Melcahim 2 Chapter 9

Elisha has Yeihu anointed as king of Israel:

• Elisha sends Yonah on a mission to anoint Yeihu as king: [At the time that Yoram the king of Israel was sick in Yizrael] Elisha the prophet summoned one of his disciples who was a prophet [i.e. Yonah ben Amiti^[1]] and told him to quickly prepare himself to travel to Ramoth-Gilead and for him to take with him a jar of oil for the purpose of anointing Yeihu, the son of Yehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi as king [over Israel]. [This Yehoshafat was not the same Yehoshafat who was the king of Judah, and some say he was from Shevet Menashe.] Elisha told him,“You shall come and raise up Yeihu from among his brothers and bring him into an inner chamber. You shall then take the cruse of oil and pour it over the head of Yeihu. You shall tell him that Hashem has anointed him as king over Israel. After you finish telling him this, you shall open the door and flee. Do not delay.”
• The student prophet heads off on the mission: The student of Elisha went on his mission and traveled to Ramoth- Gilead. When he arrived, the officers of the army were sitting together. He said to the group of officers that he has a message for one of them. Yeihu asked as to whom he has a message for, and the lad responded that he has a message for him.
• Yeihu is anointed as king: They got up and headed to the house and the lad poured oil over Yeihu’s head. The lad then said to him that Hashem has anointed him as king over the people of Israel.
• Yeihu is instructed to decimate the household of Achav: The lad instructed Yeihu that G-d has commanded him to decimate the house of Achav, to avenge the blood of the prophets and of Hashem’s servants who were killed by Izevel. Hashem stated, “The entire house of Achav shall perish; and I will cut off from Achav all males. I shall do to the house of Achav just as I did to the house of Yeravam, the son of Nevat, and to the house of Baasha the son of Achiyah. The dogs will eat Izevel in the territory of Yizrael and no one will bury her.”
• The lad flees: After the lad had concluded his mission of relaying the prophecy, he opened the door and fled, as he was instructed by his master Elisha.
• Yeihu is questioned as to what the meeting was about: Yeihu went out to meet the rest of his colleagues, and one of them asked him as to if everything is well and as to why the madman came to him [He wanted to know what type of prophecy he received from the prophet and if it was good or bad.^[2] He referred to him as a madman as prophets are occasionally referred to as crazy, as it is common for prophets to act like the insane during their prophecy.^[3]] Yeihu replied that they should not pay any attention to his words as they already know his personality [and that he is crazy^[4]]. However, his colleagues accused Yeihu of lying to them and insisted on hearing what the lad had to say. So, with lack of choice, Yeihu told them that the lad relay to him a prophecy that Hashem has anointed him as king over Israel.
• The ministers appoint Yeihu as king: When the ministers, who were the colleagues of Yeihu, heard of the prophecy, they hurriedly took their garments and placed them under Yeihu, on the top step [to help lift him up, so he sits higher than them as is befitting of a king^[5]]. They then sounded the shofar and proclaimed Yeihu as king.

[1] Rashi 9:1

[2] Metzudos Dovid 9:11

[3] Radak 9:11

[4] Rashi 9:11

[5] Metzudos Dovid 9:12