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Discover the story of Jehu, King of Israel, whose reign was marked by political maneuvers, Assyrian dominance, and religious upheaval. Unravel the historical and biblical narratives of Jehu’s rule, his confrontations with neighboring powers, and his significant impact on Israel’s religious landscape.

Introduction

Jehu, son of Jehoshaphat (not the Jehoshaphat who was King of Judah) and grandson of Nimshi, was the ruler of Israel from approximately 842 to 815 B.C.E. During King Ahab of Israel’s reign, the prophet Elijah fled to Mount Horeb to avoid being killed by Ahab’s wife, Jezebel. God instructed Elijah to return and anoint three individuals: Elisha to succeed him, Hazael as king of Syria, and Jehu as king of Israel. (1 Kings 19:15, 16) Elijah fulfilled the task with Elisha, but Elisha, Elijah’s successor, later carried out Jehu’s anointing.

Elijah’s delay in anointing Jehu wasn’t due to procrastination. After God’s initial command, He informed Elijah that the disaster planned for Ahab’s family, which Jehu would carry out, wouldn’t happen during Ahab’s lifetime but during his son’s. (1 Kings 21:27-29) Therefore, the timing of Jehu’s anointing was directed by God, not caused by Elijah’s inaction. When the right moment arrived, Jehu, known for his decisive nature, acted without delay.

This crucial time was during a war. Ahab had died, and his son Jehoram was the king. The Israelite army was stationed at Ramoth-gilead, guarding against Hazael, king of Syria. Jehu was among the military leaders there. (2 Kings 8:28; 9:14) Jehu and his assistant Bidkar had witnessed Elijah’s condemnation of Ahab, following the murder of Naboth orchestrated by Jezebel, which led to Ahab’s acquisition of Naboth’s land. (1 Kings 21:11-19; 2 Kings 9:24-26)

While the army was at Ramoth-gilead, King Jehoram of Israel was in Jezreel, recovering from injuries inflicted by the Syrians at Ramah (Ramoth-gilead). The King of Judah, Ahaziah, was visiting him there. Ahaziah was Jehoram of Israel’s nephew, as his mother, Athaliah, was the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel and Jehoram of Israel’s sister. Ahaziah had gone to Jezreel to see his injured uncle, Jehoram. (2 Kings 8:25, 26, 28, 29)

Jehu’s Anointing

Elisha, the prophet, sent one of his assistants with a specific task: to take a flask of oil to the Israelite military camp at Ramoth-gilead, anoint Jehu there, and then quickly leave the area. The assistant did just as Elisha instructed. He discreetly brought Jehu aside from his fellow officers into a building, where he anointed Jehu and relayed the mission assigned to him – to completely eliminate Ahab’s family. Following these actions, the assistant hastily left the scene, following Elisha’s orders. — 2 Kings 9:1-10.

After the anointing, Jehu stepped out of the building and initially tried to downplay what had just happened, pretending as if the prophet’s message was trivial. However, his comrades noticed a change in his demeanor, suggesting that something important had taken place. Upon their insistence, Jehu admitted that he had been anointed as the new King of Israel. This revelation led the soldiers to immediately declare him king. — 2 Kings 9:11-14.

Destruction of Ahab’s Family by Jehu

Jehu, keeping his actions secret from Jezreel, hurried towards the city. (2 Kings 9:15, 16) Messengers from Jehoram, King of Israel and son of Ahab, were sent to meet Jehu but were redirected to join Jehu’s troops. Jehu’s aggressive driving style made him recognizable to the lookout in Jezreel. Suspicious, Jehoram met Jehu near Naboth’s land. Jehu fatally shot him with an arrow, fulfilling Elijah’s prophecy, and instructed his officer Bidkar to dispose of Jehoram’s body in Naboth’s field. Jehu then proceeded to Jezreel. Ahab’s grandson, Ahaziah, who had accompanied Jehoram, attempted to flee to Jerusalem but was found in Samaria, brought to Jehu, and killed near Ibleam. He managed to reach Megiddo, where he died and was buried in Jerusalem.—2 Kings 9:17-28; 2 Chronicles 22:6-9.

Upon Jehu’s arrival in Jezreel, Jezebel, Ahab’s widow, taunted him. Jehu, unfazed, had her thrown from a window. Her death under Jehu’s horses and the subsequent consumption of her body by dogs aligned with Elijah’s prophecy.—2 Kings 9:30-37; 1 Kings 21:23.

Jehu then moved swiftly to eliminate Ahab’s remaining family. He dared the men of Samaria to fight for Ahab’s 70 sons. Fearing Jehu, they declared their allegiance to him and beheaded Ahab’s sons, presenting the heads to Jehu in Jezreel. Jehu then eradicated all of Ahab’s close associates, priests, and even 42 relatives of King Ahaziah of Judah.—2 Kings 10:1-14.

To further eradicate Baal worship, Jehu met Jehonadab, a Rechabite, who supported Jehu’s mission. Together, they destroyed those in Samaria loyal to Ahab.—2 Kings 10:15-17.

Elimination of Baal Worship by Jehu

Jehu cleverly orchestrated a large gathering under the pretense of honoring Baal to bring together all of Israel’s Baal worshipers at Baal’s temple. He ensured that no followers of Jehovah were present and then instructed his soldiers to kill everyone there. Following this, they destroyed Baal’s pillars and demolished the temple, turning the site into a place for latrines. This location continued to be used for this purpose until the time of Jeremiah, who documented these events in the book of Kings. The scripture notes, “Jehu annihilated Baal out of Israel.” (2 Kings 10:18-28) However, Baal worship later resurfaced in both Israel and Judah. (2 Kings 17:16; 2 Chronicles 28:2; Jeremiah 32:29)

Despite these actions, Jehu chose not to abolish the worship of the golden calves established at Dan and Bethel in Israel, likely to maintain the distinct identity of the ten-tribe kingdom of Israel separate from Judah, which had the temple of Jehovah in Jerusalem. Jehu did not fully commit to following Jehovah’s laws and continued the sinful practices initiated by Jeroboam. (2 Kings 10:29, 31)

As a reward for Jehu’s zeal in eliminating Baalism and carrying out Jehovah’s judgments against Ahab’s family, God promised that Jehu’s family would rule over Israel for four generations. This promise was fulfilled through Jehu’s descendants Jehoahaz, Jehoash, Jeroboam II, and Zechariah. Zechariah’s reign ended with his assassination around 746 B.C.E., concluding Jehu’s dynasty after approximately 114 years of rule. (2 Kings 10:30; 13:1, 10; 14:23; 15:8-12)

Jehu’s House and the Question of Bloodshed

Despite Jehu being appointed by God to eliminate Ahab’s family, later prophecies, particularly through Hosea, indicated that Jehu’s house would be held accountable for the violence in Jezreel. (Hosea 1:4) This accountability wasn’t due to Jehu’s actions against Ahab’s family, which God had commanded and commended. Nor was it related to Jehu’s elimination of Ahaziah of Judah and his brothers, whose family ties to Ahab through the marriage of Jehoram of Judah to Athaliah, Ahab’s daughter, had introduced wickedness into Judah’s royal line.

The issue seems to stem from Jehu allowing the calf worship to continue in Israel and not wholeheartedly following Jehovah’s laws. Jehu likely believed that keeping Israel religiously separate from Judah, particularly through calf worship, was essential for maintaining independence. This approach, which reflected a lack of faith in Jehovah, may have led to additional bloodshed beyond what was required in executing God’s judgment on Ahab’s house.

After Jehu’s dynasty, the kingdom of Israel weakened, lasting only about 50 more years. Following the murder of Zechariah, Jehu’s descendant, the kingdom saw a series of violent successions until Hoshea, the last king, was taken captive by Assyria. (2 Kings 15:10, 13-30; 17:4)

Israel’s primary sin throughout this period was calf worship. This idolatry led the nation away from Jehovah and resulted in moral decay. The crimes of Israel, including the “bloodshed of Jezreel,” were rooted in the false worship allowed by its rulers. This eventually led God to end the reign of the house of Israel. (Hosea 1:4; 4:2)

Syria and Assyria’s Aggression Against Israel Under Jehu’s Rule

Jehu’s failure to fully commit to Jehovah’s ways resulted in political and military challenges during his reign. He faced continuous aggression from Hazael, the king of Syria. Hazael gradually seized territories from Israel, particularly those east of the Jordan River (2 Kings 10:32, 33; Amos 1:3, 4). Concurrently, the Assyrian empire posed a growing threat to Israel’s existence.

Assyrian Records Mentioning Jehu

In ancient inscriptions by Shalmaneser III, the Assyrian king, Jehu is mentioned as having paid tribute to Assyria. The inscription claims Jehu gave various items, including silver, gold, and other valuable goods, to Shalmaneser III. An important point is that Jehu is referred to as the “son of Omri.” This is not literal, as Jehu was not Omri’s direct descendant. Instead, this phrase likely indicates that Jehu was a king of Israel, a kingdom significantly shaped by Omri, who was notable for his military strength and for establishing Samaria as the capital city.

The Black Obelisk and Depiction of Jehu

The Black Obelisk, an artifact from Assyria now housed in the British Museum, not only includes text about Jehu but also portrays a figure, presumed to be Jehu or his emissary, bowing before Shalmaneser III and presenting tribute. This depiction is significant as it might be the first known pictorial representation of an Israelite. However, caution is advised in interpreting this image, as Assyrian portrayals of foreign figures might not be accurate. They could depict enemies in a manner that emphasizes undesirable traits, similar to how contemporary political cartoons might exaggerate features of opposing figures.

The striking scene of Jehu bowing before Shalmaneser III on the Black Obelisk provides a rare and invaluable visual representation of an Israelite or Judaean monarch in ancient Near Eastern art, showcasing the intricate dynamics between powerful rulers of the time.

Historical and Archaeological Context

Jehu is mentioned in several Assyrian records. The Assyrians’ practice of referring to leaders as the “son of” a notable predecessor, regardless of actual lineage, explains why Jehu is called “son of Omri.” The Black Obelisk’s inscription from Shalmaneser III lists various tributes received from Jehu, confirming his submission to Assyrian power.

Another Assyrian record, a marble slab found in Ashur, details Shalmaneser III’s invasion and mentions Jehu alongside Baʾali-manzeri of Tyre. This slab also indicates Assyria’s growing influence in the region, as it describes Shalmaneser III placing his royal stela next to that of Tiglath-pileser I on Mount Lebanon, signifying Assyria’s assertion of dominance over the region.

In conclusion, these records provide valuable insights into the political landscape of Jehu’s time, illustrating Israel’s tenuous position between powerful neighboring empires and highlighting the historical significance of Jehu’s reign.

About the Author

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220+ books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).