2 kings 9 and 10

Read 2 Kings 9 and 10 at Bible Gateway.

The Hebrew paragraph divisions:

2 Kin 9:1-28 {p} Jehu anointed king to fulfill YHVH’s word/ kills Jehoram king of Israel + Ahaziah king of Judah
2 Kin 9:29-37 {p} Jehu kills Jezebel + YHVH’s word fulfilled concerning her death
2 Kin 10:1-14 {s} Jehu killed all who remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel + Ahaziah’s 42 brothers
2 Kin 10:15-17 {p} Jehu killed all who remained of the house of Ahab in Samaria according to YHVH’s word
2 Kin 10:18-29 {p} Jehu killed Baal’s worshipers + priests + prophets/ broke down his pillars + temple
2 Kin 10:30-36 {p} Jehu did according to YHVH’s word re: Ahab but walked in the sins of Jeroboam/ his reign

The strong theme:

2 Kin 10:1-17 {s+p} Jehu killed all who remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel + Samaria/ Ahaziah’s 42 brothers

The simple chiastic structure:

1a.1) 2 Kin 9:1-12, Elisha sent to Jehu with YHVH’s word re: Ahab + anointed him king over Israel;

1a.2) 2 Kin 9:13, Jehu’s captains blew trumpets + proclaimed Jehu king;

1b) 2 Kin 9:14-10:9, Jehu destroyed the house of Ahab in Israel, and left none remaining;

central axis) 2 Kin 10:10-17 {s+p} YHVH’s word re: the house of Ahab, which He spoke by Elijah, came to pass;

2b) 2 Kin 10:18-28, Jehu destroyed the worship of Baal in Israel, and left none of it remaining;

2a.1) 2 Kin 10:29-31, YHVH’s word to Jehu: because you have done my word re: Ahab, your sons will reign;

2a.2) 2 Kin 10:32-36 {p} The history of Jehu’s reign + his acts as king written.

The complex chiastic structure:

1a.1) 2 Kin 9:1-12, Elisha sent to Jehu with YHVH’s word re: Ahab + anointed him king over Israel;

1a) 2 Kin 9:1-3a Elisha sent a son of the prophets to Jehu to anoint him king over Israel;

1b) 2 Kin 9:3b-6a, The son of the prophet found Jehu + took him into the inner room;

1) 2 Kin 9:3b, Then open the door and flee, and do not delay;
2) 2 Kin 9:4-6a, The son of the prophet found Jehu: I have a message for you/ they went into the house;

central axis) 2 Kin 9:6b-10a, Jehu anointed king + the prophecy against the house of Ahab;

2b) 2 Kin 9:10b-12a, They departed the house + Jehu’s captains inquired as to the prophet’s errand;

1) 2 Kin 9:10b, And he opened the door and fled;
2) 2 Kin 9:11-12a, Jehu came out of the house/ his captains inquired as to the message of the prophet;

2a) 2 Kin 9:12b, Thus he spoke to me: ‘Thus says the Lord: I have anointed you king over Israel;’

1a.2) 2 Kin 9:13, Jehu’s captains blew trumpets + proclaimed Jehu king;

1b) 2 Kin 9:14-10:9, Jehu destroyed the house of Ahab in Israel, and left none remaining;

1a) 2 Kin 9:14-16, Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, conspired against Joram;

1b) 2 Kin 9:17-34, Jehu killed Jehoram king of Israel + Ahaziah king of Judah + Jezebel the queen mother;

1a.1) 2 Kin 9:17-22a, Kings of Israel + Judah sent to Jehu: “Is it peace?”
1a.2) 2 Kin 9:22b, Jehu: “What peace, as long as the harlotries of Jezebel + her witchcraft are so many?”
1b.1) 2 Kin 9:23, Joram turned around and fled, and said to Ahaziah, “Treachery, Ahaziah!”
1b.2) 2 Kin 9:24, Jehu drew his bow and shot Joram through his heart, and he died;
1c) 2 Kin 9:25, Jehu commanded he be thrown into the field of Naboth of Jezreel, for so YHVH has said;
central axis) 2 Kin 9:26a, ‘Surely I saw yesterday the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons,’ says YHVH, ‘and I will repay you in this plot,’ says YHVH;
2c) 2 Kin 9:26b, Jehu: “Take + throw him on the plot of ground, according to the word of YHVH;”
2b.1) 2 Kin 9:27a, When Ahaziah king of Judah saw this, he fled;
2b.2) 2 Kin 9:27b-28 {p} Jehu commanded they shoot him + he died/ was taken to Jerusalem + buried;
2a.1) 2 Kin 9:30-31, Jezebel looked out upon Jehu and asked: “Is it peace, Zimri, murderer of your master?”
2a.2) 2 Kin 9:32-34 At Jehu’s word, Jezebel was thrown down + trampled underfoot.

central axis) 2 Kin 9:35-37 {p} “So they went to bury her, but they found no more of her than the skull and the feet and the palms of her hands. Therefore they came back and told him. And he said, ‘This is the word of the Lord, which He spoke by His servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, ‘On the plot of ground at Jezreel dogs shall eat the flesh of Jezebel; and the corpse of Jezebel shall be as refuse on the surface of the field, in the plot at Jezreel, so that they shall not say, ‘Here lies Jezebel.’’’”

2b) 2 Kin 10:1-8, At Jehu’s word, the elders of Samaria killed the 70 sons of Ahab + received Jehu as king;

1a) 2 Kin 10:1, Ahab had 70 sons in Samaria/ Jehu sent to the rulers + elders +those who reared Ahab’s sons;
1b) 2 Kin 10:2-3, Choose the best of your master’s sons + set him on the throne + fight for Ahab’s house;
1c) 2 Kin 10:4, They feared: two kings could not withstand him, so how many we withstand him;
central axis) 2 Kin 10:5a, He who ruled the house + the city + the elders + those who reared Ahab’s sons;
2c) 2 Kin 10:5b, Sent to Jehu: we will not withstand you nor make anyone king;
2b) 2 Kin 10:6a, If you will consent to me, then bring the heads of your master’s sons to me at Jezreel;
2a) 2 Kin 10:6b-8, Ahab’s sons, 70, were with the great men who reared them/ they killed them + sent to Jehu;

2a) 2 Kin 10:9, Jehu addressed Israel: ‘I did conspire against King Jehoram + kill him, but who killed these?’

central axis) 2 Kin 10:10-17 {s+p} YHVH’s word re: the house of Ahab, which He spoke by Elijah, came to pass;

1a) 2 Kin 10:10, Nothing shall fail of YHVH’s word re: the house of Ahab + He has done what He spoke by Elijah;
1b) 2 Kin 10:11, Jehu killed all who remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel + left him none remaining;
1c) 2 Kin 10:12, Jehu departed for Samaria;
1d) 2 Kin 10:13, He met the princes of Ahaziah’s house;
central axis) 2 Kin 10:14 {s} Jehu killed them, 42 men, he left none of them;
2d) 2 Kin 10:15-16, He met Jehonadab the son of Rechab, whose heart was with him;
2c) 2 Kin 10:17a, And when he came to Samaria;
2b) 2 Kin 10:17b, He killed all who remained to Ahab in Samaria, till he had destroyed them;
2a) 2 Kin 10:17c {p} According to the word of the Lord which He spoke to Elijah;

2b) 2 Kin 10:18-28, Jehu destroyed the worship of Baal in Israel, and left none of it remaining;

1a) 2 Kin 10:18-19 Jehu intended to destroy the worshipers of Baal from Israel;
1b) 2 Kin 10:20-22, Jehu proclaimed an assembly for Baal + all his worshipers came;
central axis) 2 Kin 10:23, Jehu + Jehonadab searched that no servants of YHVH were there, but only of Baal;
2b) 2 Kin 10:24a, They went in to offer sacrifices + burnt offerings to Baal;
2a) 2 Kin 10:24b-28, His men killed the worshipers + tore down his temple/ destroyed Baal from Israel.

2a.1) 2 Kin 10:29-31, YHVH’s word to Jehu: because you have done my word re: Ahab, your sons will reign;

1a) 2 Kin 10:29 {p} Jehu did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat (the golden calves);
1b) 2 Kin 10:30a, YHVH’s word to Jehu: You have done to Ahab what was right in My sight;
central axis) 2 Kin 10:30b, Therefore your sons shall sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation;
2b) 2 Kin 10:31a, Jehu did not take heed to do what was right in YHVH’s sight according to the Law;
2a) 2 Kin 10:31b, Jehu did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam, who had made Israel sin.

2a.2) 2 Kin 10:32-36 {p} The history of Jehu’s reign + his acts as king written.

There is an out of place verse in the above structure, which usually means it is an element of a larger structure in Kings:

2 Kin 9:29 In the eleventh year of Joram the son of Ahab, Ahaziah had become king over Judah.

Several chapters ago, when Elijah was discouraged over the power and influence of Jezebel in Israel, and the spread of the worship of Baal, the LORD had told him to anoint Hazael king over Syria, and Jehu king over Israel, and Elisha as prophet to take his place. For whoever escapes the hand of Hazael, Jehu would kill, and whoever escapes the hand of Jehu, Elisha would kill. Elijah had anointed Elisha prophet in his place, but could not travel to Damascus or find Jehu before he was taken to heaven in a fiery chariot. But since Elisha received his mantle, and his prophet’s anointing, Elisha went to Damascus and anointed Hazael, and here we see him sending to anoint Jehu. Elisha completed Elijah’s mission.

And we see the word of LORD come to pass, for Hazael warred against Jehoram king of Israel, and Ahaziah king of Judah, and they escaped his hand, but fell into the hand of Jehu. Ahaziah, the king of Judah, was also of the house of Ahab, as his mother was King Jehoram’s sister. His 42 princes whom Jehu killed (Chronicles calls them the sons of his brothers; they must have been what was left of his brothers’ houses, when the Arabians took his brothers captive) were likewise of Ahab’s house, as their grandmother was the same sister of King Jehoram.