2 Kings 9:18-22

9:18 So the horseman ¹  went to meet him and said, “This is what the king says, ‘Is everything all right?’” ²  Jehu replied, “None of your business! ³  Follow me.” The watchman reported, “The messenger reached them, but hasn’t started back.” 9:19 So he sent a second horseman out to them ⁴  and he said, “This is what the king says, ‘Is everything all right?’” ⁵  Jehu replied, “None of your business! Follow me.” 9:20 The watchman reported, “He reached them, but hasn’t started back. The one who drives the lead chariot drives like Jehu son of Nimshi; ⁶  he drives recklessly.” 9:21 Jehoram ordered, “Hitch up my chariot.” ⁷  When his chariot had been hitched up, ⁸  King Jehoram of Israel and King Ahaziah of Judah went out in their respective chariots ⁹  to meet Jehu. They met up with him ¹⁰  in the plot of land that had once belonged to Naboth of Jezreel.

9:22 When Jehoram saw Jehu, he asked, “Is everything all right, Jehu?” He replied, “How can everything be all right as long as your mother Jezebel promotes idolatry and pagan practices?” ¹¹ 

[9:18]  ¹ tn Heb “the rider of the horse.”

[9:18]  ² tn Heb “Is there peace?”

[9:18]  ³ tn Heb “What concerning you and concerning peace?” That is, “What concern is that to you?”

[9:19]  ⁴ tn Heb “and he came to them.”

[9:19]  ⁵ tc The MT has simply “peace,” omitting the prefixed interrogative particle. It is likely that the particle has been accidentally omitted; several ancient witnesses include it or assume its presence.

[9:20]  ⁶ tn Heb “and the driving is like the driving of Jehu son of Nimshi.”

[9:21]  ⁷ tn The words “my chariot” are added for clarification.

[9:21]  ⁸ tn Heb “and he hitched up his chariot.”

[9:21]  ⁹ tn Heb “each in his chariot and they went out.”

[9:21]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “they found him.”

[9:22]  ¹¹ tn Heb “How [can there be] peace as long as the adulterous acts of Jezebel your mother and her many acts of sorcery [continue]?” In this instance “adulterous acts” is employed metaphorically for idolatry. As elsewhere in the OT, worshiping other gods is viewed as spiritual adultery and unfaithfulness to the one true God. The phrase “many acts of sorcery” could be taken literally, for Jezebel undoubtedly utilized pagan divination practices, but the phrase may be metaphorical, pointing to her devotion to pagan customs in general.