Jehu, having just encountered the corpse of King Joram of Israel, instructs his officer with these words: “Then Jehu said to Bidkar his officer, ‘Take him up and cast him into the property of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite, for I remember when you and I were riding together after Ahab his father, that the LORD laid this oracle against him:’” (v.25). In this passage, Jehu is reminding Bidkar of a significant prophetic event that took place when Ahab (who reigned from around 874 to 853 BC) ruled the northern kingdom of Israel. This mention of “the property of the field of Naboth” connects directly to the tragic story in which King Ahab and Queen Jezebel seized Naboth’s vineyard through treachery. The location, Jezreel, was an agriculturally fertile area in the north of Israel and had strategic military and trade significance for the monarchy. Jehu’s reference to the divine prophecy points toward God’s justice in response to that earlier injustice against Naboth, showing that the LORD does not forget wrongdoing.
When Jehu says, “for I remember … the LORD laid this oracle against him,” (v.25) he is invoking the earlier warnings God had given to Ahab’s household. Jehu and Bidkar had firsthand knowledge of the prophecy regarding how the king’s line would be judged. Ahab’s misdeeds included idolatry and abuses of power, and though the immediate punishment was delayed, God intended that his descendants would also face the consequences of his sinful leadership (1 Kings 21:19). Jehu, newly anointed as king, becomes an instrument of divine judgment, carrying out what was spoken years before. This indicates the consistent biblical emphasis on the certainty of God’s word and His determination to bring justice in His timing.
By telling Bidkar to “cast him into the property of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite” (v.25), Jehu symbolically restores balance to the land. He highlights that the field, stolen by Ahab, remains a constant reminder of injustice that must be righted. Although Ahab’s son Joram was not the one who orchestrated Naboth’s murder, he was still part of the dynasty under God’s judgment. This foreshadows future New Testament teachings on accountability and the righteous judgment of God (Romans 2:5), while also pointing to the ultimate justice Jesus promised at His return (Matthew 25:31-32).
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2 Kings 9:25 meaning
Jehu, having just encountered the corpse of King Joram of Israel, instructs his officer with these words: “Then Jehu said to Bidkar his officer, ‘Take him up and cast him into the property of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite, for I remember when you and I were riding together after Ahab his father, that the LORD laid this oracle against him:’” (v.25). In this passage, Jehu is reminding Bidkar of a significant prophetic event that took place when Ahab (who reigned from around 874 to 853 BC) ruled the northern kingdom of Israel. This mention of “the property of the field of Naboth” connects directly to the tragic story in which King Ahab and Queen Jezebel seized Naboth’s vineyard through treachery. The location, Jezreel, was an agriculturally fertile area in the north of Israel and had strategic military and trade significance for the monarchy. Jehu’s reference to the divine prophecy points toward God’s justice in response to that earlier injustice against Naboth, showing that the LORD does not forget wrongdoing.
When Jehu says, “for I remember … the LORD laid this oracle against him,” (v.25) he is invoking the earlier warnings God had given to Ahab’s household. Jehu and Bidkar had firsthand knowledge of the prophecy regarding how the king’s line would be judged. Ahab’s misdeeds included idolatry and abuses of power, and though the immediate punishment was delayed, God intended that his descendants would also face the consequences of his sinful leadership (1 Kings 21:19). Jehu, newly anointed as king, becomes an instrument of divine judgment, carrying out what was spoken years before. This indicates the consistent biblical emphasis on the certainty of God’s word and His determination to bring justice in His timing.
By telling Bidkar to “cast him into the property of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite” (v.25), Jehu symbolically restores balance to the land. He highlights that the field, stolen by Ahab, remains a constant reminder of injustice that must be righted. Although Ahab’s son Joram was not the one who orchestrated Naboth’s murder, he was still part of the dynasty under God’s judgment. This foreshadows future New Testament teachings on accountability and the righteous judgment of God (Romans 2:5), while also pointing to the ultimate justice Jesus promised at His return (Matthew 25:31-32).