2Ki 9:1 And Elisha the prophet called one of the children of the prophets, and said unto him, Gird up thy loins, and take this box of oil in thine hand, and go to Ramothgilead:
2Ki 9:2 And when thou comest thither, look out there Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in, and make him arise up from among his brethren, and carry him to an inner chamber;
2Ki 9:3 Then take the box of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, Thus saith the LORD, I have anointed thee king over Israel. Then open the door, and flee, and tarry not.
2Ki 9:4 So the young man, even the young man the prophet, went to Ramothgilead.
2Ki 9:5 And when he came, behold, the captains of the host were sitting; and he said, I have an errand to thee, O captain. And Jehu said, Unto which of all us? And he said, To thee, O captain.
2Ki 9:6 And he arose, and went into the house; and he poured the oil on his head, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I have anointed thee king over the people of the LORD, even over Israel.
2Ki 9:7 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.
2Ki 9:8 For the whole house of Ahab shall perish: and I will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel:
2Ki 9:9 And I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah:
2Ki 9:10 And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her. And he opened the door, and fled.
In the sermon titled "Jehu, Jehoram And Jezebel," Peter L. Meney addresses the theological implications of God's sovereign choice in anointing Jehu as king over Israel, illustrating the doctrine of divine election and judgment. He emphasizes that Jehu's anointing signifies God’s active role in appointing leaders to fulfill His plans, specifically to execute judgment on the house of Ahab for its idolatry and murder of the prophets. Meney highlights 2 Kings 9:1-10, particularly verse 7, where God commands Jehu to destroy Ahab's household as part of His retributive justice. The sermon underscores the practical significance of acknowledging God's sovereignty in governance and societal justice, offering a call for repentance and faithfulness in the face of moral decline.
Key Quotes
“Jehu’s anointing is not just a political maneuver; it is a divine appointment to enact God's judgment.”
“In the destruction of Ahab’s house, we witness the faithfulness of God to His word and His relentless pursuit of holiness among His people.”
“The dogs eating Jezebel’s body signifies a complete and utter humiliation for those who defy the Lord.”
“When we see God’s judgment unfold, we are reminded that He reigns over every nation and every leader.”
The Bible teaches that God executes divine judgment on sin and the wicked.
Divine judgment is a significant theme in the Bible, illustrating God’s holiness and righteousness. In the account of Jehu, as depicted in 2 Kings 9, we see God's direct action in appointing Jehu to bring judgment upon the house of Ahab for their idolatry and the injustices they imposed upon the people of Israel. This narrative showcases God's sovereignty in using individuals—whether they are faithful or not—to accomplish His will. The passage reminds us that while justice may seem delayed, it is certain, for 'the Lord hath made all things for himself, yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.' Ultimately, every sin must be judged, reinforcing that God does not overlook iniquity.
The story of Jehu demonstrates that God can use any individual, regardless of their faith, to fulfill His divine purposes.
God's sovereignty extends to using various means, including imperfect people, to accomplish His plans. In 2 Kings 9, Jehu is anointed to be king and to execute divine judgment on Ahab's family, despite Jehu himself not being a true follower of God. This indicates that God's purposes are not limited by human shortcomings. Indeed, the narrative emphasizes that God orchestrates events and leaders according to His divine will. While Jehu's motivations may not have been pure, God still ensured that His judgment against Ahab and Jezebel was realized through Jehu's actions. This teaches us important lessons about God's sovereignty and the mystery of His providence.
Anointing signifies God's selection of an individual for a divine purpose, representing the Holy Spirit's empowerment.
In the biblical context, anointing plays a crucial role in indicating God's selection and empowerment of individuals for specific tasks. The anointing of Jehu by the prophet Elisha serves as a divine endorsement for Jehu to fulfill God's purpose in bringing judgment upon Ahab’s family. Anointing with oil symbolizes the Holy Spirit's presence and enablement for the task at hand. This act not only signified Jehu's authority as king but points forward to the ultimate anointing of Jesus Christ as the Messiah, the Anointed One. As such, anointing has deep theological implications, connecting the Old Testament practice to the New Covenant and the work of Christ in fulfilling God’s plan of salvation.
Jezebel's fate illustrates God's judgment on sin and the ultimate consequences of unrepentant wickedness.
The fate of Jezebel serves as a stark reminder of God's judgment against persistent sin and rebellion. According to the biblical account, Jezebel's actions led to her being thrown from a window and ultimately consumed by dogs—a graphic representation of God's judgment. Her life was marked by idolatry and the persecution of the Lord's prophets, demonstrating the consequences of leading others away from God. This narrative teaches us that while God is merciful, His holiness demands judgment upon sin. It emphasizes the seriousness of sin and the inevitability of divine justice, reinforcing the biblical truth that 'the wages of sin is death.' Ultimately, Jezebel’s judgment calls believers to reflect on their own lives, encouraging them to seek repentance and a right standing before God.
2 Kings 9:30-37, Romans 6:23
Sermon Transcript
Auto-generated transcript • May contain errors
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going to be reading from 2nd Kings chapter 9 and we'll be doing that in just a moment or two but let me just by way of introduction if I may because I'm going to read this chapter. It's a long chapter but I'm going to read it all because I think in many ways it is a very interesting might even say exciting narrative. And I think that it really conveys much of the account in a fairly straightforward way. So even although some of you are younger and it may not always be easy to listen to the word of God being read, I hope that you will give your attention to this longer reading today and listen carefully to what the scriptures tell us.
But today we're going to be introduced to a man called Jehu, who we shall see has been prepared by God to execute divine judgment on the enemies of God, and particularly on wicked Ahab's family. Now Ahab you may remember was that wicked king he and his wife Jezebel were a great trouble to Elijah when Elijah was alive and also to an extent Elisha. and they had been responsible for slaying many of the Lord's prophets and bringing Baal worship, foreign gods and idolatry into the land of Israel and causing much hardship and trouble to the land. So this man Jehu is, as we will learn, has been raised by God in order to bring judgment upon the family of Ahab. And we will be reading about that this week and, God willing, next week as well. And there are some pretty brutal passages, some pretty bloody events going to be related to us in the context of this judgment.
Back when Ahab was the king of Israel, he and his wife, you may remember, this lady called Jezebel, had stolen a vineyard from a man called Naboth. And Ahab, it was just one particular incident in his life, but it was an incident that the Lord noted and for which Ahab and Jezebel have become even more infamous for their wickedness, perhaps because of the personality of understanding the circumstances of this man Naboth. Ahab had Naboth and his sons killed. He killed his sons as well so that there would be no one to inherit the vineyard, simply because he wanted Naboth's vineyard close by his palace in Jezreel to be like a palace garden, a garden where he would grow herbs and vegetables and flowers. so he had Naboth killed to that end. He took Naboth's vineyard and Elijah was the prophet at the time and he was sent by God to condemn Ahab and to threaten the king with punishment. So today we learn that when Elijah condemned Ahab there was a man standing beside Ahab And that man was Jehu, the person who is the subject of our chapter today.
Jehu was a soldier of fortune. He was something of a mercenary, I think. He was a bold man. He was strong. He was impulsive. He liked to fight. He was a man of war. And he became a leading general in the army of Israel, although he seems to have been from the tribe of Judah.
However, Elijah knew something else about Jehu and he passed this message on to Elisha. The message was that in time God would make Jehu king over Israel in order to destroy the whole house of Ahab and rid the nation of Jezebel's Baal religion. Last week, if you remember, we saw how Hazel in Syria slew his master, Ben-Hadad, in order to become the king of Syria. And today we're going to learn how Jehu slew his master, Jehoram, the king of Israel, who was Ahab's son, in order that Jehu would become the king of Israel. Let me just mention something else before we do our reading. Jehoram had been fighting Hazel. So Hazel was the king of Syria now, and Jehoram, the king of Israel, had been fighting Hazel to recover a town on the Syrian-Israel border, a town called Ramath Gilead. And Jehoram was wounded in the fight.
And he returned to his palace in Jezreel. So Jezreel and Samaria were the two main cities of Israel at this time. Remember, a few weeks ago, the famine was in Samaria. But he returned to his palace in Jezreel, close to where Naboth's vineyard had been, in order to recover from his wounds. And while he was there, he was visited by Ahaziah, the king of Judah, who was his brother-in-law.
Elisha, who is now God's prophet in the land, he's getting older. And no doubt, at God's prompting, he realized that this was the moment to anoint Jehu king and overthrow Jehoram. And so he sent a young man, a prophet, to anoint Jehu and he told him exactly where to go and what to do and what to say. And this is our reading from chapter 9 of 2 Kings. This is the word of the Lord.
And Elisha the prophet called one of the children of the prophets, and said unto him, Gird up thy loins, and take this box of oil in thine hand, and go to Ramoth Gilead. And when thou comest thither, look out there, Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, and go in, and make him arise up from among his brethren, and carry him to an inner chamber. Then take the box of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, Thus saith the Lord, I have anointed thee king over Israel. Then open the door, and flee, and tarry not.
So the young man, even the young man the prophet, went to Ramoth Gilead. And when he came, behold, the captains of the host were sitting. And he said, I have an errand to thee, O captain. And Jehu said, Unto which of all us? And he said, To thee, O captain.
And he arose and went into the house, and he poured the oil on his head, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I have anointed thee king over the people of the Lord, even 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. for the whole house of Ahab shall perish. And I will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel. And I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, and like the house of Basha, the son of Ahijah. and the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her. And he opened the door and fled.
Then Jehu came forth to the servants of his lord, and one said unto him, Is all well? Wherefore came this mad fellow to thee? And he said unto them, Ye know the man and his communication. And they said, It is false, tell us now. And he said, Thus and thus spake he to me, saying, Thus saith the Lord, I have anointed thee king over Israel. Then they hasted, and took every man his garment, and put it under him on the top of the stairs, and blew with trumpets, saying, Jehu is king.
So Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, conspired against Joram, or Jehoram. Now Jehoram had kept Ramoth Gilead, he and all Israel, because of Hazel, king of Syria. But King Jehoram was returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him when he fought with Hazel, king of Syria. And Jehu said, If it be your minds, then let none go forth nor escape out of the city to go to tell it in Jezreel. So Jehu rode in a chariot and went to Jezreel, for Joram lay there. And Ahaziah king of Judah was come down to see Joram. And there stood a watchman on the tower in Jezreel, and he spied the company of Jehu as he came, and said, I see a company. And Joram said, Take an horseman and send to meet them, and let him say, Is it peace? So there went one on horseback to meet him, and said, Thus saith the king, Is it peace?
And Jehu said, What hast thou to do with peace? Turn thee behind me. And the watchman told, saying, The messenger came to them, but he cometh not again. Then he sent out a second on horseback, which came to them, and said, Thus saith the king, Is it peace? And Jehu answered, What hast thou to do with peace? Turn thee behind me. And the watchman told, saying, 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. 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 it came to pass, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, Is it peace, Jehu? And he answered, What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many! And Joram turned his hands and fled, and said to Ahaziah, There is treachery, O Ahaziah!
And Jehu drew a bow with his full strength and smote Jehoram between his arms and the arrow went out at his heart and he sunk down in his chariot. Then said Jehu to Bidkar his captain, take up and cast him in the portion of the field of Naboth, the Jezreelite, for remember how that when I and thou rode together after Ahab his father, the Lord laid this burden upon him. Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons, saith the Lord, and I will requite thee in this plat, or plot, saith the Lord. Now therefore take and cast him into the plat of ground according to the word of the Lord. But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the way of the garden house.
And Jehu followed after him and said, smite him also in the chariot. And they did so at the going up to Gur, which is by Eblem. And he fled to Medigo and died there. And his servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem and buried him in his sepulchre with his fathers in the city of David. And in the eleventh year of Joram, the son of Ahab began Ahaziah to reign over Judah.
And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it, and she painted her face and tired her head and looked out at a window. Tired her head and looked out at a window. And as Jehu entered in at the gate, she said, Had Zimri peace who slew his master? And he lifted up his face to the window and said, Who is on my side? Who? And there looked out to him two or three eunuchs.
And he said, Throw her down. So they threw her down, and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall and on the horses, and he trod her underfoot. And when he was come in, he did eat and drink, and said, Go, see now this cursed woman, and bury her, for she is a king's daughter. And they went to bury her, but they found no more of her than the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands.
Wherefore they came again and told him, and he said, This is the word of the Lord, which he spake by his servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, In the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel, and the carcass of Jezebel shall be as dung upon the face of the field in the portion of Jezreel, so that they shall not say, This is Jezebel.
Amen. Well, thank you for listening to that longer reading today, but I just wanted to give you the whole picture if I could, and remind us that this is indeed the way in which the Lord's Word came to pass. That young prophet was obedient to the word of Elisha, And having found Jehu, he quickly explained all that he had to tell him from Elisha.
And then he left and he left Jehu to tell the other officers, the other captains of Joram's, Jehoram's army. He's called both Joram and Jehoram, what had occurred. These men knew that this strange visitor to Jehu was indeed God's prophet and they also saw that Jehu's head was dripping with oil. so that it was clear what had happened and they believed that God now wanted Jehu to be their king. They prevented anyone leaving the city to warn Jehoram and at once Jehu set out at the head of an armed band and he rode to Jezreel.
He was going to seize the crown We read together how the guards on the watchtowers saw Jehu approach and they shouted a warning. A man was sent out to meet the fast approaching chariots and to enquire what was happening, why they were coming to Jezreel, whether they had come in peace.
But that scout didn't return. So a second was sent and he didn't return either. Now by now Jehoram realised that it was Jehu come from Ramoth Gilead and perhaps he feared bad news from the battle. So he took a chariot and he went to meet Jehu personally. He was not to return from that meeting.
Jehu took his bow and he shot an arrow through Jehoram's heart and Jehoram died in his chariot. Ahaziah, king of Judah who was with Jehoram, he tried to flee, but he was soon overtaken and he was killed as well. So that Jehu rode into Jezreel and took charge of the city without a sword being raised against him. As soon as he had entered into the city, Jezebel, who was still alive, Ahab had died a number of years before. Jezebel, however, the Queen Mother, she was Jehoram's mother, she was still alive and she heard and realised what had happened.
She didn't ask Jehu for mercy. She was full of pride. She was full of arrogance. The old woman put on her makeup. She fixed her hair. She tied it or put it in into a form which made it neat and tidy. And she stood in an upstairs window to denounce Jehu as he entered the palace. She cursed him. She cursed him to the same fate as Zimri, an earlier rebel who died within a week of killing his master. So basically she was saying to Jehu, you may have killed your master, but you should expect to die as well.
Jehu ordered her servants to throw her from her balcony onto the street below and this being done her body was mangled under the horse's hoofs and the chariot wheels and ultimately it was consumed by dogs as God had told Elijah and Elijah had foretold.
What a chapter, what a chapter that is, and what an account, what a coming together, what a tying together of all the strands of prophecy here in this moment, as the words from Elijah and Elisha, the prophets of God, came together in order to bring this, the circumstances of Ahab and Jezebel to fulfillment.
But I think there are some gospel lessons here that we can take. And I just want to pass on a couple of those as well because these Old Testament stories, interesting as they are, are designed to teach us something about the gospel. And first of all, I want you to notice this. Elisha sent a young prophet to anoint Jehu.
And this anointing was important. Anointing with oil was characteristic of God appointing a man to serve Him in a particular office. and kings and prophets and priests were all anointed with oil in token of receiving divine grace. It was as if God was saying to these people, I will charge you to do a particular job and I will help you to do that job. And as a picture of me helping you there is going to be a pouring of oil on your head and that is a picture of you being anointed with the Holy Spirit in order to fulfil the job that I want you to do.
That is why anointing in the Old Testament is so much emphasised. And it is emphasised also because it is typical of the anointing of the Lord Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit in the New Testament in order to serve God in the role that he fulfilled of prophet, priest, and king. So the prophets and priests and kings in the Old Testament were anointed as a picture of the fact that when God's great servant, his Messiah, the very Son of God, would come into the world that he would be anointed to do all God's pleasure. The Lord Jesus was anointed to serve as prophet in order to speak God's word and declare God's gospel. He was anointed as priest to represent the church, to redeem God's elect and to intercede for us and he was anointed as king to establish his kingdom and rule over his own house and govern its citizens in holiness and in truth. So that by anointing these groups of people, the prophets, the priests, and the kings in the Old Testament, we are being taught, as the Old Testament church was taught, to be looking out for the Messiah, to be looking forward to the coming of the Messiah. And indeed, the word Messiah simply means anointed one.
So that all these Old Testament pictures, as we've said so often, we're looking forward to and pointing to the coming of God's Son, the Messiah. Christ is God's anointed one to fulfill every role and office for the salvation and the deliverance of God's chosen covenant people.
We read in Psalm 89 verse 19, I have laid help upon one that is mighty. I have exalted one chosen out of the people. I have found David my servant. and with my holy oil have I anointed him. And that certainly was true for David, but it was a picture rather of David's greater son, the Lord Jesus Christ, whom God anointed to save his people from their sin.
Throughout scripture, Christ was prefigured as the Lord's anointed for our salvation. But you know that isn't all that this anointing teaches us. Because the church is also anointed. And if you trust the Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, then you are anointed by reason of your union with Christ. The Apostle John, one of Jesus' disciples, he tells us that we have an anointing from God, an unction, it's the same word. And Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians chapter 1, for all the promises of God in him are yea and in him amen. He's speaking about the Lord Jesus as being the fulfiller of all the promises of God. unto the glory of God by us and then he goes on to say now he which establisheth us with you in Christ and hath anointed us is God who hath also sealed us and given us the earnest of the spirit in our hearts so that everyone who can say by faith the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want Can also say what is said in verse 5 of Psalm 23, Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies, Thou anointest my head with oil, my cup runneth over.
Christ's church is appointed to be like Christ. And Christ has made us, says John, kings and priests unto God and his Father. So all believers are like Christ, kings and priests. And we might add prophets as well. And we are anointed with the Messiah, with the Anointed One, who is our Saviour. Thousands of years ago, Jehu was anointed king by Elisha's servant.
And today, you and I who love and trust the Lord are anointed kings and priests to God by Jesus Christ. What wonderful blessings Christ has given to all his people for whom he died. and someday Christ's church will be taken to heaven where we shall serve Christ and reign with Him. What a wonderful day that will be. Let me just point out another little thing.
Jehu was not a believer, or indeed a follower of God, despite his fine-sounding words. And we're going to hear a bit more about that on another occasion. He never truly left idolatry. And yet the Lord raised him up to bring judgment on Ahab and Ahab's family, to serve his cause and do his will.
And this still happens. God raises up men and women to accomplish his will and assist his church. And it may not appear like that in the moment, but it is how God's providence works. The Lord hath made all things for himself, yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. And just because the wicked like Ahab, Jezebel and Jehoram appeared to prosper for a time, it doesn't mean that there will be no justice. And God slew them or had them slain for the sake of Naboth, for the sake of all his prophets, for the sake of the widows and the orphans who cried to God for judgment.
Justice will be done. The judgment of God's enemies is fast approaching in this world And then God will judge those He used to punish his foes so that you and I should remember this as we go through life and sometimes we struggle and sometimes we are persecuted and sometimes we are challenged and But understand this of the troubles that we encounter. We don't have to get even ourselves because God will do it for us. Vengeance is mine, says the Lord, and the judge of all the earth will do right.
And then just lastly, this little point. The ultimate destruction of Ahab and Jezebel ought to remind us First, that God, in his holiness, must judge every sin and all iniquity. Paul says the wages of sin is death. Death in this world, and more fearfully, the everlasting judgment of hell in the next. But whenever we think on judgment, let us also think about Christ and how he endured that eternity of pain and punishment on the cross for all for whom he suffered and died.
There is forgiveness with God. There is grace with God. There is mercy and redemption in the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the anointed of God. Christ is the way of salvation for sinners like us. Trust Him. Trust Him and heaven, not hell, will be your final destination and your eternal home. May the Lord bless these thoughts to us today. Amen.
About Peter L. Meney
Peter L. Meney is Pastor of New Focus Church Online (http://www.newfocus.church); Editor of New Focus Magazine (http://www.go-newfocus.co.uk); and Publisher of Go Publications which includes titles by Don Fortner and George M. Ella. You may reach Peter via email at peter@go-newfocus.co.uk or from the New Focus Church website. Complete church services are broadcast weekly on YouTube @NewFocusChurchOnline.
Pristine Grace functions as a digital library of preaching and teaching from many different men and ministries. I maintain a broad collection for research, study, and listening, and the presence of any preacher or message here should not be taken as a blanket endorsement of every doctrinal position expressed.
I publish my own convictions openly and without hesitation throughout this site and in my own preaching and writing. This archive is not a denominational clearinghouse. My aim in maintaining it is to preserve historic and contemporary preaching, encourage careful study, and above all direct readers and listeners to the person and work of Christ.
Everything that exists is a thought in the mind of God.
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I spent the majority of my adult life building something I didn't know had a name. It started with the Scriptures and a lot of late nights. It ended with one sentence that generates every theological position I hold, from the nature of God to the nature of heaven and hell, without contradiction. One sentence. Thirty chapters. Sixteen appendices. And if you accept the sentence, everything else follows.
Most systematic theologies start with a list of doctrines and work through them one by one. This book starts with an ontological claim - that everything that exists is a thought in the mind of God - and derives everything from that single proposition. This is not a rearrangement of existing theology. This is a paradigm shift. Since Augustine imported Plato's metaphysics into the church in the fourth century, every major system of Christian theology has been built on a foundation the Scriptures never laid. This book identifies that foundation, names it, traces its influence across sixteen centuries, and replaces it with an ontology derived from Scripture alone. If the claim holds, this is the most significant shift in the theological starting point since Augustine. And I believe it holds.
This is not a devotional. This is not a commentary. This is a systematic theology built from the ground up by a computer programmer with no seminary degree, no denominational backing, and no one's permission. It uses the vocabulary of information theory, computer science, and quantum physics to describe realities that traditional theological language has never been able to reach. If you are a scientist who suspects that information is fundamental to reality but can't bring yourself to call it God, this book speaks your language. If you are a sovereign grace believer looking for a system that follows the logic all the way, this book does that. And if you have been told that the sharpest doctrine produces the coldest heart, this book ends with the widest arms you have ever seen in a Reformed theology.
The digital edition is free. The truth doesn't come with a price tag. - Brandan Kraft
Where this book stands in the tradition
4th century BC
Plato
Idealism — forms over particulars
The Republic ethic: “God is not the author of evil”
“Everything that exists is a thought in the mind of God, sustained by His will, authored by His purpose, and held together by personal covenants of love.”
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