2 Kings 10:31

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.

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}.

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.

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.

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

2 Kings 10:31 delivers a sobering assessment of King Jehu's reign, highlighting a critical flaw despite his earlier zealous obedience to God's command. While Jehu successfully executed God's judgment against the house of Ahab and the worship of Baal, his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord, leading to spiritual compromise.

Context

This verse comes at the end of a dramatic period in Israel's history, where Jehu, anointed by the prophet Elisha's servant, carried out a divinely ordained purge. Jehu annihilated the entire household of Ahab, including King Joram, Ahaziah of Judah, Jezebel, and all Baal worshippers in Samaria. This was a decisive act of obedience to God's word, as seen in 2 Kings 9:6-7. His actions initially brought about a necessary cleansing from profound idolatry that had plagued the Northern Kingdom of Israel. However, 2 Kings 10:31 reveals the limits of his obedience and the enduring spiritual challenges facing the nation.

Key Themes

  • Partial Obedience vs. Wholehearted Devotion: Jehu performed God's will concerning Ahab and Baal, yet he "took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD... with all his heart." This distinction is crucial; outward acts of obedience are insufficient without internal commitment. God desires a sincere, complete devotion, not just instrumental compliance.
  • The Enduring Sin of Jeroboam: The verse explicitly states Jehu "departed not from the sins of Jeroboam." This refers to the state-sponsored idolatry initiated by King Jeroboam I, who set up golden calves in Bethel and Dan as alternative worship centers to Jerusalem, fearing his people would return to the Davidic dynasty (see 1 Kings 12:28-30). This political sin became a deep-seated religious transgression, leading generations of Israelites into idolatry and breaking the first two commandments. Jehu, despite his zeal against Baal, maintained these established, convenient forms of worship, showing a lack of full trust in God.
  • The Nature of Idolatry: While Jehu eradicated Baal worship, he failed to remove the more "convenient" or traditional forms of idolatry established by Jeroboam. This illustrates that idolatry isn't limited to foreign gods but can also manifest in human-made religious systems that deviate from God's prescribed worship, even if they claim to honor the Lord.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "walk in the law of the LORD... with all his heart" emphasizes the biblical concept of covenant faithfulness. The Hebrew phrase "בְּכָל־לְבָבוֹ" (b'khol-levavoh) meaning "with all his heart," signifies total commitment and devotion—intellectual, emotional, and volitional. It's a standard requirement for true obedience and love for God, as commanded in the foundational texts like Deuteronomy 6:5.

Practical Application

Jehu's story serves as a powerful reminder for believers today:

  • Beware of Partial Obedience: It's possible to do many good things for God, or even be used by Him for great purposes, yet still fall short in areas where personal convenience or established traditions override complete devotion. We must examine our lives for areas of compromise.
  • Root Out All Idolatry: Idolatry isn't just worshipping statues; it's anything that takes God's rightful place in our lives – whether it's security, comfort, power, or even religious practices that are not truly God-honoring. True devotion requires dismantling all such idols.
  • The Danger of Legacy Sins: Jehu inherited a system of sin from Jeroboam. Sometimes, we inherit patterns of thinking or behavior that are contrary to God's word. It's crucial to discern and depart from these "sins of our fathers" that continue to make others stumble.
Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified 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].
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