For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
And do not return there without watering the earth
And making it bear and sprout
And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater
So will MY WORD be which goes forth from MY Mouth
It will not return to ME empty
Without accomplishing what I desire
And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it
Isaiah 55:10-11

In this BIBLE study of 2 Kings Chapters 9 and 10, we will observe the accomplishment of GOD’s WORD concerning the house of Ahab the king of Israel. Because Jezebel his wife incited him, Ahab did more evil in the sight of our Beloved LORD GOD than all the kings of Israel before him (1 Kin 16:29-33, 1 Kin 21:25-26). As a result, the following judgments were pronounced against all who belonged to his house:

• Jehu, the son of Nimshi, would be anointed king over Israel in Ahab’s place (1 Kin 19:16).
• Jehu would put to death anyone that escaped from the sword of Hazael (1 Kin 19:17).
• The place in Jezreel where Naboth and his sons’ blood were spilled for their vineyard, the blood of Ahab’s sons who lived in Jezreel, would be spilled (1 Kin 21:19).
• The dogs would eat Jezebel in the district of Jezreel (1 Kin 21:23).
• Every male in the house of Ahab, whether free or bond, would be cutoff or killed (1 Kin 21:21-22).

Beginning with 2 Kings Chapter 9, judgments come to pass, accomplishing GOD’s WORD concerning the House of Ahab:

• In 2 Kings 9:1-6, Elisha sent one of the sons of the prophets to Jehu, a servant of the king of Israel (Jehoram aka Joram) and one of the captains in his army). Elisha instructed the young man to take Jehu into an inner room (2 Kin 9:2, 2 Kin 9:6), anoint him with oil from a flask he brought with him (2 Kin 9:3, 2 Kin 9:6), speaking ‘Thus says The LORD, “I have anointed you king over Israel.”’ (2 Kin 9:3, 2 Kin 9:6), and flee, do not wait (2 Kin 9:3). Thus, accomplishing our Beloved LORD GOD’s WORD that Jehu would be anointed the next king of Israel (1 Kin 19:16).
• In 2 Kings 9:10, Jehu is instructed to accomplish GOD’s WORD concerning the house of Ahab.
• In 2 Kings 9:11-13, the captains in the army of Israel, along with their troops at Ramoth-gilead, acknowledge Jehu as the king of Israel and support him, by throwing their garments under his feet. Through this act, our Beloved LORD GOD has given Jehu the army needed to accomplish the overthrow of the house of Ahab.
• In 2 Kings 9:15, we are shown three things. First, king Jehoram was injured in the battle against Hazael, king of Aram. Second, king Jehoram left his army at Ramoth-gilead and went to Jezreel (a city north of the capital city of Samaria where one of the King’s residences was located–1 Kin 21:1) to recuperate from his wounds. And third, Jehu instructed the captains of the Israel army to let no one either escape or leave Ramoth-gilead to go announce he had been made king. Jehu wanted to catch his enemies by surprise.
• In 2 Kings 9:16-37, we witness six events and four prophecies fulfilled:
  • 2 Kin 9:16-17, Jehu was a captain (or a commander) the army of Israel, and he had a company (two or more platoons of soldiers) whom he led. He rode in his chariot, taking his company with him to Jezreel to kill Jehoram (Joram), and defeat any uprising.
  • 2 Kin 9:16, Ahaziah, the wicked king of Judah, had come down to see king Joram of Israel. Ahaziah was actually checking on the well-being of his uncle, as his mother was Joram’s sister. Joram and Athaliah were both the children of Ahab and Jezebel (2 Kin 3:1, 2 Kin 8:18).
  • 2 Kin 9:17-20, there was a watchman standing on the tower in Jezreel, doing exactly what a watchman should be doing:
    • keeping watch; he was aware Jehu and his company headed toward Jezreel (2 Kin 9:17).
    • notified the one who could do something about it (the king of Israel), informing him of an incoming company of warriors (2 Kin 9:17).
    • kept the king apprised of what was happening; letting the king know the messengers he sent out, did not return, instead they joined the warriors (2 Kin 9:18-20).
    • identified the enemy upon closer approach; the leader of the incoming company of warriors, drives like his servant Jehu (2 Kin 9:20).
  • In 2 Kings 9:21-26, we witness the interaction between Jehu and Joram, the death of Joram by Jehu’s hand, and the fulfillment of three prophecies:
    • Jehu and his company stopped at the property of Naboth, the Jezreelite (2 Kin 9:21), where king Joram personally met him. He inquired was the mission one of peace. Jehu informed Joram there could be no peace as long as idolatry and witchcraft existed in Israel through his mother the queen (2 Kin 9:22).
    • King Joram tried to turn and flee, as he warned his nephew Ahaziah, the king of Judah (2 Kin 9:23). But Jehu killed Joram.
    • Jehu had Joram’s body thrown into the property of the field of Naboth, the Jezreelite (2 Kin 9:24-26), beginning the fulfilment of GOD’s judgment against the house of Ahab (2 Kin 9:7-9), and fulfilling three prophecies. The first prophecy, the dogs will lick up Ahab’s blood in the same place the dogs had licked up Naboth’s blood (1 Kin 21:19)*; the second prophecy, the blood of Ahab’s descendants who die in the city, the dogs will eat (1 Kin 21:24); the third prophecy, the destruction of Ahab’s house, would happen in the days of his sons (1 Kin 21:29).      
  • In 2 Kings 9:27-29, Ahaziah is killed by Jehu. With Ahaziah’s death, two things occur, a male from the house of Ahab is cutoff, even though he is king of Judah. He might have lived, as his son after him would live, but he died. Because he led Judah in the same evil practices as the house of Ahab (2 Chr 22:1-4)
  • In 2 Kings 9:30-37, the judgment against Jezebel is carried out because she incited her husband Ahab in wickedness (1 Kin 21:25), murdered the prophets and servants of The LORD (2 Kin 9:7), and had an innocent man and his sons, murdered for their vineyard (1 Kin 21:7-15, 2 Kin 9:25-26). Jezebel was:
    • the wife of Ahab and mother of Joram (1 Kin 16:29-31, 2 Kin 9:22)
    • the daughter of a Sidonian king (1 Kin 16:31-33), brought Baal worship into Israel (1 Kin 16:32, 1 Kin 18:17-19).
    • aware that Jehu had come to Jezreel and killed her son. But instead of humbling herself, she put on makeup and waited at the window for Jehu’s arrival (2 Kin 9:30). As Jehu entered the gate to the palace, she taunted him, by calling him Zimri, the fifth wicked king in Israel, who like Jehu was a commander that killed his master, the fourth king of Israel (2 Kin 9:31, 1 Kin 16:8-10). Though Zimri was only king for 7 days (1 Kin 16:15-19), GOD used him to complete the destruction of the house of Baasha (1 Kin 16:8-20).
    • in an upper palace window, when Jehu carried out GOD’s judgment against her, fulfilling a fourth prophecy concerning the house of Ahab (2 Kin 9:32-37, 1 Kin 21:23, 2 Kin 9:10).

As we continue on to 2 Kings Chapter 10, we see Jehu completing his mandate against the house of Ahab. Our Beloved LORD GOD gives us insight into why HE chose Jehu to execute HIS judgment, why the other captains of the army of Israel quickly accepted him as king, and why they kept his initial instructions to keep his appointment as king of Israel quiet. In this chapter, we will witness Jehu’s expert skills in warfare (strategy, tactics, and techniques of combat), in bringing down the house of Ahab.

• In 2 Kin 10:1-7, Ahab had seventy sons in the capital city of Samaria, where they were being protected, cared for, and prepared for places of leadership by the rulers, elders, guardians, and prominent men in that city (2 Kin 10:1, 2 Kin 10:6). Jehu chose a strategy of psychological warfare against the leaders and guardians in Samaria. He knew by now, that all of Israel and Judah, were aware that he had killed their reigning kings and Jezebel. So Jehu sent a letter to the leaders and guardians in Samaria, noting they had the things necessary to go to war against him (horses, chariots, a city fortified with walls, and weapons), and suggested they choose one of Ahab’s best and most upright sons and make him king. Then they and their new king of Israel could engage him in warfare (2 Kin 10:2-3). The psychological warfare was effective, because without the need to go to physical battle against Samaria, the leaders, and guardians:
  • refused to fight against Jehu (2 Kin 10:4)
  • acknowledged Jehu as the king of Israel, and promised obedience (2 Kin 10:5)

Jehu then sent a second letter, calling the leaders and guardians to decapitate all seventy sons, and come to him the next day at Jezreel (2 Kin 10:7). The leaders and guardians carried out Jehu’s instructions, and slaughtered all seventy of Ahab’s sons, but sent the heads to Jezreel without accompanying them (2 Kin 10:7).

• In 2 Kin 10:8-10, Jehu continues his psychological warfare in Jezreel. He had the seventy heads of Ahab’s sons piled up in two heaps until morning, on either side of the entrance gate to Jezreel. The next morning, he publicly admits to killing Jehoram, but he questions who killed the seventy sons of Ahab in Samaria and shipped them to Jezreel. He then testifies that every single word GOD spoke through HIS prophet Elijah against the house of Ahab would be accomplished. In one announcement he garnered support for himself and removed any resistance to a commission he was carrying out on behalf of GOD and HIS servant Elijah.
• In 2 Kin 10:11, Jehu completed his commission in Jezreel by putting to death all remaining males (free or bond) in Ahab’s family. But Jehu went beyond GOD’s instructions and killed any man who had any type of relationship with Ahab’s family. This sin would not go unpunished, our Beloved LORD GOD would punish the family of Jehu for the bloodshed in Jezreel not belonging to Ahab’s family (Hos 1:4). Rightly did king David say, “Let us now fall into the hand of The LORD for HIS mercies are great, but do not let me fall into the hand of man” (2 Sam 24:14). David understood the cruel heart of man, without mercy, not willing to forgive, and full of judgment.
• In 2 Kin 10:12-14, Jehu departs for Samaria to complete his mandate and claim his throne. As he and his men were traveling south from Jezreel to Samaria (both cities are located in the map at the end of lesson four), they run into relatives of Ahaziah, king of Judah. Jehu asks them who they are, they identified themselves as relatives of Ahaziah. These forty-two men state their business, “they are going down to greet the sons of the king, and the sons of the queen mother.” These forty-two men also traveling down to Samaria, had not heard what had been happening with the house of Ahab, or even who Jehu was. They essentially identified themselves as part of the house of Ahab, relatives of Ahaziah the grandson of Ahab, and the queen mother (either the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel (Athaliah) or Jezebel herself). As such, they were also put to death.
• In 2 Kin 10:15-16, Jehu and his men continued their journey to Samaria, when he meets Jehonadab son of Rechab. Jehu and Jehonadab knew each other, as demonstrated by Jehonadab coming to meet Jehu, and Jehu greeting him, instead of asking him to identify himself. Jehu then asks Jehonadab is he in agreement with what he is doing, Jehonadab says yes. Jehu asks him for confirmation by taking his hand and riding in his chariot into Samaria. Jehonadab does (2 Kin 10:15). So, who is Jehonadab? And why is his public allegiance important to Jehu? Jehonadab:
  • Also known as Jonadab (Jer 35:6), belonged to a tribe of scribes who were Kenites (1 Chr 2:55), Jethro the father-in-law of Moses belonged to this tribe (Jdg 1:16), and this tribe showed kindness to the Israelites when they came out of Egypt (1 Sam 15:6) by going with them into the wilderness (Num 10:29-32).
  • A godly man who served only the true GOD of Israel as demonstrated by Jehu’s invitation for him to come see his zeal for The LORD (2 Kin 10:16), and his accompanying Jehu to the house of Baal, to destroy Baal worship in Israel (2 Kin 10:23-28).
  • A man who honored and was honored by GOD (Jer 35:18-19), by walking as a Nazirite (Num 6:1-4, Jdg 3:7) and instructing his descendants after him to walk as Nazirites forever, symbolizing their dedication to GOD (Jer 35:1-6).
  • Was among those faithful saints who considered himself as a sojourner, a stranger, an exile on earth. His permanent home was in the city of GOD (Heb 11:9-10, Heb 11:13-16), instructing his descendants after him to live accordingly (Jer 35:7-11).
• In 2 Kin 10:17, Jehu entered Samaria and completed his destruction of the house of Ahab, by killing all the remaining males in the capital city.
• In 2 Kin 10:18-28, Jehu eradicated Baal worship out of Israel by:
  • pretending to serve Baal in a far greater capacity than Ahab (2 Kin 10:18)
  • summoning all the worshippers of Baal (every prophet, priest, and worshipper) in Israel to a solemn assembly; and threatening to kill any worshipper who did not show up (2 Kin 10:19-21)
  • clothing all the worshippers of Baal in garments, so they could be clearly identified, then removing any servants of The LORD (2 Kin 10:22-23)
  • sending in all the worshippers of Baal into the temple to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings (2 Kin 10:24), while stationing eighty soldiers outside, with explicit instructions not to let any Baal worshipper escape (2 Kin 10:24)
  • killing every worshipper of Baal as soon as the burnt offering was finished (2 Kin 10:25)
  • bringing out sacred pillars in the temple of Baal, and burned them (2 Kin 10:26)
  • demolishing both the sacred pillar and temple of Baal, and turned the ruins into a public toilet (2 Kin 10:27)
• In 2 Kin 10:29-33, we see the justness of our Beloved LORD GOD (Deu 32:4). HE rewarded Jehu for total obedience in completely destroying the house of Ahab, and eradicating Baal worship out of Israel. GOD allowed the house of Jehu to sit on the throne of Israel for over a century. Jehu reigned as king over Israel for twenty-eight years, and his sons after him for four generations (2 Kin 10:30, 2 Kin 10:36, 2 Kin 13:1, 2 Kin 13:10, 2 Kin 14:23, 2 Kin 15:8-12). However, because Jehu continued leading Israel in idolatry (worshipping the golden calves Jeroboam made — 2 Kin 10:29, 2 Kin 10:31), GOD used the Arameans and the Assyrians to continually war with Israel, temporarily reducing their territory (2 Kin 10:32-33, 2 Kin 13:22-25).
• In 2 Kin 10:34-36, we close this chapter with the death of Jehu and the succession of his son Jehoahaz to the throne of Israel.

In conclusion, in studying chapters nine and ten of 2 Kings, we see GOD repaying the wicked. HE brings a violent end, to a house whose hands are covered with the blood of the righteous (2 Kin 9:7) and the innocent (2 Kin 9:26). We are also given understanding of why our Beloved LORD GOD commands the righteous to separate themselves from the wicked (Psa 1:1, Pro 4:14-17, 2 Cor 6:14-18). When one has a relationship of any level with the wicked, they are influenced by them (1 Kin 11:1-8, Pro 13:20), and will be swept away in their sin (Gen 19:15, Num 16:25-26, Rev 18:4). And in case we still lack understanding, HE strongly tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:33-34:

Do not be deceived

“Bad company corrupts good morals”

Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning

For some have no knowledge of GOD

I speak this to your shame

*it should be noted that when Ahab received the prophecy concerning himself in 1 Kings 21:19, he humbled himself before The LORD, and so our merciful GOD spared him, but the prophecy would be fulfilled with his sons (1 Kin 21:27-29).