2 Kings Chapter 10
1 Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. Jehu wrote letters, and sent 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 armour,
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."
4 But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, "Behold, the two kings didn't stand before him! How then shall we stand?"
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."
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.
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.
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."
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?
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."
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.
12 He arose and departed, and went to Samaria. As he was at the shearing house of the shepherds on the way,
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."
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.
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.
16 He said, "Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD." So they made him ride in his chariot.
17 When he came to Samaria, he struck all who remained to Ahab in Samaria, until he had destroyed him, according to the LORD's word, which he spoke to Elijah.
18 Jehu gathered all the people together, and said to them, "Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu will serve him much.
19 Now therefore call to me all the prophets of Baal, all of his worshippers, 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 worshippers of Baal.
20 Jehu said, "Sanctify a solemn assembly for Baal!" So they proclaimed it.
21 Jehu sent through all Israel; and all the worshippers 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.
22 He said to him who kept the wardrobe, "Bring out robes for all the worshippers of Baal!" So he brought robes out to them.
23 Jehu went with Jehonadab the son of Rechab into the house of Baal. Then he said to the worshippers of Baal, "Search, and see that none of the servants of the LORD are here with you, but only the worshippers of Baal."
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."
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.
26 They brought out the pillars that were in the house of Baal, and burnt them.
27 They broke down the pillar of Baal, and broke down the house of Baal, and made it a latrine, to this day.
28 Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.
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.
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."
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.
32 In those days the LORD began to cut away parts of Israel; and Hazael struck them in all the borders of Israel;
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.
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?
35 Jehu slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Samaria. Jehoahaz his son reigned in his place.
36 The time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.
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2 Kings Chapter 10 Guide
Here begins the second section of the Book, that which deals with the rapid and fearful corruption of the whole nation. The story alternates between Israel and Judah, and both sections of the nation sink deeper and ever deeper into sin and decay. Jehu is still to the front as a veritable scourge of God. First he was occupied in the work of sweeping out Ahab's posterity, and it was done with terrific speed. He then turned himself against Baalism, and with a thoroughness that is nothing short of terrible he broke and destroyed it.
Yet the story of Jehu is one of personal failure. When proceeding against Baal worship, his words to Jehonadab, "Come with me, and see my zeal for Jehovah," are in themselves a revelation of a proud spirit. While he was an instrument in the hand of God, nevertheless, strange as it may appear, he was in private life corrupt. "He departed not from the sins of Jeroboam"; he "took no heed to walk in the law of Jehovah." How terrible a warning is the story of this man-that it is possible to be an instrument in the hand of God and yet never be in fellowship with Him.
From "An Exposition of the Whole Bible" by G. Campbell Morgan.
2 Kings Chapter 10 Commentary
Chapter Outline
- Ahab's sons and Ahaziah's brethren put to death. -- (1-14)
- Jehu destroys the worshippers of Baal. -- (15-28)
- Jehu follows Jeroboam's sins. -- (29-36)
Verses 1-14
In the most awful events, though attended by the basest crimes of man, the truth and justice of God are to be noticed; and he never did nor can command any thing unjust or unreasonable. Jehu destroyed all that remained of the house of Ahab; all who had been partners in his wickedness. When we think upon the sufferings and miseries of mankind, when we look forward to the resurrection and last judgment, and think upon the vast number of the wicked waiting their awful sentence of everlasting fire; when the whole sum of death and misery has been considered, the solemn question occurs, Who slew all these? The answer is, SIN. Shall we then harbour sin in our bosoms, and seek for happiness from that which is the cause of all misery?
Verses 15-28
Is thine heart right? This is a question we should often put to ourselves. I make a fair profession, have gained a reputation among men, but, is my heart right? Am I sincere with God? Jehonadab owned Jehu in the work, both of revenge and of reformation. An upright heart approves itself to God, and seeks no more than his acceptance; but if we aim at the applause of men, we are upon a false foundation. Whether Jehu looked any further we cannot judge. The law of God was express, that idolaters were to be put to death. Thus idolatry was abolished for the present out of Israel. May we desire that it be rooted out of our hearts.
Verses 29-36
It is justly questionable whether Jehu acted from a good principle, and whether he did not take some false steps in doing it; yet no services done for God shall go unrewarded. But true conversion is not only from gross sin, but from all sin; not only from false gods, but from false worships. True conversion is not only from wasteful sins, but from gainful sins; not only from sins which hurt our worldly interests, but from those that support and befriend them; in forsaking which is the great trial whether we can deny ourselves and trust God. Jehu showed great care and zeal for rooting out a false religion, but in the true religion he cared not, took no heed to please God and do his duty. Those that are heedless, it is to be feared, are graceless. The people were also careless, therefore it is not strange that in those days the Lord began to cut Israel short. They were short in their duty to God, therefore God cut them short in their extent, wealth, and power.
From the "Concise Commentary on the Bible" by Matthew Henry.