2 Kings 9 27

2 Kings 9:27 kjv

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 did so at the going up to Gur, which is by Ibleam. And he fled to Megiddo, and died there.

2 Kings 9:27 nkjv

But when Ahaziah king of Judah saw this, he fled by the road to Beth Haggan. So Jehu pursued him, and said, "Shoot him also in the chariot." And they shot him at the Ascent of Gur, which is by Ibleam. Then he fled to Megiddo, and died there.

2 Kings 9:27 niv

When Ahaziah king of Judah saw what had happened, he fled up the road to Beth Haggan. Jehu chased him, shouting, "Kill him too!" They wounded him in his chariot on the way up to Gur near Ibleam, but he escaped to Megiddo and died there.

2 Kings 9:27 esv

When Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled in the direction of Beth-haggan. And Jehu pursued him and said, "Shoot him also." And they shot him in the chariot at the ascent of Gur, which is by Ibleam. And he fled to Megiddo and died there.

2 Kings 9:27 nlt

When King Ahaziah of Judah saw what was happening, he fled along the road to Beth-haggan. Jehu rode after him, shouting, "Shoot him, too!" So they shot Ahaziah in his chariot at the Ascent of Gur, near Ibleam. He was able to go on as far as Megiddo, but he died there.

2 Kings 9 verses

2 Kings 9 27 Meaning

King Ahaziah of Judah, observing the swift and violent judgment executed by Jehu upon King Joram of Israel, immediately attempted to escape. Jehu, relentless in his divinely ordained purge of the Omride dynasty and its allies, pursued Ahaziah. Jehu commanded his men to strike down Ahaziah in his chariot. Ahaziah was mortally wounded near Gur, which is by Ibleam, but managed to flee further to Megiddo, where he eventually died. This event signifies the comprehensive nature of God's judgment against the wickedness of the house of Ahab and those closely associated with it, even the king of Judah due to his sinful alliance and familial ties.

2 Kings 9 27 Context

This verse is a crucial point in Jehu's divinely commanded purge of the Omride dynasty in Israel, following his anointing as king by a prophet from Elisha (2 Kgs 9:1-10). Jehu was charged with executing judgment upon the house of Ahab for its pervasive idolatry and wickedness (specifically, the shedding of innocent blood by Jezebel, Ahab's wife). The narrative begins with Jehu quickly consolidating power and driving towards Jezreel to confront King Joram of Israel, Ahab's son. Upon Joram's death, Jehu extends the purge to Ahaziah, king of Judah. Ahaziah's presence with Joram at Jezreel stems from a strong political alliance forged through intermarriage between their royal families (Ahaziah's mother, Athaliah, was Ahab's daughter). This familial tie implicated Ahaziah in the wickedness of the Omride house, leading to his inclusion in the divine judgment against them, making his death a direct consequence of his ungodly affiliations. Historically, Megiddo was a strategic city, a place of significant battles and deaths for kings, reinforcing the somber gravity of Ahaziah's end there.

2 Kings 9 27 Word analysis

Word by word analysis:

• When: Signals the immediate aftermath and response to a preceding event.
• Ahaziah: (’Achazyahu, "Yahweh has grasped" or "Yahweh sustains"). The reigning king of Judah (southern kingdom). His name, ironically, implies divine protection, which he did not receive due to his wickedness and association with Ahab's house.
• king of Judah: Specifies his realm, distinct from Joram king of Israel. His kingship does not exempt him from judgment.
• saw this: Referring to the sudden and violent death of Joram, Ahaziah's ally and relative, executed by Jehu. It indicates a clear understanding of the immediate threat.
• he fled: An immediate, instinctual reaction to mortal danger and a realization of the comprehensive nature of Jehu's wrath.
• by the way: Indicates the escape route or direction.
• of the garden house: (beit haggan). Likely a royal complex or exit pathway, perhaps a back way or an area known to the palace residents for escape. It points to a specific, identifiable location.
• But: A strong conjunction introducing a contrast or shift; Ahaziah's flight is countered by Jehu's pursuit.
• Jehu: (Yehu’, "He is Yahweh"). The newly anointed king of Israel, God's instrument of judgment. His zeal for the Lord is prominent.
• pursued him there: Emphasizes Jehu's relentlessness and determination to fulfill his commission completely, showing no mercy for those marked for judgment.
• and said: Indicates Jehu giving a direct command to his men, confirming his authority and intent.
• "Strike him down: A clear, unequivocal command for lethal action, marking Ahaziah for execution.
• also: (gam). Crucial for indicating that Ahaziah is included in the wider judgment. Not just Joram, but those connected to the wickedness of Ahab's house must also be purged.
• in the chariot!" Specifies the immediate location of the strike, perhaps while he was attempting to make his escape or signifying a blow sustained while in transit.
• And they struck him down: The immediate and obedient execution of Jehu's command.
• at Gur: (Gur). A specific geographical location, likely a road or a pass. Its name may mean "a lodging place."
• which is by Ibleam: (Yiblĕ’am). A specific town in the territory of Manasseh, further defining the location of the attack, making the event geographically precise.
• So: Denotes a consequence or continuation.
• he fled to Megiddo: After being mortally wounded at Gur, Ahaziah continued to flee. Megiddo (Məḡiddo) was a historically significant strategic city, often a site of conflict and death, implying he sought refuge or medical attention there.
• and died there: The final, definitive outcome of the pursuit and attack. His life ended at Megiddo, confirming the full execution of God's judgment through Jehu.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "When Ahaziah king of Judah saw this, he fled by the way of the garden house." This segment portrays the instantaneous flight of Ahaziah in the face of Jehu's decisive judgment. His use of a presumed known royal escape route (the "garden house") highlights a desperate attempt to survive. It sets the scene for the chase.
• "But Jehu pursued him there, and said, 'Strike him down also in the chariot!'" This captures the active, unyielding zeal of Jehu. The word "also" ("gam" in Hebrew) is particularly significant, underscoring that Jehu's divine commission extended beyond Joram to all who were linked to Ahab's wickedness, including Ahaziah due to his alliance and lineage through Athaliah. The command indicates immediate action and an absolute intent to execute judgment.
• "And they struck him down at Gur, which is by Ibleam. So he fled to Megiddo and died there." This passage details the success of Jehu's command, providing geographical specificity for the event. The phrasing implies that Ahaziah received a mortal wound at Gur-Ibleam, from which he still attempted to escape, only to die later in Megiddo. This shows that despite his flight, divine judgment, carried out by Jehu, relentlessly pursued him to his end. The locations add historical veracity and a sense of inescapability from his fate.

2 Kings 9 27 Bonus section

The seemingly slight textual variation between 2 Kings 9:27 and 2 Chronicles 22:9 (where 2 Chr states Ahaziah was caught hiding in Samaria and brought to Jehu, rather than being struck while fleeing from Jezreel towards Megiddo) has been a point of discussion. However, commentators generally reconcile these accounts as complementary rather than contradictory. 2 Kings 9:27 focuses on the direct chase from Jezreel, resulting in a fatal wound. Ahaziah then, gravely injured, continues his flight and seeks refuge or medical attention further south/west, potentially to Samaria before succumbing to his injuries or being captured there and then brought back to Jehu before his eventual death or being executed once caught. The account in 2 Kings, specifically targeting a detailed narrative of Jehu's initial pursuit from Jezreel, emphasizes the immediate and direct fulfillment of the prophecy against all of Ahab's associates at that critical moment of the purge. The crucial point is that regardless of the precise point of death, the event aligns perfectly with the comprehensive divine judgment on Ahab's wicked house, which implicated Ahaziah due to his family ties and alliances. Megiddo, the final resting place of Ahaziah, also symbolically foreshadows later instances of significant kings meeting their end there (like Josiah in 2 Kgs 23:29), highlighting its significance as a place where earthly kings fall.

2 Kings 9 27 Commentary

2 Kings 9:27 concisely narrates the culmination of Ahaziah's brief reign, tragically intertwined with the violent judgment brought upon the house of Ahab. Ahaziah, king of Judah, by aligning himself with King Joram of Israel (Ahab's son), sealed his own fate. His presence with Joram at Jezreel marked him as complicit in the wicked lineage that God had determined to eradicate through Jehu. The text vividly portrays Jehu's swift and thorough execution of his divine mandate; he allowed no escape for those designated for judgment. Ahaziah's desperate flight and Jehu's relentless pursuit underscore the inescapability of God's wrath when judgment is due. The detailed geographical locations – the garden house, Gur, Ibleam, and Megiddo – ground this divinely orchestrated purge in specific historical reality. Ultimately, Ahaziah's death at Megiddo serves as a stark warning: political alliances with the ungodly can bring divine condemnation, even upon kings. It illustrates that God's justice knows no partiality, judging all who walk in wickedness.