Thomas Brodie’s fascination with the EEN includes its uses as a source for mimesis for his theoretical proto-Luke and again for the later Luke-Acts AS WELL AS being a commentary on the Dtr. History in which it was artificially implanted. As such he defines the beginning of the EEN at the crowning of Ahab in 1 Kings 16:29 and defines the ending at the restoration of the Temple of the LORD in Jerusalem by Joash and Jehoiada. \

However, I find what I think are inclusios with the prophet Jehu prophesying the end of Baasha’s reign at the beginning of chapter 16. Fulfilling Jehu’s prophecy is a servant of Baasha who kills all of Bassha’s descendants. The servant’s name is Zimri, but he only reigns seven days, as Omri takes over Isarel, and his son Ahab serves as a foil to Elijah.

Toward the end of my version of the EEN a Jehu is anointed king by Elisha’s servant, and released to kill Baal worshippers. As he enters the palace where Jezebel lives, Jezebel says to Jehu “Is it peace, Zimri, murderer of your master?” The next chapter is a continued slaughter of the royal house of Israel. Then Jehu performs a massacre of Baal worshippers worthy of Elijah. Then Jehu passes away.

This is beautiful ending of the EEN. Elisha has commisioned Jehu, who wreaks havoc and purifies the royal house of Baal worship and destroys the temple of Baal in the process. The worship was a problem brought to the for with Ahab’s promotion of JEzebel’s idols, and in the end the Temple of Baal is destroyed. Throughout the EEN there is a strange but consistent lack of a mention of the House of the LORD or the Temple of the LORD or any other euphemism for the temple in Jerusalem.

2 Kings 8 only mentions Elisha telling Hazael that his master will die and Hazael will become king. In chapter 9 Elisha selects one his servants/disciples to take a flask to anoint Jehu, presumably because Elisha is too old for the task. The rest of chapter nine and ten are Jehu’s exploits, then he passes away. Chapters 11 and 12, which I am saying are not part of the EEN, have no mention of Elijah, Elisha, Hazael, or Jehu, the main characters of the EEN. Chapter 13 has the death scene of Elisha, but it seems misplaced. Elisha is mostly useless, and does not pass on his powers to another generation, unless you count his anointing of Jehu by proxy.

I think the Jehu/Zimri incusio is the best and most poetic inclusio of the EEN, stretching from 1 Kings 1 neatly to the end of 2 Kings 10 (+ the death narrative of Elisha in 13:14-25)

What is your opinion?