16 Then Jehu got into his chariot. He rode off to Jezreel. Joram was resting there. And Ahaziah, the king of Judah, had gone down to see him.
17 A lookout was standing on the roof of the tower in Jezreel. He saw Jehu's troops approaching. So he called out, "I see some troops coming." "Get a horseman," Joram ordered. "Send him to ride out to them. Have him ask, 'Are you coming in peace?' "
18 The horseman rode out to where Jehu was. He said, "The king asks, 'Are you coming in peace?' " "What do you know about peace?" Jehu answered. "Get in line behind me." The lookout reported, "The messenger has reached them. But he isn't coming back."
19 So the king sent out a second horseman. When he came to them, he told them, "The king asks, 'Are you coming in peace?' " Jehu replied, "What do you know about peace? Get in line behind me."
20 The lookout reported, "The second messenger has reached them. But he isn't coming back either. The one driving the chariot drives like Jehu, the son of Nimshi. He's driving like a crazy man."
21 "Get my chariot ready," King Joram ordered. When it was ready, he rode out. Ahaziah, the king of Judah, rode out with him. Each of them was in his own chariot. They both went to meet Jehu. They met him at the piece of land that had belonged to Naboth from Jezreel.
22 When Joram saw Jehu he asked, "Have you come here in peace, Jehu?" "Your mother Jezebel worships statues of gods," Jehu replied. "She also worships evil powers. The evil things she does have spread everywhere. As long as all of that goes on, how can there be peace?"