Bible Dictionaries

Holman Bible Dictionary

Jehu

(jee hyoo) Personal name meaning, “Yah is He.” Son of Jehoshaphat and king of Israel, (841-814 B.C.). He was a commander of the army when Elisha the prophet sent one of the sons of the prophets to Ramoth-gilead to anoint him as king (2 Kings 9:1-10 ). Jehu embarked on a violent and bloody course that finally led him to the throne. Along the way, he was responsible for the deaths of Joram, king of Israel; Ahaziah, king of Judah; Jezebel, still powerful former queen of Israel, and some 70 surviving members of the household of Israel's late King Ahab. He used trickery to gather and destroy worshipers of Baal, so that Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel (2 Kings 10:28 ). Jehu established a strong dynasty in Israel. He and his descendants held the throne for approximately a century. See Israel , Chronology of Biblical Period; Elijah .

2. A prophet who proclaimed God's judgment on King Baasha of Israel (1 Kings 16:1-12 ). He warned King Jehoshaphat of Judah (2 Chronicles 19:2 ) and recorded the acts of Jehoshaphat in a record to which the Chronicler referred his readers (2 Chronicles 20:34 ).

3. Member of David's army at Ziklag (1 Chronicles 12:3 ). His home was Anathoth, in the tribal territory of David's opponent Saul. 4. Leader of tribe of Simeon (1 Chronicles 4:35 ).