Jehu Slaughters Ahab’s Descendants. 2 Kings 10:1-11
The Decline and Fall of Israel and Judah
INTRODUCTION
The Second Book of Kings is a continuation of the First. It records the reigns of fifteen kings in Judah and of eleven kings in Israel. In Judah the dynasty of David continued to the end, while in Israel there were nine changes of dynasty.
The northern kingdom maintained an unbroken course of idolatry, until the nation was ripe for destruction. The end came in 722 B.C., when Samaria was taken by the Assyrians. Judah continued her course for nearly 150 years longer. But in spite of the efforts of prophets and good kings, the tide of idolatry could not be stayed, and Jerusalem fell before the Babylonians, 586 B.C. Nothing but the Exile could avail to purify the nation and restore the spirit of true worship.
I. FROM THE REIGN OF AHAZIAH TO THE FALL OF SAMARIA, 1Ki_22:51 – 2Ki_17:1-41; 2Ki_18:9-12
4. The Reign of Jehu, 2Ki_9:11-37; 2Ki_10:1-36
(9) Elisha and the Anointing of Jehu, 2Ki_9:1-10
23. Was Jehu’s cruelty justified by the purpose behind it?
JEHU SLAUGHTERS AHAB’S DESCENDANTS
Ahab had seventy sons [and grandsons] in Samaria. So Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria, to the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to the guardians of the children of Ahab, saying,
“Now as soon as this letter comes to you, since your master’s sons (male descendants) are with you, as well as chariots and horses and a fortified city and weapons,
select the best and most capable of your master’s sons, and set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s [royal] house.”
But they were extremely afraid and said, “Look, the two kings did not stand before Jehu; so how can we stand?”
And the one who was in charge of the household, and the one who was overseer of the city, the elders, and the guardians [of the children] sent word to Jehu, saying, “We are your servants and we will do whatever you tell us, but we will not make any man king; do what is good in your eyes.”
Then Jehu wrote a second letter to them, saying, “If you are with me and will obey me, take the heads of your master’s sons, and come to me at Jezreel tomorrow about this time.” Now the [dead] king’s sons, seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who were rearing them.
When the letter came to them, they took the king’s sons and slaughtered them, seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to Jehu at Jezreel.
When a messenger came and told him, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons,” he said, “Put them in two heaps at the entrance of the city gate until morning.”
The next morning he went out and stood and said to all the people, “You are just and innocent; behold, I conspired against [Joram] my master and killed him, but who killed all these?
Know then [without any doubt] that there shall fall to the earth nothing of the word of the LORD, which the LORD spoke concerning the house of Ahab, for the LORD has done what He said through His servant Elijah.” [1Ki_19:17]
So Jehu killed all who remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men and his familiar friends and his priests, until he left him without a survivor.
JEHU SLAUGHTERS AHAB’S DESCENDANTS
THE DOOM OF THE HOUSE OF AHAB
What an iconoclast was this Jehu! Before his strong hand the whole structure of Baal-worship received its death-blow. And as we meet Elijah’s name in this chapter, connecting him with these events, we turn back to the story of Horeb, with its solemn words: “And it shall come to pass that him that escapeth from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.” God has many nets, and if the fish escape one set of meshes, they will be caught by another-none shall finally escape. “Everyone shall give an account of himself to God.” See 2Ki_10:10.
It is a searching thought! Because men escape one judgment, they count themselves immune; but it is not so. He that escapes Hazael shall meet Jehu. “As if a man did flee from a lion and a bear met him; or went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him,” Amo_5:19. “There shall fall unto the earth nothing… which the Lord spake,” 2Ki_10:10. “How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation,” and trifle with such a God, whose love is as searching as His chastening wrath? Jer_16:16-17.
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