2 Kings 9:32 kjv
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 eunuchs.
2 Kings 9:32 nkjv
And he looked up at the window, and said, "Who is on my side? Who?" So two or three eunuchs looked out at him.
2 Kings 9:32 niv
He looked up at the window and called out, "Who is on my side? Who?" Two or three eunuchs looked down at him.
2 Kings 9:32 esv
And he lifted up his face to the window and said, "Who is on my side? Who?" Two or three eunuchs looked out at him.
2 Kings 9:32 nlt
Jehu looked up and saw her at the window and shouted, "Who is on my side?" And two or three eunuchs looked out at him.
2 Kings 9 32 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Kgs 21:23 | "The Lord also spoke of Jezebel, 'The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall..." | Prophecy against Jezebel |
| 2 Kgs 9:7-10 | "...strike down the house of Ahab...eat Jezebel in the plot of ground..." | Prophecy through the prophet fulfilled here |
| 1 Kgs 19:16 | "You shall anoint Jehu...to be king over Israel..." | Elisha's commission for Jehu's kingship |
| 2 Kgs 10:11 | "So Jehu killed all who remained of the house of Ahab..." | Jehu's thorough execution of judgment |
| Prov 16:18 | "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." | Jezebel's pride leading to her fall |
| Isa 14:12-15 | "How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn!...brought down." | Fall of proud and oppressive figures |
| Luke 1:51-52 | "...He has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; He has cast down the mighty from their thrones..." | God's justice in deposing the proud and powerful |
| Ps 75:6-7 | "For exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west...but God is the Judge." | God is the ultimate giver and taker of authority |
| Dan 2:21 | "He changes times and seasons; He removes kings and installs kings." | God's sovereignty over rulers |
| Josh 24:15 | "...choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve..." | Call for decision and allegiance |
| 1 Kgs 18:21 | "...How long will you falter between two opinions?..." | Call to choose between loyalty to God or Baal |
| Matt 6:24 | "No one can serve two masters..." | The impossibility of divided loyalties |
| Rom 6:16 | "Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves?" | Service and allegiance imply obedience |
| Prov 21:1 | "The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, like the rivers of water..." | God's power over human leaders' actions |
| Ezek 7:27 | "The king will mourn, the prince will be clothed with desolation..." | Judgment affects even the highest authority |
| Rev 17:16 | "The ten horns...will hate the harlot...and consume her flesh." | Future divine judgment on spiritual harlotry (echo) |
| Zeph 1:8 | "I will punish the princes and the king’s children..." | Judgment on those in power |
| Jer 13:18 | "...say to the king and the queen, ‘Humble yourselves; Sit down..." | Warning to arrogant rulers |
| Job 19:19 | "All my intimate friends detest me; those I love have turned against me." | Betrayal from within close circles |
| Mic 7:6 | "For the son dishonors the father, the daughter rises against her mother..." | Division within a household |
| Jer 22:20 | "Go up to Lebanon, and cry out...all your lovers are destroyed." | Forsaken by former allies |
2 Kings 9 verses
2 Kings 9 32 Meaning
This verse describes the pivotal moment in Jehu's coup where he demands allegiance from within Jezebel's palace. After confronting and announcing divine judgment to Jezebel, Jehu calls out to the loyalists within the royal household to align themselves with him. In immediate response, two or three court officials, described as eunuchs, peer out of the window, signifying their willingness to comply with Jehu's demand and thus facilitate Jezebel's demise.
2 Kings 9 32 Context
The immediate context of 2 Kings 9:32 is Jehu's divinely orchestrated coup against the corrupt house of Ahab and Jezebel in Israel. Following his anointing by a prophet of Elisha with the specific command to "strike down the house of Ahab," Jehu immediately rallies his fellow commanders and makes a swift, decisive move towards Jezreel. Upon arriving, he encounters Jezebel, who attempts to defy him from her window by questioning his legitimacy, comparing him to Zimri, a short-lived usurper. This verse captures Jehu's direct response, bypassing her taunt to call for immediate action from her own retinue, initiating the direct fulfillment of divine judgment against her. The broader historical context reveals God's patient yet resolute justice against generations of idolatry, injustice, and the propagation of Baal worship that Ahab and Jezebel had entrenched in Israel.
2 Kings 9 32 Word analysis
- Then he lifted up his face: This action denotes Jehu's direct and unwavering confrontation. It shows resolve and a commanding presence, not looking away or shying from Jezebel's presence but addressing the palace itself.
- to the window: The window serves as Jezebel's last vantage point, symbolic of her position of power and defiance. It highlights her visible and unrepentant posture even in her final moments.
- and said, "Who is on my side? Who?": This is a direct, emphatic challenge and a call for immediate allegiance. The repetition of "Who?" underscores the urgency, demanding a clear and public declaration of loyalty from those inside the palace. It indicates a power struggle where Jehu demands active participation, not passive acquiescence. This question serves as a loyalty test, forcing individuals to choose between the old, condemned regime and the new, divinely sanctioned authority.
- And two or three eunuchs:
- "Eunuchs" (Hebrew: sarisim / סריסים): This term, while historically referring to castrated males, was often used in ancient Near Eastern courts to denote high-ranking officials, chamberlains, or guardians of the royal harem, whether physically emasculated or not. In this context, they represent key, trusted palace insiders directly connected to the royal household and likely to Jezebel's personal retinue. Their ready response indicates either a genuine shift in loyalty or a pragmatic decision to align with the obvious emerging power.
- "two or three": The small, specific number emphasizes that these are not merely a faceless crowd, but key individuals, a critical mass capable of action. It shows the limited immediate support for Jezebel within her own palace when truly tested, as opposed to the strong presence Jehu brings.
- looked out at him: This action signifies their public response to Jehu's call. It demonstrates their compliance and readiness to act upon his command, marking a pivotal moment of betrayal against Jezebel and the practical commencement of the judgment against her.
2 Kings 9 32 Bonus section
The immediate compliance of the eunuchs is a critical detail. In many ancient Near Eastern cultures, eunuchs often occupied positions of high trust and proximity to royalty precisely because their physical state was believed to reduce personal ambitions (like establishing a dynasty) and make them entirely dependent on the monarch. Their turning on Jezebel reveals how completely God had abandoned her and undermined her influence, even among her most loyal and intimate servants. This rapid defection indicates a profound shift in power, showing that God's hand was firmly guiding Jehu's coup and that no human opposition could withstand His decreed judgment.
2 Kings 9 32 Commentary
2 Kings 9:32 encapsulates the swift and uncompromising execution of God's judgment upon the house of Ahab and Jezebel through His appointed instrument, Jehu. This verse highlights Jehu's bold and direct challenge to the authority within Jezebel's court, demanding a clear choice of allegiance. The immediate response of the sarisim underscores the brittle nature of loyalty to a doomed regime and God's sovereignty over the affairs of even powerful rulers. The choice these officials made to side with Jehu, a relatively unknown entity moments before, illustrates the persuasive power of divine authority and the fear of imminent justice. This moment effectively isolates Jezebel and sets the stage for the dramatic fulfillment of the prophetic word concerning her end, demonstrating God's unwavering resolve against wickedness and idolatry. It serves as a stark reminder that all earthly power ultimately bows before God's decreed will.