TRV
Translation
King James Version
Now therefore call unto me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests; let none be wanting: for I have a great sacrifice to do to Baal; whosoever shall be wanting, he shall not live. But Jehu did it in subtilty, to the intent that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal.
KJV (with Strong's)
Now therefore call H7121 unto me all the prophets H5030 of Baal H1168, all his servants H5647, and all his priests H3548; let none H376 be wanting H6485: for I have a great H1419 sacrifice H2077 to do to Baal H1168; whosoever shall be wanting H6485, he shall not live H2421. But Jehu H3058 did H6213 it in subtilty H6122, to the intent that he might destroy H6 the worshippers H5647 of Baal H1168.
Complete Jewish Bible
Therefore summon all the prophets of Ba'al to me, all his worshippers and all his priests. None of them is to be missing, because I am going to offer a great sacrifice to Ba'al; whoever is missing will not remain alive." But Yehu was setting a trap, in order to destroy the worshippers of Ba'al.
Berean Standard Bible
Now, therefore, summon to me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests. See that no one is missing, for I have a great sacrifice for Baal. Whoever is missing will not live.” But Jehu was acting deceptively in order to destroy the servants of Baal.
American Standard Version
Now therefore call unto me all the prophets of Baal, all his worshippers, and all his priests; let none be wanting: for I have a great sacrifice to do to Baal; whosoever shall be wanting, he shall not live. But Jehu did it in subtlety, to the intent that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal.
World English Bible Messianic
Now therefore call to me all the prophets of Baal, all of his worshipers, and all of his priests. Let no one be absent; for I have a great sacrifice to Baal. Whoever is absent, he shall not live.” But Jehu did it in subtlety, intending that he might destroy the worshipers of Baal.
Geneva Bible (1599)
Now therefore call vnto me all ye prophets of Baal, all his seruants, and all his priests, and let not a man be lacking: for I haue a great sacrifice for Baal: whosoeuer is lacking, he shall not liue. But Iehu did it by a subtiltie to destroy ye seruats of Baal.
Young's Literal Translation
and now, all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests, call ye unto me; let not a man be lacking, for a great sacrifice I have for Baal; every one who is lacking--he doth not live;' and Jehu hath done it in subtilty, in order to destroy the servants of Baal.
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Commentary on 2 Kings 10 verses 15–28
15 ¶ And when he was departed thence, he lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him: and he saluted him, and said to him, Is thine heart right, as my heart is with thy heart? And Jehonadab answered, It is. If it be, give me thine hand. And he gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot.
16 And he said, Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD. So they made him ride in his chariot.
17 And when he came to Samaria, he slew all that remained unto Ahab in Samaria, till he had destroyed him, according to the saying of the LORD, which he spake to Elijah.
18 And Jehu gathered all the people together, and said unto them, Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu shall serve him much.
19 Now therefore call unto me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests; let none be wanting: for I have a great sacrifice to do to Baal; whosoever shall be wanting, he shall not live. But Jehu did it in subtilty, to the intent that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal.
20 And Jehu said, Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal. And they proclaimed it.
21 And Jehu sent through all Israel: and all the worshippers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that came not. And they came into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was full from one end to another.
22 And he said unto him that was over the vestry, Bring forth vestments for all the worshippers of Baal. And he brought them forth vestments.
23 And Jehu went, and Jehonadab the son of Rechab, into the house of Baal, and said unto the worshippers of Baal, Search, and look that there be here with you none of the servants of the LORD, but the worshippers of Baal only.
24 And when they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings, Jehu appointed fourscore men without, and said, If any of the men whom I have brought into your hands escape, he that letteth him go, his life shall be for the life of him.
25 And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, Go in, and slay them; let none come forth. And they smote them with the edge of the sword; and the guard and the captains cast them out, and went to the city of the house of Baal.
26 And they brought forth the images out of the house of Baal, and burned them.
27 And they brake down the image of Baal, and brake down the house of Baal, and made it a draught house unto this day.
28 Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.
Jehu, pushing on his work, is here,
I. Courting the friendship of a good man, Jehonadab the son of Rechab, Kg2 10:15, Kg2 10:16. This Jehonadab, though mortified to the world and meddling little with the business of it (as appears by his charge to his posterity, which they religiously observed 300 years after, not to drink wine nor dwell in cities, Jer 35:6, etc.), yet, upon this occasion, went to meet Jehu, that he might encourage him in the work to which God had called him. The countenance of good men is a thing which great men, if they be wise, will value, and value themselves by. David prayed, Let those that fear thee turn to me, Psa 119:79. This Jehonadab, though no prophet, priest, or Levite, no prince or ruler, was, we may suppose, very eminent for prudence and piety, and generally respected for that life of self-denial and devotion which he lived: Jehu, though a soldier, knew him and honoured him. He did not indeed think of sending for him, but when he met him (though it is likely he drove now as furiously as ever) he stopped to speak to him; and we are here told what passed between them. 1. Jehu saluted him; he blessed him (so the word is), paid him the respect and showed him the good-will that were due to so great an example of serious godliness. 2. Jehonadab assured him that he was sincerely in his interest and a hearty well-wisher to his cause. Jehu professed that his heart was right with him, that he had a true affection for his person and a veneration for the crown of his Nazariteship, and desired to know whether he had the same affection for him and satisfaction in that crown of royal dignity which God had put upon his head: Is thy heart right? a question we should often put to ourselves. "I make a plausible profession, have gained a reputation among men, but is my heart right? Am I sincere and inward with God?" Jehonadab gave him his word (It is), and gave him his hand as a pledge of his heart, yielded to him (so giving the hand is rendered, Ch2 30:8), concurred and covenanted with him, and owned him in the work both of revenge and of reformation he was now about. 3. Jehu took him up into his chariot and took him along with him to Samaria. He put some honour upon him, by taking him into the chariot with him (Jehonadab was not accustomed to ride in a chariot, much less with a king); but he received more honour from him, and from the countenance he gave to his present work. All sober people would think the better of Jehu when they saw Jehonadab in the chariot with him. This was not the only time in which the piety of some has been made to serve the policy of others, and designing men have strengthened themselves by drawing good men into their interests. Jehonadab is a stranger to the arts of fleshly wisdom, and has his conversation in simplicity and godly sincerity; and therefore, if Jehu be a servant of God and an enemy to Ball, he will be his faithful friend. "Come then" (says Jehu), "come with me, and see my zeal for the Lord; and then thou wilt see reason to espouse my cause." This is commonly taken as not well said by Jehu, and as giving cause to suspect that his heart was not right with God in what he did, and that the zeal he pretended for the Lord was really zeal for himself and his own advancement. For, (1.) He boasted of it, and spoke as if God and man were mightily indebted to him for it. (2.) He desired it might be seen and taken notice of, like the Pharisees, who did all to be seen of men. An upright heart approves itself to God and covets no more than his acceptance. If we aim at the applause of men, and make their praise our highest end, we are upon a false bottom. Whether Jehu looked any further we cannot judge; however Jehonadab went with him, and, it is likely, animated and assisted him in the further execution of his commission (Kg2 10:17), destroying all Ahab's friends in Samaria. A man may hate cruelty and yet love justice, may be far from thirsting after blood and yet may wash his feet in the blood of the wicked, Psa 58:10.
II. Contriving the destruction of all the worshippers of Baal. The service of Baal was the crying sin of the house of Ahab: that root of this idolatry was plucked up, but multitudes yet remained that were infected with it, and would be in danger of infecting others. The law of God was express, that they were to be put to death; but they were so numerous, and so dispersed throughout all parts of the kingdom, and perhaps so alarmed with Jehu's beginnings, that it would be a hard matter to find them all out and an endless task to prosecute and execute them one by one. Jehu's project therefore is to cut them all off together. 1. By a wile, by a fraud, he brought them together to the temple of Baal. He pretended he would worship Baal more than ever Ahab had done, Kg2 10:18. Perhaps he spoke this ironically, or to try the body of the people whether they would oppose such a resolution as this, and would resent his threatening to increase his predecessor's exactions, and say, "If it be so, we have no part in Jehu, nor inheritance in the son of Nimshi." But it rather seems to have been spoken purposely to deceive the worshippers of Baal, and then it cannot be justified. The truth of God needs not any man's lie. He issued a proclamation, requiring the attendance of all the worshippers of Baal to join with him in a sacrifice to Baal (Kg2 10:19, Kg2 10:20), not only the prophets and priests, but all, throughout the kingdom, who worshipped Baal, who were not nearly so many as they had been in Elijah's time. Jehu's friends, we may suppose, were aware of what he designed, and were not offended at it; but the bigoted besotted Baalites began to think themselves very happy, and that now they should see golden days again. Joram had put away the image of Baal, Kg2 3:2. If Jehu will restore it, they have what they would have, and come up to Samaria with joy from all parts to celebrate the solemnity; and they are pleased to see the house of Baal crowded (Kg2 10:21), to see his priests in their vestments (Kg2 10:22), and themselves perhaps with some badges or other to notify their relation to Baal, for there were vestments for all his worshippers. 2. He took care that none of the servants of the Lord should be among them, Kg2 10:23. This they took as a provision to preserve the worship of Baal from being profaned by strangers; but it was a wonder that they did not, by this, see themselves brought into a snare and discern a design upon them. No marvel if those that suffer themselves to be deceived by Baal (as all idolaters were by their idols), are deceived by Jehu to their destruction. 3. He gave order for the cutting of them all off, and Jehonadab joined with him therein, Kg2 10:23. When a strict search was made lest any of the servants of God should, either for company or curiosity, have got among them - lest any wheat should be mixed with those tares, and when eighty men were set to stand guard at all the avenues to Baal's temple, that none might escape (Kg2 10:24), then the guards were sent in to put them all to the sword and to mingle their blood with their sacrifices, in a way of just revenge, as they themselves had sometimes done, when, in their blind devotion, they cut themselves with knives and lancets till the blood gushed out, Kg1 18:28. This was accordingly done, and the doing of it, though seemingly barbarous, was, considering the nature of their crime, really righteous. The Lord, whose name is jealous, is a jealous God. 4. The idolaters being thus destroyed, the idolatry itself was utterly abolished. The buildings about the house of Baal (which were so many and so stately that they are here called a city), where Baal's priests and their families lived, were destroyed; all the little images, statues, pictures, or shrines, which beautified Baal's temple, with the great image of Baal himself, were brought out and burnt (Kg2 10:26, Kg2 10:27), and the temple of Baal was broken down, and made a dunghill, the common sink, or sewer, of the city, that the remembrance of it might be blotted out or made infamous. Thus was the worship of Baal quite destroyed, at least for the present, out of Israel, though it had once prevailed so far that there were but 7000 of all the thousands of Israel that had not bowed the knee to Baal, and those concealed. Thus will God destroy all the gods of the heathen, and, sooner or later, triumph over them all.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 15–28. Public domain.
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Augustine of HippoAD 430
Against Lying 2.3
This opinion dishonors the holy martyrs; no, altogether removes the possibility of holy martyrdom. For, according to the Priscillianists, the martyrs would act more justly and wisely if they did not confess to their persecutors that they were Christians and by their confession make homicides of their persecutors, but rather, if by lying and by denying what they were, they preserved the advantage of the flesh and the intention of the heart and did not allow their persecutors to perform the wicked deed they had in mind. For these persecutors were enemies of the truth itself, not neighbors of theirs in the Christian faith to whom they were obliged to speak the truth with their tongue that they spoke in their heart. For if Jehu (whom as an example of lying they look on with greater show of prudence than on the others) falsely declared that he was a servant of Baal in order to kill the servants of Baal, how much more justly, according to the perversity of the Priscillianists, would the servants of Christ in time of persecution declare falsely that they are servants of demons in order that the servants of demons not kill the servant of Christ! And if Jehu sacrificed to Baal in order to kill people, how much more justly would they sacrifice to idols in order that people not be killed! Why, according to the remarkable doctrine of these liars, should it be prejudicial to them to profess falsely the worship of the devil in the open, provided they preserved the worship of God in their heart? But not in this manner have the true martyrs, the holy martyrs, understood the apostle. They have seen and kept what has been said, "With the heart a person believes unto justice, and with the mouth profession of faith is made unto salvation," and, "In their mouth was found no lie." So, they have departed irreprehensibly where they will no longer have to be on guard against being tempted by liars, because they will have no more liars, whether strangers or neighbors, in their celestial gatherings. As for Jehu, who by an impious lie and a sacrilegious sacrifice sought to kill the impious and the sacrilegious—him they would not imitate, not even if the same Scripture had said nothing about what kind of man he was. But, since it has been written that he did not have a righteous heart in the sight of God, what did it profit him to receive some transitory reward of temporal rule for some obedience that he displayed in utterly destroying the house of Ahab in accordance with his lust for Ahab's dominion? I exhort you, brother, rather to defend the true opinion of the martyrs, that you may be against liars; not a teacher of falsehood, but an advocate of truth. Pay close attention, I beseech you, to what I say, in order that you may find out, despite your laudable zeal to apprehend and correct or else to shun the impious, how much you must be on guard against a doctrine that you are rather injudicious in thinking should be taught.
Theodoret of CyrusAD 458
QUESTION 34, ON 2 KINGS
“Then Jehu assembled all the people and said to them, ‘Ahab offered Baal small service; but Jehu will offer much more.’ ” We need to examine the purpose of words and actions. And this must be done here too. In fact, since he did not want anyone to escape his revenge, Jehu used these words, so that all the priests of Baal might come confidently. In addition, in order that no priest of God might share with them the same punishment, he ordered that they be driven away as though they were not worthy of that celebration, and so he killed only [the idolatrous priests]. He also burned the statue of Baal, cut down its sacred groves and freed the whole land of Israel from other idols. However, he continued to worship the two golden calves and gave the name of Baalim to the sanctuary of Baal.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Jehu, recently enthroned as king of Israel, orchestrates a deceptive and cunning strategy to eradicate the deeply entrenched worship of Baal from the Northern Kingdom. Under the pretense of hosting a "great sacrifice" to Baal, he issues a summons to all the deity's prophets, servants, and priests, threatening death to any who fail to attend. This calculated ruse, explicitly described as Jehu's "subtilty," was meticulously designed to gather all adherents of the Baal cult in one location, thereby facilitating their comprehensive destruction and fulfilling his divinely commissioned mandate to purge Israel of idolatry.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The passage masterfully employs several literary devices to convey its chilling narrative. The most prominent is Irony, specifically Dramatic Irony. The reader is fully aware of Jehu's sinister true intentions ("to the intent that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal"), while the Baal worshippers remain tragically oblivious, believing they are attending a genuine "great sacrifice" to their god. This disparity in knowledge creates a profound sense of foreboding and tension for the audience, who anticipate the impending doom that the characters do not. There is also evident Verbal Irony in Jehu's declaration of a "great sacrifice to Baal," which is in reality a great slaughter of Baal's followers. The narrative also utilizes Foreshadowing, as Jehu's preceding ruthless actions against Ahab's house (2 Kings 10:1-17) prepare the reader for the extreme and decisive measures he will take in this climactic moment. Finally, the explicit mention of "subtilty" serves as a direct Narrative Commentary, offering the reader immediate insight into Jehu's character and the calculated nature of his actions, thereby guiding the interpretation of this complex and morally ambiguous figure.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This passage provides a stark illustration of God's unwavering opposition to idolatry and His sovereign use of human agents, even those employing ruthless and deceptive methods, to execute divine judgment. The severity and comprehensiveness of the purge underscore the gravity of spiritual rebellion and the breaking of the first commandment, which demands exclusive worship of Yahweh. For ancient Israel, idolatry was not merely a theological error but an act of covenant infidelity that invited divine wrath and threatened the nation's very existence. Jehu's actions, though brutal and ethically challenging from a modern perspective, represent a necessary cleansing, a surgical removal of a spiritual cancer that had deeply infected the nation. This narrative reminds us that God is holy and will not tolerate rivals for His glory, and that His judgment, though sometimes expressed through historical events and human instruments, is ultimately just and aimed at upholding His covenant faithfulness.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
While Jehu's actions are situated within a specific historical context of divine judgment against a physical manifestation of idolatry, the underlying principles offer enduring lessons for believers today. The passage compels us to examine our own lives for "Baals"—anything that subtly or overtly takes God's rightful place in our hearts, whether it be wealth, power, pleasure, self-image, intellectual pursuits, or even good causes that become ultimate concerns. God's demand for exclusive worship remains absolute and unchanging. We are called to a spiritual "purge" of idolatry, not through physical violence or deception, but through genuine repentance, diligent spiritual warfare against the idols of our age, and a renewed, wholehearted commitment to Christ. Our zeal for God should be fervent and passionate, but it must be tempered by love, truth, and the very character of Christ, reflecting the fruit of the Spirit rather than human cunning or ruthlessness. We are indeed to be shrewd as serpents in discerning spiritual dangers but innocent as doves in our conduct (Matthew 10:16), distinguishing carefully between the wisdom of the world and the wisdom that comes from above.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Was Jehu's use of "subtilty" (deception) morally justifiable, given that he was fulfilling God's command?
Answer: Jehu's actions present a complex ethical dilemma within the biblical narrative. On one hand, the text explicitly states that Jehu acted "to the intent that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal," directly fulfilling his divine commission to eradicate Baal worship, which was a profound abomination to God. God even commends Jehu for his zeal and for doing "what was right in My eyes" regarding the destruction of Ahab's house and Baalism (2 Kings 10:30). In the Old Testament, particularly in contexts of divine judgment against wicked nations or pervasive idolatrous practices, God sometimes used ruthless agents and methods that do not align with New Testament ethical standards for believers. However, the text's explicit mention of "subtilty" (a morally ambiguous term for trickery) rather than outright divine endorsement of the method itself, suggests that while the outcome was divinely purposed, the means were Jehu's own pragmatic, albeit brutal, choice. This passage is descriptive of historical events and divine judgment in a specific era, not necessarily prescriptive for all times or a model for Christian ethical behavior today. Believers are consistently called to truthfulness (Ephesians 4:25) and to love their enemies (Matthew 5:44), which fundamentally differs from Jehu's approach.
What was the significance of calling for a "great sacrifice" to Baal?
Answer: The call for a "great sacrifice" to Baal was a highly effective and culturally plausible deception on Jehu's part. Baal worship involved elaborate and often public rituals, festivals, and large-scale offerings designed to honor the deity and secure his favor, particularly for fertility and rain. A "great sacrifice" would have implied a significant, perhaps annual or special, religious event that would naturally draw all devoted followers, including prophets, priests, and servants, eager to participate and demonstrate their loyalty to Baal. By framing his true intent as a grand religious observance, Jehu skillfully exploited the existing religious practices and fervent devotion of the Baal worshippers. This ensured maximum attendance, allowing him to gather all the adherents in one place for their systematic destruction, making his purge comprehensive and exceptionally efficient. It was a masterstroke of strategic cunning to achieve his divinely mandated objective.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Jehu's actions constituted a physical purge of idolatry in ancient Israel, they ultimately point forward to the spiritual and definitive victory over sin and false worship achieved by Jesus Christ. Jehu, as an imperfect instrument of divine judgment, foreshadows Christ, the ultimate and perfect agent of God's will. However, the nature of their "sacrifice" and "zeal" differs profoundly. Jehu's "great sacrifice" was a deceptive ruse leading to the physical slaughter of idolaters, a temporary and localized cleansing. In stark contrast, Christ's "great sacrifice" was His own body offered on the cross, a genuine and ultimate act of self-giving love that atoned for sin once for all (Hebrews 9:26). Through His death and resurrection, Christ definitively disarmed and triumphed over the spiritual powers of darkness, including the very forces that empower idolatry and spiritual bondage (Colossians 2:15). His zeal for God's house led Him to cleanse the temple, not with a sword to kill people, but with a whip to drive out those who profaned God's worship, demonstrating a righteous anger tempered by holiness and a desire for true, uncorrupted worship (John 2:13-17). Unlike Jehu's cunning, Christ's victory over sin and idolatry is achieved through truth, self-sacrifice, and the transformative power of the Holy Spirit, enabling believers to turn from dead idols to serve the living and true God (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10). He came to destroy the works of the devil, not by physical annihilation of people, but by conquering sin and death, freeing humanity from spiritual bondage and the worship of anything other than God Himself (1 John 3:8).