2 Kings chapter 10

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Jehu assassinates Ahab’s descendants. Jehu assassinates every prophet and follower of Baal. King Jehu dies.

 


 

JEHU ASSASSINATES AHAB’S DESCENDANTS

 

VERSE 1. Now 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,

Ahab had seventy sons. We are at a loss for words.

 

VERSE 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,

 

VERSE 3. select the best and fittest of your master’s sons, set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house.”

 

VERSE 4. But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, “Behold, the two kings didn’t stand before him! How then shall we stand?”

 

VERSE 5. He 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.”

 

VERSE 6. Then 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.” Now the king’s sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who brought them up.

take the heads of the men who are your master’s sons. King Jehu orders the rulers to slaughter all 70 of the sons of Ahab.

 

VERSE 7. When 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.

put their heads in baskets. They decapitated 70 people.

 

VERSE 8. A messenger came and told him, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons.” He said, “Lay them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until the morning.”

 

VERSE 9. In 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?

You are righteous. Under what standard is this true?

 

VERSE 10. Know 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.”

 

VERSE 11. So 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.

his familiar friends. Not only did they execute all of Ahab’s family. But they also executed the friends of Ahab’s family.

and his priests. And they also executed Ahab’s priests.

 

VERSE 12. He arose and departed, and went to Samaria. As he was at the shearing house of the shepherds on the way,

 

VERSE 13. Jehu met with the brothers of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, “Who are you?” They answered, “We are the brothers of Ahaziah. We are going down to greet the children of the king and the children of the queen.”

 

VERSE 14. He said, “Take them alive!” They took them alive, and killed them at the pit of the shearing house, even forty-two men. He didn’t leave any of them.

killed them at the pit of the shearing house. King Jehu slaughters the 42 brothers of Ahaziah.

 

VERSE 15. When 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?” Jehonadab answered, “It is.” “If it is, give me your hand.” He gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot.

 

VERSE 16. He said, “Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD.” So they made him ride in his chariot.

see my zeal for the LORD. King Jehu equates zeal for the LORD God with the number of political opponents he assassinates.

 

VERSE 17. When 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.

 

JEHU ASSASSINATES EVERY PROPHET AND FOLLOWER OF BAAL

 

VERSE 18. Jehu gathered all the people together, and said to them, “Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve him much.

 

VERSE 19. Now 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.

Jehu did deceptively. Jehu outright lies. In his worldview, lying is permitted. He believes the ends justify the means.

Many Christians base their moral decisions on outcomes. If the consequences are good, they say is OK to do anything that is necessary. However, we believers CANNOT do evil that good may result. Read more »

 

VERSE 20. Jehu said, “Sanctify a solemn assembly for Baal!” So they proclaimed it.

 

VERSE 21. Jehu 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.

 

VERSE 22. He said to him who kept the wardrobe, “Bring out robes for all the worshipers of Baal!” So he brought robes out to them.

 

VERSE 23. Jehu 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.”

 

VERSE 24. So 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.”

 

VERSE 25. As 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.

he had finished offering the burnt offering. Jehu committees idolatry. In his worldview, idolatry is permitted. He believes the ends justify the means.

Many Christians base their moral decisions on outcomes. If the consequences are good, they say is OK to do anything that is necessary. However, we believers CANNOT do evil that good may result. Read more »

 

VERSE 26. They brought out the pillars that were in the house of Baal and burned them.

 

VERSE 27. They broke down the pillar of Baal, and broke down the house of Baal, and made it a latrine, to this day.

made it a latrine. This is some delicious irony.

 

VERSE 28. Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.

Jehu rooted out the worship of Baal throughout the land.

However, how did he do it? Jehu did not use persuasive arguments. He did not win over hearts and minds. He did not offer a superior spirituality.

Rather, Jehu got rid of Baal by mass execution. Mass murder.

Like Saddam Hussein, king Jehu controls his population by mass executions.

 

VERSE 29. However, 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.

 

VERSE 30. The 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.”

 

VERSE 31. But 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.

Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD. Jehu’s “zeal for the LORD” was an act. Maybe Jehu thought it was necessary in order to get the kingship.

 

VERSE 32. In those days the LORD began to cut away parts of Israel; and Hazael struck them in all the borders of Israel

 

VERSE 33. from 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.

 

KING JEHU DIES

 

VERSE 34. Now 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?

 

VERSE 35. Jehu slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Samaria. Jehoahaz his son reigned in his place.

 

VERSE 36. The time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.

 


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2 KINGS

CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25

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