possession of the city, but was wounded, and returned to Jezreel to be
healed.[454] He was the last king of the Omri Dynasty of Israel. The
prophet Elisha sent a messenger to Jehu, a military leader, who was at
Ramoth-gilead, with a box of oil and the ominous message, "Thus saith
the Lord, I have anointed thee king over Israel. And thou shalt smite
the house of Ahab thy master, that I may avenge the blood of my
servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord,
at the hand of Jezebel.... And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the
portion of Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her."

Jehu "conspired against Joram", and then, accompanied by an escort,
"rode in a chariot and went to Jezreel", so that he might be the first
to announce the revolt to the king whom he was to depose.

The watchman on the tower of Jezreel saw Jehu and his company
approaching and informed Joram, who twice sent out a messenger to
enquire, "Is it peace?" Neither messenger returned, and the watchman
informed the wounded monarch of Israel, "He came even unto them, and
cometh not again; and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son
of Nimshi; for he driveth furiously".

King Joram went out himself to meet the famous charioteer, but turned
to flee when he discovered that he came as an enemy. Then Jehu drew
his bow and shot Joram through the heart. Ahaziah endeavoured to
conceal himself in Samaria, but was slain also. Jezebel was thrown
down from a window of the royal harem and trodden under foot by the
horsemen of Jehu; her body was devoured by dogs.[455]

The Syrian king against whom Joram fought at Ramoth-gilead was Hazael.
He had murdered Ben-hadad II as he lay on a bed of sickness by
smothering him with a thick cloth soaked in water. Then he had himself
proclaimed the ruler of the Aramaean State of Damascus. The prophet
Elisha had previously wept before him, saying, "I know the evil that
thou wilt do unto the children of Israel; their strongholds wilt thou
set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and
wilt dash their children and rip up their women with child".[456]

The time seemed ripe for Assyrian conquest. In 843 B.C. Shalmaneser
III crossed the Euphrates into Syria for the sixteenth time. His first
objective was Aleppo, where he was welcomed. He made offerings there
to Hadad, the local Thor, and then suddenly marched southward. Hazael
went out to oppose the advancing Assyrians, and came into