📖 Biblical Definition
Jehu was the tenth king of the northern kingdom (841-814 BC), anointed by Elisha’s prophetic servant with explicit commission to extirpate the house of Ahab (2 Kings 9:1-10). Jehu drove furiously to Jezreel, killed king Joram of Israel and king Ahaziah of Judah, and ordered Jezebel thrown from her window — where the dogs ate her flesh, as Elijah had prophesied. He gathered the prophets of Baal under pretense of a great sacrifice and slaughtered them at Samaria, destroying Baal worship in Israel (2 Kings 10). Yet Jehu did not depart from Jeroboam’s sin — the golden calves at Bethel and Dan remained. The LORD rewarded him with four generations on the throne, but withheld revival. Faithfulness must be entire.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
Jehu — the reformer-king who destroyed the house of Ahab.
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Jehu drove furiously and acted decisively, executing the LORD's judgment on Ahab's line. Yet his reform was partial: he removed Baal but kept the golden calves. He shows that zeal without full obedience secures a dynasty for four generations but no further.
📖 Key Scripture
2 Kings 9:6 — "I have anointed thee king over the people of the LORD, even over Israel."
2 Kings 9:20 — "The driving is like the driving of Jehu... for he driveth furiously."
2 Kings 10:28 — "Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel."
2 Kings 10:31 — "But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
Either lionized as bold reformer or dismissed as bloody opportunist; the partial obedience is missed.
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No major postmodern redefinition of this figure. The risk is simply that they fade from common Christian vocabulary, and the lessons their life teaches fade with them. Recover the figure to recover the lesson.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
Hebrew Yehu — 'Yah is He' or 'the LORD is.'
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Usage
"Jehu drove furiously — and stopped short of the calves."
"Zeal that breaks the foreign idol but keeps the home one is half a reformation."
"Four generations is the wage of partial obedience."