2 Kings 9:21
And Joram said, Make ready. And his chariot was made ready. And Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his chariot, and they went out against Jehu, and met him in the portion of Naboth the Jezreelite. And Joram said, Make ready. And his chariot was made ready. And Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his chariot, and they went out against Jehu, and met him in the portion of Naboth the Jezreelite.
Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out each in his chariot to meet Jehu at the portion of Naboth the Jezreelite. Their meeting took place in the setting of Jehu's judgments and the extinction of Ahab's house. It came as Jehu came to carry out the judgment appointed against Ahab's house, and though Joram had escaped the attack of the Syrians he was now confronted by Jehu.
That portion was Naboth's vineyard and field and property, where Naboth's vineyard had been. There Ahab and Jezebel had seized Naboth's land through covetousness and violence and shed innocent blood, and that seizure sealed their doom and brought a divine sentence on their house. The events of this chapter show that doom unfolding.
Naboth's land was where that judgment had been foretold. Elijah had there pronounced the sentence on Ahab's house, Jehu had been present at that pronouncement, and he now came to carry it out. Joram's meeting with Jehu there began the execution of the judgment.
The meeting belongs to Jehu's judgments and the extinction of Ahab's house. Jehu was raised up to destroy the house of Ahab and to destroy Ahab's house when its punishment could no longer be withheld. Joram had escaped the Syrians' attack, but his meeting with Jehu at Naboth's field began the execution of the appointed judgment against Ahab's house.
In the events of this chapter Jehu kills Joram and takes the kingdom of Israel, and Ahaziah king of Judah is killed with him. The event distinguishes Ahab's open substitution of Baal for Jehovah, breaking the first commandment, from Jeroboam's use of images to represent the true God, breaking the second. Jehu's judgments against Baal worship were fierce and swift, but he failed to redeem Israel from false worship because he worshiped himself.
The wicked, profligate Joram went out against Jehu to ask, Is it peace, Jehu. Jehu was a zealous captain and furious driver sweeping on in his warrior's chariot, asked the same question three times, first by two messengers who then became part of his company of war. Joram's asking received a rebuke for his wickedness and a smiting to his heart. The question Is it peace is as old as war and is the same question thousands are asking today, while the nations stand like armed gladiators with sword half drawn and guns ready, groaning under the crushing weight of war expenses for destruction of expected foes.