2 Kings 10
Jehu kills his way to Israel’s throne
Jehu threatens Israel’s leaders
1King Ahab's extended family included 70 males living in Israel’s capital city, Samaria. So, Jehu sent a letter to the leaders there. He addressed it to the political leaders, their consultants, and the staff who served the royal family.2He said, “Your king's relatives are with you right now. And you have access to horses and chariots and weapons—everything you need to defend yourself inside that walled city. 3So go ahead and pick the one person you think is best qualified to serve as your next king. Then prepare to defend him.”
4Jehu’s message terrified the city leaders. They said, “Listen, this man has already killed two kings. There’s no way in the world we’re going to stop him.” 5City leaders sent a message back to Jehu. Leaders included the palace administrator, the governor of Greater Samaria, senior statesmen who advised the officials, and other supporters of the royal family. The message read, “We are here to serve you. We'll do anything you ask. We won't anoint the next king. So, do whatever you think best.”
Jehu: I want their royal heads
6Jehu wrote back, “Here's what I think best. If you are with me and ready to do what I say, take the heads of all the males in the king's extended family. Bring them here to me at Jezreel by this time tomorrow.” [1] Those 70 relatives of the king were already there, standing with the city leaders who had just been ordered to take their heads.7The city leaders agreed to save themselves. [2] They killed all 70 of the king’s relatives, cut off their heads, put them in baskets, and carried the baskets to Jehu in Jezreel.
Heads in a basket
8A messenger told Jehu, “The people from Samaria brought the heads of the king's relatives.” Jehu said, “Tell them to dump the heads in two piles at the front gate. We'll keep them there until morning.” 9The next morning Jehu came out and addressed the people. He said, “You are innocent of killing the king. You didn't kill him. I did. But look at those heads. Who killed them? 10The prophet Elijah predicted everything that has just happened to Ahab's family. [3] Believe me when I tell you this. If the LORD says something will happen, it will happen. And it just did.”11But Jehu wasn't finished. He went on to kill everyone he could find who was in any way connected to the royal family. He killed all the king's appointed leaders, friends, and even the king’s personal priests. He left no survivors.
Jehu kills Judah’s royal relatives
12Jehu left Jezreel and headed to Samaria. Along the way he came to a place called Shepherd’s Bend. [4] 13He met some men and asked who they were. They said, “We’re relatives of King Ahaziah of Judah. We came to support [5] Israel’s royal family—the princes and Jezebel the queen mother.”14Jehu told his soldiers, “Arrest them.” There were 42 in the group of relatives. Jehu slaughtered them all in a nearby cistern [6] pit. He left no survivors.
15Jehu continued toward Samaria. Along the way, he met a man named Jehonadab the charioteer. [7] Jehu said. “Are you as devoted to me as I am to you?” Jehonadab said, “You better believe it.” Jehu said, “Then let me give you a hand up into my chariot.” Jehu pulled him up into the chariot to stand beside him. 16Jehu said, “Take a ride with me and I'll show you how devoted I am to the LORD.” So, the two rode together in the chariot.
17When they got to Samaria, Jehu killed everyone in the town who had any connection whatsoever to the family of King Ahab. Jehu wiped out every one of them—like the LORD told Elijah would happen.
Jehu sets trap for Baal worshipers
18Jehu called a meeting of the people in Samaria. He said, “Ahab sacrificed very little to Baal. I will sacrifice so much more. 19I'm going to offer a huge sacrifice. And I want everyone associated with Baal to be here to witness it. I want every prophet, priest, and servant—everyone associated with the worship of Baal. Anyone who doesn't make it here will be executed.” Jehu was setting a trap for these people. He intended to kill them—they were dead if they came, and dead if they didn't.20Jehu ordered Baal worship leaders to declare a special worship day devoted to Baal. So, they did. 21Jehu spread the word that Baal lovers should come to the special worship meeting. People came from all over Israel. They filled Baal’s temple wall to wall. 22Jehu told the servant in charge of worship robes, “Bring robes for everyone who worships Baal.” And the servant did.
23Jehu and Jehonadab went in the temple. Jehu told the worshipers, “I want you to look around and make sure everyone in here worships Baal. We don't want any others. Only genuine Baal worshippers.”
Jehu: Kill them all
24The people began burning their animal sacrifices. Jehu had already stationed 80 men outside the temple. He told them, “If any one of you let's any one of them escape, you’re toast. I’ll have you executed.”25Jehu offered a sacrifice and left the temple. He told his men on guard, “Go on in there. Kill them all. Don’t let any of them get away.” His guards pulled their swords, cut the people down, and dragged the bodies outside. 26They hauled out the sacred pillar [8] of Baal and burned it. 27So, they destroyed the pillar and demolished the temple. People today still use the ruins as a public toilet. 28That’s how Jehu erased Baal from Israel.
29He did not, however, erase the sin of King Jeroboam, son of Nebat. Jeroboam brought another idol to Israel: golden calves. [9] He put them in the cities of Bethel and Dan. 30The LORD told Jehu, “You solved the Ahab problem by doing what I said would be done. For that alone, I’ll let your dynasty rule four generations deep.”
31However, Jehu didn’t pay a lot of attention to God’s rules for living. So, he didn’t solve the Jeroboam problem by erasing the gold calves. Because of that, Israel continued to sin by worshiping idols.
Jehu dies 28 years later
32The LORD began breaking off pieces of Israel and giving them away. Syria’s King Hazael defeated Israel in one location after another. He kept what he won. 33He won the sprawling territory of Gilead along with the tribal lands of Gad, Reuben, Manasseh, all east of the Jordan River. He took that entire stretch of land, from the town of Aroer by the Arnon river in the south, to the territories of Gilead and Bashan in the north.34The rest of Jehu’s story and all he did is preserved in the History of Israel’s Kings. 35Jehu died and the people buried him there in Israel’s capital city of Samaria. His son Jehoahaz became the next king. 36Jehu reigned in Samaria as king of Israel for 28 years.
Footnotes
Jezreel was about a day’s walk north of Samaria, roughly 20 miles (32 km).
That was wishful thinking. Most, if not all, died in verse 11.
1 Kings 21:17:24.
The name is more literally Beth-eked of the Shepherds. Beth means “house” and eked means bend. Was it a place to bend in worship? The site has been linked to a ruin called Beit Qad, about four miles (7 km) east of the city of Jenin. That would have taken Jehu out of the way on his trip to Samaria—a bit like flying from Kansas City to Denver by way of Atlanta. If Jehu did that, we’re left wondering if he had intel on who was there, and he went out of his way to catch them and kill them.
In Hebrew, the word means “greet” or “visit.” But it looks almost identical to the Hebrew word for “avenge.” The men could have been volunteers coming to reinforce Samaria’s army.
A cistern was a storage pit to collect rainwater or water hauled from a spring or a stream. It was often chiseled out of stone and lined with waterproof plaster. The Hebrew word here can mean more than that, though: bôr. It can mean: pit, well, cistern, and more.
He’s more literally “Jehonadab son of Rechab.” But Rechab, some scholars say, seems connected to a group of people known as the Rechabim, known for their code of conduct. Context clues lead some to say these people were linked to chariots in some way—builders or riders. That could help explain why Jehu, a chariot corps commander, would want Jehonadab’s support. First-century Jewish historian Josephus said Jehu and Jehonadab were longtime friends.
The Baal pillar is a mystery. People erected memorial pillars. Absalom built one to honor himself (2 Samuel 18:18). Canaanite religion, featuring Baal the chief god, included ritual poles. These may have been trees or poles meant to represent trees, as symbols of the Canaanite fertility goddess Asherah, goddess of motherhood. She was the love interest of Baal. Canaan is now known as Israel and Palestinian Territories.
Did no one back then read the story of Aaron, the brother of Moses, creating a golden calf for the people to worship? A lot of people ended up dead because of it. King Jeroboam seemed to know enough of the story to quote the people’s reaction to the idol: “Israel, this is your God, the one who brought you out of Egypt” (Exodus 32:4). He had just spent a few years in Egypt, and he may have chosen the calf for the same reason the Hebrews did. Egyptians worshiped calves and bulls for their power and strength. In ordering the calves, there’s no indication that Jeroboam thought of anything other than saving his skin. He was trying to keep his people from worshiping in Jerusalem. He thought if they did go there regularly, they might eventually want to reunite the split nation under Jerusalem’s king of Judah.
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