2 Kings 10:31

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, which made Israel to sin.

KJV (with Strong's)

But Jehu {H3058} took no heed {H8104} to walk {H3212} in the law {H8451} of the LORD {H3068} God {H430} of Israel {H3478} with all his heart {H3824}: for he departed {H5493} not from the sins {H2403} of Jeroboam {H3379}, which made Israel {H3478} to sin {H2398}.

Complete Jewish Bible

But Yehu made no effort to live wholeheartedly according to the Torah of ADONAI the God of Isra'el and did not turn away from the sins of Yarov'am, with which he had led Isra'el into sin.

Berean Standard Bible

Yet Jehu was not careful to follow the instruction of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn away from the sins that Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit.

American Standard Version

But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of Jehovah, the God of Israel, with all his heart: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, wherewith he made Israel to sin.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Second Kings 10:31 offers a stark assessment of King Jehu's reign, revealing a profound spiritual failure despite his zealous execution of God's judgment against the house of Ahab and the worship of Baal. While Jehu was divinely commissioned and acted decisively to eradicate a major idolatrous threat in Israel, his obedience proved to be partial and instrumental rather than rooted in a wholehearted devotion to the Lord. He maintained the established, politically convenient, yet idolatrous practices initiated by Jeroboam, thereby perpetuating the very sin that had led Israel astray for generations.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse serves as a crucial concluding evaluation of Jehu's reign, immediately following a detailed account of his divinely mandated purge. Chapters 9 and 10 of 2 Kings describe Jehu's anointing by a prophet of Elisha, his swift and brutal overthrow of King Joram, the execution of Jezebel, and the systematic annihilation of Ahab's descendants and all Baal worshippers in Samaria. These acts, particularly the destruction of Baal worship, were presented as direct obedience to the Lord's command, fulfilling prophecies against Ahab's house (e.g., [2 Kings 9:7-10](/2_kings/9-7 "2 Kings 9:7-10 - Jehu's Commission")). The narrative highlights Jehu's zeal, even depicting him inviting others to "come and see my zeal for the LORD" ([2 Kings 10:16](/2_kings/10-16 "2 Kings 10:16 - Jehu's Zeal for the Lord")). However, 2 Kings 10:31 introduces a sobering counterpoint, revealing that this outward zeal did not translate into complete fidelity, setting the stage for the continued spiritual decline of the Northern Kingdom. It stands as a pivotal verse, shifting the reader's perception from Jehu as a righteous instrument of God's wrath to a flawed, partially obedient king.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** Jehu's reign (c. 841-814 BC) occurred during a tumultuous period in the Northern Kingdom of Israel. The preceding Omride dynasty, particularly under Ahab and Jezebel, had aggressively promoted the worship of Baal, introducing foreign idolatry on an unprecedented scale and persecuting prophets of Yahweh. This was a direct assault on Israel's covenant relationship with the Lord. However, even before the Omrides, the Northern Kingdom had been plagued by the "sins of Jeroboam I," who, upon the kingdom's division, established golden calves in Bethel and Dan as alternative worship centers to Jerusalem ([1 Kings 12:28-30](/1_kings/12-28 "1 Kings 12:28-30 - Jeroboam's Golden Calves")). This was a politically motivated move to prevent his subjects from returning to Judah for worship, but it constituted a grave violation of the first two commandments, leading Israel into syncretistic worship where Yahweh was ostensibly worshipped through idolatrous means. Jehu, while eradicating the more egregious Baal worship, failed to dismantle these long-standing, institutionally sanctioned forms of idolatry, indicating a compromise with the prevailing religious-political norms rather than a full return to the pure worship of Yahweh.
* **Key Themes:** The assessment of Jehu's reign in this verse underscores several critical themes. First is the distinction between **Partial Obedience and Wholehearted Devotion**. While Jehu performed specific acts commanded by God, his failure to "walk in the law of the LORD... with all his heart" demonstrates that outward actions, even divinely ordained ones, are insufficient without an internal, comprehensive commitment to God. This highlights God's desire for a sincere and complete devotion, not merely instrumental compliance. Second, the verse emphasizes **The Enduring Sin of Jeroboam**. This refers to the state-sponsored idolatry of the golden calves, which became a deeply entrenched religious practice that continually led Israel astray. Jehu's perpetuation of these sins illustrates how deeply rooted and politically convenient idolatry could become, even for a king who had just purged another form of idolatry. It reveals that the heart of the problem was not just *which* idol was worshipped, but the very act of deviating from God's prescribed worship. Finally, the passage speaks to **The Nature of True Idolatry**. Jehu's actions show that idolatry is not limited to foreign gods like Baal but includes any human-made religious system or practice that deviates from God's revealed will, even if it claims to honor the Lord. This subtle yet pervasive form of idolatry, rooted in political expediency and a lack of full trust in God, proved to be a more persistent spiritual cancer in Israel than the more overt Baal worship.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **"took no heed" (Hebrew, _lo' shamar'_):** The Hebrew verb `שָׁמַר` (shamar) typically means "to keep," "to guard," "to observe," or "to pay attention to." In the negative, as used here, `lo' shamar` signifies a failure to observe, a lack of careful attention, or a neglect of duty. It implies a conscious or deliberate non-adherence, not merely an oversight. Jehu was aware of the "law of the LORD" but chose not to diligently guard or follow it in its entirety, particularly concerning the established idolatry of Jeroboam.
* **"walk in the law" (Hebrew, _halakh b'torat Yahweh'_):** This is a common biblical idiom representing one's entire lifestyle and conduct. "To walk" (`הָלַךְ`, halakh) denotes one's habitual way of life, while "the law" (`תּוֹרָה`, torah) refers to God's instruction, revelation, and commands. Therefore, "to walk in the law" means to live in accordance with God's revealed will, to order one's life according to His commandments and principles. Jehu's failure here is not just about specific acts but about his overall direction and commitment.
* **"with all his heart" (Hebrew, _b'khol-levavoh'_):** This phrase is deeply significant in the Old Testament, particularly in the Deuteronomic tradition (e.g., [Deuteronomy 6:5](/deuteronomy/6-5 "Deuteronomy 6:5 - Love the Lord with All Your Heart")). The "heart" (`לֵבָב`, levav) in Hebrew thought encompasses the totality of a person's inner being—their intellect, emotions, will, and conscience. To do something "with all one's heart" signifies complete, unreserved, and sincere devotion and commitment. Jehu's failure was not merely external; it was a fundamental lack of internal, wholehearted dedication to the Lord, indicating a divided loyalty.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart:"** The introductory "But" (וְאַךְ, _ve'akh_) signals a sharp contrast to the preceding narrative, which highlighted Jehu's successful purge of Baal worship and the Lord's commendation for his obedience in that specific task ([2 Kings 10:30](/2_kings/10-30 "2 Kings 10:30 - God's Promise to Jehu")). Despite this initial zeal and divine approval, Jehu failed to maintain a consistent, comprehensive obedience to God's entire law. The phrase "took no heed" underscores his negligence or deliberate choice not to fully embrace God's commands. The emphasis on "the LORD God of Israel" highlights the specific covenant relationship that Jehu, as king, was obligated to uphold. The critical qualifier "with all his heart" reveals the depth of his failure: his obedience was not rooted in a sincere, complete devotion but was rather selective and instrumental, serving his own purposes or political expediency alongside God's.
* **"for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin."** This clause provides the specific evidence and explanation for Jehu's lack of wholeheartedness. The "sins of Jeroboam" refer to the establishment of golden calves in Bethel and Dan as alternative worship sites to Jerusalem, a political move that led to idolatry and syncretism ([1 Kings 12:28-30](/1_kings/12-28 "1 Kings 12:28-30 - Jeroboam's Golden Calves")). Jehu, despite his zeal against Baal, maintained these long-standing, institutionally sanctioned idolatries. This demonstrates a pragmatic compromise rather than a pure commitment to Yahweh alone. The phrase "which made Israel to sin" emphasizes the devastating, generational impact of Jeroboam's initial transgression, as it became a stumbling block for successive kings and the entire nation, perpetuating a cycle of disobedience and divine judgment. Jehu's failure to dismantle these idols meant he continued to lead Israel astray, even as he purged other forms of idolatry.

#### Literary Devices
The verse employs several potent literary devices to convey its message. There is a strong **Contrast** between Jehu's initial, divinely commended zeal for eradicating Baal worship and his subsequent failure to maintain wholehearted obedience to the Lord's law. This creates a sense of **Irony**, as the king who was God's instrument to cleanse Israel of one major idolatry perpetuated another, more subtle but equally damning, form of idolatry. The phrase "departed not from the sins of Jeroboam" functions as a **Recurring Motif** or **Thematic Link** throughout the books of Kings, serving as a consistent indictment against the Northern Kingdom's kings and foreshadowing their eventual downfall. This repetition emphasizes the deep-seated nature of Israel's spiritual compromise. Furthermore, the verse acts as a **Judgment Formula**, a common literary device in Kings used to provide a concise, divinely informed assessment of each king's reign, often concluding with a statement about their adherence to or departure from the law of the Lord.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
The assessment of Jehu in 2 Kings 10:31 offers profound theological insights into the nature of true obedience and the pervasive danger of partial commitment. It reveals that God desires not merely outward compliance or instrumental acts, but a complete, unreserved devotion of the heart. Jehu's failure highlights that one can be used by God for specific purposes, even significant ones, yet still fall short of the full standard of covenant faithfulness. His retention of Jeroboam's sins underscores that idolatry is not limited to overt worship of foreign gods; it can also manifest in politically convenient or traditional forms of worship that deviate from God's prescribed ways, ultimately placing something other than God's pure command at the center of one's allegiance. This partiality ultimately undermines the very foundation of the covenant and leads to continued spiritual decay.

* [Deuteronomy 6:5](/deuteronomy/6-5 "Deuteronomy 6:5 - Love the Lord with All Your Heart")
* [Matthew 6:24](/matthew/6-24 "Matthew 6:24 - No One Can Serve Two Masters")
* [James 1:22](/james/1-22 "James 1:22 - Be Doers of the Word, Not Hearers Only")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jehu's story serves as a powerful and sobering mirror for believers today. It challenges us to examine the depth and sincerity of our own obedience to God. It's possible to be zealous in certain areas of faith—perhaps in evangelism, social justice, or church service—while simultaneously harboring areas of compromise or unaddressed sin in our hearts. We might be quick to condemn obvious societal evils or the "Baals" of our culture, yet subtly cling to "sins of Jeroboam"—those convenient, culturally accepted, or traditional compromises that prevent us from walking "with all our heart" in God's law. This verse calls us to a radical self-examination: are there areas where we prioritize comfort, reputation, or convenience over God's uncompromising truth? True devotion requires a willingness to dismantle *all* idols, both overt and subtle, and to surrender every aspect of our lives to the Lordship of Christ, ensuring that our obedience is not merely external or partial, but flows from a completely devoted heart.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of my life might I be exhibiting "partial obedience," doing what is right in some aspects but neglecting others?**
* **What are the "sins of Jeroboam" in my own life—the subtle, perhaps traditional or convenient, compromises that prevent me from walking with "all my heart" in God's law?**
* **How can I cultivate a more wholehearted devotion to God, moving beyond mere outward acts to a deep, internal commitment?**
* **Am I willing to allow the Holy Spirit to expose and dismantle every idol in my life, even those that are comfortable or deeply ingrained?**

### FAQ
**Why did God still bless Jehu with a dynasty despite his partial obedience?**

Answer: While 2 Kings 10:31 highlights Jehu's spiritual failure, [2 Kings 10:30](/2_kings/10-30 "2 Kings 10:30 - God's Promise to Jehu") states, "Because you have done well in executing what is right in my eyes, and have done to the house of Ahab all that was in my heart, your sons shall sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation." This demonstrates God's faithfulness to His word and His willingness to reward even partial obedience when it aligns with His specific purposes. Jehu *did* perform the divinely mandated purge of Ahab's house and Baal worship with zeal, a task God had determined was "right in my eyes." God honored this specific obedience with a dynastic promise. However, this reward for a specific act does not negate the overall assessment of Jehu's character or his failure to achieve wholehearted devotion, nor does it excuse his perpetuation of Jeroboam's sins. It shows that God can use flawed individuals to accomplish His will, and He is just in both rewarding specific obedience and judging overall unfaithfulness.

**What exactly were "the sins of Jeroboam"?**

Answer: The "sins of Jeroboam" refer primarily to the establishment of two golden calves as alternative worship centers in Bethel (south) and Dan (north) by Jeroboam I, the first king of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, after the division of the united monarchy ([1 Kings 12:28-30](/1_kings/12-28 "1 Kings 12:28-30 - Jeroboam's Golden Calves")). His motivation was political: he feared that if his people continued to go to Jerusalem to worship, their loyalty would shift back to the Davidic dynasty in Judah. To prevent this, he declared, "It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!" This act was a direct violation of the first two commandments against idolatry and making graven images ([Exodus 20:3-5](/exodus/20-3 "Exodus 20:3-5 - The First Two Commandments")). While Jeroboam likely intended these calves to represent Yahweh, they constituted an unauthorized, syncretistic form of worship that fundamentally corrupted Israel's covenant relationship with God and became a recurring indictment against nearly every subsequent king of Israel.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Jehu's story, marked by zealous but ultimately partial obedience, profoundly underscores humanity's inherent inability to render the wholehearted devotion God truly requires, thereby pointing to the absolute necessity of Christ. Jehu's failure to depart from the "sins of Jeroboam" reveals the deep-seated nature of sin and compromise that even a divinely appointed agent cannot fully overcome. Unlike Jehu, Jesus Christ perfectly fulfilled the law and walked in the will of God "with all His heart," without any deviation or compromise ([Hebrews 10:7](/hebrews/10-7 "Hebrews 10:7 - Jesus' Perfect Obedience")). He did not merely perform specific acts of obedience, but His entire life was an embodiment of perfect love and submission to the Father ([John 8:29](/john/8-29 "John 8:29 - Jesus Always Does What Pleases the Father")). Where Jehu purged one form of idolatry only to retain another, Christ, through His atoning sacrifice, completely eradicates the power of sin and idolatry from the hearts of His people, enabling true, wholehearted worship ([Colossians 2:13-15](/colossians/2-13 "Colossians 2:13-15 - Christ's Triumph Over Sin")). Furthermore, through the New Covenant, Christ provides the Holy Spirit, who writes God's law on our hearts, empowering us to genuinely desire and "walk in His statutes" with a transformed heart, something impossible under the Old Covenant's external demands ([Jeremiah 31:33](/jeremiah/31-33 "Jeremiah 31:33 - The New Covenant Promise"); [Ezekiel 36:26-27](/ezekiel/36-26 "Ezekiel 36:26-27 - A New Heart and Spirit")). Thus, Jehu's partiality highlights our desperate need for a Savior who not only perfectly obeys on our behalf but also transforms us from within, enabling us to offer the wholehearted devotion that God has always desired.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

2 Kings 10:29

¶ Howbeit [from] the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them, [to wit], the golden calves that [were] in Bethel, and that [were] in Dan.

Proverbs 4:23

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it [are] the issues of life.

Hebrews 2:1

¶ Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let [them] slip.

Psalms 78:10

They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law;

Nehemiah 10:29

They clave to their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God's law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord, and his judgments and his statutes;

Daniel 9:10

Neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.

Ezekiel 36:27

And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do [them].