Commentary - 2 Kings 10:15-17

Bird's-eye view

In this brief but potent narrative, Jehu, fresh from his bloody work of eradicating the house of Ahab in Jezreel, solidifies his position by forming a crucial alliance. He encounters Jehonadab the son of Rechab, a man known for his austere and uncompromising devotion to Yahweh. This is not a chance meeting; it is a providential intersection. Jehu, the instrument of God's judgment, seeks and receives validation from a recognized figure of piety. The handshake, the invitation into the chariot, and the subsequent completion of the purge in Samaria are all freighted with covenantal significance. Jehu is not just a rogue commander on a rampage; he is consolidating a reformation. He publicly aligns his raw, violent zeal with the established, principled zeal of the Rechabites, thereby legitimizing his actions and demonstrating that his bloody work is, in fact, in service to the Lord of Hosts. The passage serves as a hinge, connecting the initial acts of judgment with the final, systematic cleansing of Baal worship from Israel.

The core of this interaction is a test of allegiance. Jehu's question, "Is your heart right, as my heart is with your heart?" is the central question for all covenant fellowship. This is a moment of spiritual alignment. Jehonadab's immediate affirmation and the subsequent actions demonstrate a unity of purpose rooted in a shared commitment to Yahweh's honor. Jehu's zeal, while perhaps mixed with personal ambition, is here harnessed for a righteous end, and Jehonadab's presence lends it a stamp of religious gravity. The destruction that follows in Samaria is therefore not simply more bloodshed, but the faithful execution of the prophetic word spoken by Elijah, bringing the long and sordid chapter of Ahab's apostasy to its appointed, bloody close.

Outline

Context In 2 Kings

This passage occurs in the direct aftermath of Jehu's anointing by Elisha's prophet and his subsequent, violent coup. In chapter 9, Jehu killed King Joram of Israel and King Ahaziah of Judah, and had Jezebel thrown from a window, fulfilling Elijah's prophecy to the letter. At the beginning of chapter 10, he consolidates his power by engineering the execution of Ahab's seventy sons in Samaria, followed by the slaughter of forty-two relatives of King Ahaziah. Jehu is a man moving with terrifying speed and decisiveness. He is God's appointed scourge against the house of Omri, which had plunged Israel into Baal worship. This meeting with Jehonadab is therefore a pivotal moment. It is the first instance where Jehu's destructive work is met with approval from a righteous figure. It shifts the narrative from a mere political overthrow to a religious reformation, setting the stage for the climactic event of the chapter: the utter eradication of Baal's prophets and the destruction of his temple in Samaria (2 Kings 10:18-28).

Key Issues

The Zeal of the Lord's Instrument

Zeal is a fire, and fire can either warm a house or burn it to the ground. It all depends on whether it is in the hearth or in the curtains. Jehu is a man of fire. His zeal is undeniable, but the question that hangs over his entire reign is about the nature of that zeal. Was it a pure flame of devotion to Yahweh, or was it mixed with the dross of personal ambition and political calculation? The text gives us reason to suspect both. God commends him for doing well in executing judgment on Ahab's house (2 Kings 10:30), but the story ends with a sober note: "But Jehu was not careful to walk in the law of Yahweh, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn from the sins of Jeroboam, which he made Israel to sin" (2 Kings 10:31).

This encounter with Jehonadab is therefore crucial. Jehonadab and the Rechabites were a kind of Nazirite sect, known for their strict adherence to a simple, separate life, renouncing wine and permanent dwellings (Jer. 35). They were icons of faithfulness in an age of compromise. When Jehu, the bloody revolutionary, seeks out and aligns himself with Jehonadab, the respected ascetic, it is a powerful statement. Jehu is saying, "My work is your work. My zeal for Yahweh is the same as your zeal for Yahweh." He invites Jehonadab to come and "see my zeal." This is a public relations move, to be sure, but it is more than that. It is a recognition that raw, violent action needs to be tethered to principled, long-term faithfulness. Jehu is the hammer of God, but Jehonadab represents the anvil of the covenant. For this moment, at least, they are united in purpose, and the result is the complete fulfillment of God's decreed judgment.

Verse by Verse Commentary

15 Then he went from there and found Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him; and he blessed him and said to him, “Is your heart right, as my heart is with your heart?” And Jehonadab answered, “It is.” Jehu said, “If it is, give me your hand.” And he gave him his hand, and he took him up to him into the chariot.

Having just slaughtered the relatives of Ahaziah, Jehu continues his journey. The meeting with Jehonadab is presented as a providential event. Jehonadab is "coming to meet him," indicating a divine appointment. Jehu initiates the contact, first by blessing him, which is the standard greeting of a superior or a king. Then he gets straight to the point. The question is not about political strategy or military strength. It is a question of the heart. "Is your heart right, as my heart is with your heart?" This is the language of covenant and deep fellowship. It means, "Are we of one mind? Do we serve the same God with the same ultimate loyalties?" Jehu asserts his own heart is right, and asks if Jehonadab's is likewise. Jehonadab's reply is crisp and without hesitation: "It is." There is no equivocation. On the basis of this shared heart-commitment, Jehu extends his hand. This is more than a handshake; it is a pledge, a symbol of alliance and shared purpose. Taking him up into the royal chariot is a public declaration of this new partnership. The man of action and the man of piety are now riding together.

16 Then he said, “Come with me and see my zeal for Yahweh.” So he made him ride in his chariot.

Jehu's invitation is revealing. "Come with me and see my zeal for Yahweh." There is a touch of pride here, is there not? He wants an audience. He wants his actions to be witnessed and validated by a man of unquestioned spiritual integrity. True zeal is not concerned with who is watching, but Jehu's zeal is a bit of a performance. He is God's instrument, certainly, but he is a flawed and self-aware instrument. He knows what he is doing is violent and could be seen as a mere power grab. By having Jehonadab in the chariot, he frames the coming slaughter as a holy act. It is as if he is saying, "See? My actions are not born of personal ambition, but of a passion for God's honor. This righteous man is my witness." And so Jehonadab, representing the faithful remnant, becomes an observer and, by his presence, an endorser of the final stage of this bloody purge.

17 And he came to Samaria and struck down all who were left to Ahab in Samaria, until he had destroyed him, according to the word of Yahweh which He spoke to Elijah.

The alliance immediately bears fruit. They arrive in Samaria, the capital city and the heart of Ahab's political and religious corruption. And there, Jehu finishes the job. He "struck down all who were left to Ahab." This is comprehensive, total. The word for "destroyed" is the same used for herem, the concept of devoting something entirely to destruction for the Lord. This is not simple murder; it is the execution of a divine sentence. The narrator makes this explicit by reminding us of the ultimate authority behind this action. Jehu is acting "according to the word of Yahweh which He spoke to Elijah" (1 Kings 21:21-24). This is the key that unlocks the whole bloody story. Jehu's zeal, Jehonadab's endorsement, and the deaths of Ahab's remnant are all subsumed under the sovereign, prophetic word of God. God declared that the house of Ahab would be utterly cut off, and here, through his flawed but effective instrument, that word comes to pass with grim finality.

Application

This passage forces us to wrestle with the nature of our own zeal. It is good to be zealous for the Lord, but we must constantly examine the heart of that zeal. Is it like Jehu's, a little too eager to be seen, a little too mixed with our own reputation management? Or is it like Jehonadab's, quiet, principled, and steadfast over the long haul? The ideal is a marriage of the two: principled action. We are called to have a zeal that tears down idols, but it must be a zeal that flows from a heart that is truly right with God.

Furthermore, this is a story about fellowship. The basis of Jehu's and Jehonadab's alliance was a shared heart for Yahweh. This is the only true basis for Christian unity. Our fellowship cannot be based on personality, or shared hobbies, or political affiliation. It must be based on the answer to Jehu's question: "Is your heart right?" Is your heart right with God through faith in Jesus Christ? If it is, and mine is, then we can give each other our hand. We can ride in the same chariot, working together for the cause of the gospel. We may have different roles, some may be called to the public, confrontational work of a Jehu, and others to the quiet, separate faithfulness of a Jehonadab, but our hearts can be one.

Finally, we see that God uses flawed instruments to accomplish his perfect will. Jehu was no saint. He was a ruthless, ambitious, and ultimately compromised king. And yet, God used his zeal to cleanse the land of a great evil and fulfill His righteous decree. This should be a comfort to us. We are all flawed instruments. But if we offer our hearts to God, He can use our imperfect zeal, our mixed motives, and our stumbling efforts to accomplish His purposes in the world, all according to His unshakeable Word.