Bible Characters
Who Was Jehu in the Bible? The King Who Ended the House of Ahab
Jehu was an army commander who became king of the northern kingdom of Israel after a prophet sent by Elisha anointed him (2 Kings 9:1-6). God commissioned him to destroy the house of Ahab, and he killed King Joram of Israel, King Ahaziah of Judah, and Queen Jezebel (2 Kings 9:24, 9:27, 9:33). He then wiped out Baal worship in Israel (2 Kings 10:28). Jehu reigned twenty-eight years (2 Kings 10:36), but the Bible says he did not follow the LORD with all his heart (2 Kings 10:31).
His story is told mainly in 2 Kings 9-10. He should not be confused with the prophet Jehu son of Hanani, who spoke against King Baasha of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah (1 Kings 16:1; 2 Chronicles 19:2).
Jehu Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Name meaning | Usually understood as "the LORD is He" |
| Testament | Old Testament |
| Key books | 2 Kings 9-10; also 1 Kings 19:16-17, 2 Chronicles 22:7-9, Hosea 1:4 |
| Time period | Reigned about 842-815 BC (traditional dating) |
| Family | Son of Jehoshaphat, grandson of Nimshi (2 Kings 9:2); father of Jehoahaz (2 Kings 10:35) |
| Known for | Furious chariot driving, the death of Jezebel, and destroying Baal worship |
Israel Under the House of Ahab
King Ahab of Israel married Jezebel, a Sidonian princess, and served Baal (1 Kings 16:30-31). The prophet Elijah opposed them. After his contest with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, Elijah fled from Jezebel to Mount Horeb (1 Kings 18:20-40; 19:1-8).
At Horeb God gave Elijah three assignments. He was to anoint Hazael king over Aram, Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and Elisha as prophet in his place (1 Kings 19:15-17). Elijah called Elisha directly by throwing his cloak around him (1 Kings 19:19-21). Jehu's anointing came years later, through Elisha.
Elijah also announced judgment on Ahab's family after Ahab and Jezebel had Naboth killed for his vineyard. He said dogs would lick up Ahab's blood and dogs would devour Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel (1 Kings 21:19, 21:23).
Who Was Jehu in the Bible? His Anointing as King
Jehu was a commander in the army of King Joram, Ahab's son. Joram had been wounded fighting Hazael of Aram and had returned to Jezreel to recover (2 Kings 8:28-29; 9:14-15).
Elisha sent a young man from the company of the prophets to Ramoth Gilead with a flask of oil. He found the officers sitting together, took Jehu into an inner room, poured oil on his head, and declared that the LORD was anointing him king over Israel (2 Kings 9:1-6). Kings had been anointed with oil before, as when Samuel anointed Saul (1 Samuel 10:1).
The prophet told Jehu to destroy the house of Ahab and avenge the blood of the prophets shed by Jezebel (2 Kings 9:7-8). He also repeated Elijah's word that dogs would devour Jezebel at Jezreel, then opened the door and ran (2 Kings 9:10).
Jehu's fellow officers asked why the prophet had come, calling him a maniac. When Jehu told them, they spread their cloaks under him on the steps, blew the trumpet, and proclaimed Jehu king (2 Kings 9:11-13).
The Ride to Jezreel
Jehu ordered that no one leave the city to warn Jezreel, then rode there in his chariot (2 Kings 9:15-16). King Ahaziah of Judah, Joram's nephew, had come to visit the wounded king (2 Kings 9:16). A lookout saw Jehu's troops approaching. Joram sent two horsemen in turn to ask whether Jehu came in peace. Each one fell in behind Jehu instead of returning (2 Kings 9:17-19). The lookout then identified the driver:
"He has reached them, but he isn't coming back either. The driving is like that of Jehu son of Nimshi—he drives like a maniac." (2 Kings 9:20)
The Deaths of Joram and Ahaziah
Joram and Ahaziah rode out in their chariots and met Jehu at the field that had belonged to Naboth (2 Kings 9:21). Joram asked if Jehu came in peace. Jehu replied that there could be no peace while the idolatry and witchcraft of Jezebel continued (2 Kings 9:22). Joram turned to flee, and Jehu shot him between the shoulders with an arrow (2 Kings 9:23-24).
Jehu had Joram's body thrown onto Naboth's field, recalling the prophecy he had heard spoken against Ahab (2 Kings 9:25-26). Ahaziah fled, but Jehu's men wounded him, and he died at Megiddo (2 Kings 9:27). Second Chronicles adds that Ahaziah was found hiding in Samaria and brought to Jehu before he was put to death (2 Chronicles 22:9).
The Death of Jezebel
When Jehu entered Jezreel, Jezebel put on eye makeup, arranged her hair, and looked out a window. She called him Zimri, the name of an earlier king who killed his master (2 Kings 9:30-31; 1 Kings 16:9-10). Jehu called up to ask who was on his side. Two or three officials looked down, and at his command they threw her out of the window (2 Kings 9:32-33).
Jehu went in to eat and drink, then ordered her buried because she was a king's daughter. His men found only her skull, feet, and hands. Jehu recognized this as the fulfillment of the word spoken through Elijah (2 Kings 9:34-37).
The End of Ahab's Dynasty
Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. Jehu wrote to the city's leaders, challenging them to choose one and fight for him. They refused out of fear (2 Kings 10:1-5). In a second letter, Jehu told them to bring the princes' heads to Jezreel, and they did (2 Kings 10:6-7). Jehu then killed everyone left of Ahab's house in Jezreel, along with his officials, friends, and priests (2 Kings 10:11).
On the road to Samaria, Jehu met forty-two relatives of Ahaziah king of Judah and had them killed (2 Kings 10:12-14). He also met Jehonadab son of Rekab, took him into his chariot, and invited him to come and see his zeal for the LORD (2 Kings 10:15-16).
Destroying Baal Worship
In Samaria, Jehu announced that Ahab had served Baal a little but Jehu would serve him much (2 Kings 10:18). He summoned all the prophets, servants, and priests of Baal to a great sacrifice. The text says plainly that he was acting deceptively to destroy them (2 Kings 10:19).
Once the temple of Baal was full, Jehu made sure no servants of the LORD were inside. His guards then killed the worshipers, burned the sacred stone, and tore down the temple, which was turned into a latrine (2 Kings 10:21-27). Baal worship had troubled Israel since the days of the judges, when Gideon tore down his father's altar to Baal (Judges 6:25-27). The text sums up the result by saying that Jehu destroyed Baal worship in Israel (2 Kings 10:28).
Jehu's Failure
Jehu stopped short of full obedience. He kept the golden calves at Bethel and Dan, which Jeroboam son of Nebat had set up after the kingdom divided following Solomon's reign (2 Kings 10:29; 1 Kings 12:28-29). God still rewarded what he had done against Ahab's house, promising that his descendants would sit on Israel's throne to the fourth generation (2 Kings 10:30). The next verse gives the Bible's assessment:
Yet Jehu was not careful to keep the law of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam, which he had caused Israel to commit. (2 Kings 10:31)
During his reign, God began to reduce Israel's territory, and Hazael of Aram took the land east of the Jordan (2 Kings 10:32-33). Outside the Bible, an Assyrian monument known as the Black Obelisk shows Jehu bowing before the Assyrian king Shalmaneser III.
Jehu's Dynasty
Jehu died and was buried in Samaria, and his son Jehoahaz succeeded him (2 Kings 10:35). Four generations followed him on the throne: Jehoahaz, Jehoash, Jeroboam II, and Zechariah (2 Kings 13:1, 13:10; 14:23; 15:8). The prophet Jonah prophesied during the reign of Jeroboam II (2 Kings 14:25). When Zechariah was assassinated after six months, the text notes that God's word to Jehu had been fulfilled (2 Kings 15:10-12).
Later, God told the prophet Hosea to name his son Jezreel, saying He would soon punish the house of Jehu for the massacre at Jezreel (Hosea 1:4).
Key Lessons From Jehu's Life
- God's word is fulfilled. Elijah's prophecies against Ahab and Jezebel came true through Jehu (2 Kings 9:36; 10:10).
- Zeal is not the same as wholehearted obedience. Jehu spoke of his zeal for the LORD but kept the golden calves (2 Kings 10:16, 10:29).
- Partial reform leaves the root in place. Jehu removed Baal but continued in the sins of Jeroboam (2 Kings 10:28-31).
- God judges the motives of the heart. The bloodshed at Jezreel was later named as a reason for judgment on Jehu's house (Hosea 1:4).
Where Jehu Appears in the Bible
- 1 Kings 19:16-17: God tells Elijah that Jehu will be anointed king
- 2 Kings 9: Jehu's anointing and the deaths of Joram, Ahaziah, and Jezebel
- 2 Kings 10: The end of Ahab's house, the destruction of Baal worship, and Jehu's reign
- 2 Kings 15:12: The promise of four generations is fulfilled
- 2 Chronicles 22:7-9: Jehu's judgment on the house of Ahab and the death of Ahaziah
- Hosea 1:4: Judgment on the house of Jehu
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Jehu in the Bible?
Jehu was an army commander anointed king of Israel by a prophet sent from Elisha (2 Kings 9:1-6). He ended Ahab's dynasty, killed Jezebel, and destroyed Baal worship in Israel (2 Kings 9-10).
Why is Jehu known for driving like a maniac?
As Jehu approached Jezreel, a lookout recognized him from a distance by his driving and said he drove like a maniac (2 Kings 9:20).
How did Jehu kill Jezebel?
Jehu called to the officials at Jezebel's window, and they threw her down at his command (2 Kings 9:32-33). Dogs ate her body, fulfilling Elijah's prophecy (2 Kings 9:35-36).
Was Jehu a good king?
The Bible gives a mixed record. God commended him for destroying Ahab's house, but Jehu kept the golden calves and was not careful to keep God's law with all his heart (2 Kings 10:29-31).
How long did Jehu reign?
Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria for twenty-eight years (2 Kings 10:36).