Bidkar
Jehu's adjutant
Bidkar was an officer and adjutant (or captain) who served under King Jehu of Israel. He accompanied Jehu when Joram, son of Ahab, was killed, and was ordered to throw Joram's body onto Naboth's vineyard in accordance with the Lord's judgment against Ahab's house.
Key events
Servant under Jehu
Bidkar served as an adjutant (shalish) under Jehu, a trusted military position in the Israelite army.
25Jehu said to Bidkar his officer, "Pick him up and throw him on the plot of ground that belonged to Naboth the Jezreelite. Remember how you and I were riding together behind his father Ahab when the LORD pronounced this oracle against him:
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אֶל־בִּדְקַר֙ *שלשה **שָֽׁלִשׁ֔וֹ שָׂ֚א הַשְׁלִכֵ֔הוּ בְּחֶלְקַ֕ת שְׂדֵ֖ה נָב֣וֹת הַיִּזְרְעֵאלִ֑י כִּֽי־זְכֹ֞ר אֲנִ֣י וָאַ֗תָּה אֵ֣ת רֹכְבִ֤ים צְמָדִים֙ אַֽחֲרֵי֙ אַחְאָ֣ב אָבִ֔יו וַֽיהוָה֙ נָשָׂ֣א עָלָ֔יו אֶת־הַמַּשָּׂ֖א הַזֶּֽה׃
The Killing of King Joram
When Jehu shot Joram with an arrow, he ordered Bidkar to throw his body away. Bidkar obeyed the command immediately.
24Then Jehu drew his bow and shot Joram between the shoulders. The arrow pierced his heart, and he slumped down in his chariot.
וְיֵה֞וּא מִלֵּ֧א יָד֣וֹ בַקֶּ֗שֶׁת וַיַּ֤ךְ אֶת־יְהוֹרָם֙ בֵּ֣ין זְרֹעָ֔יו וַיֵּצֵ֥א הַחֵ֖צִי מִלִּבּ֑וֹ וַיִּכְרַ֖ע בְּרִכְבּֽוֹ׃
25Jehu said to Bidkar his officer, "Pick him up and throw him on the plot of ground that belonged to Naboth the Jezreelite. Remember how you and I were riding together behind his father Ahab when the LORD pronounced this oracle against him:
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אֶל־בִּדְקַר֙ *שלשה **שָֽׁלִשׁ֔וֹ שָׂ֚א הַשְׁלִכֵ֔הוּ בְּחֶלְקַ֕ת שְׂדֵ֖ה נָב֣וֹת הַיִּזְרְעֵאלִ֑י כִּֽי־זְכֹ֞ר אֲנִ֣י וָאַ֗תָּה אֵ֣ת רֹכְבִ֤ים צְמָדִים֙ אַֽחֲרֵי֙ אַחְאָ֣ב אָבִ֔יו וַֽיהוָה֙ נָשָׂ֣א עָלָ֔יו אֶת־הַמַּשָּׂ֖א הַזֶּֽה׃
Joram's Body Thrown onto Naboth's Vineyard
Bidkar took up Joram's body and threw it into the field that had belonged to Naboth of Jezreel, fulfilling the Lord's judgment against Ahab's house.
25Jehu said to Bidkar his officer, "Pick him up and throw him on the plot of ground that belonged to Naboth the Jezreelite. Remember how you and I were riding together behind his father Ahab when the LORD pronounced this oracle against him:
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אֶל־בִּדְקַר֙ *שלשה **שָֽׁלִשׁ֔וֹ שָׂ֚א הַשְׁלִכֵ֔הוּ בְּחֶלְקַ֕ת שְׂדֵ֖ה נָב֣וֹת הַיִּזְרְעֵאלִ֑י כִּֽי־זְכֹ֞ר אֲנִ֣י וָאַ֗תָּה אֵ֣ת רֹכְבִ֤ים צְמָדִים֙ אַֽחֲרֵי֙ אַחְאָ֣ב אָבִ֔יו וַֽיהוָה֙ נָשָׂ֣א עָלָ֔יו אֶת־הַמַּשָּׂ֖א הַזֶּֽה׃
26'As surely as I saw the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons yesterday, declares the LORD, I will repay you on this plot of ground, declares the LORD.' Now then, pick him up and throw him on that plot, in keeping with the word of the LORD."
אִם־לֹ֡א אֶת־דְּמֵ֣י נָבוֹת֩ וְאֶת־דְּמֵ֨י בָנָ֜יו רָאִ֤יתִי אֶ֙מֶשׁ֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה וְשִׁלַּמְתִּ֥י לְךָ֛ בַּחֶלְקָ֥ה הַזֹּ֖את נְאֻם־יְהוָ֑ה וְעַתָּ֗ה שָׂ֧א הַשְׁלִכֵ֛הוּ בַּחֶלְקָ֖ה כִּדְבַ֥ר יְהוָֽה׃
Remembering the Lord's prophecy against Ahab
Jehu reminded Bidkar how they had both ridden together behind Ahab when the Lord pronounced judgment on him for murdering Naboth and his sons.
25Jehu said to Bidkar his officer, "Pick him up and throw him on the plot of ground that belonged to Naboth the Jezreelite. Remember how you and I were riding together behind his father Ahab when the LORD pronounced this oracle against him:
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אֶל־בִּדְקַר֙ *שלשה **שָֽׁלִשׁ֔וֹ שָׂ֚א הַשְׁלִכֵ֔הוּ בְּחֶלְקַ֕ת שְׂדֵ֖ה נָב֣וֹת הַיִּזְרְעֵאלִ֑י כִּֽי־זְכֹ֞ר אֲנִ֣י וָאַ֗תָּה אֵ֣ת רֹכְבִ֤ים צְמָדִים֙ אַֽחֲרֵי֙ אַחְאָ֣ב אָבִ֔יו וַֽיהוָה֙ נָשָׂ֣א עָלָ֔יו אֶת־הַמַּשָּׂ֖א הַזֶּֽה׃
26'As surely as I saw the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons yesterday, declares the LORD, I will repay you on this plot of ground, declares the LORD.' Now then, pick him up and throw him on that plot, in keeping with the word of the LORD."
אִם־לֹ֡א אֶת־דְּמֵ֣י נָבוֹת֩ וְאֶת־דְּמֵ֨י בָנָ֜יו רָאִ֤יתִי אֶ֙מֶשׁ֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה וְשִׁלַּמְתִּ֥י לְךָ֛ בַּחֶלְקָ֥ה הַזֹּ֖את נְאֻם־יְהוָ֑ה וְעַתָּ֗ה שָׂ֧א הַשְׁלִכֵ֛הוּ בַּחֶלְקָ֖ה כִּדְבַ֥ר יְהוָֽה׃
The fulfillment of Elijah's prophecy
Bidkar's act of throwing Joram's body onto Naboth's land was a direct fulfillment of the prophet Elijah's words that Ahab's blood would be avenged on that same piece of ground.
26'As surely as I saw the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons yesterday, declares the LORD, I will repay you on this plot of ground, declares the LORD.' Now then, pick him up and throw him on that plot, in keeping with the word of the LORD."
אִם־לֹ֡א אֶת־דְּמֵ֣י נָבוֹת֩ וְאֶת־דְּמֵ֨י בָנָ֜יו רָאִ֤יתִי אֶ֙מֶשׁ֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה וְשִׁלַּמְתִּ֥י לְךָ֛ בַּחֶלְקָ֥ה הַזֹּ֖את נְאֻם־יְהוָ֑ה וְעַתָּ֗ה שָׂ֧א הַשְׁלִכֵ֛הוּ בַּחֶלְקָ֖ה כִּדְבַ֥ר יְהוָֽה׃
36They went back and told Jehu, who said, "This is the word of the LORD that he spoke through his servant Elijah the Tishbite: 'On the plot of ground at Jezreel dogs will devour Jezebel's flesh.'
וַיָּשֻׁבוּ֮ וַיַּגִּ֣ידוּ לוֹ֒ וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ דְּבַר־יְהוָ֣ה ה֔וּא אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּ֗ר בְּיַד־עַבְדּ֛וֹ אֵלִיָּ֥הוּ הַתִּשְׁבִּ֖י לֵאמֹ֑ר בְּחֵ֣לֶק יִזְרְעֶ֔אל יֹאכְל֥וּ הַכְּלָבִ֖ים אֶת־בְּשַׂ֥ר אִיזָֽבֶל׃
19Say to him, 'This is what the LORD says: Have you murdered, and also taken possession?' Then say to him, 'This is what the LORD says: In the place where the dogs licked up Naboth's blood, the dogs will lick up your blood—yes, yours.'"
וְדִבַּרְתָּ֨ אֵלָ֜יו לֵאמֹ֗ר כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה הֲרָצַ֖חְתָּ וְגַם־יָרָ֑שְׁתָּ וְדִבַּרְתָּ֨ אֵלָ֜יו לֵאמֹ֗ר כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה בִּמְק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁ֨ר לָקְק֤וּ הַכְּלָבִים֙ אֶת־דַּ֣ם נָב֔וֹת יָלֹ֧קּוּ הַכְּלָבִ֛ים אֶת־דָּמְךָ֖ גַּם־אָֽתָּה׃
21I am bringing disaster upon you. I will wipe out your descendants and cut off from Ahab every male in Israel, both slave and free.
הִנְנִ֨י *מבי **מֵבִ֤יא אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ רָעָ֔ה וּבִעַרְתִּ֖י אַחֲרֶ֑יךָ וְהִכְרַתִּ֤י לְאַחְאָב֙ מַשְׁתִּ֣ין בְּקִ֔יר וְעָצ֥וּר וְעָז֖וּב בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
29"Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; I will bring it on his house in the days of his son."
הֲֽרָאִ֔יתָ כִּֽי־נִכְנַ֥ע אַחְאָ֖ב מִלְּפָנָ֑י יַ֜עַן כִּֽי־נִכְנַ֣ע מִפָּנַ֗י לֹֽא־*אבי **אָבִ֤יא הֽ͏ָרָעָה֙ בְּיָמָ֔יו בִּימֵ֣י בְנ֔וֹ אָבִ֥יא הָרָעָ֖ה עַל־בֵּיתֽוֹ׃