2 Kings Chapter 10 — Jehu’s Purge of Ahab and Baal
Jehu completes the destruction of Ahab's descendants and eradicates Baal worship in Israel, but fails to turn away from the golden calves at Bethel and Dan.
1Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria, to the rulers of Jezreel, even the elders, and to those who brought up Ahab’s sons, saying,
2“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 armor,
3select the best and fittest of your master’s sons, set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house.”
4But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, “Behold, the two kings didn’t stand before him! How then shall we stand?”
5He who was over the household, and he who was over the city, the elders also, and those who raised the children, sent to Jehu, saying, “We are your servants, and will do all that you ask us. We will not make any man king. You do that which is good in your eyes.”
6Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, “If you are on my side, and if you will listen to my voice, take the heads of the men who are your master’s sons, and come to me to Jezreel by tomorrow this time.”
7When the letter came to them, they took the king’s sons and killed them, even seventy people, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him to Jezreel.
8A messenger came and told him, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons.”
9In the morning, he went out and stood, and said to all the people, “You are righteous. Behold, I conspired against my master and killed him, but who killed all these?
10Know now that nothing will fall to the earth of the LORD’s word, which the LORD spoke concerning Ahab’s house. For the LORD has done that which he spoke by his servant Elijah.”
11So Jehu struck all that remained of Ahab’s house in Jezreel, with all his great men, his familiar friends, and his priests, until he left him no one remaining.
12He arose and departed, and went to Samaria. As he was at the shearing house of the shepherds on the way,
13Jehu met with the brothers of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, “Who are you?”
14He said, “Take them alive!”
15When he had departed from there, he met Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him. He greeted him, and said to him, “Is your heart right, as my heart is with your heart?”
16He said, “Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD.” So they made him ride in his chariot.
17When he came to Samaria, he struck all who remained to Ahab in Samaria, until he had destroyed them, according to the LORD’s word which he spoke to Elijah.
18Jehu gathered all the people together, and said to them, “Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve him much.
19Now therefore call to me all the prophets of Baal, all of his worshipers, and all of his priests. Let no one be absent, for I have a great sacrifice to Baal. Whoever is absent, he shall not live.” But Jehu did deceptively, intending to destroy the worshipers of Baal.
20Jehu said, “Sanctify a solemn assembly for Baal!”
21Jehu sent through all Israel; and all the worshipers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that didn’t come. They came into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was filled from one end to another.
22He said to him who kept the wardrobe, “Bring out robes for all the worshipers of Baal!”
23Jehu went with Jehonadab the son of Rechab into the house of Baal. Then he said to the worshipers of Baal, “Search, and see that none of the servants of the LORD are here with you, but only the worshipers of Baal.”
24So they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had appointed for himself eighty men outside, and said, “If any of the men whom I bring into your hands escape, he who lets him go, his life shall be for the life of him.”
25As soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, “Go in and kill them! Let no one escape.” So they struck them with the edge of the sword. The guard and the captains threw the bodies out, and went to the inner shrine of the house of Baal.
26They brought out the pillars that were in the house of Baal and burned them.
27They broke down the pillar of Baal, and broke down the house of Baal, and made it a latrine, to this day.
28Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.
29However, Jehu didn’t depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin—the golden calves that were in Bethel and that were in Dan.
30The LORD said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in executing that which is right in my eyes, and have done to Ahab’s house according to all that was in my heart, your descendants shall sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.”
31But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He didn’t depart from the sins of Jeroboam, with which he made Israel to sin.
32In those days the LORD began to cut away parts of Israel; and Hazael struck them in all the borders of Israel
33from the Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the valley of the Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan.
34Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, and all that he did, and all his might, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
35Jehu slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Samaria. Jehoahaz his son reigned in his place.
36The time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
2 Kings 10:10
“Know now that nothing will fall to the earth of the LORD’s word, which the LORD spoke concerning Ahab’s house.”
It confirms the fulfillment of Elijah's prophecy regarding the end of Ahab's lineage.
2 Kings 10:28
“Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.”
This marks a major religious shift in the Northern Kingdom, ending state-sponsored Baal worship.
2 Kings 10:31
“But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart.”
It highlights the spiritual shortcomings of Jehu's reign despite his zeal.
Chapter Summary
In 2 Kings 10, Jehu carries out the destruction of King Ahab’s dynasty to fulfill the prophecy given to Elijah. He sends letters to the officials in Samaria, who, out of fear, execute Ahab’s seventy sons and send their heads to Jezreel. Jehu then continues his purge by killing the remaining associates of Ahab and the brothers of King Ahaziah of Judah. Joined by Jehonadab the son of Rechab, Jehu travels to Samaria and uses a deceptive gathering for a great sacrifice to lure all worshipers of Baal into their temple. Once they are inside, his guards execute them and destroy the temple, converting the site into a latrine. Although Jehu is commended by the Lord for fulfilling the judgment on Ahab and is promised a four-generation dynasty, he does not walk in the Law of the Lord with all his heart. He continues the worship of the golden calves at Bethel and Dan, and consequently, Israel begins to lose territory to King Hazael of Syria. Jehu reigns for twenty-eight years before his death.
Frequently Asked Questions
Jehu wrote letters to the elders and guardians in Samaria, challenging them to choose a king and fight. Terrified by Jehu's strength, they instead submitted and executed the sons themselves, sending their heads to Jehu as proof of their loyalty.
Jehu used deception by claiming he would serve Baal even more than Ahab did. He gathered all worshipers and priests into the temple of Baal for a massive sacrifice, then ordered his guards to kill everyone inside and destroy the temple building.
Because Jehu carried out the judgment against the house of Ahab as God intended, the Lord promised that his descendants would sit on the throne of Israel for four generations.
Despite his zeal in removing Baal, Jehu continued the worship of the golden calves at Bethel and Dan. The text notes that because of Israel's spiritual state, the Lord began to cut away parts of their territory through the attacks of Hazael of Syria.
Study Note
The destruction of the temple of Baal and its conversion into a latrine in verse 27 was a known historical method of permanently desecrating a site to ensure it was never used for religious purposes again.
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