The Meaning of 2 Kings 9:18 Explained

2 Kings 9:18

KJV: So there went one on horseback to meet him, and said, Thus saith the king, Is it peace? And Jehu said, What hast thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me. And the watchman told, saying, The messenger came to them, but he cometh not again.

YLT: and the rider on the horse goeth to meet him, and saith, 'Thus said the king, Is there peace?' and Jehu saith, 'What -- to thee and to peace? turn round behind me.' And the watchman declareth, saying, 'The messenger came unto them, and he hath not returned.'

Darby: So there went one on horseback to meet him; and he said, Thus saith the king: Is it peace? And Jehu said, What hast thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me. And the watchman told saying, The messenger came to them, and he does not return.

ASV: So there went one on horseback to meet him, and said, Thus saith the king, Is it peace? And Jehu said, What hast thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me. And the watchman told, saying, The messenger came to them, but he cometh not back.

What is the context of 2 Kings 9:18?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

So there went  one on horseback  to meet  him, and said,  Thus saith  the king,  [Is it] peace?  And Jehu  said,  What hast thou to do with peace?  turn  thee behind  me. And the watchman  told,  saying,  The messenger  came  to them, but he cometh not again. 

What does 2 Kings 9:18 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 9:18 mean?

so went on horseback the horseman to meet him and said thus says the king [is it] peace and said Jehu what have you and to do with peace Turn around to and follow me so reported the watchman saying went the messenger to them but not is coming back
וַיֵּלֶךְ֩ רֹכֵ֨ב הַסּ֜וּס לִקְרָאת֗וֹ וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ כֹּֽה־ אָמַ֤ר הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ ؟ הֲשָׁל֔וֹם וַיֹּ֧אמֶר יֵה֛וּא מַה־ לְּךָ֥ ؟ וּלְשָׁל֖וֹם סֹ֣ב אֶֽל־ אַחֲרָ֑י וַיַּגֵּ֤ד הַצֹּפֶה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר בָּֽא־ הַמַּלְאָ֥ךְ עַד־ הֵ֖ם וְלֹֽא־ שָֽׁב

וַיֵּלֶךְ֩  so  went 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
רֹכֵ֨ב  on  horseback 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular construct
Root: רָכַב  
Sense: to mount and ride, ride.
הַסּ֜וּס  the  horseman 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: סוּס 
Sense: swallow, swift.
לִקְרָאת֗וֹ  to  meet  him 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to encounter, befall, meet.
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
כֹּֽה־  thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֹּה  
Sense: thus, here, in this manner.
אָמַ֤ר  says 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
؟ הֲשָׁל֔וֹם  [is  it]  peace 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁלֹום  
Sense: completeness, soundness, welfare, peace.
וַיֹּ֧אמֶר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יֵה֛וּא  Jehu 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יֵהוּא  
Sense: the king of the northern kingdom Israel who overthrew the dynasty of Omri.
לְּךָ֥  have  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
؟ וּלְשָׁל֖וֹם  and  to  do  with  peace 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁלֹום  
Sense: completeness, soundness, welfare, peace.
סֹ֣ב  Turn  around 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: סָבַב  
Sense: to turn, turn about or around or aside or back or towards, go about or arou nd, surround, encircle, change direction.
אַחֲרָ֑י  and  follow  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
וַיַּגֵּ֤ד  so  reported 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָגַד  
Sense: to be conspicuous, tell, make known.
הַצֹּפֶה֙  the  watchman 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: צָפָה  
Sense: to look out or about, spy, keep watch, observe, watch.
לֵאמֹ֔ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
בָּֽא־  went 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
הַמַּלְאָ֥ךְ  the  messenger 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַלְאָךְ  
Sense: messenger, representative.
וְלֹֽא־  but  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
שָֽׁב  is  coming  back 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.