10:1 Ahab had seventy sons living in Samaria. So Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria to the leading officials of Jezreel and to the guardians of Ahab’s dynasty. This is what the letters said,
Almost all kings possessed large harems which produced many sons. Ahab was no different. Every one of Ahab’s sons was a threat to the monarchy of Jehu. Any of them could take up the position of the kinsman-redeemer or the avenger of death and slay Jehu. As long as these male descendants lived, then Jehu’s life was in danger.
Samaria was the capital of Israel. The elders of Israel were appointed as custodians and educators of the royal children. They were preparing them to be future kings and officials of the kingdom.
10:2 “You have with you the sons of your master, chariots and horses, a fortified city, and weapons. So when this letter arrives, 10:3 pick the best and most capable of your master’s sons, place him on his father’s throne, and defend your master’s dynasty.”
Jehu gave these custodians and educators a choice. They were either to fight Jehu or choose one of Ahab’s sons to be king and this new king would have to fight Jehu to see who would be the next king of Israel.
10:4 They were absolutely terrified and said, “Look, two kings could not stop him! How can we?”
Jehu was a general of the Israelite army, so he was a very dangerous person.
10:5 So the palace supervisor, the city commissioner, the leaders, and the guardians sent this message to Jehu, “We are your subjects! Whatever you say, we will do. We will not make anyone king. Do what you consider proper.”
The palace administrator, the governor of the city, and the military commander of the city did not want to mess with Jehu. They transferred their allegiance from the house of Ahab to the house of Jehu. The Omri dynasty was finished.
10:6 He wrote them a second letter, saying, “If you are really on my side and are willing to obey me, then take the heads of your master’s sons and come to me in Jezreel at this time tomorrow.” Now the king had seventy sons, and the prominent men of the city were raising them.
The city officials have a choice: they could either fight Jehu and die or cut off all of the seventy heads of the Ahab dynasty.
10:7 When they received the letter, they seized the king’s sons and executed all seventy of them. They put their heads in baskets and sent them to him in Jezreel.
The custodians sent the seventy heads to Jehu in baskets. They did not personally deliver the heads, because they may have lost their head as well.
10:8 The messenger came and told Jehu, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons.” Jehu said, “Stack them in two piles at the entrance of the city gate until morning.”
The Assyrians and many other pagan nations would stack the heads at the city gate to stop any thoughts of rebellion.
10:9 In the morning he went out and stood there. Then he said to all the people, “You are innocent. I conspired against my master and killed him. But who struck down all of these men?
Jehu told the people that they were innocent of killing Jehu. However, the officials were guilty of murdering his seventy sons.
10:10 Therefore take note that not one of the judgments the Lord announced against Ahab’s dynasty has failed to materialize. The Lord had done what he announced through his servant Elijah.”
Jehu did kill King Jehoram, but this was ordained by God and prophesied by Elijah. Jehu’s case was that he was the righteous instrument of God to get rid of this evil king.
10:11 Then Jehu killed all who were left of Ahab’s family in Jezreel, and all his nobles, close friends, and priests. He left no survivors.
Jehu was only called to kill the male heirs. He went beyond God’s mandate and will be punished later for these murders.
10:12 Jehu then left there and set out for Samaria. While he was traveling through Beth Eked of the Shepherds, 13 Jehu encountered the relatives of King Ahaziah of Judah. He asked, “Who are you?” They replied, “We are Ahaziah’s relatives. We have come down to see how the king’s sons and the queen mother’s sons are doing.”
The relatives of King Ahaziah were the nephews and cousins of the Ahab dynasty.
10:14 He said, “Capture them alive!” So they captured them alive and then executed all forty-two of them in the cistern at Beth Eked. He left no survivors.
Jehu next killed all of the nephews and cousins.
10:15 When he left there, he met Jehonadab, son of Rekab, who had been looking for him. Jehu greeted him and asked, “Are you as committed to me as I am to you?” Jehonadab answered, “I am!” Jehu replied, “If so, give me your hand.” So he offered his hand and Jehu pulled him up into the chariot.
Jehonadab was a member of the Rechabites. They did not plant fields or drink wine. They were faithful followers of Jehovah. They were nomadic Israelites who protested the corrupting influences of the Canaanites.
10:16 Jehu said, “Come with me and see how zealous I am for the Lord’s cause.” So he took him along in his chariot.
The Rechabites supported Jehu for killing the Ahab line, because this family had seduced Israel into Baal worship.
10:17 He went to Samaria and exterminated all the members of Ahab’s family who were still alive in Samaria, just as the Lord had announced to Elijah.
The rest of the Ahab dynasty was executed.
10:18 Jehu assembled all the people and said to them, “Ahab worshiped Baal a little; Jehu will worship him with great devotion.
This assembly was a ruse to trick the false prophets.
10:19 So now, bring to me all the prophets of Baal, as well as all his servants and priests. None of them must be absent, for I am offering a great sacrifice to Baal. Any of them who fail to appear will lose their lives.” But Jehu was tricking them so he could destroy the servants of Baal.
Jehu wanted to gather all of the Baal servants and priests so that he could execute them all at one time.
10:20 Then Jehu ordered, “Make arrangements for a celebration for Baal.” So they announced it.
Israel was to attend a Baal ceremony in honor of their new king.
10:21 Jehu sent invitations throughout Israel, and all the servants of Baal came; not one was absent. They arrived at the temple of Baal and filled it up from end to end.
The Baal worshipers were excited that their new king supported Baal worship. There was 100% attendance of Baal worshipers. The Baal worshipers could all fit into the Baal Temple in Samaria, because the ministries of Elijah and Elisha had decreased the influence of Baalism.
10:22 Jehu ordered the one who was in charge of the wardrobe, “Bring out robes for all the servants of Baal.” So he brought out robes for them.
Jehu marked the Baal worshipers with sacred robes. The Baal worshipers thought that they were being honored. They were actually being marked for the slaughter.
10:23 Then Jehu and Jehonadab son of Rekab went to the temple of Baal. Jehu said to the servants of Baal, “Make sure there are no servants of the Lord here with you; there must be only servants of Baal.”
Jehu isolated the Baal worshipers from the true believers.
10:24 They went inside to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had stationed eighty men outside. He had told them, “If any of the men inside get away, you will pay with your lives!”
Worshiping false gods was a capital offense in Israel.
10:25 When he finished offering the burnt sacrifice, Jehu ordered the royal guard and officers, “Come in and strike them down! Don’t let any escape!” So the royal guard and officers struck them down with the sword and left their bodies lying there. Then they entered the inner sanctuary of the temple of Baal.
As king, Jehu was to enforce this law. He executed all of the Baal worshipers.
10:26 They hauled out the sacred pillar of the temple of Baal and burned it.
The sacred pillars were possibly wooden totem poles which represented and erect male penis or some type of Baal worship.
10:27 They demolished the sacred pillar of Baal and the temple of Baal; it is used as a latrine to this very day.
In Hebrew, the sacred pillar and temple of Baal became “a place of dung.”
10:28 So Jehu eradicated Baal worship from Israel.
Jehu eliminated Baal worship for political reasons, not spiritual reasons. The Ahab dynasty was supported by the Baalists, so Jehu wanted to get rid of his political enemies.
10:29 However, Jehu did not repudiate the sins which Jeroboam son of Nebat had encouraged Israel to commit; the golden calves remained in Bethel and Dan.
Jehu eliminated Baal worship to eliminate Ahab supporters. He allowed syncretism to flourish in Israel. Syncretism was combining the worship of Jehovah with calf worship. This is basically multiculturalism. Jehu allowed his people to worship Jehovah, the golden calf, or both. Multiculturalism is the great sin of America. Buddhism, Hinduism, Paganism, Catholicism, and Satanism are not equal with Reformation Christianity.
10:30 The Lord said to Jehu, “You have done well. You have accomplished my will and carried out my wishes with regard to Ahab’s dynasty. Therefore four generations of your descendants will rule over Israel.”
Jehovah commended Jehu for eliminating Baal worship. He was the only Israelite king to do so. Jehovah promised Jehu that his descendants would rule for four generations. The four kings of the Jehu dynasty were Jehoahaz, Jehoash (Joash), Jeroboam II, and Zechariah. Jehu was a brutal man, but Jehovah praised him for exterminating the Ahab dynasty. In the eyes of man, genocide is a terrible atrocity. In the eyes of God, it is good to purge evil men out of the world.
10:31 But Jehu did not carefully and wholeheartedly obey the law of the Lord God of Israel. He did not repudiate the sins which Jeroboam had encouraged Israel to commit.
Jehovah knew that Jehu would fall into idolatry, so he did not promise him an eternal dynasty. Archaeologists have found a “Black Obelisk” contracted by the Assyrian King. Shalmaneser III. This obelisk contains a panel which depicts Jehu paying tribute to the Assyrian emperor. This obelisk is now in the British Museum as an example of Bible accuracy.
10:32 In those days the Lord began to reduce the size of Israel’s territory. Hazael attacked their eastern border.
Since Israel was still a nation involved in syncretism, they were violating the Mosaic Covenant. Therefore, as part of the curses of this conditional covenant, Syria began to reduce their territory. Israel was heading into the Assyrian Captivity.
10:33 He conquered all the land of Gilead, including the territory of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh, extending all the way from the Aroer in the Arnon Valley through Gilead to Bashan.
Jehu failed to keep the Mosaic Law, so the Lord punished him by giving Syria the land of the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and half of Manasseh.
10:34 The rest of the events of Jehu’s reign, including all his accomplishments and successes, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel.
This was an uninspired secular book which has been lost to this day.
10:35 Jehu passed away and was buried in Samaria. His son Jehoahaz replaced him as king.
King Jehoahaz became the next King of Israel. He would be the first son of the four kings of the Jehu dynasty.
10:36 Jehu reigned over Israel for twenty-eight years in Samaria.
King Jehu reigned for 28 years in Israel. Since the Ahab rule refused to eliminate Baalism, Jehovah removed that line and appointed Jehu to do so. Jehu was a bloody man, but it took this kind of violent man to get rid of false religion in Israel.