Jehu (meaning, “Yahweh is he”) was the Son of Jehoshaphat, and descendant of Nimshi, during his time he is often referred to as “the son of Nimshi.” He was the 10th king of Israel, and founder of its IVth Dynasty. Jehu reigned for 28 years. He is considered to have taken over the throne around 752 BC, (some place this date a few years later)
Jehu the Officer of Ahab
As a soldier of fortune, Jehu first appears as an officer in the body-guard of Ahab. To himself we owe the information that he was present at the judicial murder of Naboth, and that Naboth’s sons were put to death with their father (2 Kings 9:26). He was in attendance when Ahab traveled from Samaria to inspect his new possession in Jezreel, and was a witness of the dramatic encounter at the vineyard between the king and the prophet Elijah (compare 1 Kings 21:16). Years after, Jehu reminded Bidkar, his captain (literally, “thirdsman,” in chariot), of the doom they had there heard pronounced on Ahab and his house (2 Kings 9:25). It was in fulfillment of this doom that Jehu ordered the body of the slain Jehoram to be thrown into the enclosure which had once been Naboth’s (2 Kings 9:26). Ahab’s temporary repentance averted the punishment from himself for a few years (1 Kings 21:27-29), but the blow fell at the battle of Ramoth-gilead, and Jehu would not be unmindful of the prophet’s words as he watched the dogs lick Ahab’s blood as they washed his chariot “by the pool of Samaria” (1 Kings 22:38).
Jehoram at Ramoth-gilead and Jezreel
A different fate awaited Ahab’s two sons. The elder, Ahaziah, died, after a short reign, from the effects of an accident (2 Kings 1). He was succeeded by his brother Jehoram, who near the end of his 12-year reign(2 Kings 3:1) determined an attempt to recover Ramoth-Gilead, where his father had been fatally wounded, by Hazael, of Syria. Ramoth-Gilead was taken (2 Kings 9:14), but in the attack, the Israelite king was severely wounded, and was taken to Jezreel to recover (2 Kings 9:15). Meanwhile, the city was left in charge of Jehu and his fellow-captains. At Jezreel he was visited by Ahaziah, of Judah, who had fought with him in the war (2 Kings 8:28,29; 9:16).
The Anointing of Jehu
The time was now ripe for the execution of the predicted vengeance on the house of Ahab, and it fell on Elisha the prophet, the successor of Elijah, to take the decisive step that would cause the crisis. Hazael and Jehu had already been named by Elijah as the ones who were to execute the Divine judgment, the one as king of Syria, the other as king of Israel (1 Kings 19:15-17). Doubtlessly Elijah was aware of this commission, which was now Elisha’s responsibility to fulfill. A messenger was quickly dispatched to Ramoth-Gilead, with instructions to seek out Jehu, take him aside, anoint him king of Israel in Yahweh’s name, and charge him with the task of utterly destroying the house of Ahab as punishment for the righteous blood shed by Ahab and Jezebel. The messenger was then to flee. This was done, and Jehu, after the sacred oil poured on his head, found himself alone with this appalling trust committed to him (2 Kings 9:1-10).
The Revolution and Death of Jehoram:
Events now moved rapidly. Jehu’s companions were naturally eager to know what had happened, and on learning that Jehu had been anointed king, they immediately improvised a throne by throwing their garments on top of some steps, blew the trumpet, and proclaimed, “Jehu is king.” Not a moment was lost. No one was permitted to leave the city to carry out the news, and Jehu himself, with his characteristic impulsiveness, set out, with a small group of horsemen, in his chariot to Jezreel. Bidkar was there as charioteer (2 Kings 9:25). As they came within sight of the city, a watchman reported their advance, and messengers were sent to inquire as to their errand. These were ordered to fall into the rear. This conduct awakened suspicion, and Jehoram and Ahaziah–who was still with his invalided kinsman–ordered their chariots, and proceeded in person to meet Jehu. The companies met at the ill-omened field of Naboth, and there the first stroke of vengeance fell. The anxious question, “Is it peace?” was answered by a storm of denunciation from Jehu, and as Jehoram turned to escape, an arrow from Jehu’s bow shot him through the heart, and he sank dead into his chariot. Ahaziah likewise was pursued, and killed “at the ascent of Gur, which is by Ibleam.” He died at Megiddo, and was taken to Jerusalem for burial in the sepulcher of the kings (2 Kings 9:11-28). A somewhat variant account of Ahaziah’s death is given in 2 Chronicles 22:9. It is possible that Jehu came to Megiddo or its neighborhood, and had his death there.
Death of Jezebel
The slaughter of Jehoram was immediately followed by the death of the chief instigator of all the crimes the house of Ahab suffered, the queen-mother, Jezebel. Hot from the pursuit of Ahaziah, Jehu pressed on Jezreel. Jezebel, now an old woman, but still defiant, had painted and attired herself, and, looking from her window, met him as he drove into the palace court, with the insulting question, “Is it peace, thou Zimri, thy master’s murderer?” (compare 1 Kings 16:9-12). Jehu’s answer was an appeal for aid from those inside. Two or three eunuchs of the palace gave signs of their agreement. These eunuchs, at Jehu’s request, threw Jezebel down into the courtyard, where, lying in her blood, she was trampled by chariot horses. Later, when her remains were being collected for burial, she was found to have been almost wholly eaten by the dogs–a vivid commentary on Elijah’s earlier threatening, which was now displayed (2 Kings 9:30-37). Jehu was an intrepid minister of judgment, but the pitiless zeal, needless cruelty, and, afterward, deceit, with which he executed his mission, withdraw our sympathy from him, as it did that of a later prophet (Hosea 1:4).
The Slaughter of Ahab’s Descendants
The next acts of Jehu reveal even more clearly his thoroughness of purpose and promptness of action, while they afford fresh examples of his ruthlessness and merciless spirit. Samaria was the capital of the kingdom and headquarters of the Baal-worship introduced by Jezebel, though it is recorded about Jehoram that he had removed, at least temporarily, an obelisk of Baal that his father had set up (2 Kings 3:2; compare 10:26). The city was still held for the house of Ahab, and seventy of Ahab’s “son”–to be taken here in the large sense of male descendants who lived in it (2 Kings 10:1,6). Here Jehu adopted a bold and clever policy. He sent letters to Samaria challenging those in authority to set up one of their master’s sons as king, and fight for the city and the kingdom. The governors knew that they could make no effective resistance to Jehu and immediately humbly gave their submission. Jehu, in a second message, told them to prove their sincerity by delivering him the heads of the seventy princes of Ahab’s house in baskets. They did this and irrevocably committed themselves to Jehu’s cause (2 Kings 10:9). The ghastly relics were piled up in two heaps at the gate of Jezreel–a horrible object lesson for any who were still inclined to hesitate in their allegiance. Friends and supporters of the royal household shared in the fate of its members (2 Kings 10:11).
The Slaughter of Ahaziah’s Brethren
Apart from the faultiness in the agent’s motive, the actions now recounted fell within the letter of Jehu’s commission. As much cannot be said about the actions of bloodshed that follow. Jehu had killed Ahaziah, king of Judah. Now, on his way to Samaria, he met a company of 42 people, described as the “brethren of Ahaziah”–evidently blood-relations of various degrees, since Ahaziah’s own brothers had been previously killed by the Arabians (2 Chronicles 21:17; 22:1)–and, when he learned who they were and the purpose to visit their kinsfolk at Jezreel, he gave orders that they be killed on the spot and their bodies be dishonorably thrown into the pit (or “cistern”) of the shearing-house where he had encountered them. It was a cruel addition for which no sufficient justification can be argued. (2 Kings 10:12-14)
The Massacre of the Baal Worshipers
Still less can the craft and violence be condoned by which, when he reached Samaria, Jehu revealed his “zeal for Yahweh” (2 Kings 10:16) in the extermination of the Baal worshipers. Jehu had secured on his side the support of a notable man, Jehonadab the son of Rechab (2 Kings 10:15,16; compare Jeremiah 35:6-19)–and his entrance into Samaria was signalized by a further slaughter of all of Ahab’s supporters. Then, to the amazement of many, Jehu himself proclaimed he was an enthusiastic follower of Baal. A great festival was organized, to which all prophets, worshipers, and priests of Baal were invited from the whole nation of Israel. Jehu himself took the leading part in the sacrifice (2 Kings 10:25). Vestments were distributed to distinguish the true worshipers of Baal from others. Then when all were safely gathered into “the house of Baal,” the gates were closed, and eighty soldiers were sent in to massacre the whole deluded company in cold blood. Not one escaped. The temple of Baal was broken up. So, truly, “Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel” (2 Kings 10:28), but at what a frightful cost of lies and treacherous dealings! (2 Kings 10:18-28).
Jehu’s Wars with Hazael
The history of Jehu in the Bible is chiefly the history of his revolution as now narrated. His reign itself is summed up in a few verses, primarily occupied with the attacks made by Hazael, king of Syria, on the trans-Jordanic territories of Israel (2 Kings 10:32,33). These districts were overrun, and remained lost to Israel until the reign of Jehu’s great-grandson, Jeroboam II (2 Kings 14:28).
There are some indications that in his latter years, which were filled with misfortune, Jehu associated with himself his son Jehoahaz in the government (compare 2 Kings 13:1,10, where Jehoahaz comes to the throne in the 23rd, and dies in the 37th year of Jehoash of Judah–14 years–yet has a total reign of 17 years). Jehu is not mentioned in Chronicles, except incidentally in connection with the death of Ahaziah (2 Chronicles 22:9), and as the grandfather of Jehoash (2 Chronicles 25:17).
Extra-Biblical References to King Jehu
Assyrian Notices
It is in another direction, namely, to the annals of Assyria, we have to look for any further information we possess on the reign of Jehu In these annals, fortunately, some interesting notices are preserved. In 854 BC was fought the great battle of Qarqar (a place between Aleppo and Hamath), when Shalmaneser II, king of Assyria, defeated a powerful combination formed against him (Damascus, Hamath, Philistia Ammon, etc.). Among the allies on this occasion is mentioned “Ahabbu of Sir’-ilaa,” who took the third place with 2,000 chariots and 10,000 footmen. There is a difficulty in supposing Ahab to have been still reigning as late as 854, and Wellhausen, Kamphausen and others have suggested that Ahab’s name has been confused with that of his successor Jehoram in the Assyrian annals. Kittel, in his History of the Hebrews (II, 233, English translation) is disposed to accept this view. G. Smith, in his Assyrian Eponym Canon (179), is of the opinion that the tribute lists were often carelessly compiled and in error as to names. The point of interest is that from this time Israel was evidently a tributary of Assyria.
Tribute of Jehu
With this accord the further notices of Israel in the inscriptions of Shalmaneser II, two in number. Both belong to the year 842 BC and relate to Jehu. On Shalmaneser’s Black Obelisk is a pictorial representation of “the tribute of Jehu, son of Omri.” An ambassador kneels before the conqueror, and presents his gifts. They include silver, gold, a gold cup, gold vessels, a golden ladle, lead, a staff for the king’s hand, scepters. An allusion to the same event occurs in the annals of Shalmaneser’s campaign against Hazael of Syria in this year. “At that time I received the tribute of the Tyrians, Sidonians, of Jehu, son of Omri.”
The Character of Jehu:
The character of Jehu is demonstrated by the recorded of his acts. His energy, determination, promptitude, and zeal fitted him for the work he had to do. It was rough work, and was executed with relentless thoroughness. Probably gentler measures would have failed to eradicate Baal-worship from Israel. His impulsiveness force was evinced in his furious drive (2 Kings 9:20). He was bold, daring, merciless, and masterful and quick-witted in his policy. But would pointlessly search in his character for any touch of generosity, or any of the finer qualities of a ruler . His “zeal for Yahweh” was too largely a cloak for worldly ambition. The bloodshed in which his rule was started quickly provoked a reaction, and his closing years were dark and filled with trouble. He is specially condemned for tolerating the worship of the golden calves (2 Kings 10:29-31). Despite this, the throne of Israel was secured to his dynasty for four generations (2 Kings 10:30; compare 15:12).