, but he has not come back.”
