2 Kings 9:30
New International Version
Then Jehu went to Jezreel. When Jezebel heard about it, she put on eye makeup, arranged her hair and looked out of a window.

New Living Translation
When Jezebel, the queen mother, heard that Jehu had come to Jezreel, she painted her eyelids and fixed her hair and sat at a window.

English Standard Version
When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it. And she painted her eyes and adorned her head and looked out of the window.

Berean Standard Bible
Now when Jehu arrived in Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it. So she painted her eyes, adorned her head, and looked down from a window.

King James Bible
And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a window.

New King James Version
Now when Jehu had come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she put paint on her eyes and adorned her head, and looked through a window.

New American Standard Bible
When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard about it, and she put makeup on her eyes and adorned her head, and looked down through the window.

NASB 1995
When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it, and she painted her eyes and adorned her head and looked out the window.

NASB 1977
When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it, and she painted her eyes and adorned her head, and looked out the window.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Jehu came to Jezreel, and Jezebel heard of it and she painted her eyes and adorned her head and looked out the window.

Amplified Bible
So when Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard about it, and she painted her eyes and adorned her head and looked down from the [upper] window.

Christian Standard Bible
When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard about it, so she painted her eyes, fixed her hair, and looked down from the window.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard about it, so she painted her eyes, adorned her head, and looked down from the window.

American Standard Version
And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her eyes, and attired her head, and looked out at the window.

Contemporary English Version
Jehu headed toward Jezreel, and when Jezebel heard he was coming, she put on eye shadow and brushed her hair. Then she stood at the window, waiting for him to arrive.

English Revised Version
And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her eyes, and tired her head, and looked out at the window.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
When Jehu arrived in Jezreel, Jezebel heard about it. She put on eye shadow, fixed her hair, and looked out of a second-story window.

Good News Translation
Jehu arrived in Jezreel. Jezebel, having heard what had happened, put on eye shadow, arranged her hair, and stood looking down at the street from a window in the palace.

International Standard Version
As soon as Jehu arrived at Jezreel, Jezebel adorned her eyes, arranged her hair, and peered out a window.

Majority Standard Bible
Now when Jehu arrived in Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it. So she painted her eyes, adorned her head, and looked down from a window.

NET Bible
Jehu approached Jezreel. When Jezebel heard the news, she put on some eye liner, fixed up her hair, and leaned out the window.

New Heart English Bible
When Jehu had come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her eyes, and attired her head, and looked out at the window.

Webster's Bible Translation
And when Jehu had come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face, and adorned her head, and looked out at a window.

World English Bible
When Jehu had come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her eyes, and adorned her head, and looked out at the window.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Jehu comes to Jezreel, and Jezebel has heard, and puts her eyes in paint and beautifies her head, and looks out through the window.

Young's Literal Translation
And Jehu cometh in to Jezreel, and Jezebel hath heard, and putteth her eyes in paint and maketh right her head, and looketh out through the window.

Smith's Literal Translation
And Jehu will come to Jezreel, and Jezebel heard, and she will put her eyes in paint, and do her head good, and she will look through the window.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Jehu came into Jezrahel. But Jezabel hearing of his coming in, painted her face with stibic stone, and adorned her head, and looked out of a window

Catholic Public Domain Version
And Jehu went into Jezreel. But Jezebel, hearing of his arrival, painted her eyes with cosmetics, and adorned her head. And she watched through a window,

New American Bible
Jehu came to Jezreel, and when Jezebel heard of it, she shadowed her eyes, adorned her hair, and looked down from her window.

New Revised Standard Version
When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; she painted her eyes, and adorned her head, and looked out of the window.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her eyelids with kohl, and adorned her head, and looked out a window.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Yahu came to Yizreil, and Izabeil heard and she painted her eyes with black lead and girt her head, and she looked out from a window.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her eyes, and attired her head, and looked out at the window.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Ju came to Jezrael; and Jezabel heard of it, and coloured her eyes, and adorned her head, and looked through the window.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Murder of Jezebel
30Now when Jehu arrived in Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it. So she painted her eyes, adorned her head, and looked down from a window. 31And as Jehu entered the gate, she asked, “Have you come in peace, O Zimri, murderer of your master?”…

Cross References
1 Kings 16:31
And as if it were not enough for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, he even married Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and he then proceeded to serve and worship Baal.

1 Kings 21:23
And the LORD also speaks concerning Jezebel: ‘The dogs will devour Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.’

Revelation 2:20
But I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads My servants to be sexually immoral and to eat food sacrificed to idols.

1 Kings 18:4
for when Jezebel had slaughtered the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty men per cave, providing them with food and water.)

1 Kings 19:1-2
Now Ahab told Jezebel everything that Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. / So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “May the gods deal with me, and ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I have not made your life like the lives of those you killed!”

1 Kings 21:5-7
Soon his wife Jezebel came in and asked, “Why are you so sullen that you refuse to eat?” / Ahab answered, “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and told him, ‘Give me your vineyard for silver, or if you wish, I will give you another vineyard in its place.’ And he replied, ‘I will not give you my vineyard!’” / But his wife Jezebel said to him, “Do you not reign over Israel? Get up, eat some food, and be cheerful, for I will get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”

1 Kings 21:25
(Surely there was never one like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the LORD, incited by his wife Jezebel.

2 Kings 3:2
And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, but not as his father and mother had done. He removed the sacred pillar of Baal that his father had made.

2 Kings 10:18-28
Then Jehu brought all the people together and said, “Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve him a lot. / Now, therefore, summon to me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests. See that no one is missing, for I have a great sacrifice for Baal. Whoever is missing will not live.” But Jehu was acting deceptively in order to destroy the servants of Baal. / And Jehu commanded, “Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal.” So they announced it. ...

2 Kings 11:1-3
When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to annihilate all the royal heirs. / But Jehosheba daughter of King Joram, the sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the sons of the king who were being murdered. She put him and his nurse in a bedroom to hide him from Athaliah, and he was not killed. / And Joash remained hidden with his nurse in the house of the LORD for six years while Athaliah ruled the land.

2 Kings 23:15
He even pulled down the altar at Bethel, the high place set up by Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin. Then he burned the high place, ground it to powder, and burned the Asherah pole.

Jeremiah 4:30
And you, O devastated one, what will you do, though you dress yourself in scarlet, though you adorn yourself with gold jewelry, though you enlarge your eyes with paint? You adorn yourself in vain; your lovers despise you; they want to take your life.

Ezekiel 23:40
Furthermore, you sisters sent messengers for men who came from afar; and behold, when they arrived, you bathed for them, painted your eyes, and adorned yourself with jewelry.

Matthew 14:3-11
Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, / because John had been telling him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” / Although Herod wanted to kill John, he was afraid of the people, because they regarded John as a prophet. ...

Mark 6:17-28
For Herod himself had ordered that John be arrested and bound and imprisoned, on account of his brother Philip’s wife Herodias, whom Herod had married. / For John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife!” / So Herodias held a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she had been unable, ...


Treasury of Scripture

And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a window.

Jezebel

1 Kings 19:1,2
And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword…

Jeremiah 4:30
And when thou art spoiled, what wilt thou do? Though thou clothest thyself with crimson, though thou deckest thee with ornaments of gold, though thou rentest thy face with painting, in vain shalt thou make thyself fair; thy lovers will despise thee, they will seek thy life.

Ezekiel 23:40
And furthermore, that ye have sent for men to come from far, unto whom a messenger was sent; and, lo, they came: for whom thou didst wash thyself, paintedst thy eyes, and deckedst thyself with ornaments,

tired

Isaiah 3:18-24
In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet, and their cauls, and their round tires like the moon, …

Ezekiel 24:17
Forbear to cry, make no mourning for the dead, bind the tire of thine head upon thee, and put on thy shoes upon thy feet, and cover not thy lips, and eat not the bread of men.

1 Timothy 2:9,10
In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; …

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2 Kings 9
1. Elisha sends a young prophet with instructions to anoint Jehu at Ramoth Gilead
4. The prophet having done his message, flees
11. Jehu, being made king by the soldiers, kills Joram in the field of Naboth
27. Ahaziah is slain at Gur, and buried at Jerusalem
30. Proud Jezebel is thrown down out of a window, and eaten by dogs.














Now when Jehu came to Jezreel
The name "Jehu" means "Yahweh is He" in Hebrew, signifying his divine appointment and mission. Jehu was anointed by a prophet to become king and tasked with eradicating the house of Ahab, fulfilling God's judgment. Jezreel, a city of strategic and symbolic importance, was the site of Naboth's vineyard, where Ahab and Jezebel's injustices were most evident. Jehu's arrival in Jezreel marks a pivotal moment of divine retribution and justice.

Jezebel heard about it
Jezebel, whose name means "Where is the prince?" in Phoenician, was the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians, and the wife of Ahab, king of Israel. Her influence led Israel into idolatry and Baal worship. Her hearing of Jehu's approach signifies the impending doom and the fulfillment of Elijah's prophecy against her. This moment is a turning point, highlighting the inevitable consequences of her actions and the sovereignty of God in executing justice.

So she painted her eyes
The act of painting her eyes, using kohl or similar substances, was a common practice in ancient Near Eastern cultures, often associated with seduction or preparation for a significant encounter. Jezebel's adornment can be seen as an attempt to maintain her regal dignity or to seduce Jehu, reflecting her defiance and unrepentant heart. This act underscores her character and the futility of relying on outward appearances in the face of divine judgment.

arranged her hair
Arranging her hair further emphasizes Jezebel's attempt to present herself as a queen, possibly to assert her authority or to face her fate with dignity. In ancient cultures, hair was often a symbol of status and identity. Jezebel's actions reveal her pride and unwillingness to submit to God's will, serving as a cautionary tale about the dangers of pride and self-reliance.

and looked out the window
Looking out the window symbolizes Jezebel's final act of defiance and her attempt to confront Jehu. Windows in ancient architecture were often places of observation and proclamation. This act can be seen as her last stand, a moment of confrontation between the forces of evil and the divine justice represented by Jehu. It highlights the theme of divine retribution and the ultimate triumph of God's purposes over human rebellion.

(30) And when Jehu was come.--Rather, And Jehu came--i.e., after the slaughter of Ahaziah, as the Hebrew construction implies.

Jezebel heard of it.--Rather, Now Jezebel had heard--scil., the news of the death of the two kings. There should be a stop after Jezreel.

And she painted her face.--Rather, and she set her eyes in paint--i.e., according to the still common practice of Oriental ladies, she painted her eyebrows and lashes with a pigment composed of antimony and zinc (the Arabic kohl). The dark border throws the eye into relief, and makes it appear larger (Bahr). Pliny relates that in his day this pigment (stibium) was called platyophthalmon (comp. Jeremiah 4:30), because it dilates the eye (Plin. Hist. Nat. xxxiii. 34).

Tired.--An old English word, meaning adorned with a tire or head-dress. (Comp. Isaiah 3:18.) Tire might seem to be the Persian tiara, but is much more probably connected with the German zier and zieren. (See Skea?s Etym. Dict., s.v) Jezebel put on her royal apparel in order to die as a queen. Comp. the similar behaviour of Cleopatra:--

"Show me, my women, like a queen. Go fetch

My best attires. I am again tor Cydnus,

To meet Marc Antony . . . Bring our crown, and all.

***** . . .

Verse 30. - And when Jehu was come to Jezreel. Some commentators suppose that Jehu did not engage personally in the pursuit of Ahaziah, but, leaving that to a portion of his retinue, pushed on with all haste to Jezreel, where Jezebel was, "the originator of all the mischief." But it is certainly more natural to understand (with Keil and Josephus) that Jehu himself pursued. The pursuit to Ibleam, where Ahaziah was mortally wounded, and the return to Jezreel, need not have occupied more than about three hours. Jezebel heard of it. She would naturally be the first to hear. On the death of her son, which must have been plainly seen from the walls of Jezreel, she become practically the chief authority in the place, and indeed in the kingdom. Jehoram's sons were probably minors. And she painted her face; literally, and she put her eyes in antimony; i.e. she adorned her eyes with the dark dye which has always been fashionable in the East, and which is still used at the present day. The dye is spread both on the upper and the lower eyelids. It at once increases the apparent size of the eye, and gives it unnatural brilliancy. The Oriental nations, Babylonians, Assyrians, Medes, Persians, were acquainted with the practice from very early times; and it is not surprising that it was known to Jezebel. What was her exact object in applying it is more doubtful. The older commentators, who are followed by Ewald, suppose that she intended to "summon up all her seductive fascinations in order to tempt and conquer Jehu;" but more recent writers (Bahr, Keil, and others) argue that her probable age renders this incredible, since she had already a grandson who was twenty-three years of age (2 Kings 8:26), and must therefore have been herself at least fifty. But, if we remember that Cleopatra was forty when She held Antony as her slave and hoped to captivate Augustus, it would seem to be not altogether beyond the bounds of possibility that a Phoouician princess of fifty may have thought that, by the use of art, she might reader herself a captivating personage. There is, at any rate no evidence that "putting the eyes in antimony" was an ordinary or a fitting preparation for meeting death in a way worthy of a queen. Ewald's view has, therefore much to commend it to our acceptance. Jezebel, trusting in the charms and the fascination which had been so potent over Ahab, may have imagined that she had still enough beauty left to capture Jehu, provided she increased her natural attractions by a careful use of all the resources of art. And tired her head. Phoenician statues of goddesses have their hair arranged in long pendent curls, and bear on their heads a small conical cap with a ribbon wreathed round the base. The artists probably had queens and princesses as their models. There is no evidence that false hair was worn in Phoenicia, either by men or women. And looked out at a window. Windows, sometimes open, sometimes latticed, were common in Oriental houses from the earliest times. They mostly looked into the court round which a house was commonly built; but some few were in the external wall of the building; and through these new arrivals might be reconnoitered. Jezebel "looked out," partly to see, but perhaps still more to be seen.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Now when Jehu
יֵה֖וּא (yê·hū)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3058: Jehu -- 'the LORD is He', the name of several Israelites

arrived
וַיָּב֥וֹא (way·yā·ḇō·w)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

in Jezreel,
יִזְרְעֶ֑אלָה (yiz·rə·‘e·lāh)
Noun - proper - feminine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 3157: Jezreel -- 'God sows', two Israelites, also two cities in Israel, also a valley in Northern Israel

Jezebel
וְאִיזֶ֣בֶל (wə·’î·ze·ḇel)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 348: Jezebel -- queen of Israel with King Ahab

heard [of it].
שָׁמְעָ֗ה (šā·mə·‘āh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

So she painted
וַתָּ֨שֶׂם (wat·tā·śem)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 7760: Put -- to put, place, set

her eyes,
עֵינֶ֙יהָ֙ (‘ê·ne·hā)
Noun - cdc | third person feminine singular
Strong's 5869: An eye, a fountain

adorned
וַתֵּ֣יטֶב (wat·tê·ṭeḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 3190: To be good, well, glad, or pleasing

her head,
רֹאשָׁ֔הּ (rō·šāh)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 7218: The head

and looked down
וַתַּשְׁקֵ֖ף (wat·taš·qêp̄)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 8259: To overhang, look out or down

from
בְּעַ֥ד (bə·‘aḏ)
Preposition
Strong's 1157: In up to, over against, at, beside, among, behind, for

a window.
הַחַלּֽוֹן׃ (ha·ḥal·lō·wn)
Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 2474: A window


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OT History: 2 Kings 9:30 When Jehu was come to Jezreel Jezebel (2Ki iiKi ii ki 2 kg 2kg)
2 Kings 9:29
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