Lives of Scripture

Jehu, an army commander, was anointed king over Israel by a young prophet sent from Elisha, told that God was raising him up to destroy the house of Ahab in judgment for Jezebel's murders and idolatry (2 Kings 9:1-10). Jehu acted with startling speed: he killed King Joram of Israel and King Ahaziah of Judah, had Jezebel thrown from a window to be eaten by dogs exactly as Elijah had prophesied, and had all seventy of Ahab's remaining sons beheaded (2 Kings 9:14-37; 10:1-11). He then gathered Baal's prophets and worshipers under the pretense of a sacrifice to Baal and slaughtered them all, tearing down Baal's temple (2 Kings 10:18-28). God commended Jehu for carrying out this judgment, promising his descendants would sit on Israel's throne to the fourth generation (2 Kings 10:30) — later fulfilled exactly (2 Kings 15:12). Yet Jehu "was not careful to walk in the law of the LORD... with all his heart"; he never tore down the golden calves at Bethel and Dan, and Israel's worship stayed corrupted (2 Kings 10:29-31). The prophet Hosea later announced God would still judge Jehu's house for the bloodshed at Jezreel, showing that being an instrument of judgment is not the same as covenant faithfulness (Hosea 1:4).