2 Kings 10

King James Version

Full text for 2 Kings Chapter 10

1¶ And Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, unto the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to them that brought up Ahab's [children], saying,

2Now as soon as this letter cometh to you, seeing your master's sons [are] with you, and [there are] with you chariots and horses, a fenced city also, and armour;

3Look even out the best and meetest of your master's sons, and set [him] on his father's throne, and fight for your master's house.

4But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, two kings stood not before him: how then shall we stand?

5And he that [was] over the house, and he that [was] over the city, the elders also, and the bringers up [of the children], sent to Jehu, saying, We [are] thy servants, and will do all that thou shalt bid us; we will not make any king: do thou [that which is] good in thine eyes.

6Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, If ye [be] mine, and [if] ye will hearken unto my voice, take ye the heads of the men your master's sons, and come to me to Jezreel by to morrow this time. Now the king's sons, [being] seventy persons, [were] with the great men of the city, which brought them up.

7And it came to pass, when the letter came to them, that they took the king's sons, and slew seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent him [them] to Jezreel.

8And there came a messenger, and told him, saying, They have brought the heads of the king's sons. And he said, Lay ye them in two heaps at the entering in of the gate until the morning.

9And it came to pass in the morning, that he went out, and stood, and said to all the people, Ye [be] righteous: behold, I conspired against my master, and slew him: but who slew all these?

10Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the LORD, which the LORD spake concerning the house of Ahab: for the LORD hath done [that] which he spake by his servant Elijah.

11So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his kinsfolks, and his priests, until he left him none remaining.

12And he arose and departed, and came to Samaria. [And] as he [was] at the shearing house in the way,

13Jehu met with the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, Who [are] ye? And they answered, We [are] the brethren of Ahaziah; and we go down to salute the children of the king and the children of the queen.

14And he said, Take them alive. And they took them alive, and slew them at the pit of the shearing house, [even] two and forty men; neither left he any of them.

15¶ And when he was departed thence, he lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab [coming] to meet him: and he saluted him, and said to him, Is thine heart right, as my heart [is] with thy heart? And Jehonadab answered, It is. If it be, give [me] thine hand. And he gave [him] his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot.

16And he said, Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD. So they made him ride in his chariot.

17And when he came to Samaria, he slew all that remained unto Ahab in Samaria, till he had destroyed him, according to the saying of the LORD, which he spake to Elijah.

18And Jehu gathered all the people together, and said unto them, Ahab served Baal a little; [but] Jehu shall serve him much.

19Now therefore call unto me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests; let none be wanting: for I have a great sacrifice [to do] to Baal; whosoever shall be wanting, he shall not live. But Jehu did [it] in subtilty, to the intent that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal.

20And Jehu said, Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal. And they proclaimed [it].

21And Jehu sent through all Israel: and all the worshippers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that came not. And they came into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was full from one end to another.

22And he said unto him that [was] over the vestry, Bring forth vestments for all the worshippers of Baal. And he brought them forth vestments.

23And Jehu went, and Jehonadab the son of Rechab, into the house of Baal, and said unto the worshippers of Baal, Search, and look that there be here with you none of the servants of the LORD, but the worshippers of Baal only.

24And when they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings, Jehu appointed fourscore men without, and said, [If] any of the men whom I have brought into your hands escape, [he that letteth him go], his life [shall be] for the life of him.

25And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, Go in, [and] slay them; let none come forth. And they smote them with the edge of the sword; and the guard and the captains cast [them] out, and went to the city of the house of Baal.

26And they brought forth the images out of the house of Baal, and burned them.

27And they brake down the image of Baal, and brake down the house of Baal, and made it a draught house unto this day.

28Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.

29¶ Howbeit [from] the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them, [to wit], the golden calves that [were] in Bethel, and that [were] in Dan.

30And the LORD said unto Jehu, Because thou hast done well in executing [that which is] right in mine eyes, [and] hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that [was] in mine heart, thy children of the fourth [generation] shall sit on the throne of Israel.

31But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin.

32In those days the LORD began to cut Israel short: and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel;

33From Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which [is] by the river Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan.

34Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, and all that he did, and all his might, [are] they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

35And Jehu slept with his fathers: and they buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son reigned in his stead.

36And the time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria [was] twenty and eight years.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Jehu systematically eradicates the house of Ahab, fulfilling divine prophecy by orchestrating the slaughter of Ahab's seventy sons and later eliminating Ahaziah's relatives. He then cunningly gathers and destroys all worshippers of Baal, purging Israel of this idolatry. However, Jehu maintains the golden calf worship of Jeroboam, leading to a partial judgment from the LORD despite a dynastic promise.

Medium Summary

Chapter 10 details Jehu's ruthless purge of the house of Ahab and the eradication of Baal worship in Israel. Jehu first challenges the elders of Samaria to enthrone one of Ahab's seventy sons, but they submit to him and slay the sons, sending their heads to Jezreel, fulfilling Elijah's prophecy. Continuing his journey, Jehu encounters and executes forty-two relatives of Ahaziah, King of Judah, who were connected to Ahab's lineage. Upon reaching Samaria, he completes the destruction of Ahab's remaining kin. Jehu then employs deception, proclaiming a great sacrifice to Baal to gather all its worshippers, whom he then slays within the temple, utterly destroying Baal's images and house. While commended by the LORD for his zeal against Ahab and Baal, Jehu does not depart from the golden calf idolatry of Jeroboam. Consequently, the LORD promises Jehu's dynasty four generations on the throne but begins to diminish Israel's territory through Hazael.

Long Summary

Second Kings chapter 10 chronicles Jehu's comprehensive and often brutal execution of divine judgment against the house of Ahab and the pervasive worship of Baal in Israel. Jehu initiates his purge by sending letters to the rulers and elders in Samaria, challenging them to defend Ahab's seventy sons. Overwhelmed by fear, they declare their allegiance to Jehu, prompting him to command the slaughter of the seventy royal sons, whose heads are sent to Jezreel and displayed publicly as a testament to the fulfillment of Elijah's prophecy against Ahab's lineage. Jehu then proceeds to eliminate all remaining members of Ahab's house in Jezreel, including his great men and priests. En route to Samaria, Jehu encounters forty-two relatives of Ahaziah, King of Judah, who were visiting the royal family, and orders their execution, further severing ties to the condemned dynasty. In Samaria, he completes the eradication of Ahab's remaining kin, ensuring no one connected to the house survives. Demonstrating a unique zeal for the LORD, Jehu then turns his attention to Baal worship. He cunningly announces a grand sacrifice to Baal, gathering all its prophets, servants, and priests into the temple. After ensuring no worshippers of the LORD were present, Jehu commands his guards to slay every Baal worshipper, leaving none alive. The images of Baal are brought forth and burned, and the house of Baal is torn down and defiled. Thus, Jehu effectively purges Baal worship from Israel. Despite these decisive actions, the narrative highlights Jehu's failure to fully adhere to the law of the LORD; he did not abandon the golden calf worship established by Jeroboam in Bethel and Dan. For his obedience in executing judgment against Ahab, the LORD promises Jehu's descendants will reign for four generations. However, due to his partial obedience and continued adherence to Jeroboam's sins, the LORD begins to "cut Israel short" through the incursions of Hazael, king of Syria. Jehu reigns for twenty-eight years in Samaria, ultimately being buried there and succeeded by his son Jehoahaz.

Core Concepts

  • Divine JudgmentJehu's actions, particularly the systematic eradication of Ahab's lineage and the destruction of Baal worship, are presented as the direct fulfillment of God's judgment pronounced through Elijah.
  • Fulfillment of ProphecyThe chapter repeatedly emphasizes that Jehu's ruthless purge of Ahab's house and the Baal cult precisely executes the word of the LORD spoken by Elijah concerning Ahab's destruction.
  • Zeal for the LORDJehu demonstrates a fierce and decisive commitment to eradicating idolatry and the corrupt royal house, which he explicitly describes as "my zeal for the LORD."
  • Partial ObedienceWhile Jehu diligently purges Baal worship and Ahab's house, he fails to depart from the long-standing idolatry of the golden calves established by Jeroboam, indicating an incomplete devotion to the LORD's commands.
  • Dynastic Promise and ConsequenceThe LORD rewards Jehu's obedience in destroying Ahab's house by promising his lineage four generations on the throne, yet his partial obedience leads to the weakening of Israel's borders.
  • Deception in ExecutionJehu employs cunning and subterfuge, feigning devotion to Baal to gather and subsequently slaughter all its worshippers, demonstrating a strategic and ruthless approach to his mission.