2 Reis 10

BLIVRE · Chapter 10/25

1E tinha Acabe em Samaria setenta filhos; e escreveu cartas Jeú, e enviou-as a Samaria aos principais de Jezreel, aos anciãos e aos tutores de Acabe, dizendo:

2Logo em chegando estas cartas a vós o que tendes os filhos de vosso senhor, e os que tendes carros e cavaleiros, a cidade fortificada, e as armas,

3Olhai qual é o melhor e ele mais reto dos filhos de vosso senhor, e ponde-o no trono de seu pai, e lutai pela casa de vosso senhor.

4Mas eles tiveram grande temor, e disseram: Eis que dois reis não puderam resistir-lhe, como lhe resistiremos nós?

5E o mordomo, e o governador da cidade, e os anciãos, e os tutores, enviaram a dizer a Jeú: Servos teus somos, e faremos tudo o que nos mandares: não elegeremos por rei a ninguém; tu farás o que bem te parecer.

6Ele então lhes escreveu a segunda vez dizendo: Se sois meus, e quereis obedecer-me, tomai os chefes dos homens filhos de vosso senhor, e vinde amanhã a estas horas a mim a Jezreel. E os filhos do rei, setenta homens, estavam com os principais da cidade, que os criavam.

7E quando as cartas chegaram a eles, tomaram aos filhos do rei, e degolaram setenta homens, e puseram suas cabeças em cestos, e enviaram-nas a Jezreel.

8E veio um mensageiro que lhe deu as novas, dizendo: Trouxeram as cabeças dos filhos do rei. E ele lhe disse: Ponde-as em dois amontoados à entrada da porta até a manhã.

9Vinda a manhã, saiu ele, e estando em pé disse a todo o povo: Vós sois justos: eis que eu conspirei contra meu senhor, e o mateis: mas quem matou a todos estes?

10Sabei agora que da palavra do SENHOR que falou sobre a casa de Acabe, nada cairá em terra: e que o SENHOR fez o que disse por seu servo Elias.

11Matou então Jeú a todos os que haviam restado da casa de Acabe em Jezreel, e a todos seus príncipes, e a todos seus familiares, e a seus sacerdotes, que não lhe restou ninguém.

12E levantou-se dali, e veio a Samaria; e chegando ele no caminho a uma casa de tosa de pastores,

13Achou ali aos irmãos de Acazias rei de Judá, e disse-lhes: Quem sois vós? E eles disseram: Somos irmãos de Acazias, e viemos a saudar aos filhos do rei, e aos filhos da rainha.

14Então ele disse: Prendei-os vivos. E depois que os tomaram vivos, eles os degolaram junto ao poço da casa de tosa, quarenta e dois homens, sem deixar ninguém deles.

15Partindo-se logo dali encontrou-se com Jonadabe filho de Recabe; e depois que o saudou, disse-lhe: É reto teu coração, como o meu é reto com o teu? E Jonadabe disse: O é. Pois que o é, dá-me a mão. E ele lhe deu sua mão. Fê-lo logo subir consigo no carro.

16E disse-lhe: Vem comigo, e verás meu zelo pelo SENHOR. Puseram-no pois em seu carro.

17E logo que havia Jeú chegado a Samaria, matou a todos os que haviam restado de Acabe em Samaria, até extirpá-los, conforme à palavra do SENHOR, que havia falado por Elias.

18E juntou Jeú todo o povo, e disse-lhes: Acabe serviu pouco a Baal; mas Jeú o servirá muito.

19Chamai-me, pois, logo a todos os profetas de Baal, a todos seus servos, e a todos seus sacerdotes; que não falte um, porque tenho um grande sacrifício para Baal; qualquer um que faltar, não viverá. Isto fazia Jeú com astúcia, para destruir aos que honravam a Baal.

20E disse Jeú: Santificai um dia solene a Baal. E eles convocaram.

21E enviou Jeú por todo Israel, e vieram todos os servos de Baal, que não faltou ninguém que não viesse. E entraram no templo de Baal, e o templo de Baal se encheu de fim a fim.

22Então disse ao que tinha o cargo das vestiduras: Tira vestiduras para todos os servos de Baal. E ele lhes tirou vestimentas.

23E entrou Jeú com Jonadabe filho de Recabe no templo de Baal, e disse aos servos de Baal: Olhai e vede que por dita não haja aqui entre vós algum dos servos do SENHOR, a não ser somente os servos de Baal.

24E quando eles entraram para fazer sacrifícios e holocaustos, Jeú pôs fora oitenta homens, e disse-lhes: Qualquer um que deixar vivo algum daqueles homens que eu pus em vossas mãos, sua vida será pela do outro.

25E depois que acabaram eles de fazer o holocausto, Jeú disse aos de seu guarda e aos capitães: Entrai, e matai-os; que não escape ninguém. E os feriram à espada: e os da guarda e os capitães os lançaram fora, e foram até a cidade do templo de Baal.

26E tiraram as estátuas da casa de Baal, e queimaram-nas.

27E quebraram a estátua de Baal, e derrubaram a casa de Baal, e fizeram-na latrina, até hoje.

28Assim extinguiu Jeú a Baal de Israel.

29Contudo isso Jeú não se separou dos pecados de Jeroboão filho de Nebate, que fez pecar a Israel; a saber, seguindo o os bezerros de ouro que estavam em Betel e em Dã.

30E o SENHOR disse a Jeú: Porquanto fizeste bem executando o que era correto diante de meus olhos, e fizeste à casa de Acabe conforme a tudo o que estava em meu coração, teus filhos se sentarão no trono de Israel até a quarta geração.

31Mas Jeú não cuidou de andar na lei do SENHOR Deus de Israel com todo seu coração, nem se separou dos pecados de Jeroboão, o que havia feito pecar a Israel.

32Em aqueles dias começou o SENHOR a diminuir o território de Israel: e feriu-os Hazael em todos os termos de Israel,

33Desde o Jordão ao oriente, toda a terra de Gileade, de Gade, de Rúben, e de Manassés, desde Aroer que está junto ao ribeiro de Arnom, a Gileade e a Basã.

34Os demais dos feitos de Jeú, e todas as coisas que fez, e toda sua valentia, não estão escritos no livro das crônicas dos reis de Israel?

35E dormiu Jeú com seus pais, e sepultaram-no em Samaria: e reinou em seu lugar Jeoacaz seu filho.

36O tempo que reinou Jeú sobre Israel em Samaria, foi vinte e oito anos.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

Jehu exterminates all 70 sons of Ahab and all the other relatives and allies of the royal house, and also deceives and executes all the worshipers of Baal gathered supposedly for a sacrifice. Despite his zealous religious purge, Jehu does not abandon Jeroboam's golden calves.

Explanation

Jehu's systematic violence, while fulfilling the judgment prophesied against the house of Ahab, is described with a neutrality that does not necessarily endorse all the methods used — the prophet Hosea, centuries later (Hosea 1:4), will condemn the 'blood of Jezreel' shed by Jehu. This shows an interesting biblical tension: fulfilling a judgment announced by God does not automatically mean that all the methods used are morally approved. God's reward to Jehu (four generations on the throne) for his zealous destruction of Baal is combined with the criticism that he himself was not fully faithful, keeping the golden calves.

Fun facts

  • Jehu's dynasty was the longest and most stable of the Northern Kingdom, lasting about 90 years through five kings (Jehu, Jehoahaz, Jehoash, Jeroboam II, and Zechariah), fulfilling exactly the promise of 'four generations' made in this chapter.
  • Jehonadab, son of Rechab, who helps Jehu in the purge of Baal, founded a clan (the Rechabites) known for their ascetic, nomadic lifestyle, mentioned with approval centuries later in Jeremiah 35 as an example of faithfulness to ancestral principles.

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. 2 Reis 10:1Wiping out the entire male line of a deposed king was a common practice for consolidating power in the ancient Near East, preventing future claims to the throne. The text interprets this specific violence as the fulfillment of the sentence already pronounced against the house of Ahab, without directly endorsing or condemning the method.
  2. 2 Reis 10:2Jehu sends a letter to Samaria reminding the local leaders that they have the king's sons, the chariots, horses, the fortified city, and the weapons — a challenge to see whether they will resist.
  3. 2 Reis 10:3He challenges them to choose the best of the late king's sons, set him on the throne, and fight for the royal house — a loyalty test he already expects them to fail.
  4. 2 Reis 10:4The leaders are terrified, thinking that if not even two kings could stand against Jehu, they would have even less of a chance.
  5. 2 Reis 10:5The officials surrender completely, declaring themselves Jehu's servants, promising to obey him in everything and to crown no one without his permission.
  6. 2 Reis 10:6In a second letter, Jehu demands the heads of the king's seventy sons by the next day at Jezreel — the princes were in the care of the city's great men.
  7. 2 Reis 10:7As soon as they receive the letter, the local leaders kill the king's seventy sons and send their heads to Jehu in baskets.
  8. 2 Reis 10:8Learning that the heads have arrived, Jehu has them piled into two heaps at the entrance of the city until morning, a deliberate public display.
  9. 2 Reis 10:9In the morning, Jehu addresses the people, admitting he conspired and killed the king himself, but asks who killed all these sons — shifting part of the blame onto the local leaders who carried out the order.
  10. 2 Reis 10:10Jehu declares that nothing the Lord spoke against the house of Ahab through the prophet Elijah will fail to come to pass — everything happened exactly as announced.
  11. 2 Reis 10:11Jehu wipes out everyone left of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, including nobles, close friends, and priests, leaving no survivor.
  12. 2 Reis 10:12Jehu sets out toward Samaria, and along the way passes through Beth-eked of the shepherds.
  13. 2 Reis 10:13There he finds the brothers of Ahaziah, king of Judah (south), who were traveling to visit the royal family, not yet knowing what had happened.
  14. 2 Reis 10:14Jehu orders them captured alive and then killed at the pit of Beth-eked, forty-two men in all, without exception.
  15. 2 Reis 10:15Jehu meets Jehonadab, son of Rechab, tests his loyalty with a direct question, and invites him into his own chariot as an ally.
  16. 2 Reis 10:16Jehu invites Jehonadab to see up close his zeal for the Lord, taking him along as a witness to what comes next.
  17. 2 Reis 10:17Arriving in Samaria, Jehu kills everyone left of the house of Ahab in the city, completing the destruction announced by Elijah.
  18. 2 Reis 10:18Jehu sets up an elaborate trap, summoning all the priests of Baal under the pretext of a great sacrifice, only to execute them all at once inside the temple itself. The text describes the scheme approvingly, bringing the official worship of Baal in Israel to an end.
  19. 2 Reis 10:19Jehu summons all the prophets, servants, and priests of Baal under the pretext of a great sacrifice, threatening death for anyone who failed to show up — the whole thing a calculated trap to destroy them for good.
  20. 2 Reis 10:20Jehu has a solemn assembly proclaimed in honor of Baal, reinforcing the sham display of devotion.
  21. 2 Reis 10:21The summons reaches all of Israel, and every worshiper of Baal shows up, packing the temple of Baal from end to end.
  22. 2 Reis 10:22Jehu has special garments given to all the servants of Baal, a way of identifying with certainty who worshiped the idol before the attack.
  23. 2 Reis 10:23Jehu goes in with Jehonadab and makes a point of checking that no servant of the Lord is mixed in among the worshipers of Baal, just so as not to kill the wrong people.
  24. 2 Reis 10:24While the sacrifices are taking place inside, Jehu positions eighty men outside, warning that their own lives will answer for anyone who escapes.
  25. 2 Reis 10:25As soon as the sacrifice is finished, Jehu orders the guard to go in and cut down everyone inside, letting no one escape.
  26. 2 Reis 10:26The soldiers bring the sacred images out of the temple of Baal and burn them.
  27. 2 Reis 10:27They also tear down Baal's main pillar and demolish the whole temple, turning the site into a latrine — a humiliation that lasted until the time the book was written.
  28. 2 Reis 10:28The final result: Jehu completely puts an end to the worship of Baal in Israel (northern kingdom).
  29. 2 Reis 10:29Despite wiping out Baal, Jehu keeps the alternative shrines at Bethel and Dan set up by Jeroboam. The text praises his action against Ahab, but already makes clear his reform was only partial, the same incomplete pattern that marks nearly every king of the north.
  30. 2 Reis 10:30Because of this action against the house of Ahab, the Lord promises Jehu that his descendants will occupy the throne of Israel (north) to the fourth generation — a concrete reward.
  31. 2 Reis 10:31Even so, Jehu does not follow the law of the Lord with his whole heart: he keeps up the worship of the golden calves set up by Jeroboam, the same sin repeated by almost every king of the north.
  32. 2 Reis 10:32In this period the Lord begins to cut down the territory of Israel (north), letting Hazael of Syria strike at its borders.
  33. 2 Reis 10:33The list details the territorial loss: the whole region east of the Jordan, the land of Gilead, including the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh.
  34. 2 Reis 10:34The closing formula points to the chronicles of the kings of Israel (northern kingdom) as the source for the rest of Jehu's deeds.
  35. 2 Reis 10:35Jehu dies and is buried in Samaria; his son Jehoahaz takes the throne of Israel (north) in his place.
  36. 2 Reis 10:36Jehu reigned twenty-eight years over Israel (northern kingdom), from the capital, Samaria.

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