2Ki 10:1 | KingComments | STEP | In this chapter we see several sides of Jehu. On the one hand he goes too far by killing people whom God has not instructed him to kill, and on the other, he did not go far enough. He eradicated the Baal worship, but not the golden calves, which he continued to serve. He often did the work of God, but actually pursued his own interests. It seems that he was more of an instrument than a servant. He knew how to handle the sword excellently when it came to judging evil. What he had not learned, however, was to apply the sword, applied in a spiritual sense, to himself. He was a useful instrument as long as God’s interests corresponded to his own. If God’s interests were not in line with his own interests, he went his own way. The events followed each other in quick succession. Jehu acted energetically. After Jezreel, he also wanted Samaria on his side. Seventy sons of Ahab lived in Samaria. This meant all his male offspring which he had conceived with his many wives, and also his grandsons. All these sons were a danger to Jehu’s kingdom. It was therefore imperative for them to be eliminated. He devised a clever plan for this. He sent letters to Samaria, to the city council. The content of his letter was very challenging, there was bravado in it. It was the language of a confident man who knows his own power and also knows the weak spot of his opponent. He spoke to them as people who still saw Ahab as their “lord”. He also pointed out their military strength to them. As they have the capital, they have access to “the chariots and horses and a fortified city and weapons”. His proposal was that they should only put the best of Ahab’s sons on the throne and under his leadership fight with him. He told them to appoint a kind of counter king and then, in a fight with him, decide who the real king is. The fact that Jehu dared to say and present all this, shows that he was certain of his case. He knew the sons of Ahab. They were weak guys, just like the leaders of the city. The leaders were men similar to the kind of elders and distinguished men of Jezreel who had danced to the tune of Jezebel and killed Naboth in response to her letter ( ). The language of the letter is such that Jehu presented himself as the undisputed king and that whoever dared to dispute it should go ahead. As far as he was concerned, the result was sure. The choice was up to the leaders of Samaria. Like Jehoram, they would know what kind of man Jehu was, known by all as a “furious” rider ( ), a man who was afraid of nothing and no one, and who steps aside for nothing and no one. It is possible that the messengers also told how Jehu raced in Jezreel and what fate Jehoram, Ahaziah and Jezebel underwent. In any case, they referred to his acts as those that cause terror. Would they dare to take the sword against such a man? They reasoned they shouldn’t do that. It was much wiser to join Jehu. That was what they did. They let him know that they would join him. They did so in words that implied total submission to him. This was exactly what he wanted, to use them to exterminate the offspring of Ahab without getting dirty hands himself. When Jehu had received news from the leaders of Samaria, promising him their support, he wrote them a second letter ( ). He gave them a command to prove that they meant what they said. Jehu began his letter with words similar to those he had said to the officials of Jezebel: “If you are on my side” (cf. ). He was only interested in who was for him . When they are for him, they will listen to his voice. Listening to the voice of the LORD was not a consideration. He has made these elders allies and instructed them to kill the sons of Ahab. The question remains how his command in this second letter was to be understood. His writing was somewhat ambiguous. That is, “the heads of the men, your master’s sons” did not mean the literal heads, but the most important sons, the most influential. They were to take the men from the city and meet Jehu at the same time the next day. The men of the city take a literal interpretation of what the letter said, and Jehu may have meant it that way. When the heads are cut off, they were sent to Jezreel. The elders did not bring the heads themselves to offer them personally. They wanted to remain at a distance. When Jehu received the message that the heads were delivered, he ordered the heads to be placed in two heaps near the city gate. When the people of the city went out of the town to work, they saw the heads. But Jehu was already there to explain this sinister sight. In the words he used, he was diplomatic and insincere. He was straightforward when it came to the sword, but he was not straightforward in his language. He declared the people innocent. As for himself, he denied any involvement in the murder of these men. Certainly, he killed Jehoram, but that was because he had to do so because the LORD ordered it, although he did not pronounce it here clearly. Who has been working in this case? No, he wouldn’t be able to say that. He played the innocent, the ignorant. Although he was directly responsible for the murder, his question designated others as murderers. He said nothing about the instruction he had given. To camouflage his innocence and ignorance even more, he gave a pious twist to his story ( ). They should not be too concerned about who did this. It all fell under the administration of the LORD. After all, the LORD’s revenge has been carried out, hasn’t it? What he in fact did was to blame the LORD. is a kind of conclusion. Jehu killed all who were left of the house of Ahab. But he has also gone further. He also killed “all his great men and his acquaintances and his priests”. He was not commissioned to do so. We must never go further than what the Lord tells us, no matter how justified certain things may seem. Jehu wanted to confirm his kingship, and so, cleared away everything that would hinder him. What was the power of his actions? The flesh, he acted for himself. The power of the flesh can work in spiritual things, but then more is always done than the Lord’s command.

‏ 2 Kings 10:1

Introduction

In this chapter we see several sides of Jehu. On the one hand he goes too far by killing people whom God has not instructed him to kill, and on the other, he did not go far enough. He eradicated the Baal worship, but not the golden calves, which he continued to serve. He often did the work of God, but actually pursued his own interests. It seems that he was more of an instrument than a servant. He knew how to handle the sword excellently when it came to judging evil. What he had not learned, however, was to apply the sword, applied in a spiritual sense, to himself.

He was a useful instrument as long as God’s interests corresponded to his own. If God’s interests were not in line with his own interests, he went his own way.

Ahab’s Offspring Killed

The events followed each other in quick succession. Jehu acted energetically. After Jezreel, he also wanted Samaria on his side. Seventy sons of Ahab lived in Samaria. This meant all his male offspring which he had conceived with his many wives, and also his grandsons. All these sons were a danger to Jehu’s kingdom. It was therefore imperative for them to be eliminated. He devised a clever plan for this. He sent letters to Samaria, to the city council. The content of his letter was very challenging, there was bravado in it. It was the language of a confident man who knows his own power and also knows the weak spot of his opponent.

He spoke to them as people who still saw Ahab as their “lord”. He also pointed out their military strength to them. As they have the capital, they have access to “the chariots and horses and a fortified city and weapons”. His proposal was that they should only put the best of Ahab’s sons on the throne and under his leadership fight with him. He told them to appoint a kind of counter king and then, in a fight with him, decide who the real king is.

The fact that Jehu dared to say and present all this, shows that he was certain of his case. He knew the sons of Ahab. They were weak guys, just like the leaders of the city. The leaders were men similar to the kind of elders and distinguished men of Jezreel who had danced to the tune of Jezebel and killed Naboth in response to her letter (1Kgs 21:8-14).

The language of the letter is such that Jehu presented himself as the undisputed king and that whoever dared to dispute it should go ahead. As far as he was concerned, the result was sure. The choice was up to the leaders of Samaria. Like Jehoram, they would know what kind of man Jehu was, known by all as a “furious” rider (2Kgs 9:20), a man who was afraid of nothing and no one, and who steps aside for nothing and no one. It is possible that the messengers also told how Jehu raced in Jezreel and what fate Jehoram, Ahaziah and Jezebel underwent. In any case, they referred to his acts as those that cause terror.

Would they dare to take the sword against such a man? They reasoned they shouldn’t do that. It was much wiser to join Jehu. That was what they did. They let him know that they would join him. They did so in words that implied total submission to him. This was exactly what he wanted, to use them to exterminate the offspring of Ahab without getting dirty hands himself.

When Jehu had received news from the leaders of Samaria, promising him their support, he wrote them a second letter (2Kgs 10:6). He gave them a command to prove that they meant what they said. Jehu began his letter with words similar to those he had said to the officials of Jezebel: “If you are on my side” (cf. 2Kgs 9:32). He was only interested in who was for him. When they are for him, they will listen to his voice. Listening to the voice of the LORD was not a consideration. He has made these elders allies and instructed them to kill the sons of Ahab.

The question remains how his command in this second letter was to be understood. His writing was somewhat ambiguous. That is, “the heads of the men, your master’s sons” did not mean the literal heads, but the most important sons, the most influential. They were to take the men from the city and meet Jehu at the same time the next day. The men of the city take a literal interpretation of what the letter said, and Jehu may have meant it that way. When the heads are cut off, they were sent to Jezreel. The elders did not bring the heads themselves to offer them personally. They wanted to remain at a distance.

When Jehu received the message that the heads were delivered, he ordered the heads to be placed in two heaps near the city gate. When the people of the city went out of the town to work, they saw the heads. But Jehu was already there to explain this sinister sight. In the words he used, he was diplomatic and insincere. He was straightforward when it came to the sword, but he was not straightforward in his language.

He declared the people innocent. As for himself, he denied any involvement in the murder of these men. Certainly, he killed Jehoram, but that was because he had to do so because the LORD ordered it, although he did not pronounce it here clearly. Who has been working in this case? No, he wouldn’t be able to say that. He played the innocent, the ignorant. Although he was directly responsible for the murder, his question designated others as murderers. He said nothing about the instruction he had given.

To camouflage his innocence and ignorance even more, he gave a pious twist to his story (2Kgs 10:10). They should not be too concerned about who did this. It all fell under the administration of the LORD. After all, the LORD’s revenge has been carried out, hasn’t it? What he in fact did was to blame the LORD.

2Kgs 10:11 is a kind of conclusion. Jehu killed all who were left of the house of Ahab. But he has also gone further. He also killed “all his great men and his acquaintances and his priests”. He was not commissioned to do so. We must never go further than what the Lord tells us, no matter how justified certain things may seem. Jehu wanted to confirm his kingship, and so, cleared away everything that would hinder him. What was the power of his actions? The flesh, he acted for himself. The power of the flesh can work in spiritual things, but then more is always done than the Lord’s command.