Jehu

Jehu, name means "Yahweh is He (namely, the God)". The 11th king of Israel (if Tibni is included in the count), who reigned for 28 years (c. 841—c. 814 b.c.) and became the founder of the strongest and longest—reigning dynasty of the northern kingdom. He was the son of Jehoshaphat (not the king of Judah) and grandson of Nimshi. However, he sometimes is called simply the son of Nimshi (1 Ki 19:16 2 Ki 9:2). Jehu was an army officer under Ahab and Jehoram (Joram), and was noted for his furious chariot driving (2 Ki 9:20).

While engaged in besieging Ramoth—gilead he was anointed king to succeed Ahab by one of Elisha's young helpers (1 Ki 19:16 2 Ki 9:1—10). Supported by his fellow officers he immediately drove to Jezreel, where King Jehoram (Joram) was recovering from wounds received at Ramoth—gilead. Arriving there he slew the king (2 Ki 9:11—26) and mortally wounded Ahaziah, king of Judah, who was visiting Jehoram (v 27). He also slew Jezebel, the queen mother of Israel (vs 30—37), 70 princes of the house of Ahab (ch 10:1—11), and 42 close relatives of Ahaziah of Judah (2 Ki 10:12—14 2 Chr 22:8 cf. Hos 1:4).

After Jehu had thus exterminated the house of Ahab, which had originated Baal worship in Israel, he turned against the Baal worshipers in general. He cleverly proclaimed himself an ardent follower of Baal and invited all like—minded men to the Baal temple. When they were all assembled and worshiping, he ordered his soldiers to slay everyone in the Baal temple. The building was then desecrated and made into a latrine (2 Ki 10:18—28). Because Jehu had been zealous in uprooting Baal worship, the Lord promised that his dynasty would continue for 4 more generations (v 30). However, Jehu did not break with the bull worship of Jeroboam, and was thus responsible for the continuation of Israel's idolatry (vs 29, 31).

During the year that Jehu came to the throne (841/40 b.c.) King Shalmaneser III of Assyria invaded Syria, and Jehu considered it prudent to meet him as a vassal with tribute rather than as an enemy. This submission of Jehu is recorded on the famous Black Obelisk, which was found by Layard in the ruins of Nimrud (Biblical Calah) and which is now in the British Museum . This obelisk has on it a pictorial representation of Jehu, the only contemporary pictorial representation of any Hebrew king. Shalmaneser III was followed by weak kings, a circumstance that gave Hazael of Damascus a free hand to turn against Israel. Because Jehu was not strong enough to stand up against the Aramaeans, they took from him all Israelite territories east of the Jordan (2 Ki 10:32, 33 cf. Amos 1:3).