2 Kings 9:31

9:31 When Jehu came through the gate, she said, “Is everything all right, Zimri, murderer of his master?” ¹ 

2 Kings 4:28

4:28 She said, “Did I ask my master for a son? Didn’t I say, ‘Don’t mislead me?’”

2 Kings 4:30

4:30 The mother of the child said, “As certainly as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So Elisha ²  got up and followed her back.

2 Kings 4:6

4:6 When the containers were full, she said to one of her sons, ³  “Bring me another container.” But he answered her, “There are no more.” Then the olive oil stopped flowing.

2 Kings 4:9

4:9 She said to her husband, “Look, I’m sure ⁴  that the man who regularly passes through here is a very special prophet. ⁵ 

2 Kings 4:16

4:16 He said, “About this time next year ⁶  you will be holding a son.” She said, “No, my master! O prophet, do not lie to your servant!”

2 Kings 4:22-24

4:22 She called to her husband, “Send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys, so I can go see the prophet quickly and then return.” 4:23 He said, “Why do you want to go see him today? It is not the new moon ⁷  or the Sabbath.” She said, “Everything’s fine.” ⁸  4:24 She saddled the donkey and told her servant, “Lead on. ⁹  Do not stop unless I say so.” ¹⁰ 

2 Kings 4:26

4:26 Now, run to meet her and ask her, ‘Are you well? Are your husband and the boy well?’” She told Gehazi, ¹¹  “Everything’s fine.”

2 Kings 5:3

5:3 She told her mistress, “If only my master were in the presence of the prophet who is in Samaria! ¹²  Then he would cure him of his skin disease.”

2 Kings 22:15

22:15 and she said to them: “This is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘Say this to the man who sent you to me:

2 Kings 4:2

4:2 Elisha said to her, “What can I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” She answered, “Your servant has nothing in the house except a small jar of olive oil.”

2 Kings 4:13

4:13 Elisha said to Gehazi, ¹³  “Tell her, ‘Look, you have treated us with such great respect. ¹⁴  What can I do for you? Can I put in a good word for you with the king or the commander of the army?’” She replied, “I’m quite secure.” ¹⁵ 

2 Kings 6:28

6:28 Then the king asked her, “What’s your problem?” She answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Hand over your son; we’ll eat him today and then eat my son tomorrow.’

2 Kings 19:23

19:23 Through your messengers you taunted the sovereign master, ¹⁶ 

‘With my many chariots ¹⁷ 

I climbed up the high mountains,

the slopes of Lebanon.

I cut down its tall cedars,

and its best evergreens.

I invaded its most remote regions, ¹⁸ 

its thickest woods.

¹ sn Jezebel associates Jehu with another assassin, Zimri, who approximately 44 years before had murdered King Elah, only to meet a violent death just a few days later (1 Kgs 16:9-20). On the surface Jezebel’s actions seem contradictory. On the one hand, she beautifies herself as if to seduce Jehu, but on the other hand, she insults and indirectly threatens him with this comparison to Zimri. Upon further reflection, however, her actions reveal a clear underlying motive. She wants to retain her power, not to mention her life. By beautifying herself, she appeals to Jehu’s sexual impulses; by threatening him, she reminds him that he is in the same precarious position as Zimri. But, if he makes Jezebel his queen, he can consolidate his power. In other words through her actions and words Jezebel is saying to Jehu, “You desire me, don’t you? And you need me!”

² tn Heb “he”; the referent (Elisha) has been specified in the translation for clarity. The referent must be Elisha here, since the following verse makes it clear that Gehazi had gone on ahead of them.

³ tn Heb “to her son.”

⁴ tn Heb “I know.”

⁵ tn Heb “holy man of God.”

⁵ tn Heb “at this appointed time, at the time [when it is] reviving.” For a discussion of the second phrase see M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 57.

⁶ sn The new moon was a time of sacrifice and special feasts (Num 28:14; 1 Sam 20:5). Apparently it was a convenient time to visit a prophet. See M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 57.

⁷ tn Heb “peace.”

⁷ tn Heb “lead [the donkey on] and go.”

⁸ tn Heb “do not restrain for me the riding unless I say to you.”

⁸ tn Heb “she said.” The narrator streamlines the story at this point, omitting any reference to Gehazi running to meet her and asking her the questions.

⁹ map For location see Map2-B1; Map4-D3; Map5-E2; Map6-A4; Map7-C1.

¹⁰ tn Heb “he said to him.”

¹¹ tn Heb “you have turned trembling to us with all this trembling.” The exaggerated language is probably idiomatic. The point seems to be that she has taken great pains or gone out of her way to be kind to them. Her concern was a sign of her respect for the prophetic office.

¹² tn Heb “Among my people I am living.” This answer suggests that she has security within the context of her family.

¹¹ tn The word is אֲדֹנָי (’adonai), “lord,” but some Hebrew mss have יְהוָה (yehvah), “Lord.”

¹² tc The consonantal text (Kethib) has בְּרֶכֶב (bÿrekhev), but this must be dittographic (note the following רִכְבִּי [rikhbi], “my chariots”). The marginal reading (Qere) בְּרֹב (bÿrov), “with many,” is supported by many Hebrew mss and ancient versions, as well as the parallel passage in Isa 37:24.

¹³ tn Heb “the lodging place of its extremity.”