2Ki 10 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for 2Kgs 10:1-27: 10:1-27 The writer focuses on two important events of Jehu’s reign: his murder of all who might claim Joram’s throne (10:1-17 ), and his execution of the priests of Baal (10:18-27 ). 10:1 Ahab’s sons (the term can include grandsons) may have been with Joram at Jezreel temporarily while he was recovering from his wounds (8:29 ) but had fled to Samaria to escape Jehu’s purge.

Summary for 2Kgs 10:1-27: 10:1-27 ^a The writer focuses on two important events of Jehu’s reign: his murder of all who might claim Joram’s throne (10:1-17 ^b), and his execution of the priests of Baal (10:18-27 ^c). 10:1 ^d Ahab’s sons (the term can include grandsons) may have been with Joram at Jezreel temporarily while he was recovering from his wounds (8:29 ^e) but had fled to Samaria to escape Jehu’s purge.
Summary for 2Kgs 10:2-5: 10:2-5 ^f Jehu’s message pointing out the city’s military capacity to protect the surviving members of Ahab’s dynasty was actually a declaration of war, and the leaders of Samaria understood it as such. Jehu commanded the main armed forces of Israel, and at Jezreel he had already demonstrated his military power and ruthlessness. The leaders were paralyzed with fear and agreed to do anything Jehu instructed them to do.
Summary for 2Kgs 10:6-7: 10:6-7 ^g Decapitation of enemies was a common practice in the ancient Near East (6:31-32 ^h; 1 Sam 17:46 ⁱ, 51 ^j; cp. Matt 14:11 ^k).
Summary for 2Kgs 10:9-10: 10:9-10 ^l But who killed all these? Jehu claimed that the gruesome deaths were the Lord’s will that had been communicated through Elijah (1 Kgs 19:16-17 ^m; 21:21-24 ⁿ).
10:11 ^o Jehu also killed all of Ahab’s surviving relatives and associates without a single survivor, exceeding his divine commission and pursuing a selfish quest for power at any cost. The Lord condemned his excesses through the prophet Hosea (Hos 1:4 ^p).
Summary for 2Kgs 10:12-14: 10:12-14 ^q The precise location of Beth-eked is uncertain, but it was in the area of Jenin.

• The reply of Ahaziah’s relatives to Jehu sealed their fate. Jehu apparently reasoned that their relation to Ahaziah, hence loosely to the house of Ahab through his daughter Athaliah, could give them some claim on the throne of Israel. In this second round of executions, Jehu again exceeded his commission to terminate Ahab’s dynasty.
10:15 ^r Jeremiah portrays Jehonadab as head of a group of desert nomads who spent their lives in protest against the decadent religion of society (Jer 35 ^s). Recab was a Kenite (1 Chr 2:55 ^t). While the nomadic Kenites were concentrated in southern Judah, some lived in Galilee (Judg 4:17 ^u; 5:24 ^v). Their opposition to the apostasy of the royal house may have led them to welcome Jehu as a rescuer and reformer.
Summary for 2Kgs 10:18-27: 10:18-27 ^w By executing the priests of Baal, Jehu intended to wipe out religious worship associated with the house of Ahab, thereby destroying any sentimental attachment people had with the former dynasty.
Summary for 2Kgs 10:18-19: 10:18-19 ^x Jehu deceptively played to the populace, promising to continue and promote the worship of Baal.
Summary for 2Kgs 10:25-26: 10:25-26 ^y innermost fortress ... sacred pillar: Canaanite temples contained a recessed place in the wall that held an image of a sacred stone. The temple of Baal in Samaria contained a sacred altar to Baal and an Asherah pole that Jehu’s men destroyed. Josiah’s later purge of Baal worship in Judah similarly involved burning and demolishing the Asherah pole in the Temple in Jerusalem (23:6 ^z).
10:27 ^aa Turning the destroyed temple of Baal ... into a public toilet rendered it unclean, unfit for future religious ceremonies.
Summary for 2Kgs 10:28-29: 10:28-29 ^ab Despite extinguishing Baal worship from Israel, Jehu retained the worship of gold calves at Bethel and Dan, perpetuating the state religion instituted by Jeroboam I (1 Kgs 12:28-30 ^ac). This would one day lead to the fall of the northern kingdom (2 Kgs 17:21-23 ^ad).
10:30 ^ae God fulfilled his promise of a royal line to the fourth generation; four generations of Jehu’s descendants reigned as kings of Israel (Jehoahaz, Jehoash, Jeroboam II, and Zechariah).
Summary for 2Kgs 10:31-33: 10:31-33 ^af In response to Jehu’s unfaithfulness, the Lord began to cut down the size of Israel’s territory, one of the curses for spiritual infidelity to the covenant (Deut 28:25 ^ag).

• The Aramean king Hazael moved southward, conquering areas east of the Jordan River north of the border of Moab. The Arameans continued the pressure against Israel throughout the reign of Jehu and into the reign of his son Jehoahaz (2 Kgs 12:17-18 ^ah; 13:3 ^ai).