2 Kings 9 22

2 Kings 9:22 kjv

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 whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?

2 Kings 9:22 nkjv

Now it happened, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, "Is it peace, Jehu?" So he answered, "What peace, as long as the harlotries of your mother Jezebel and her witchcraft are so many?"

2 Kings 9:22 niv

When Joram saw Jehu he asked, "Have you come in peace, Jehu?" "How can there be peace," Jehu replied, "as long as all the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother Jezebel abound?"

2 Kings 9:22 esv

And when Joram saw Jehu, he said, "Is it peace, Jehu?" He answered, "What peace can there be, so long as the whorings and the sorceries of your mother Jezebel are so many?"

2 Kings 9:22 nlt

King Joram demanded, "Do you come in peace, Jehu?" Jehu replied, "How can there be peace as long as the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother, Jezebel, are all around us?"

2 Kings 9 verses

2 Kings 9 22 Meaning

King Jehoram of Israel asks Jehu, "Is it peace, Jehu?" (שָׁלוֹם, shalom, meaning wholeness, well-being, or safety), anticipating a peaceful transition or resolution. Jehu's curt and pointed reply, "How can there be peace so long as the harlotries and sorceries of your mother Jezebel are so many?" directly dismisses any notion of peace. He declares that the rampant idolatry, spiritual infidelity, and dark occult practices championed by Jezebel make genuine peace utterly impossible. Jehu, as God's instrument of judgment, views the pervasive wickedness as a fundamental obstacle to peace and prosperity in the land, signaling an impending, violent end to Ahab's dynasty rather than any form of reconciliation.

2 Kings 9 22 Context

2 Kings chapter 9 chronicles the divinely ordained anointing of Jehu by Elisha's prophet. Jehu's primary mission is to eradicate the corrupt house of Ahab, particularly as a consequence of Jezebel's grievous sins of introducing and promoting Baal worship and persecuting the prophets of God. Immediately after his anointing, Jehu sets off with his charioteer to Jezreel, where King Jehoram (son of Ahab and Jezebel) is recovering from battle wounds and visiting his allied King Ahaziah of Judah (also a descendant of Ahab through his mother Athaliah, Jezebel's daughter). Upon seeing Jehu's furious approach, lookouts inform Jehoram, who initially sends messengers, then goes out himself. It is in this face-to-face encounter, as Jehoram greets him with the traditional question of "peace," that Jehu delivers this stark indictment. This verse marks the precipice of God's swift and violent judgment against the unholy dynasty, which commenced with Ahab and Jezebel and infected the entire nation.

2 Kings 9 22 Word analysis

• And Jehoram said (וַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹורָם, vayyō’mer yəhōrām): Indicates a direct confrontation. Jehoram is still King, asserting a kingly inquiry.
• Is it peace, Jehu? (הַשָׁלוֹם יֵהוּא, haššālōm yêhû’):
  • הַשָׁלוֹם (haššālōm): Shalom is a profound Hebrew concept, meaning more than just absence of conflict. It encompasses completeness, welfare, soundness, tranquility, prosperity, and right relationship (with God and man). Jehoram asks if Jehu's intentions are benevolent, if the nation is secure, or if Jehu comes with goodwill, oblivious to the divine judgment at hand. His inquiry implies a superficial desire for status quo or personal safety.
  • Significance: The question itself highlights the ironic and dire state of Israel under Ahab's line. How can there be shalom when God's commands are so brazenly defied? Jehoram's question underscores his spiritual blindness to the true source of Israel's dis-peace.
• He answered (וַיֹּאמֶר, vayyō’mer): Jehu's immediate response.
• What peace (מַה שָּׁלוֹם, mah šālōm): A rhetorical question. "What kind of peace is there?" or "How can there be peace?" It emphatically denies the possibility of true shalom under the current circumstances.
• So long as (עַד בֹּוא, ‘ad bō’): Lit. "until the coming of". Implies the continuation or prevalence of Jezebel's actions makes peace impossible.
• the harlotries (זְנוּנִים, z^enunim):
  • Meaning: Literal harlotry or promiscuity. In prophetic literature, frequently a powerful metaphor for spiritual infidelity, idolatry, and breaking the covenant with YHWH. Israel, as God's bride, "prostitutes" herself when turning to foreign gods (Baal, Asherah). This term also reflects the literal cultic prostitution associated with Canaanite worship, where fertility rites involved sexual acts.
  • Original Context: Directly links Jezebel's promotion of Baal worship to spiritual betrayal and unfaithfulness to YHWH, portraying her as the chief instigator of Israel's covenant violation. Baal worship, imported from Phoenicia by Jezebel, was seductive, involving fertility cults that often included illicit sexual practices.
• and sorceries (וּכְשָׁפִים, ûḵ^ešāp̄îm):
  • Meaning: Magic, enchantments, witchcraft, divinatory arts, and forbidden occult practices. These are practices seeking power or knowledge through means other than God, often involving manipulation of spiritual forces or spirits (demonic).
  • Original Context: Directly forbidden in the Mosaic Law (Deut 18:10-12). They were often associated with pagan religions like Baalism, practiced by Jezebel and her false prophets. Such practices are seen as an affront to YHWH's sole authority and sovereignty, giving honor to other gods or entities. This also alludes to the power Jezebel wielded through illicit means.
• of your mother Jezebel (אִיזֶבֶל אִמֶּךָ, ’îzevel ’immeḵā):
  • Jezebel (אִיזֶבֶל, ’Izevel): A Tyrian (Phoenician) princess, wife of King Ahab. Her name became synonymous with wickedness, idolatry, persecution of YHWH's prophets, and corrupting influence. She orchestrated Naboth's murder for his vineyard (1 Ki 21), solidifying her notoriety. She personified the very antithesis of true worship and godly rule in Israel.
  • Significance: The accusation links Jehoram directly to his mother's profound sins, making him accountable for their continuation and effect. The generational nature of sin's influence is highlighted. Jehu sees Jezebel not merely as an individual, but as the symbol and engine of the rampant spiritual degradation.
• are so many (רַבִּים כְּלֵיהֶם, rabîm kəlêhem): "their great multitude" or "are many." Emphasizes the widespread and pervasive nature of these evil practices throughout the kingdom, indicating that it was not merely private sin but systemic corruption impacting the entire nation.

Words-group analysis:

• "What peace, so long as the harlotries and sorceries... are so many?": This phrase is a divine judgment spoken through Jehu. It declares an incompatibility between pervasive wickedness (especially spiritual harlotry and sorcery) and God-given peace. True shalom cannot exist where there is rebellion against YHWH and spiritual defilement. It highlights God's justice in not blessing sin and indicates that the current state demands violent purification, not peaceful negotiation. This serves as a polemic against any syncretism or tolerance of pagan practices; they destroy national well-being.

2 Kings 9 22 Bonus section

The direct mention of "your mother Jezebel" highlights the matriarchal source of much of the national apostasy and perversion during Ahab's dynasty. It also points to the lasting negative influence a single individual can have, spreading profound wickedness throughout generations and the very fabric of society. Jehu's bluntness signifies the righteous indignation that God harbored against this deep-seated rebellion and underscores the urgency of His appointed judgment. It's not a mere personal vendetta, but a divine purging. The rapid and uncompromising nature of Jehu's actions from this point onward is a testament to the severity of the spiritual disease Jehu identified, demanding an immediate and total amputation rather than gentle treatment.

2 Kings 9 22 Commentary

Jehu's response to Jehoram cuts through any superficial pleasantries, delivering a brutal truth and signaling the end of an era. The question of "peace" (shalom) is immediately confronted by the profound absence of it, brought about by the entrenched spiritual and moral corruption epitomized by Jezebel. She embodied not only Baal worship, importing it actively into Israel, but also occultic practices that challenged God's sole authority and defiled the land. Jehu's words expose the hollowness of any perceived "peace" while such an egregious affront to God persisted. True shalom is dependent upon righteousness and right relationship with God. When the people and their rulers actively engage in "harlotries" (idolatry, unfaithfulness to YHWH) and "sorceries" (seeking power/guidance outside of God through occult means), divine judgment is inevitable, precluding any possibility of divine favor or societal well-being. This verse therefore sets the stage for God's severe but righteous cleansing of Israel, illustrating that lasting peace can never be established on a foundation of ungodliness and rebellion against Him.