2 Kings 9-11 Jehu’s Slaughters

Thoughts

Kings 9

Reminder: In 1 Kings 19:16-17 God told Elijah: Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. ¹⁷ Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu.

Elisha sends a young prophet with a flask of oil to Ramoth-gilead to anoint Jehu (a commander of Israel’s army. 

The prophet takes Jehu into a private room and anoints him.  He charges him with destroying Ahab’s dynasty and avenging the blood of God’s servants.

Jehu reveals he was anointed king to his officers. The officers respond enthusiastically: they spread their cloaks under him, blow the trumpet, and shout, “Jehu is king!”

Joram, king of Israel (recovering from battle wounds), is in Jezreel and Jehu plots against him.

Jehu rides “furiously” toward Jezreel. Watchmen spot him and send horsemen to ask if there is peace, but the horsemen join Jehu instead of returning back. 

Joram and Ahaziah (Judah’s king) ride out to meet Jehu. They meet at Naboth’s vineyard ( the one Ahab and Jezebel murdered Naboth for (1 Kings 21))

Jehu draws his bow and shoots Joram between the shoulders and the arrow pierces his heart. Jehu orders his body thrown into Naboth’s field, fulfilling Elijah’s prophecy of judgment for Naboth’s murder.

King Ahaziah now tries to flee toward Beth Haggan, but Jehu pursues and wounds him near Ibleam. Ahaziah escapes to Megiddo but dies there.

Jehu then enters Jezreel. Jezebel paints her eyes, adorns her head, and looks out the window (maybe mocking or seducing Jehu?) She taunts him by referencing  Zimri, who assassinated his master and reigned only 7 days.

Jehu looks up and calls: “Who is on my side?” Two or three eunuchs look down from the window. They throw her down and her blood splatters on the wall and horses. 

Later, Jehu orders her buried, since she was a king’s daughter. But when they go to bury her they found that dogs had devoured her flesh, fulfilling Elijah’s prophecy (1 Kings 21:23).

Kings 10

Ahab had 70 sons in Samaria, raised by city leaders and elders. Jehu sends letters challenging them to fight. 

Fearful of Jehu (who had just killed Joram and Ahaziah), the leaders reply they will serve him and not fight. However, Jehu sends a second letter: if they are truly loyal, bring him the heads of Ahab’s sons.They obey, killing the 70 sons and sending their heads in baskets to Jezreel.

Jehu has the heads piled in two heaps at the city gate until morning. He wipes out all remaining members of Ahab’s house, his nobles, and priests, leaving no survivor.

On the way to Samaria, Jehu encounters relatives of King Ahaziah . Jehu commands them seized, and 42 of them are slaughtered.

Jehu meets Jehonadab son of Rechab, known for zeal toward the Lord (see also Jeremiah 35). They ride together in Jehu’s chariot. Together they enter Samaria, where Jehu kills all remaining members of Ahab’s household.

Jehu calls all the prophets and worshipers of Baal, claiming he will serve Baal even more zealously than Ahab did.He summons them to a great sacrifice, warning that anyone absent will die. Once the sacrifices begin, Jehu commands the guards to kill all the Baal worshipers without letting any escape and destroy the temple.

.God commends him for doing what was right in destroying Ahab’s house, and promises his dynasty will last four generations.

• But Jehu “was not careful to walk in the law of the Lord with all his heart” and retains the golden calves
• Hosea 1:4 goes on to condemn Jehu’s actions: For in a little while I will avenge the bloodshed of Jezreel on the house of Jehu, and bring an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel.

Jehu reigns 28 years in Samaria and Jehoahaz his son succeeds him.

Kings 11

When Athaliah (mother of King Ahaziah) hears her son is dead, she seizes power. She kills all the royal heirs she can and rules as Queen. 

Jehosheba (sister of Ahaziah and wife of the priest Jehoiada) hides the infant Joash, saving him from the massacre. He is hidden in the temple of the Lord for six years.

In Joash’s 7th year, Jehoiada the priest calls together the commanders, guards, and Levites to crown Joash. 

Athaliah hears the commotion, rushes to the temple, and sees the boy king standing by the pillar with leaders rejoicing. 

Athaliah tears her clothes and cries, “Treason! Treason!” Jehoiada orders her seized but not killed in the temple. She is taken outside  and executed.

Jehoiada makes a covenant between the Lord, the king, and the people that they will be the Lord’s people again.

The people tear down the temple of Baal, break its altars and images, and kill Mattan the priest of Baal.

The guards escort the king from the temple to the palace. Joash is only seven years old when he begins to reign.

Questions

Why did Elijah not anoint Jehu?

Why does it say ‘2 or 3 eunuchs’? Did the writer not know?

Why does it say Jehu did right in the eyes of God right after it says he didn’t turn aside the golden calves?

Why does Hosea 1:4 condemn Jehu’s bloodshed if God commanded it? 

Application

These chapters are all about righteous zeal. Jehu’s executions (Joram, Jezebel, Ahab’s sons, Baal’s prophets) feel pretty brutal, however they were commanded by God. This is after decades of bloodshed, idolatry, and injustice. Jehu’s zeal was mostly aligned with what God wanted, but Hosea hints that he might have gone overboard or done it out of pride.  We should ask ourselves if our own zeal is aligned with God’s Word or are we making it about us? Is it consistent in all areas of our lives? I don’t think God is calling any of us to go out on a blood bath as Jehu did, but we can still be passionate in our obedience to Him. 

Unsure who made painting