2 Kings 10

Jehu kills Ahab’s sons

Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria, so Jehu wrote them letters and sent them to the city rulers, city representatives, and Ahab’s sons’ guardians. The letters said,

“Because your superior’s sons are with you and you have plenty of battle gear, as soon as you read this, choose the best and fittest of your superior’s sons to fight me for the throne.”

That left them terrified, and they said,

“What? If the two kings couldn’t defeat you, then we won’t even stand a chance.”

So the palace manager, city governor, city representatives, and guardians all wrote back, saying,

“We are your subordinates, and we’ll do anything you ask, but we don’t want to nominate any of the sons. Do whatever you see fit.”

Then he sent them a second letter, saying,

“If you really are on my side and want to obey me, then take the sons’ heads and bring them to me at Jezreel this time tomorrow.”

Now all seventy of the king’s sons were being raised by some of the city’s strongest men, and as soon as they got this letter, they took the king’s sons and slaughtered them, putting their heads in baskets and sending them to Jezreel. When the messenger told Jehu about the delivery, he said,

“Put them in two piles near the city gates and leave them there till morning.”

Then in the morning he went and stood in front of everyone and said,

“You all are innocent. I was the one who conspired against my superior and killed him, but who was the one who killed all of these? Let it be known that the Existing One’s message has been fulfilled concerning Ahab’s lineage. The Existing One has done what he told us through his servant Elijah.”

So Jehu struck down everyone who remained of Ahab’s lineage in Jezreel: all his strong men, his close friends, and his priests, until none of them were left.

Jehu kills Ahaziah’s supporters 

Then he left and traveled to Samaria. On his way, he stopped at Beth-eked of the Shepherds where he met the relatives of Judah’s King Ahaziah. He asked them,

“Who are you?”

and they answered,

“We are Ahaziah’s relatives, and we came to visit the royal princes and the queen’s sons.”

Jehu ordered his servants,

“Take them alive,”

So they were taken and slaughtered, all forty-two of them in the pit of Beth-eked.

Jehu kills Ahab’s supporters

When Jehu left, Jehonadab (Rechab’s son) came up to meet him. Jehu greeted him and asked,

“Is your heart aligned with mine in the same way that mine is to yours?”

And Jehonadab answered,

“It is.”

Jehu said,

“If it really is, then give me your hand,”

So Jehonadab gave him his hand, and Jehu helped him up into the chariot. Jehu said,

“Come with me and see my passion for the Existing One.”

So he had him ride along in his chariot, and when they got to Samaria, he struck down everyone there who was still loyal to Ahab until they were completely wiped out, just like the Existing One’s message had said through Elijah.

Jehu kills Baal worshipers

Then Jehu gathered everyone together and said,

“Ahab only served Baal a little bit compared to how much I will serve him! So bring me all of Baal’s prophets, his worshipers, and his priests. Make sure all of them are there, because I have a huge sacrifice to offer up to Baal. Whoever can’t make it to this will be put to death.”

But Jehu said this craftily in order to get rid of all the Baal worshipers. Jehu ordered,

“Make the preparations to host a Solemn assembly for Baal,”

so they announced it all throughout Israel, and every single Baal worshiper showed up, so that not a single one was missing. They all walked into Baal’s temple, and filled it from one end to the other. He had the wardrobe manager give ceremonial robes to every Baal worshiper there. Then Jehu went into Baal’s temple with Jehonadab (Rechab’s son) and said to all of Baal’s worshipers

“Look around and make sure that no one who worships the Existing One is here, but only Baal worshipers.”

Then they went in to offer sacrifices and burt offerings.

Now Jehu had stationed eighty men outside and told them,

“If you let anyone escape, it will cost you your life.”

So as soon as the burnt offering had been made, Jehu told the officers,

“Go in and kill them; don’t let a single person get away.”

So when they finished killing them, they brought the bodies outside. Then they went to the most sacred room in the temple and took the sacred pillar and burned it. They destroyed the pillar, and they destroyed the temple, converting it into the toilet that still remains to this day.

So that’s how Jehu wiped out Baal from Israel, but he didn’t turn away from the golden calves that were in Bethel and Dan, which led Israel to offend God. These were the same ways that Jeroboam (Nebat’s son) offended God. And the Existing One told Jehu,

“Because you have done what is right in my eyes and have carried out everything that was in my heart towards Ahab’s lineage, your sons will sit on Israel’s throne for four generations.”

But Jehu wasn’t careful to follow the Existing One’s law with his whole heart. He never turned from the offenses of Jeroboam, which caused Israel to offend God.

Jehoahaz becomes Israel’s king

In those days the Existing One began to sever parts of Israel. Hazael conquered several parts of the country east of the Jordan River, including Gilead, Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh. He conquered the area from the town of Aroer by the Arnon Gorge all the way north to Gilead and Bashan. Now the rest of Jehu’s history including everything he did and all his victories are recorded in the book the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. So Jehu slept with his fathers in the ground, and they buried him in Samaria. His son Jehoahaz reigned in his place. Jehu had reigned over Israel from Samaria for a total of twenty-eight years.