And on the plot of ground at JezreelJezreel was a significant location in the Northern Kingdom of Israel, known for its fertile land and strategic position. It was the site of King Ahab's palace and the infamous vineyard of Naboth, which Jezebel seized through deceit and murder (1 Kings 21). This prophecy ties back to the injustice committed there, highlighting divine retribution. Jezreel symbolizes the consequences of idolatry and injustice, serving as a reminder of God's judgment against sin.
the dogs will devour Jezebel
Dogs in ancient Israel were often seen as scavengers, not the domesticated pets we know today. Their role in devouring Jezebel signifies a disgraceful end, as being eaten by dogs was considered a dishonorable fate, especially for royalty. This prophecy fulfills Elijah's earlier pronouncement of judgment against Jezebel (1 Kings 21:23), emphasizing the certainty of God's word and the inevitable downfall of those who oppose Him.
and there will be no one to bury her.’”
In ancient Near Eastern culture, burial was a significant rite, and to be denied a proper burial was a mark of shame and divine disfavor. This phrase underscores the totality of Jezebel's disgrace and the completeness of her judgment. It serves as a stark warning against the pride and wickedness that characterized her life, illustrating the ultimate futility of opposing God's will.
Then the young prophet opened the door and ran.
The young prophet's actions reflect the urgency and danger associated with delivering God's message. Prophets often faced hostility and persecution, and his swift departure indicates the seriousness of the prophecy and the potential threat from those loyal to Jezebel. This moment also highlights the role of prophets as messengers of God's truth, often delivering difficult messages with courage and obedience.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
JezebelThe wife of King Ahab, known for her idolatry and persecution of the prophets of Yahweh. Her actions led to significant moral and spiritual decline in Israel.
2.
JehuAnointed by a prophet to become king of Israel, tasked with executing judgment on the house of Ahab, including Jezebel.
3.
JezreelA city in the northern kingdom of Israel, significant as the location of Naboth's vineyard and the prophesied site of Jezebel's demise.
4.
The Young ProphetA messenger sent by Elisha to anoint Jehu and deliver God's judgment against Jezebel.
5.
DogsSymbolic of disgrace and divine judgment, as they were considered unclean animals in ancient Israel.
Teaching Points
The Certainty of God's JudgmentGod's pronouncements are sure and will come to pass, as seen in the fulfillment of the prophecy against Jezebel.
The Consequences of Idolatry and WickednessJezebel's life serves as a warning against idolatry and leading others into sin, highlighting the severe consequences of such actions.
God's Sovereignty in Leadership ChangesThe anointing of Jehu demonstrates God's control over leadership and His ability to raise up individuals to fulfill His purposes.
The Role of Prophets and MessengersThe young prophet's obedience in delivering God's message, despite the danger, underscores the importance of faithfulness in proclaiming God's truth.
Divine Justice and MercyWhile God's justice is evident in Jezebel's fate, His mercy is available to those who repent and turn from their wicked ways.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of 2 Kings 9:10?
2.How does 2 Kings 9:10 demonstrate God's justice against Jezebel's wickedness?
3.What lessons can we learn about God's sovereignty from 2 Kings 9:10?
4.How does this verse connect with God's judgment in Revelation 2:20-23?
5.How can we apply the warning in 2 Kings 9:10 to our lives today?
6.What does 2 Kings 9:10 teach about the consequences of opposing God's will?
7.What does 2 Kings 9:10 reveal about God's justice and judgment?
8.How does 2 Kings 9:10 fit into the broader narrative of 2 Kings?
9.Why was Jezebel's fate significant in 2 Kings 9:10?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from 2 Kings 9?
11.What events are described in 2 Kings?
12.Could dogs literally devour Jezebel’s body as described in 2 Kings 9:33–35, or might this be symbolic hyperbole?
13.Why is Elijah's prophecy (2 Kings 9:7-10) repeated and attributed to Elisha's messenger, and does this create inconsistencies with earlier chapters?
14.Why does God apparently endorse Jehu's violent actions in 2 Kings 10:30, when other passages condemn such bloodshed?What Does 2 Kings 9:10 Mean
On the plot of ground at Jezreel• Jezreel was the very vineyard stolen from Naboth when Ahab and Jezebel abused royal power (1 Kings 21:1-16).
• God had already pronounced judgment on that specific piece of land: “In the place where dogs licked up Naboth’s blood, dogs will lick up your own” (1 Kings 21:19).
• By naming the plot, the Lord ties His new word to His earlier sentence, showing perfect continuity in His justice (Numbers 23:19).
• The mention of ground underscores literal geography—real soil, real accountability—demonstrating that God’s judgments fall in history, not metaphor only (Hebrews 10:30).
the dogs will devour Jezebel• The wording echoes the earlier prophecy spoken directly to Ahab: “The dogs will devour Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel” (1 Kings 21:23).
• Dogs in Scripture often symbolize shameful fate outside covenant blessing (Exodus 22:31;Philippians 3:2).
• The devouring forecast is fulfilled exactly in2 Kings 9:35-36 when only fragments of Jezebel’s body remain.
• God’s precision in prophecy assures believers that every promise—of judgment or mercy—will likewise be fulfilled (Matthew 5:18).
and there will be no one to bury her• An unburied corpse in Israel meant complete disgrace (Deuteronomy 28:26). Jezebel, who sought honor and control, would receive none (Psalm 83:10).
• Lack of burial also prevents memorializing evil; her story stands as a caution rather than an inspiration (Proverbs 10:7).
• The detail was literally fulfilled: “They went to bury her, but found no more than her skull, her feet, and the palms of her hands” (2 Kings 9:35).
• The prophecy exposes the emptiness of wicked power: those who exalt themselves are brought low (James 4:6).
then the young prophet opened the door and ran• The messenger obeyed Elisha’s instruction to deliver the word swiftly and exit at once (2 Kings 9:1-3).
• His flight highlights the explosive nature of God’s judgment, urging immediate response—no lingering with compromise (2 Corinthians 6:2).
• The act models humility: the prophet serves only as mouthpiece; the focus remains on God’s message, not the messenger (John 3:30).
summary2 Kings 9:10 declares God’s specific, literal judgment on Jezebel: on the very ground where she engineered Naboth’s death, scavenger dogs would consume her, leaving no honorable burial. The young prophet’s quick departure underscores the certainty and urgency of the divine sentence. The verse demonstrates God’s faithfulness to His prior word, His intolerance of unrepentant evil, and His sovereign ability to fulfill prophecy with exact detail, assuring believers that every promise in Scripture will stand just as surely.
(10)
And the dogs shall eat Jezebel.--Literally,
and Jezebel the dogs shall eat. (Comp. Elijah's threat,
1Kings 21:23.)
Verse 10. -
And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel. This had been previously prophesied by Elijah (
1 Kings 21:23;
2 Kings 9:26, 27). To an Israelite, and even to a Phoenician, it was an awful threat; for both nations alike buried their dead carefully in deep-dug graves or rocky receptacles, and both regarded the desecration of a corpse as a grievous calamity ('Records of the Past,' vol. 9. pp. 112,114). The dog was to the Hebrews, and to the Orientals generally, an unclean animal, and to be devoured by dogs would have been viewed as a fate which, for a queen, was almost inconceivable.
And there shall be none to bury her. Jezebel had no one sufficiently interested in her fate to watch over her remains. Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah, had kept watch over the bodies of the seven sons of Saul, and suffered neither the birds of the air to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night (
2 Samuel 21:10); and in Greece, if we may believe the poets, life had been risked, and actually forfeited, to save a near relative from similar ignominy (Soph., 'Ant.,' lines 245-743). But "Jezebel had none to bury her." When she was ejected from the palace window (ver. 33) and fell to the ground, and was trodden under foot by Jehu's chariot-horses, no one came forth from the palace to give the bruised and wounded corpse such tendance as was possible. There was entire neglect of the body for (probably) some hours; and, during these, the catastrophe occurred which Divine foresight had prophesied, but which human malice had not intended (see vers. 34-37).
And he opened the door, and fled. The young man the prophet obeyed to the letter the injunctions which Elisha had given him (ver. 3). The moment that he had executed his errand, he fled.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
Andוְאֶת־(wə·’eṯ-)Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker
Strong's 853:Untranslatable mark of the accusative casethe dogsהַכְּלָבִ֛ים(hak·kə·lā·ḇîm)Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 3611:A dog, a male prostitutewill eatיֹאכְל֧וּ(yō·ḵə·lū)Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 398:To eatJezebelאִיזֶ֜בֶל(’î·ze·ḇel)Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 348:Jezebel -- queen of Israel with King Ahabon the plot [of ground] atבְּחֵ֥לֶק(bə·ḥê·leq)Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2506:Portion, tract, territoryJezreel,יִזְרְעֶ֖אל(yiz·rə·‘el)Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3157:Jezreel -- 'God sows', two Israelites, also two cities in Israel, also a valley in Northern Israeland [there will be] no oneוְאֵ֣ין(wə·’ên)Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 369:A non-entity, a negative particleto bury [her].’”קֹבֵ֑ר(qō·ḇêr)Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 6912:To interThen the young prophet openedוַיִּפְתַּ֥ח(way·yip̄·taḥ)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6605:To open wide, to loosen, begin, plough, carvethe doorהַדֶּ֖לֶת(had·de·leṯ)Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 1817:Something swinging, the valve of a, doorand ran away.וַיָּנֹֽס׃(way·yā·nōs)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5127:To flit, vanish away
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OT History: 2 Kings 9:10 The dogs shall eat Jezebel (2Ki iiKi ii ki 2 kg 2kg) 
