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Jehu

Pronounced JEE-hoo

boy

✓ In the King James Bible — Yes — Jehu appears in the King James Bible, including 2 Kings 9:20.

Meaning: "He is the LORD; The LORD is He"
Origin: Hebrew

Jehu means "He is the LORD" in Hebrew. He was the fiercely zealous king of Israel whom God anointed through the prophet Elisha to destroy the house of Ahab and eradicate Baal worship from Israel. Jehu was famous for his driving — "the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi; for he driveth furiously." This expression became proverbial for reckless speed. He carried out his mission with devastating efficiency, killing King Joram, Queen Jezebel, seventy sons of Ahab, and all the priests of Baal in a single campaign. His most dramatic act was the destruction of Baal's temple. Jehu pretended to be a Baal worshipper, gathered all Baal's prophets and priests into the temple for a great sacrifice, then had them all killed and the temple demolished, turning it into "a draught house" (latrine). Yet Jehu's zeal was incomplete: "Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart." He eliminated Baal worship but kept Jeroboam's golden calves, demonstrating that partial obedience, even when zealous, falls short of God's standard.

Spiritual meaning

Jehu — 'He is the LORD' — teaches that zealous action without wholehearted devotion is incomplete obedience. Destroying one idol while keeping another is not true faithfulness.

Related verses (KJV)

"The driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi; for he driveth furiously."
2 Kings 9:20 (KJV) →
"But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam."
2 Kings 10:31 (KJV) →

Full page for Jehu

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