The Meaning of 2 Kings 9:22 Explained

2 Kings 9:22

KJV: And it came to pass, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, Is it peace, Jehu? And he answered, What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?

YLT: And it cometh to pass, at Jehoram's seeing Jehu, that he saith, 'Is there peace, Jehu?' and he saith, 'What is the peace, while the whoredoms of Jezebel thy mother, and her witchcrafts, are many?'

Darby: And it came to pass when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, Is it peace, Jehu? And he said, What peace, so long as the fornications of thy mother Jezebel and her sorceries are so many?

ASV: And it came to pass, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, Is it peace, Jehu? And he answered, What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?

What is the context of 2 Kings 9:22?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And it came to pass, when Joram  saw  Jehu,  that he said,  [Is it] peace,  Jehu?  And he answered,  What peace,  so long as  the whoredoms  of thy mother  Jezebel  and her witchcrafts  [are so] many? 

What does 2 Kings 9:22 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Kings 9:14-26 - "the Driving Of Jehu"
Many times in this chapter the question is asked, though in varying tones, "Is it peace?" The horsemen ask it of the furious driver; the king asks it of his captain; Jezebel asks it of the executioners of her son. Is not the human heart always asking the same question? If there is the slightest tremor in the air, the inquiry is at once started, "Will this make or mar our peace?" The heart of man is ill at ease. Deeply conscious that all is not right between itself and God, anxious that its efforts to reassure itself should not be disturbed, dreading lest an earthquake or a flood may detect the foundation on sand, the soul asks eagerly, "Is it peace?"
There can be no peace for man till he has put away the evil things associated with the name of Jezebel. Let us not forget those solemn words of the Holy Spirit, "I have against thee that thou sufferest the woman Jezebel." We have to do with One who searches the reins and hearts of professing Christians. See Revelation 2:18-29. We are all in danger of being seduced by the soft caresses of the world and the honeyed flattery of false professors. There is no peace apart from true repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus, Romans 5:1. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in 2 Kings 9:22 mean?

And it came to pass when saw Jehoram - Jehu that he said [is it] peace Jehu so he answered what peace as long as the harlotries of Jezebel your mother and her witchcraft [are] [so] many
וַיְהִ֗י כִּרְא֤וֹת יְהוֹרָם֙ אֶת־ יֵה֔וּא וַיֹּ֖אמֶר הֲשָׁל֣וֹם ؟ יֵה֑וּא וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ מָ֣ה הַשָּׁל֔וֹם עַד־ זְנוּנֵ֞י אִיזֶ֧בֶל אִמְּךָ֛ וּכְשָׁפֶ֖יהָ ؟ הָרַבִּֽים

וַיְהִ֗י  And  it  came  to  pass 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
כִּרְא֤וֹת  when  saw 
Parse: Preposition-k, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
יְהוֹרָם֙  Jehoram 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהֹורָם 
Sense: son of king Jehoshaphat of Judah and himself king of Judah for 8 years; his wife was the wicked Athaliah who was probably the instigator for his returning the nation of Judah to the worship of Baal.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יֵה֔וּא  Jehu 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יֵהוּא  
Sense: the king of the northern kingdom Israel who overthrew the dynasty of Omri.
וַיֹּ֖אמֶר  that  he  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הֲשָׁל֣וֹם  [is  it]  peace 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁלֹום  
Sense: completeness, soundness, welfare, peace.
؟ יֵה֑וּא  Jehu 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יֵהוּא  
Sense: the king of the northern kingdom Israel who overthrew the dynasty of Omri.
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙  so  he  answered 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הַשָּׁל֔וֹם  peace 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁלֹום  
Sense: completeness, soundness, welfare, peace.
עַד־  as  long  as 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
זְנוּנֵ֞י  the  harlotries 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: זְנוּנִים  
Sense: adultery, fornication, prostitution.
אִיזֶ֧בֶל  of  Jezebel 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אִיזֶבֶל  
Sense: queen of Israel, wife of Ahab, daughter of Ethbaal.
אִמְּךָ֛  your  mother 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֵם  
Sense: mother.
וּכְשָׁפֶ֖יהָ  and  her  witchcraft  [are] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person feminine singular
Root: כֶּשֶׁף  
Sense: sorcery, witchcraft.
؟ הָרַבִּֽים  [so]  many 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: רַב 
Sense: much, many, great.