1 And Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, unto the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to them that brought up Ahab's children, saying,
2 Now as soon as this letter cometh to you, seeing your master's sons are with you, and there are with you chariots and horses, a fenced city also, and armor;
3 Look even out the best and meetest of your master's sons, and set him on his father's throne, and fight for your master's house.
4 But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, two kings stood not before him: how then shall we stand?
5 And he that was over the house, and he that was over the city, the elders also, and the bringers up of the children, sent to Jehu, saying, We are thy servants, and will do all that thou shalt bid us; we will not make any king: do thou that which is good in thine eyes.
6 Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, If ye be mine, and if ye will hearken unto my voice, take ye the heads of the men your master's sons, and come to me to Jezreel by to morrow this time. Now the king's sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, which brought them up.
7 And it came to pass, when the letter came to them, that they took the king's sons, and slew seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent him them to Jezreel.
8 And there came a messenger, and told him, saying, They have brought the heads of the king's sons. And he said, Lay ye them in two heaps at the entering in of the gate until the morning.
9 And it came to pass in the morning, that he went out, and stood, and said to all the people, Ye be righteous: behold, I conspired against my master, and slew him: but who slew all these?
10 Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the LORD, which the LORD spake concerning the house of Ahab: for the LORD hath done that which he spake by his servant Elijah.
11 So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his kinsfolk, and his priests, until he left him none remaining.
12 And he arose and departed, and came to Samaria. And as he was at the shearing house in the way,
13 Jehu met with the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, Who are ye? And they answered, We are the brethren of Ahaziah; and we go down to salute the children of the king and the children of the queen.
14 And he said, Take them alive. And they took them alive, and slew them at the pit of the shearing house, even two and forty men; neither left he any of them.
15 And when he was departed thence, he lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him: and he saluted him, and said to him, Is thine heart right, as my heart is with thy heart? And Jehonadab answered, It is. If it be, give me thine hand. And he gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot.
16 And he said, Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD. So they made him ride in his chariot.
17 And when he came to Samaria, he slew all that remained unto Ahab in Samaria, till he had destroyed him, according to the saying of the LORD, which he spake to Elijah.
18 And Jehu gathered all the people together, and said unto them, Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu shall serve him much.
19 Now therefore call unto me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests; let none be wanting: for I have a great sacrifice to do to Baal; whosoever shall be wanting, he shall not live. But Jehu did it in subtilty, to the intent that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal.
20 And Jehu said, Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal. And they proclaimed it.
21 And Jehu sent through all Israel: and all the worshippers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that came not. And they came into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was full from one end to another.
22 And he said unto him that was over the vestry, Bring forth vestments for all the worshippers of Baal. And he brought them forth vestments.
23 And Jehu went, and Jehonadab the son of Rechab, into the house of Baal, and said unto the worshippers of Baal, Search, and look that there be here with you none of the servants of the LORD, but the worshippers of Baal only.
24 And when they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings, Jehu appointed fourscore men without, and said, If any of the men whom I have brought into your hands escape, he that letteth him go, his life shall be for the life of him.
25 And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, Go in, and slay them; let none come forth. And they smote them with the edge of the sword; and the guard and the captains cast them out, and went to the city of the house of Baal.
26 And they brought forth the images out of the house of Baal, and burned them.
27 And they brake down the image of Baal, and brake down the house of Baal, and made it a draught house unto this day.
28 Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.
29 Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them, to wit, the golden calves that were in Bethel, and that were in Dan.
30 And the LORD said unto Jehu, Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes, and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart, thy children of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.
31 But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin.
32 In those days the LORD began to cut Israel short: and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel;
33 From Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the river Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan.
34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, and all that he did, and all his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
35 And Jehu slept with his fathers: and they buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son reigned in his stead.
36 And the time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty and eight years.
The book of 2 Kings is the eleventh book in the Old Testament of the KJV Holy Bible. It is a continuation of the historical narrative of the Israelites, beginning with the reign of King Ahaziah of Judah and King Jehu of Israel. Chapter 10 of 2 Kings is a pivotal chapter in the book, as it marks the end of the wicked reign of the House of Ahab in Israel and the beginning of the reign of King Jehu. This chapter also reveals the consequences of idolatry and disobedience to God’s commands, as well as the fulfillment of God’s prophecies through the actions of various characters. In this essay, we will delve into the main themes and events of chapter 10 and explore the deeper meaning behind them.
The chapter begins with the newly anointed King Jehu of Israel executing God’s judgment on the house of Ahab. As instructed by the prophet Elisha, Jehu kills King Ahaziah of Judah, who was the grandson of Ahab, and all the remaining members of the House of Ahab in Jezreel. He also kills Ahab’s wife, Jezebel, who was infamous for her wickedness and idolatry. Jehu then continues his mission to destroy the entire family of Ahab, including his seventy sons who were living in Samaria. He deceives the leaders of the city into believing that he intends to worship Baal, but instead, he kills all the priests and followers of Baal in the temple.
This event fulfills the prophecy given by Elijah, the prophet of God, to Ahab that his entire family would be destroyed because of their idolatry and wickedness. It also serves as a reminder to the Israelites that God’s judgment will come upon those who disobey His commands and worship false gods. The destruction of the House of Ahab also symbolizes the end of a corrupt and wicked dynasty, paving the way for a new beginning under the rule of King Jehu.
After fulfilling his mission of destroying the House of Ahab, Jehu sets out to eliminate all traces of idolatry in Israel. He summons all the prophets and priests of Baal to a great sacrifice in the temple of Baal, where he plans to kill them all. Jehu cleverly deceives the priests by pretending to be a great worshipper of Baal and asking them to dress in their best clothes and attend the sacrifice. However, once they are all gathered in the temple, Jehu orders his soldiers to kill them all. He then destroys the temple of Baal and turns it into a public toilet, fulfilling the prophecy of Elijah that the house of Ahab would become like dung upon the face of the earth.
Jehu’s actions demonstrate his obedience to God’s commands and his determination to rid Israel of idolatry. It also shows his cunning and strategic thinking in carrying out God’s will. Through Jehu, God is able to bring about justice and judgment upon those who have turned away from Him and have led others astray. This serves as a lesson to the Israelites that obedience to God’s commands is essential for their well-being and to avoid His wrath.
After eliminating the worship of Baal in Israel, Jehu turns his attention to the worship of the golden calves in Bethel and Dan. These golden calves, which were set up by King Jeroboam, had been a source of idolatry and disobedience to God’s covenant. Jehu destroys these idols and restores the true worship of God in the land. He also makes sure that the priests of the Lord are properly appointed and that the sacrifices and offerings are carried out according to the Law of Moses.
Jehu’s actions serve as a reminder to the Israelites of the importance of adhering to God’s covenant and laws. The worship of false gods and the violation of God’s commands had led to the downfall of the House of Ahab and the corruption of the nation. By restoring the worship of the Lord, Jehu brings about a renewal of the covenant between God and His people. This emphasizes the significance of obedience to God’s laws and the consequences of straying from them.
Despite the destruction of the House of Ahab and the restoration of the worship of God, Jehu’s reign is not without its flaws. While he did rid Israel of idolatry, he does not completely follow in the ways of the Lord. He continues to allow the worship of the golden calves in certain places and does not fully turn his heart to God. As a result, God’s judgment comes upon Jehu and his descendants. The Lord tells Jehu that his sons will only reign for four generations, and the kingdom of Israel will be taken away from his family and given to another.
This serves as a warning to the Israelites that even though God may use a ruler to carry out His judgment and will, it does not mean that the ruler is without sin. The consequences of idolatry and disobedience will ultimately catch up to them, and they will have to face God’s judgment. It also highlights the importance of wholeheartedly following God and not just going through the motions of religion.
Throughout this chapter, we see the fulfillment of various prophecies given by God through His prophets. The destruction of the House of Ahab, the demise of Jezebel, the destruction of the temple of Baal, and the judgment upon Jehu’s family were all prophesied by God and fulfilled through the actions of various characters. This emphasizes the power and authority of God’s Word and how it will always come to pass.
It also serves as a reminder to the Israelites and to us that God’s Word is trustworthy and should not be taken lightly. The fulfillment of these prophecies also brings about the realization that God is in control and that His plans will always come to fruition, even if it may seem unlikely or impossible to us.
Chapter 10 of 2 Kings is a powerful and significant chapter in the book, as it marks the end of a corrupt and wicked dynasty and the beginning of a new era in Israel. It serves as a warning to the Israelites of the consequences of disobedience and idolatry, and the importance of adhering to God’s covenant and laws. It also highlights the power and authority of God’s Word and the fulfillment of His prophecies.
Furthermore, this chapter also foreshadows the coming of Jesus Christ and the ultimate destruction of evil and the establishment of God’s kingdom on earth. Just as Jehu was chosen to execute God’s judgment on the House of Ahab, Jesus was chosen to bring about salvation and redemption for all humanity through His death and resurrection. The destruction of the temple of Baal and the restoration of the worship of God foreshadows the destruction of all false gods and the restoration of true worship under the reign of Jesus.
In conclusion, chapter 10 of 2 Kings is a powerful and significant chapter that brings about important lessons and warnings for the Israelites and for us. It teaches us the importance of obedience to God’s commands, the consequences of idolatry and disobedience, and the fulfillment of God’s prophecies. It also foreshadows the coming of Jesus and the establishment of God’s kingdom on earth. As we continue to read and study the Bible, may we be reminded of the lessons and warnings found in this chapter and strive to follow God’s will and live according to His Word.
Share this page