The King Who Destroyed Ahab's Family
The life and reign of King Jehu.
The time has come for God’s promise about the extermination of Ahab’s house to come to pass (1 Kings 21:21-24).
The man who will carry God’s will out? The commander of Israel’s army - Jehu.
The Prophecy of Jehu Becoming King.
God told Elijah:
"Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, anoint Hazael as king over Syria. Also you shall anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi as king over Israel. And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place. It shall be that whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, Jehu will kill; and whoever escapes the sword of Jehu, Elisha will kill. (1 Kings 19:15-17)
What’s interesting about this is that Elijah chose Elisha to serve as prophet in his place - and Elisha was the one who told Hazael he would be king of Syria (2 Kings 8:7-15) and who sent a prophet to anoint Jehu king over Israel (2 Kings 9:1-13). Elisha finished the work that Elijah had started.
Jehu would serve God’s purpose in executing God’s judgment on the house of Ahab.
Jehu is Anointed King of Israel.
Elisha sent one of the sons of the prophets to Ramoth Gilead to anoint Jehu - the commander of the army - king over Israel. After the prophet did this based on the word of the Lord, Elisha told him to flee immediately (2 Kings 9:1-3).
As the prophet anoints Jehu, he tells him why the Lord has chosen him to be the new king over Israel.
"Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'I have anointed you king over the people of the LORD, over Israel. You shall strike down the house of Ahab your 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 all the males in Israel, both bond and free. So 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. The dogs shall eat Jezebel on the plot of ground at Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her.' " (2 Kings 9:6-10)
Then, the prophet fled just as Elisha told him to do.
When Jehu returned to those who served under his command, they wanted to know what was going on - “What did that crazy man want, Jehu?” Jehu attempts to dismiss what just happened by saying, “He’s just crazy!” (2 Kings 9:11).
But they pressed him for the truth, and Jehu told them the prophet’s message - God had anointed him king over Israel. Jehu’s servants enthusiastically proclaimed, “Jehu is king!” (2 Kings 9:12-13).
Jehu Kills the Kings of Israel and Judah.
Jehu conspired against Joram, the king of Israel. He knew he had the element of surprise on his side because the king had been wounded in battle and so would be unaware of Jehu being proclaimed king (2 Kings 9:14-15).
As Jehu rode in a chariot to Jezreel to kill King Joram, someone else was on his way to visit Joram as well. Ahaziah, the king of Judah, came to visit his wounded uncle (2 Kings 9:16).
When a watchman sees a group traveling toward Jezreel, he sends word to Joram, who orders a horseman to go out to meet them to discover whether or not they come in peace (2 Kings 9:17). When the messengers meets Jehu, the commander of Israel’s army tells him, “Mind your own business, and follow me.” So the watchman reported back to Joram that the messenger did not return (2 Kings 9:18). The king sends out another messenger, and he also follows Jehu (2 Kings 9:19).
At this point, the watchman has some idea of who’s coming - “The driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi, for he drives furiously!” (2 Kings 9:20). Knowing it’s the commander of his army, the wounded king of Israel decides to go meet Jehu himself. They meet on the property of Naboth the Jezreelite, and Joram asks, “Is everything alright?” Jehu responds, “What peace, as long as the harlotries of your mother Jezebel and her witchcraft are so many?” (2 Kings 9:21-22).
Joram has just enough time to warn his nephew Ahaziah to flee before Jehu kills him by shooting an arrow through his heart (2 Kings 9:23-24). Jehu orders his captain to “Pick him up, and throw him into the tract of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite; for remember, when you and I were riding together behind Ahab his father, that the LORD laid this burden upon him: 'Surely I saw yesterday the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons,' says the LORD, 'and I will repay you in this plot,' says the LORD. Now therefore, take and throw him on the plot of ground, according to the word of the LORD" (2 Kings 9:25-26).
Eventually, Jehu’s men track down Ahaziah and kill him, too. But his body was given a proper burial because he was the son of Jehoshaphat, “who sought the LORD with all his heart” (2 Chronicles 22:7-9).
Jehu Kills Jezebel.
After this, Jehu arrives in Jezreel, and Jezebel hears about it and makes herself look as beautiful as she can. As Jehu entered the gate, Jezebel called out, “Is it peace, Zimri, murderer of your master?” (2 Kings 9:30-31). Apparently, word of what Jehu had done had made it back to Jezebel.
Jehu looks up at the window where Jezebel was looking out, and he called out, “Is there anyone on my side?” Two or three eunuchs look out, and Jehu orders them, “Throw her down.” They did, and some of her blood spattered on the wall and horses when she hit the ground, and Jehu drove over her body (2 Kings 9:33).
After going inside and refreshing himself with a meal, Jehu said, “Go now, see to this accursed woman, and bury her, for she was a king's daughter” (2 Kings 9:34). But when they went to bury her, all that was left of her body was her skull, feet, and the palms of her hands (2 Kings 9:35). When Jehu was told this, he remembered the word of the Lord.
"This is the word of the LORD, which He spoke by His servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 'On the plot of ground at Jezreel dogs shall eat the flesh of Jezebel; and the corpse of Jezebel shall be as refuse on the surface of the field, in the plot at Jezreel, so that they shall not say, "Here lies Jezebel." ' " (2 Kings 9:36-37)
This was originally told to King Ahab, Jezebel’s husband, by the prophet Elijah (1 Kings 21:23), and the son of the prophet sent by Elisha had reminded Jehu of this promise (2 Kings 9:10).
Jehu Kills Ahab’s Descendants.
Ahab had 70 sons in the city of Samaria. Jehu sent a letter to Samaria, the rulers of Jezreel, leaders, and the ones who had raised Ahab’s sons. Here’s what the letter said:
Now as soon as this letter comes to you, since your master's sons are with you, and you have chariots and horses, a fortified city also, and weapons, choose the best qualified of your master's sons, set him on his father's throne, and fight for your master's house. (2 Kings 10:2-3)
In other words, Jehu issued a challenge to these leaders. But they were terrified and said, “Two kings couldn’t prevail over Jehu, how can we?” So they sent a letter back to Jehu, telling him, “We will do whatever you tell us, and won’t make anyone king over us. Do what you think is best” (2 Kings 10:4-5).
So Jehu wrote another letter.
If you are for me and will obey my voice, take the heads of the men, your master's sons, and come to me at Jezreel by this time tomorrow. (2 Kings 10:6)
They did what Jehu said: they executed all of Ahab’s sons, put their heads in baskets, and sent them to Jehu in Jezreel (2 Kings 10:7). Jehu ordered the heads of Ahab’s 70 sons pilled at the entrance of the gates until morning (2 Kings 10:8).
Jehu said to the crowd, “You’re innocent (supposedly). I’m the traitor who killed my master - but who killed all his sons?” Jehu tells the crowd that everything the Lord promised would happen to Ahab’s house through Elijah would certainly come to pass (2 Kings 10:9-10). I think Jehu is trying to force the hand of Israel’s leaders, who were trying to stay out of the fighting, by saying, “Look, blood is on your hands too! You’re in this, whether you like it or not.”
Jehu killed the rest of Ahab’s house in Jezreel, including “all his great men and his close acquaintances and his priests” - no one was left alive (2 Kings 10:11). So Jehu left and headed to Samaria. On the way, he meets the brothers of Ahaziah, the king of Judah. They had come to visit Ahab’s family. Clearly they had not heard about what was happening in Israel or what had happened to their brother (2 Kings 10:12-13). Jehu orders them taken alive, and then they are executed at the well of Beth Eked. Jehu killed all 42 of these men (2 Kings 10:14).
After this, Jehu meets Jehonadab, the son of Rechab, and asks him, “Are you as committed to me as I am to you?” (NET). Jehonadab responds, “I am!” Jehu took him into his chariot and said, “Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD.” When they arrive in Samaria, Jehu kills everyone who remained to Ahab. This was done according to the word of the Lord, which He spoke to Elijah (2 Kings 10:15-17).
Jehu Kills the Prophets and Worshippers of Baal.
Then Jehu gathers all the people together and says:
"Ahab served Baal a little, Jehu will serve him much. Now therefore, call to me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests. Let no one be missing, for I have a great sacrifice for Baal. Whoever is missing shall not live."
But what Jehu really intended to do was destroy all the worshippers of Baal (2 Kings 10:18-19).
A solemn assembly is proclaimed for the worship of Baal, and word is sent through all Israel to gather all the worshippers of Baal together. They arrive and fill the temple of Baal from one end to the other (2 Kings 10:20-21).
Jehu orders for the robes for worship to be brought out, and then they made sure that only worshippers of Baal were present (2 Kings 10:22-23). When the sacrifices were being made, Jehu gave orders to 80 men who were waiting outside to kill every worshipper of Baal and to allow no one to escape (2 Kings 10:24).
When the sacrifice was finished being offered, Jehu gave the order for his men to go into the temple of Baal to kill them all, and they did. The sacred pillars were brought out of the temple of Baal and burned, and the temple itself was torn down and made into the place where everyone dumped their bathroom waste (2 Kings 10:25-27).
And so, “Jehu destroyed Baal from Israel” (2 Kings 10:28).
The Overview of Jehu’s Reign.
Although Jehu destroyed Baal completely from the nation of Israel, he did not turn away from King Jeroboam’s sin of idolatry - the golden calves at Dan and Bethel (2 Kings 10:29).
But because he had done what God said regarding Ahab’s house, God said:
"Because you have done well in doing what is right in My sight, and have done to the house of Ahab all that was in My heart, your sons shall sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation." (2 Kings 10:30; 15:12)
Jehu was not concerned about keeping God’s law, he continued throughout his reign to walk in Jeroboam’s sins (2 Kings 10:31). Because of this, parts of Israel began to be cut off by the Lord (2 Kings 10:32-33).
Jehu accomplished much during his 28-year reign and was buried in Samaria when he died (2 Kings 10:34-36).
The Punishment on Jehu’s House.
Sometime later - perhaps as much as fifty to seventy years after Jehu’s death - the Lord said something to His prophet, Hosea, about Jehu and his family.
Then the LORD said to him: "Call his name Jezreel, For in a little while I will avenge the bloodshed of Jezreel on the house of Jehu, And bring an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. (Hosea 1:4)
Some think that this punishment was because Jehu, although he had obeyed the Lord in destroying the house of Ahab, had done so for his own selfish motives (2 Kings 10:29-31). This is certainly possible as the overview of his reign shows he had little concern in following the law of God.
However, I think Jehu’s execution of the king of Judah’s brothers near Jezreel was the blood he should not have shed (2 Kings 10:12-14). Everyone else he killed was either a direct family member or part of Ahab’s administration. While Ahaziah was Ahab’s grandson because he was the son of Ahab’s daughter, these brothers of Ahaziah would have been born by different women - meaning they were in no way related to Ahab.
In killing people who were in no way connected to Ahab, I think Jehu overstepped what God had told him to do. I think it was this bloodshed the Lord is talking about in Hosea 1:4.
Crowning Principles.
Be just as committed to rooting out evil as you are to daily faithfulness.
While Jehu was "zealous” for doing the will of the Lord in destroying Ahab’s family and all connected to him (2 Kings 10:16), he was not zealous at all when it came to walking in God’s law with all his heart (2 Kings 10:31).
Even today, we have those who are very zealous in opposing evil and error and stand firmly against it - and this is good and right. But these same people are “missing in action” when it comes to faithful daily living and encouraging others to walk in the Lord’s way.
It seems Jehu made the all too easy mistake of rooting out evil everywhere except in his own life (James 1:21-25).
God humbles us in the areas we think we are strong.
Remember, Jehu was the commander of Israel’s army (2 Kings 9:5), and a good one at that - he had the complete loyalty of the military throughout what he did to Ahab’s family. You would think this powerful military leader would bring about a powerful nation, right?
Wrong.
Because of Jehu’s unfaithfulness, God began cutting off parts of Israel territory and gave it to the Hazael, king of Syria (2 Kings 10:32-33). One of the greatest military leaders Israel ever had was one of the most unsuccessful at defending his nation.
God resists and will humble the proud, while He will give grace to and exalt the humble (James 4:1-10). It seems Jehu trusted in his own strength and grew weak because of it. The apostle Paul, on the other hand, boasted in his weaknesses because the Lord’s strength was demonstrated (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).
