2 Kings 9 18

2 Kings 9:18 kjv

So there went one on horseback to meet him, and said, Thus saith the king, Is it peace? And Jehu said, What hast thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me. And the watchman told, saying, The messenger came to them, but he cometh not again.

2 Kings 9:18 nkjv

So the horseman went to meet him, and said, "Thus says the king: 'Is it peace?' " And Jehu said, "What have you to do with peace? Turn around and follow me." So the watchman reported, saying, "The messenger went to them, but is not coming back."

2 Kings 9:18 niv

The horseman rode off to meet Jehu and said, "This is what the king says: 'Do you come in peace?'?" "What do you have to do with peace?" Jehu replied. "Fall in behind me." The lookout reported, "The messenger has reached them, but he isn't coming back."

2 Kings 9:18 esv

So a man on horseback went to meet him and said, "Thus says the king, 'Is it peace?'" And Jehu said, "What do you have to do with peace? Turn around and ride behind me." And the watchman reported, saying, "The messenger reached them, but he is not coming back."

2 Kings 9:18 nlt

So a horseman went out to meet Jehu and said, "The king wants to know if you are coming in peace." Jehu replied, "What do you know about peace? Fall in behind me!" The watchman called out to the king, "The messenger has met them, but he's not returning."

2 Kings 9 verses

2 Kings 9 18 Meaning

This verse depicts the pivotal encounter between Jehu and the second royal messenger, revealing Jehu's firm resolve and the nature of his divinely commissioned mission. When the messenger inquires "Is it peace?", a standard diplomatic query concerning intentions, Jehu rejects the premise, signaling that there is no possibility of "peace" with the existing regime of King Joram (from Ahab's line). His command, "What do you have to do with peace? Turn around behind me," is a direct repudiation of conventional diplomacy and a forceful demand for allegiance, compelling the messenger to join his revolutionary force. It highlights the decisive break from the status quo and the imminent execution of divine judgment against the house of Ahab.

2 Kings 9 18 Context

Chapter 9 of 2 Kings initiates a pivotal phase in Israel's history—the anointing of Jehu to destroy the wicked house of Ahab, fulfilling Elijah's prophecy (1 Kgs 19:16) and Elisha's command. Jehu, a military commander, is unexpectedly anointed king by a prophet from Elisha, with the specific divine mandate to annihilate Jezebel and all her descendants and worshipers. After being proclaimed king by his officers in Ramoth-Gilead, Jehu sets off rapidly toward Jezreel where King Joram of Israel and King Ahaziah of Judah were recovering. The watchman in Jezreel spots Jehu's furious approach and messengers are dispatched to ascertain his intentions. The first messenger, like the one in this verse, does not return, having been commanded to follow Jehu. This verse underscores Jehu's absolute authority and direct, uncompromising action in the face of royal inquiry, marking the irreversible onset of the judgment on Ahab's dynasty.

2 Kings 9 18 Word analysis

• So: Introduces the consequence or next step in the narrative, indicating a progression following the first messenger's failure to return.
• the horseman: Transliterated from Hebrew parash (פָּרַשׁ), meaning "horseman" or "rider." This term implies a swift and official military envoy, capable of rapid movement, signifying a royal messenger dispatched for critical intelligence.
• went: Hebrew wayyēlek (וַיֵּלֶךְ), a common verb for "to go" or "to walk," here emphasizing the forward movement of the messenger towards Jehu's company.
• to meet him: Hebrew liqra’tō (לִקְרָאתוֹ), meaning "to meet him" or "towards him." It denotes an intentional convergence, highlighting the messenger's mission to intercept Jehu's procession.
• and said: Hebrew wayyō'mer (וַיֹּאמֶר), a standard narrative connector, signaling the initiation of dialogue.
• 'Thus says: Hebrew kōh 'āmar (כֹּה אָמַר), a formulaic phrase common in diplomatic and prophetic discourse, used to introduce an official message or pronouncement, here from the king. It lends authority to the messenger's inquiry.
• the king: Refers to King Joram of Israel, from whom the message originates, asserting royal authority.
• 'Is it peace?': Hebrew hăššālôm (הַשָּׁלוֹם). The definite article 'the' makes it specific – "Is it the peace?", implying "Is the situation (which we assumed was hostile) in fact a peaceful one?" or "Is everything okay and harmonious?". Shalom (שָׁלוֹם) is a profound Hebrew term that extends beyond mere absence of conflict. It encompasses well-being, wholeness, prosperity, security, health, welfare, completeness, and harmonious relationships. In this political context, it inquires about Jehu's intentions: Is he coming as an ally or with hostile intent? Is he seeking good relations, or is his arrival a threat to the established order? The query itself is loaded, assessing the political atmosphere and the safety of the throne.
• And Jehu said: Again, the standard narrative connector, setting up Jehu's direct response.
• 'What do you have to do with peace?': Hebrew mah ləḵā wəl-šālôm (מַה לְּךָ וְלַשָּׁלוֹם). This is a rhetorical question that sharply dismisses the messenger's inquiry. Literally, "What to you and to peace?" It expresses a profound detachment or irrelevance. Jehu implies that "peace" (as Joram understands it) is not a relevant concept for this messenger, nor for the current state of affairs under the Omride dynasty. It's a forceful rejection of Joram's assumption of any "peaceful" outcome or an invitation to alliance. It challenges the messenger's right to ask about peace given the impending judgment.
• 'Turn around behind me.': Hebrew sōḇ ’aḥăray (סֹב אַחֲרָי). A direct, imperative command meaning "turn around and follow me" or "join me." This command is not a request but an assertion of authority, demanding immediate submission and allegiance. It tests the messenger's loyalty: if he truly comes in peace, he must align with Jehu, forsaking his old master. It's a forced conscription, absorbing the king's intelligence into Jehu's revolutionary party, showing Jehu's decisive and uncompromising nature.

• "Thus says the king: 'Is it peace?'": This phrase encapsulates the standard royal diplomatic protocol, aiming to ascertain the intent of an approaching party. The repeated dispatch of messengers (compare 2 Kgs 9:17) signifies King Joram's growing anxiety and hope for a peaceful resolution or a friendly approach. It represents the old regime trying to maintain order.
• "What do you have to do with peace? Turn around behind me.": This is Jehu's revolutionary pronouncement. The first part, "What do you have to do with peace?", signifies a profound rupture, declaring that there can be no common ground or 'peace' between the corrupt Omride rule and the divinely mandated judgment he embodies. It also questions the messenger's own place in this collapsing order. The second part, "Turn around behind me," is a command for immediate allegiance, marking the messenger's forced defection and Jehu's immediate accumulation of followers. It's a test of loyalty and a visible sign of Jehu's rapidly consolidating power, sweeping others into his divine agenda.

2 Kings 9 18 Bonus section

Jehu's handling of the messengers foreshadows his entire campaign: he leaves no room for neutrality. His zeal (later noted in 2 Kgs 10:16) for fulfilling the Lord's word means that all inquiries or obstacles are either assimilated into his cause or ruthlessly eliminated. This reflects the intense, purifying nature of divine judgment that God occasionally orchestrates through human agents. The term shalom, often invoked in diplomacy, here becomes a marker of profound irony, as God's chosen agent of war effectively declares that the only true "peace" for Israel can come after the violent eradication of the Omride legacy of evil and idolatry.

2 Kings 9 18 Commentary

This verse serves as a crucial inflection point, immediately demonstrating Jehu's uncompromising and decisive nature. When faced with a conventional diplomatic inquiry about "peace" – the well-being and stability of the kingdom – Jehu cuts straight to the core issue. His rhetorical question, "What do you have to do with peace?", isn't merely dismissive; it’s a radical declaration that true peace is incompatible with the wicked reign of Joram and the house of Ahab. There can be no genuine "shalom" under a regime steeped in idolatry and bloodshed (as later clarified in 2 Kgs 9:22, referring to Jezebel's harlotries and sorceries). His subsequent command, "Turn around behind me," signifies a forced enrollment, illustrating Jehu's strategy of testing loyalty and accumulating followers rather than engaging in dialogue. This encounter highlights that when divine judgment is imminent, diplomatic niceties are set aside; the call is for alignment with God's purpose or facing His wrath.