The Bible Story

by Newton Marshall Hall; Irving Francis Wood

And Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his chariot, and they went out to meet Jehu, and found him in the field which had belonged to Naboth the Jezreelite. And it came to pass, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, "Is it peace, Jehu?"

And he answered, "What peace, so long as the evil deeds of thy mother Jezebel and her witch crafts are so many?"

And Joram turned his hands and fled, and said to Ahaziah, "There is treachery, O Ahaziah."

And Jehu drew his bow with his full strength, and smote Joram between his arms, and the arrow went out at his heart, and he sunk down in his chariot.

Then said Jehu to Bidkar his captain, "Take him up, and cast him into the field of Naboth the Jezreelite: for [{161}] remember how, when I and thou rode together after Ahab his father, the Lord laid this burden upon him; 'Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth, and the blood of his sons,' saith the Lord; 'and I will requite thee in this field,' saith the Lord. Now therefore cast him into this piece of ground, according to the word of the Lord."

But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the way of the garden house. And Jehu followed after him, and said, "Smite him also in the chariot": and they smote him on the way. And he fled to Megiddo, and died there. And his servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him in his sepulcher with his fathers in the city of David.

And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her eyelids, and adorned her head, and looked out at the window. And as Jehu entered in at the gate, she said, "Is it peace, thou Zimri, thy master's murderer?"

And he lifted up his face to the window, and said, "Who is on my side? who?" And there looked out to him two or three servants.

And he said, "Throw her down."

So they threw her down: and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses: and he trampled her under foot. And when he was come in, he ate and drank; and he said, "See now to this cursed woman, and bury her: for she is a king's daughter."