2 Kings 9 36

2 Kings 9:36 kjv

Wherefore they came again, and told him. And he said, This is the word of the LORD, which he spake by his servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, In the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel:

2 Kings 9:36 nkjv

Therefore they came back and told him. And he said, "This is the word of the LORD, which He spoke by His servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 'On the plot of ground at Jezreel dogs shall eat the flesh of Jezebel;

2 Kings 9:36 niv

They went back and told Jehu, who said, "This is the word of the LORD that he spoke through his servant Elijah the Tishbite: On the plot of ground at Jezreel dogs will devour Jezebel's flesh.

2 Kings 9:36 esv

When they came back and told him, he said, "This is the word of the LORD, which he spoke by his servant Elijah the Tishbite: 'In the territory of Jezreel the dogs shall eat the flesh of Jezebel,

2 Kings 9:36 nlt

When they returned and told Jehu, he stated, "This fulfills the message from the LORD, which he spoke through his servant Elijah from Tishbe: 'At the plot of land in Jezreel, dogs will eat Jezebel's body.

2 Kings 9 verses

2 Kings 9 36 Meaning

2 Kings 9:36 records Jehu's declaration that Jezebel's gruesome end precisely fulfilled the divine word spoken earlier by the prophet Elijah. Her body, left on the ground at Jezreel, was consumed by dogs, a fate symbolizing utter disgrace, rejection, and a lack of proper burial. This specific and ignoble demise was God's decreed judgment upon her for her extensive idolatry and persecution of His prophets.

2 Kings 9 36 Context

This verse is situated immediately after the dramatic death of Queen Jezebel in 2 Kings chapter 9. Jehu, having been divinely anointed king to execute judgment upon the house of Ahab and Jezebel, has just arrived at Jezreel after executing King Joram of Israel and King Ahaziah of Judah. Upon hearing of Jehu's arrival, Jezebel adorned herself and appeared at the window, challenging him with a sarcastic greeting comparing him to Zimri (a former king who quickly assassinated his predecessor and died soon after). Jehu, undeterred, ordered her eunuchs to throw her down from the window. Her body was trampled by horses, and her blood splattered on the wall. Afterward, Jehu entered to eat and drink. He then sent servants to bury her, remembering her former status as a king's daughter. However, they found only her skull, feet, and hands, because dogs had already devoured her flesh. This grim scene directly validates the precise details of Elijah's earlier prophecy. The chapter narrates a brutal, divinely ordained purge of the Omride dynasty, underscoring God's absolute sovereignty and the certainty of His spoken word against sin.

2 Kings 9 36 Word analysis

• Therefore (וַיֹּאמֶר - wa-yyo'mer): Connects the outcome directly to the preceding events of Jezebel's death. It highlights that the events were not coincidental but consequential, a fulfillment.
• when they came back and told him: Refers to Jehu's servants who went to bury Jezebel but found her body dismembered by dogs. Their report confirms the specific details.
• he said: Jehu, the executor of divine judgment, recognizes the immediate fulfillment of prophecy.
• This is the word of the LORD (זֶה דְּבַר יְהוָה - zeh devar Yahweh): A powerful declaration, asserting divine authority and direct authorship of the event. "Word of the LORD" signifies absolute truth and unstoppable power.
• which He spoke: Emphasizes divine utterance and intent, prior to the event.
• by His servant (בְּיַד עַבְדּוֹ - bəyad ‘avdo): Highlights the prophetic intermediary, Elijah, as God's instrument. It underscores the messenger's role as a channel for divine truth.
• Elijah the Tishbite: Identifies the specific prophet. Elijah was a significant figure known for his conflict with Ahab and Jezebel over Baal worship. His title "the Tishbite" points to his origin and distinct identity.
• saying (לֵאמֹר - le’mor): Introduces the exact prophecy that is now being fulfilled.
• On the plot of ground at Jezreel (בְּחֵלֶק יִזְרְעֶאל - bəḥeleḳ Yizra‘el): Specific location detail, often connected to Ahab's acquisition of Naboth's vineyard through Jezebel's scheme (1 Kings 21). This adds another layer of poetic justice, as the judgment takes place in a setting of past injustice.
• dogs will devour (הַכְּלָבִים יֹאכְלוּ - ha-kelāvim yokhelu): "Dogs" in this context refer to wild, scavenger dogs. This signifies an utterly ignoble, disrespectful, and brutal end. In ancient Near Eastern culture, lack of proper burial and consumption by scavengers was a deep dishonor and a sign of utter curse and judgment, an effective polemic against a queen who reveled in human sacrifice.
• the flesh of Jezebel: Specifies the victim. Her very substance, not just her spirit, suffers this humiliation. It completes the judgment against the personification of wickedness.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "This is the word of the LORD, which He spoke by His servant Elijah the Tishbite": This phrase strongly asserts the prophetic fulfillment. It reinforces God's faithfulness to His promises, whether of blessing or judgment, demonstrating His absolute control over human history. It elevates the prophetic word to the status of divine decree, immutable and inevitable. It stands as a theological validation of Elijah's ministry and a warning against those who defy God's spokesmen.
• "On the plot of ground at Jezreel dogs will devour the flesh of Jezebel": This detailed prophecy highlights the precision of divine judgment. The specific location links it to previous sins of the Omride dynasty, particularly Naboth's vineyard. The method of her demise by "dogs" signified maximum degradation, reserved for the most wicked. It's a powerful symbolic statement against the arrogance of power and a vivid representation of a cursed end for one who systematically defied Yahweh and championed Baal. This served as a strong polemic against the supposed power and protection of Baal.

2 Kings 9 36 Bonus section

The fulfillment of Elijah's prophecy against Jezebel also draws a stark contrast with the elaborate burials often accorded to royalty, particularly in Egyptian and Mesopotamian cultures known to Israel. Jezebel, a Phoenician princess used to opulence and reverence, received the lowest form of dishonor imaginable. This specific outcome highlights the punitive aspect of God's justice, turning worldly status and pride into utter disgrace. Furthermore, the "plot of ground at Jezreel" being the location links her judgment directly to her egregious sin in acquiring Naboth's vineyard, demonstrating poetic justice and reinforcing God's moral governance over the earth. It is a powerful example that divine judgment is often proportional to the nature and scope of sin.

2 Kings 9 36 Commentary

2 Kings 9:36 succinctly closes the dark chapter of Jezebel's reign of terror and idolatry by confirming the chilling fulfillment of Elijah's prophecy from 1 Kings 21:23. Jehu's declaration highlights the irrefutable truth and power of God's spoken word; what the LORD declares, He inevitably accomplishes. Jezebel's brutal, undignified death—her body becoming carrion for scavenger dogs at Jezreel—was not a random accident, but a precisely orchestrated divine judgment. This specific outcome underscored her profound defilement through Baal worship and her systematic persecution of God's prophets. The imagery of dogs devouring her flesh was culturally potent, symbolizing the utmost dishonor, a curse, and the denial of a proper burial—a final rejection by both God and humanity. This event served as a definitive defeat of Baalism, demonstrating that the God of Israel reigns supreme and executes justice without fail, leaving His adversaries without glory or remembrance. The detailed nature of the prophecy's fulfillment solidifies the prophet's divine authority and reinforces the core biblical principle that sin, particularly defiance of God, carries severe, inescapable consequences.