A Half-Hearted Reformer

Jehu sent letters to Samaria, where Ahab had seventy sons. The leaders feared Jehu and carried out judgment on Ahab's house, fulfilling the word spoken by Elijah. Jehu also met Jehonadab son of Rechab, a man faithful to the Lord, and invited him into his chariot to see his zeal for the Lord.

In Samaria, Jehu announced that Ahab had served Baal a little, but Jehu would serve him much. It was a trick. He gathered every prophet, worshiper, and priest of Baal into Baal's temple, gave them robes, and made sure no servant of the Lord was among them. Then his guards struck down the worshipers. They burned the pillars of Baal, broke down the temple, and made it a latrine. Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.

God told Jehu that because he had done what was right in carrying out judgment on Ahab's house, his sons would sit on Israel's throne to the fourth generation. But Jehu took no heed to walk in the Lord's law with all his heart. He did not depart from Jeroboam's sins, the golden calves in Bethel and Dan. In those days the Lord began to cut Israel short, and Hazael struck them throughout their borders. Jehu reigned twenty-eight years.