2 Kings 10:1 – 17 “1 Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. So Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria to the officials of Jezreel, to the elders, and to the guardians of the sons of Ahab, saying: “When this letter arrives, since your master’s sons are with you and you have chariots and horses, a fortified city and weaponry, select the best and most worthy son of your master, set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house.”
But they were terrified and reasoned, “If two kings could not stand against him, how can we?”
So the palace administrator, the overseer of the city, the elders, and the guardians sent a message to Jehu: “We are your servants, and we will do whatever you say. We will not make anyone king. Do whatever is good in your sight.”
Then Jehu wrote them a second letter and said: “If you are on my side, and if you will obey me, then bring the heads of your master’s sons to me at Jezreel by this time tomorrow.”
Now the sons of the king, seventy in all, were being brought up by the leading men of the city. And when the letter arrived, they took the sons of the king and slaughtered all seventy of them. They put their heads in baskets and sent them to Jehu at Jezreel.
When the messenger arrived, he told Jehu, “They have brought the heads of the sons of the king.”
And Jehu ordered, “Pile them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until morning.” The next morning, Jehu went out and stood before all the people and said, “You are innocent. It was I who conspired against my master and killed him. But who killed all these? Know, then, that not a word the LORD has spoken against the house of Ahab will fail, for the LORD has done what He promised through His servant Elijah.”
So Jehu killed everyone in Jezreel who remained of the house of Ahab, as well as all his great men and close friends and priests, leaving him without a single survivor.
Then Jehu set out toward Samaria. At Beth-eked of the Shepherds, Jehu met some relatives of Ahaziah king of Judah and asked, “Who are you?”
“We are relatives of Ahaziah,” they answered, “and we have come down to greet the sons of the king and of the queen mother.”
Then Jehu ordered, “Take them alive.” So his men took them alive, then slaughtered them at the well of Beth-eked—forty-two men. He spared none of them.
When he left there, he found Jehonadab son of Rechab, who was coming to meet him. Jehu greeted him and asked, “Is your heart as true to mine as my heart is to yours?”
“It is!” Jehonadab replied.
“If it is,” said Jehu, “give me your hand.”
So he gave him his hand, and Jehu helped him into his chariot, saying, “Come with me and see my zeal for the LORD!” So he had him ride in his chariot.
When Jehu came to Samaria, he struck down everyone belonging to Ahab who remained there, until he had destroyed them, according to the word that the LORD had spoken to Elijah.”
EVIL BRINGS ITS OWN PUNISHMENT! Although Ahab did all kinds of evil deeds, the act that finally brought God’s curses down was the murder of Naboth, a completely innocent man, on trumped up charges with the subsequent seizure of his vineyard. In 1 Kings 21:21 – 22, Elijah told Ahab, “This is what the LORD says: ‘I will bring calamity on you and consume your descendants; I will cut off from Ahab every male in Israel, both slave and free. I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like that of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked My anger and caused Israel to sin.’” Although Ahab repented sufficiently that his body didn’t suffer indignities after his death, God promised that Ahab’s descendants would be wiped out. Now that day of retribution has come.
Jehu sends a challenge to the officials of Jezreel, to the elders, and to the guardians of Ahab’s seventy sons. Jehu suggests these men select the best of Ahab’s sons to act as king and to fight on behalf of his family. But the elders are worried that they all will die as a result. After all, Jehu has been the commander of the forces of Israel for years; he has already killed two kings. There is little hope that any of Ahab’s sons will be able to defend the citizens of Jezreel. The elders then send a message of surrender to Jehu, asking for his orders. Jehu then commands the elders of Jezreel to slaughter all seventy of Ahab’s sons, sending the heads to Jehu as proof.
But Jehu is not finished. Remember that King Ahaziah of Judah was Ahab’s grandson. For all the males of Ahab’s family to be eliminated, relatives of Ahaziah must also die. Jehu meets forty – two of Ahaziah’s relatives and immediately kills them. Proceeding on to Samaria, Jehu makes a complete end of the males of Ahab’s family and slaves. God’s vengeance against Ahab is now complete.
APPLICATION: Ahab ruled during the ministry of Elijah, one of the greatest prophets who ever lived. Despite the witness of Elijah, Ahab persisted in idolatry and all kinds of other sins. God gave Ahab innumerable chances to repent, but there was only one instance in which Ahab repented at all. Eventually, God eliminated all the males in Ahab’s family, thereby making it impossible for that family to ever rule again.
Why is this story important for us? God has not changed. God still warns nations and individuals when they are going astray. These days, climate change is getting lots of publicity. New and deadly insect pests are appearing in places they have never been before. Economies are in trouble. God is trying to get our attention, but we are refusing to listen.
The promises of God remain valid for nations and individuals. The Sentinel Organization has documented many instances around the world in which environments that have been ravaged by years of abuse have suddenly rebounded when the people of those lands have truly repented and have sought God’s favor.
When Balak, the king of Moab, summoned Balaam, the seer, to curse the Israelites, God had the final say in the matter. Numbers 23:19 tells us, “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?”
Deuteronomy 29:19 – 20 says, “When such a person hears the words of this oath and they invoke a blessing on themselves, thinking, “I will be safe, even though I persist in going my own way,” they will bring disaster on the watered land as well as the dry. The Lord will never be willing to forgive them; his wrath and zeal will burn against them. All the curses written in this book will fall on them, and the Lord will blot out their names from under heaven.”
It’s time for us to pray for our nations, confessing our national sins and begging God for forgiveness. Daniel prayed on behalf of Israel, even while he was a captive in exile in Babylon, and God heard his prayers. Our problem is that we fail to intercede.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, we confess that we have gone our own way and that we have ignored Your commandments. We confess that we have slaughtered the innocent and that we have tried to justify our sins. Lord, forgive us! Hear our prayers! Heal our lands! You are our only hope; without You, we perish. Guide our leaders into the ways of peace, of righteousness, of justice, and of truth. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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