Jehu’s conspiracy to overthrow Joram set in motion the downfall of Ahab’s dynasty.
“So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. (Now Joram with all Israel was defending Ramoth-gilead against Hazael king of Aram.)” (v.14)
In this verse, the biblical writer records that Jehu, who would soon be anointed king over Israel, secretly plotted against King Joram. Jehu was the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and through the LORD’s direction he would become a key figure in uprooting the wicked dynasty of Ahab. In 841 BC, Jehu “destroyed the line of Ahab and became king himself” (1 Kings 19:17-18; 2 Kings 9-10), fulfilling God’s judgment pronounced long before.Joram (also called Jehoram in some passages) belonged to that same dynasty; he was reigning over Israel and desperately attempting to hold the strategic military city of Ramoth-gilead, which lay east of the Jordan River.
Ramoth-gilead was situated in the region of Gilead, an area known in earlier Israelite history for being designated as a city of refuge for those who committed manslaughter accidentally.It was also the scene of various military conflicts, as the Israelite kings often battled the Arameans to maintain control of this important site. Scripture here highlights that King Joram was defending Ramoth-gilead against Hazael, the king of Aram, when Jehu conspired against him. By focusing on the location of this conspiracy, the verse reminds us that biblical events often occur at the very crossroads of divine decrees and human intrigue, and God will raise up leaders—even through dramatic conspiracies—to carry out His purposes.
From a broader theological perspective, Jehu’s rise is a reminder that God can use even unconventional circumstances to accomplish His righteous plans, just as later events in Scripture show how God ultimately works through Christ to bring justice, mercy, and redemption (Luke 1:68-69). Whereas Jehu cleansed Israel of idolatry through judgment, Jesus brought deliverance in a greater, eternal way through His sacrificial death and resurrection for the sins of the world (John 3:16).
Set to dark mode
2 Kings 9:14 meaning
“So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. (Now Joram with all Israel was defending Ramoth-gilead against Hazael king of Aram.)” (v.14)
In this verse, the biblical writer records that Jehu, who would soon be anointed king over Israel, secretly plotted against King Joram. Jehu was the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and through the LORD’s direction he would become a key figure in uprooting the wicked dynasty of Ahab. In 841 BC, Jehu “destroyed the line of Ahab and became king himself” (1 Kings 19:17-18; 2 Kings 9-10), fulfilling God’s judgment pronounced long before.Joram (also called Jehoram in some passages) belonged to that same dynasty; he was reigning over Israel and desperately attempting to hold the strategic military city of Ramoth-gilead, which lay east of the Jordan River.
Ramoth-gilead was situated in the region of Gilead, an area known in earlier Israelite history for being designated as a city of refuge for those who committed manslaughter accidentally.It was also the scene of various military conflicts, as the Israelite kings often battled the Arameans to maintain control of this important site. Scripture here highlights that King Joram was defending Ramoth-gilead against Hazael, the king of Aram, when Jehu conspired against him. By focusing on the location of this conspiracy, the verse reminds us that biblical events often occur at the very crossroads of divine decrees and human intrigue, and God will raise up leaders—even through dramatic conspiracies—to carry out His purposes.
From a broader theological perspective, Jehu’s rise is a reminder that God can use even unconventional circumstances to accomplish His righteous plans, just as later events in Scripture show how God ultimately works through Christ to bring justice, mercy, and redemption (Luke 1:68-69). Whereas Jehu cleansed Israel of idolatry through judgment, Jesus brought deliverance in a greater, eternal way through His sacrificial death and resurrection for the sins of the world (John 3:16).