Jehu

JE'HU (Jehovah is he). Was the son of Hanani the seer, with whom Asa was so much enraged as to cast him into prison. 1 Kgs 16:7; 2 Chr 16:7-10. He was appointed to carry a message to Baasha from God, threatening to visit upon him the most fearful judgments. He was afterward employed on a similar errand to Jehoshaphat. 2 Chr 19:1-2. 1 Kgs 19:16. Comp. 2 Kgs 9:2. The grandson of Nimshi, and son of Jehoshaphat, selected by God to reign over Israel, and to be the instrument of inflicting his judgments on the house of Ahab. 1 Kgs 19:17; 2 Kgs 9:1-10. In executing this commission he commenced with the reigning king, Jorain, who was then lying ill at Jezreel. Having been proclaimed king by a few adherents who were with him at Ramoth-gilead, he proceeded toward Jezreel. Upon his approach within sight of that place Joram despatched two or three messengers to ascertain his design; and finding they did not return, he went out himself to meet him. It happened that they met on the ground of Naboth the Jezreelite, 1 Kgs 21:1-24; and Jehu at once charged him with his gross iniquities, and immediately shot him dead in his chariot. Comp. 1 Kgs 21:19 and 2 Kgs 9:25. Jehu rode on to Jezreel, and as he was passing in at the gate, Jezebel, who was looking out at a window, said something in allusion to what had happened to Ahab. By Jehu's order she was thrown down, and the prophecy was exactly fulfilled. 1 Kgs 21:23; 2 Kgs 9:32-37. He then exterminated the family of Ahab through the agency of the elders of the city, in which the 70 sons of Ahab were. 2 Kgs 10:7. The next morning he ordered a general slaughter of all Ahab's family and adherents in the town of Jezreel. He then set out for Samaria, and meeting on his way a party of 42 persons, all the family of Ahaziel (a branch of Ahab's house), he seized and slew them. But the most revolting of these deeds of blood was the slaughter of all the Baalites he could get together under pretence of a festival. 2 Kgs 10:18-28. This dreadful extermination of the house of Ahab, and of the idolatrous worship which he sanctioned, was in accordance with the divine command, and received the divine approbation. 1 Kgs 10:30. Jehu himself, however, was ambitious and tyrannical, and fell into idolatrous practices. 2 Kgs 10:31. His reign lasted 28 years, b.c. 884-856, and he was succeeded by his son Jehoahaz. A descendant of Judah. 1 Chr 2:38. A Simeonite. 1 Chr 4:35. A Benjamite with David. 1 Chr 12:3.