2 Kings 9:1-6

Jehu Becomes King

9:1 Now Elisha the prophet summoned a member of the prophetic guild ¹  and told him, “Tuck your robes into your belt, take this container ²  of olive oil in your hand, and go to Ramoth Gilead. 9:2 When you arrive there, look for Jehu son of Jehoshaphat son of Nimshi and take him aside into an inner room. ³  9:3 Take the container of olive oil, pour it over his head, and say, ‘This is what the Lord says, “I have designated ⁴  you as king over Israel.”’ Then open the door and run away quickly!” ⁵ 

9:4 So the young prophet ⁶  went to Ramoth Gilead. 9:5 When he arrived, the officers of the army were sitting there. ⁷  So he said, “I have a message for you, O officer.” ⁸  Jehu asked, “For which one of us?” ⁹  He replied, “For you, O officer.” 9:6 So Jehu ¹⁰  got up and went inside. Then the prophet ¹¹  poured the olive oil on his head and said to him, “This is what the Lord God of Israel says, ‘I have designated you as king over the Lord’s people Israel.

[9:1]  ¹ tn Heb “one of the sons of the prophets.”

[9:1]  ² tn Or “flask.”

[9:2]  ³ tn Heb “and go and set him apart from his brothers and bring him into an inner room in an inner room.”

[9:3]  ⁴ tn Heb “anointed.”

[9:3]  ⁵ tn Heb “and open the door and run away and do not delay.”

[9:4]  ⁶ tc Heb “the young man, the young man, the prophet.” The MT is probably dittographic, the phrase “the young man” being accidentally repeated. The phrases “the young man” and “the prophet” are appositional, with the latter qualifying more specifically the former.

[9:5]  ⁷ tn Heb “and he arrived and look, the officers of the army were sitting.”

[9:5]  ⁸ tn Heb “[there is] a word for me to you, O officer.”

[9:5]  ⁹ tn Heb “To whom from all of us?”

[9:6]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jehu) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[9:6]  ¹¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the prophet) has been specified in the translation for clarity.