2 Kings 9 · a question people ask
Why does Jezebel call Jehu "Zimri"?
The chapter doesn't explain her words; it gives them: "Do you come in peace, Zimri, you murderer of your master?" (9:31). 1 Kings tells who Zimri was. King Elah's "servant Zimri, captain of half his chariots, conspired against him" (1 Kings 16:9), killed him "and reigned in his place" (1 Kings 16:10), and "Zimri reigned seven days in Tirzah" (1 Kings 16:15). In Hebrew, 1 Kings 16:9's conspired is the verb of 9:14, where Jehu "conspired against Joram" (tap conspired). Jehu doesn't answer the name. He looks up to the window and asks, "Who is on my side? Who?" (9:32).
The verses
“As Jehu entered in at the gate, she said, “Do you come in peace, Zimri, you murderer of your master?” He lifted up his face to the window, and said, “Who is on my side? Who?” Two or three eunuchs looked out at him.”
“In the twenty-sixth year of Asa king of Judah, Elah the son of Baasha began to reign over Israel in Tirzah for two years. His servant Zimri, captain of half his chariots, conspired against him. Now he was in Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, who was over the household in Tirzah; and Zimri went in and struck him and killed him in the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his place.”
“In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri reigned seven days in Tirzah. Now the people were encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines.”
“So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. (Now Joram was defending Ramoth Gilead, he and all Israel, because of Hazael king of Syria;”