2 Kings 9 33

2 Kings 9:33 kjv

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 trode her under foot.

2 Kings 9:33 nkjv

Then he said, "Throw her down." So they threw her down, and some of her blood spattered on the wall and on the horses; and he trampled her underfoot.

2 Kings 9:33 niv

"Throw her down!" Jehu said. So they threw her down, and some of her blood spattered the wall and the horses as they trampled her underfoot.

2 Kings 9:33 esv

He said, "Throw her down." So they threw her down. And some of her blood spattered on the wall and on the horses, and they trampled on her.

2 Kings 9:33 nlt

"Throw her down!" Jehu yelled. So they threw her out the window, and her blood spattered against the wall and on the horses. And Jehu trampled her body under his horses' hooves.

2 Kings 9 verses

2 Kings 9 33 Meaning

2 Kings 9:33 details the command for Jezebel's execution, her violent death, and the defiling aftermath. Jehu, acting as God's instrument of judgment against the house of Ahab and the wickedness introduced by Jezebel, ordered her removal. She was thrown from a window, resulting in her blood spattering the wall and horses, and then Jehu, symbolically treading on her, confirmed her utter disgrace and the completeness of the divine judgment against her and all she represented.

2 Kings 9 33 Context

2 Kings chapter 9 marks a pivotal moment in Israelite history: the anointing of Jehu by Elisha's disciple and the immediate execution of God's judgment against the wicked house of Ahab, as prophesied earlier by Elijah. Jehu's commission was specific: to utterly destroy Ahab's descendants and put an end to the widespread Baal worship that Ahab and Jezebel had vigorously promoted. The events preceding verse 33 involve Jehu's swift march to Jezreel, his confrontational encounter with King Joram (Ahab's son) and King Ahaziah (King of Judah, Ahab's grandson through Athaliah), and their subsequent deaths. Jehu then proceeds to Jezreel to confront Jezebel. The historical context includes decades of conflict between Yahwism and Baal worship, with Jezebel being the chief instigator and persecutor of God's prophets in Israel, challenging the very covenant with Yahweh. Her death is not merely a political assassination but a dramatic fulfillment of divine wrath against idolatry and the systemic evil it brought.

2 Kings 9 33 Word analysis

• And he said, "Cast her down."
  • He: Refers to Jehu, now established as God's anointed instrument for judgment. His words carry the weight of divine authority, signaling the imminent fulfillment of prophecy.
  • Said: A direct, unambiguous command, characteristic of Jehu's decisive nature.
  • Cast her down (שָׁלַךְ - shalak): The Hebrew word signifies to throw, hurl, or fling, often with force and disregard. It implies a violent and undignified act, mirroring the utter rejection and humiliation Jezebel was to suffer. This is the opposite of a respectful burial or proper handling of a royal person, emphasizing her utter disgrace.
• So they cast her down.
  • They: Refers to Jezebel's eunuchs (verse 32), who immediately complied with Jehu's command. Their swift obedience underscores Jehu's absolute authority and the widespread rejection of Jezebel, even within her own court. This collective action highlights the certainty of her fate.
  • Cast her down: The repetition emphasizes the immediate and unhesitating execution of the order. It seals her fate irrevocably.
• And some of her blood spattered on the wall and on the horses;
  • Blood (דָּם - dam): In biblical thought, blood signifies life itself (Lev 17:11) but also represents violence, judgment, and defilement when improperly spilled. Here, her spilled blood indicates her death as an act of judgment and also pollutes the area, signifying her defiling presence and end.
  • Spattered (נָזָה - nazah): This word often means to sprinkle, usually in ritual purification, but here describes a violent dispersal of blood, suggesting a forceful impact upon striking the ground. It paints a vivid picture of the severity of her fall.
  • On the wall: Signifies public display and a lasting mark of her demise on the fortified structures of Jezreel, where she had held sway. The wall provides a stark, visible testimony to God's judgment.
  • And on the horses: Jehu's horses, which were the instruments of his swift and decisive judgment. Her blood defiling his horses indicates the totality of her overthrow and Jehu's complete dominance. It symbolizes that even his instruments of power were involved in her abasement.
• and he trod her under foot.
  • He: Refers to Jehu. This personal act of treading signifies his complete and contemptuous victory.
  • Trod her under foot (רָמַס - ramas): This Hebrew word signifies to trample, stamp, or tread down, often associated with subduing an enemy, crushing an oppressor, or despoiling a conquered city (Isa 26:6). It denotes ultimate humiliation, disgrace, and total subjugation. This was an act of profound contempt, not merely an accidental passing over, signifying the final, utter triumph of God's appointed judge over His adversary.

• Words-group analysis:
  • "Cast her down" and "he trod her under foot": These phrases together powerfully communicate the utter disgrace and definitive end of Jezebel's wicked reign. Her life was ended by force, and her physical form subjected to the deepest contempt, a dramatic portrayal of God's decisive judgment against pride and rebellion.
  • "Blood spattered on the wall and on the horses": This vivid imagery serves multiple purposes. It publicly confirms her death, shows the violence inherent in the judgment, and ritually "defiles" the place of her idolatrous influence, signaling the end of her contaminating presence in Israel. The very instruments of divine justice (Jehu's horses) participate in her complete subjugation, signifying a thorough cleansing.

2 Kings 9 33 Bonus section

The ignominious nature of Jezebel's death, marked by the spilling of her blood and her being trodden underfoot, is a deliberate divine statement against her pervasive influence. Her defiling blood staining the wall of Jezreel underscores the defilement she brought upon the land through Baal worship and the persecution of God's prophets. The horses treading on her symbolizes the ultimate triumph of Jehu's swift, God-ordained justice over her long-standing wicked rule. This brutal end was prophesied years earlier by Elijah, demonstrating God's meticulous and long-term planning of justice (1 Kings 21:23). Although verse 33 does not explicitly mention it, the context of her complete desecration directly leads into the further fulfillment of Elijah's prophecy in 2 Kings 9:35, where dogs consumed her flesh, leaving only her skull, feet, and hands. This ensured no proper burial, stripping her of even the basic dignity accorded to the dead, fulfilling the full extent of God's judgment and serving as a stark warning against defying the Most High. Her end also serves as a potent symbol for the defeat of the spirit of idolatry and false teaching, echoing in the New Testament's warning against the symbolic "Jezebel" in Revelation 2:20.

2 Kings 9 33 Commentary

2 Kings 9:33 encapsulates the fulfillment of prophetic judgment against Jezebel and, by extension, the entire idolatrous system she championed in Israel. Jehu, acting with divine authority, ensures her death is not merely an execution but an act designed to be utterly humiliating and complete, leaving no room for any lingering respect or symbolic power. Her violent fall, the spattering blood on public surfaces and Jehu's own conveyances, and the subsequent act of treading her underfoot combine to create a shocking spectacle of total defeat and disgrace. This imagery underlines Yahweh's absolute sovereignty, His intolerance for ungodly rulers and false worship, and His faithfulness in carrying out promised judgment against those who persecute His prophets and lead His people astray. Jezebel's death here prefigures the final judgment awaiting all who persist in rebellion and spiritual adultery against God.