Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
Jehovah is he. ) The son of Obed, and father of Azariah (1 Chr. 2:38). ) One of the Benjamite slingers that joined David at Ziklag (1 Chr. 12:3). ) The son of Hanani, a prophet of Judah (1 Kings 16:1, 7; 2 Chr. 19:2; 20:34), who pronounced the sentence of God against Baasha, the king of Israel. ) King of Israel, the son of Jehoshaphat (2 Kings 9:2), and grandson of Nimshi. The story of his exaltation to the throne is deeply interesting.
During the progress of a war against the Syrians, who were becoming more and more troublesome to Israel, in a battle at Ramoth-gilead Jehoram, the king of Israel, had been wounded; and leaving his army there, had returned to Jezreel, whither his ally, Ahaziah, king of Judah, had also gone on a visit of sympathy with him (2 Kings 8:28, 29).
The commanders, being left in charge of the conduct of the war, met in council; and while engaged in their deliberations, a messenger from Elisha appeared in the camp, and taking Jehu from the council, led him into a secret chamber, and there anointed him king over Israel, and immediately retired and disappeared (2 Kings 9:5, 6). On being interrogated by his companions as to the object of this mysterious visitor, he informed them of what had been done, when immediately, with the utmost enthusiasm, they blew their trumpets and proclaimed him king (2 Kings 9:11-14).
He then with a chosen band set forth with all speed to Jezreel, where, with his own hand, he slew Jehoram, shooting him through the heart with an arrow (9:24). The king of Judah, when trying to escape, was fatally wounded by one of Jehu’s soldiers at Beth-gan. On entering the city, Jehu commanded the eunchs of the royal palace to cast down Jezebel into the street, where her mangled body was trodden under foot by the horses.
Jehu was now master of Jezreel, whence he communicated with the persons in authority in Samaria the capital, commanding them to appear before him on the morrow with the heads of all the royal princes of Samaria. Accordingly on the morrow seventy heads were piled up in two heaps at his gate. At “the shearing-house” (2 Kings 10:12-14) other forty-two connected with the house of Ahab were put to death (2 Kings 10:14). ), whom he took into his chariot, and they entered the capital together.
By a cunning stratagem he cut off all the worshippers of Baal found in Samaria (2 Kings 10:19-25), and destroyed the temple of the idol (2 Kings 10:27). Notwithstanding all this apparent zeal for the worship of Jehovah, Jehu yet tolerated the worship of the golden calves at Dan and Bethel. For this the divine displeasure rested upon him, and his kingdom suffered disaster in war with the Syrians (2 Kings 10:29-33). C. 884-856), and was buried in Samaria (10:34-36). ” He was the first Jewish king who came in contact with the Assyrian power in the time of Shalmaneser II.
Smith's Bible Dictionary (1863)
(the living).
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible (1898) & Schaff's Bible Dictionary
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. 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.
Hitchcock's Bible Names (1869)
himself who exists