2 Kings 9:17
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? 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?
The verse belongs to the account of Jehu coming to Jezreel to carry out God's judgment in the fall and extinction of Ahab's house. God raised up Jehu to destroy Ahab's house as punishment for Ahab replacing Jehovah with Baal. Jezebel's giving of Naboth's vineyard to Ahab sealed the doom of both the king and herself, which this judgment carries out.
Jehu's approaching company is part of fierce and summary judgment upon Baal worship. After executing the judgment, Jehu eradicated Baal worship from Israel yet continued Jeroboam's image worship. This shows the difference between rejecting the true God and using images to represent him. Jehu could have delivered Israel from false worship if he had not worshiped himself.
The verse presents the old wartime question about peace addressed to Jehu as he rushed onward in his war chariot as a zealous captain and furious driver. The question was put three times, twice by horsemen sent to meet him who then joined his war company, and once by the wicked and profligate King Joram. Joram received a rebuke for his wickedness and was struck to the heart. The same question about peace is still asked by thousands today while the nations stand fully armed with swords half drawn and guns ready against expectant enemies.