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The Kings of Israel and Judah, Part 4
November 2, 2024

Elisha the prophet would continue to interact with the King of Israel, even though he had earlier declared a preference only to work with the King of Judah, most likely due to the sins of Israel, and soon found himself embroiled in a spy scandal with the King of Syria who was confounded by the continued military successes of the King of Israel. In the Syrian king’s mind, only a spy could account for the luck of Israel. He went as far as questioning those closest to him to see who the spy was and was told that it wasn’t a spy, just Elisha the prophet. The King of Syria decided to have Elisha brought to him, and once he found out he was in Dothan, the king sent soldiers to bring him back.

Elisha rose early the next morning to find Dothan surrounded by Syrian soldiers and his young assistant was at a loss of what to do. Elisha calmly told him that those that were with them were stronger than the Syrians. It was then that chariots of fire became visible, and it didn’t take too long after that for the Syrian army to be blinded and to agree to unknowingly follow Elisha to Samaria, where they came before the King of Israel. Even though the king was ready to kill them all, Elisha told him to feed them and let them return to the King of Syria.

Instead of trying to sneak covertly into Israel, the King of Syria adapted his strategy for something more confrontational, and laid siege on Samaria during a great famine. The famine coupled with the siege drove up prices beyond what was affordable, and people resorted to eating their children. One day, the King of Israel was confronted by a woman who complained that another lady broke their deal. The day before they ate her son, and on this day when they were supposed to eat this other lady’s son, that other lady backed out of the deal. Hearing this predicament caused the king to be angry and sad, and he saw Elisha as the source of all these troubles, and he wanted Elisha dead. Elisha heard of the king’s concerns and had those closest to him agree to block entry to where Elisha was living. When the king’s messenger came to Elisha, he was blocked at the door and shared that the evil of the famine was of God.

2 Kings 6:8-33
Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp. And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down. And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice. Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said unto them, Will ye not shew me which of us is for the king of Israel? And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber. And he said, Go and spy where he is, that I may send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan. Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about. And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the Lord, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. But he led them to Samaria. And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said, Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may see. And the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria. And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them? And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them: wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master. And he prepared great provision for them: and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. So the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel. And it came to pass after this, that Ben–hadad king of Syria gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria. And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass's head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove's dung for five pieces of silver. And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman unto him, saying, Help, my lord, O king. And he said, If the Lord do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress? And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, This woman said unto me, Give thy son, that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow. So we boiled my son, and did eat him: and I said unto her on the next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him: and she hath hid her son. And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes; and he passed by upon the wall, and the people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh. Then he said, God do so and more also to me, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day. But Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him; and the king sent a man from before him: but ere the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, See ye how this son of a murderer hath sent to take away mine head? look, when the messenger cometh, shut the door, and hold him fast at the door: is not the sound of his master's feet behind him? And while he yet talked with them, behold, the messenger came down unto him: and he said, Behold, this evil is of the Lord; what should I wait for the Lord any longer?

Elisha told the messenger that food would be available the very next day and be available for reasonable costs. A person who came with the king’s messenger doubted what Elisha was saying and wondered when God would open the windows of heaven so that the food would just drop in. Elisha told this person that they would see the food but not eat of it. A few lepers who were nearby thought it would be better to die at the hands of the Syrians rather than just waiting to die in the city. They made their way to the Syrian camp near the city, but before they got to the camp, the Syrian army had heard the sound of approaching chariots, and fearing for their lives and a surprise attack, they fled leaving everything, including their food supplies behind.

When the lepers approached the outskirts of the Syrian camp, they expected to find lots of people and noticed nobody was there. There was a camp fully set up with all types of supplies including food. Those lepers left very well fed and also plundered the camp when they were there. They then hid what they plundered nearby before returning to the city to tell the king’s porter what they saw, and not saying anything about plundering from the camp. When the porter told the King of Israel, he was skeptical that the Syrians had fled and saw the abandoned camp as a ruse to get the army out of the city, so that the city could be more easily conquered. Wanting to verify if the Syrians had fled while also protecting the city, the king sent a small reconnaissance squad who were able to observe a trail of clothes and other articles the Syrian army would have on them all the way from the camp to the Jordan river, and they then returned to the king.

Once the king understood there were no Syrian soldiers hiding nearby to take over the city, the people of the city went to the camp and plundered it and took so much food supplies that prices dropped like a rock, just like Elisha had said. In a rush to bring the supplies into the city, the gatekeeper was crushed to death by the hordes of people. The gatekeeper that night was the same person who Elisha had told would see the food but not eat it. He saw all the food being brought into the city and then was crushed to death.

2 Kings 7:1-20
Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the Lord; Thus saith the Lord, Tomorrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria. Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof. And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die? If we say, We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there: and if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians: if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die. And they rose up in the twilight, to go unto the camp of the Syrians: and when they were come to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria, behold, there was no man there. For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host: and they said one to another, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us. Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their asses, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life. And when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp, they went into one tent, and did eat and drink, and carried thence silver, and gold, and raiment, and went and hid it; and came again, and entered into another tent, and carried thence also, and went and hid it. Then they said one to another, We do not well: this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace: if we tarry till the morning light, some mischief will come upon us: now therefore come, that we may go and tell the king's household. So they came and called unto the porter of the city: and they told them, saying, We came to the camp of the Syrians, and, behold, there was no man there, neither voice of man, but horses tied, and asses tied, and the tents as they were. And he called the porters; and they told it to the king's house within. And the king arose in the night, and said unto his servants, I will now shew you what the Syrians have done to us. They know that we be hungry; therefore are they gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying, When they come out of the city, we shall catch them alive, and get into the city. And one of his servants answered and said, Let some take, I pray thee, five of the horses that remain, which are left in the city, behold, they are as all the multitude of Israel that are left in it: behold, I say, they are even as all the multitude of the Israelites that are consumed: and let us send and see. They took therefore two chariot horses; and the king sent after the host of the Syrians, saying, Go and see. And they went after them unto Jordan: and, lo, all the way was full of garments and vessels, which the Syrians had cast away in their haste. And the messengers returned, and told the king. And the people went out, and spoiled the tents of the Syrians. So a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the Lord. And the king appointed the lord on whose hand he leaned to have the charge of the gate: and the people trode upon him in the gate, and he died, as the man of God had said, who spake when the king came down to him. And it came to pass as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, Two measures of barley for a shekel, and a measure of fine flour for a shekel, shall be tomorrow about this time in the gate of Samaria: And that lord answered the man of God, and said, Now, behold, if the Lord should make windows in heaven, might such a thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof. And so it fell out unto him: for the people trode upon him in the gate, and he died.

Elisha then warned of a famine that would last seven years and told a woman whose son he had previously brought back from the dead to take herself and her household and to live wherever they could to survive the famine. With that warning the woman moved her family to the land of the Philistines. When the famine was over, she returned and appealed to the king to get her land back, and in hearing her appeal, the king consulted with Gehazi, assistant to Elisha. When the king understood that Elisha had brought back from the dead this woman’s son, he had all her property restored to her.

Elisha would find himself in Damascus when the King of Syria was sick. When the king understood Elisha was visiting, he had Hazael meet with Elisha to see if he would recover from his illness. Elisha told Hazael to tell the king he would recover even though he already knew the King of Syria would die. Hazael understood the implications of what Elisha was saying and then noticed he was crying. When asked why he was crying, Elisha told him he knew the evil Hazael would bring upon Israel, describing how walled cities would be defeated, and describing how the people would suffer at the hands of the Syrians. Hazael was taken aback by what he was being told, and it was then that he was told by Elisha that God had shown him he would be the next king over Syria. Surely enough, Ben-hadad, King of Syria, died the next day after Hazael murdered him by placing a wet cloth over his face, and Hazael became the new king.

When Joram had been King of Israel for five years, Jehoram became King of Judah, and he reigned for eight years, and was very similar to the kings of Israel as he was married to King Ahab’s daughter. Jehoram did what was evil in God’s eyes. Even with the evil of Jehoram, God did not destroy Judah for the sake of David. While King of Judah, Jehoram faced revolts from the people of Edom and Libnah. As we read the next few verses the names Jehoram and Joram both reference the same king of Judah, and Joram is also used as the name of the King of Israel, sort of confusing. Jehoram, also called Joram, died and was buried, and this brought Ahaziah to the throne of Judah. Jehoram reigned for only eight years and his son for only one year. During his brief reign, he went to war against Syria with the King of Israel when the King of Israel was wounded in battle.

2 Kings 8:1-29
Then spake Elisha unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thine household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn: for the Lord hath called for a famine; and it shall also come upon the land seven years. And the woman arose, and did after the saying of the man of God: and she went with her household, and sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years. And it came to pass at the seven years' end, that the woman returned out of the land of the Philistines: and she went forth to cry unto the king for her house and for her land. And the king talked with Gehazi the servant of the man of God, saying, Tell me, I pray thee, all the great things that Elisha hath done. And it came to pass, as he was telling the king how he had restored a dead body to life, that, behold, the woman, whose son he had restored to life, cried to the king for her house and for her land. And Gehazi said, My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life. And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed unto her a certain officer, saying, Restore all that was hers, and all the fruits of the field since the day that she left the land, even until now. And Elisha came to Damascus; and Ben–hadad the king of Syria was sick; and it was told him, saying, The man of God is come hither. And the king said unto Hazael, Take a present in thine hand, and go, meet the man of God, and enquire of the Lord by him, saying, Shall I recover of this disease? So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels' burden, and came and stood before him, and said, Thy son Ben–hadad king of Syria hath sent me to thee, saying, Shall I recover of this disease? And Elisha said unto him, Go, say unto him, Thou mayest certainly recover: howbeit the Lord hath shewed me that he shall surely die. And he settled his countenance stedfastly, until he was ashamed: and the man of God wept. And Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord? And he answered, Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their children, and rip up their women with child. And Hazael said, But what, is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing? And Elisha answered, The Lord hath shewed me that thou shalt be king over Syria. So he departed from Elisha, and came to his master; who said to him, What said Elisha to thee? And he answered, He told me that thou shouldest surely recover. And it came to pass on the morrow, that he took a thick cloth, and dipped it in water, and spread it on his face, so that he died: and Hazael reigned in his stead. And in the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, Jehoshaphat being then king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah began to reign. Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab: for the daughter of Ahab was his wife: and he did evil in the sight of the Lord. Yet the Lord would not destroy Judah for David his servant's sake, as he promised him to give him alway a light, and to his children. In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves. So Joram went over to Zair, and all the chariots with him: and he rose by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him about, and the captains of the chariots: and the people fled into their tents. Yet Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day. Then Libnah revolted at the same time. And the rest of the acts of Joram, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? And Joram slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead. In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel did Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah begin to reign. Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Athaliah, the daughter of Omri king of Israel. And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did evil in the sight of the Lord, as did the house of Ahab: for he was the son in law of the house of Ahab. And he went with Joram the son of Ahab to the war against Hazael king of Syria in Ramoth–gilead; and the Syrians wounded Joram. And king Joram went back to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.

Elisha’s interactions with the Kings of Israel would continue, and this time through one of the children of the prophets. This young man was given a mission and then told to get away really fast once he had completed his mission. His mission was simple, to find Jehu, who was a high-ranking official in the king’s household, and to anoint him to be the next king. Jehu was also given instructions to wipe out every last member of the household of Ahab. After the son of the prophets left Jehu shared with others there what he had been told, and they accepted him as the next king. With King Joram still alive, Jehu had to begin plotting to take the throne and knew he had to get to Jezreel where Joram was recovering from his battle injuries.

Jehu left by chariot with a company of men to travel to Jezreel where Joram was recovering from his battle injuries, and Ahaziah, King of Judah was visiting. A watchman at a tower saw Jehu arriving and relayed word to Joram. Joram told him to dispatch a horseman to meet Jehu before he arrived to see if Jehu was coming in peace. With Jehu not coming in peace the horseman decided to stay with Jehu and not risk death by returning to Joram. A second horseman was dispatched when the first horseman failed to return, and just like the first horseman, this one also stayed with Jehu. That frustrated Joram who told his staff to prepare his chariot, and he along with King Ahaziah, who rode separately in his own chariot met Jehu on the land that once belonged to Naboth the Jezreelite, the same person who Jezebel had killed so that Ahab could have the land. When Joram asked if Jehu had come in peace, it didn’t take long for Joram to understand this was not a visit of peace, and so Joram turned around and headed back to the palace as quickly as he could, but before he could get there, he was killed by an arrow shot by Jehu that pierced his heart.

Jehu had Joram’s body tossed onto the land once belonging to Naboth and then gave chase to King Ahaziah of Judah, where he was eventually killed at Megiddo. He next set his sights on Jezebel who tried to disguise herself, and Jehu immediately sought who inside the palace was on his side. When two or three eunuchs looked out, he had them throw Jezebel out the window, and then he stomped her to death with his horse. After a bite to eat inside his new palace he told the staff to have her body buried, but by the time they got to her body all they found was her skull and a few bones. Just as Elijah had prophesied, the dogs had eaten Jezebel.

2 Kings 9:1-37
And Elisha the prophet called one of the children of the prophets, and said unto him, Gird up thy loins, and take this box of oil in thine hand, and go to Ramoth–gilead: And when thou comest thither, look out there Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in, and make him arise up from among his brethren, and carry him to an inner chamber; Then take the box of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, Thus saith the Lord, I have anointed thee king over Israel. Then open the door, and flee, and tarry not. So the young man, even the young man the prophet, went to Ramoth–gilead. And when he came, behold, the captains of the host were sitting; and he said, I have an errand to thee, O captain. And Jehu said, Unto which of all us? And he said, To thee, O captain. And he arose, and went into the house; and he poured the oil on his head, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I have anointed thee king over the people of the Lord, even over Israel. And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord, at the hand of Jezebel. For the whole house of Ahab shall perish: and I will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel: And I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah: And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her. And he opened the door, and fled. Then Jehu came forth to the servants of his lord: and one said unto him, Is all well? wherefore came this mad fellow to thee? And he said unto them, Ye know the man, and his communication. And they said, It is false; tell us now. And he said, Thus and thus spake he to me, saying, Thus saith the Lord, I have anointed thee king over Israel. Then they hasted, and took every man his garment, and put it under him on the top of the stairs, and blew with trumpets, saying, Jehu is king. So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. Now Joram had kept Ramoth–gilead, he and all Israel, because of Hazael king of Syria. But king Joram was returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him, when he fought with Hazael king of Syria. And Jehu said, If it be your minds, then let none go forth nor escape out of the city to go to tell it in Jezreel. So Jehu rode in a chariot, and went to Jezreel; for Joram lay there. And Ahaziah king of Judah was come down to see Joram. And there stood a watchman on the tower in Jezreel, and he spied the company of Jehu as he came, and said, I see a company. And Joram said, Take an horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say, Is it peace? So there went one on horseback to meet him, and said, Thus saith the king, Is it peace? And Jehu said, What hast thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me. And the watchman told, saying, The messenger came to them, but he cometh not again. Then he sent out a second on horseback, which came to them, and said, Thus saith the king, Is it peace? And Jehu answered, What hast thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me. And the watchman told, saying, He came even unto them, and cometh not again: and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi; for he driveth furiously. And Joram said, Make ready. And his chariot was made ready. And Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his chariot, and they went out against Jehu, and met him in the portion of Naboth the Jezreelite. And it came to pass, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, Is it peace, Jehu? And he answered, What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many? And Joram turned his hands, and fled, and said to Ahaziah, There is treachery, O Ahaziah. And Jehu drew a bow with his full strength, and smote Jehoram between his arms, and the arrow went out at his heart, and he sunk down in his chariot. Then said Jehu to Bidkar his captain, Take up, and cast him in the portion of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite: for remember how that, when I and thou rode together after Ahab his father, the Lord laid this burden upon him; Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth, and the blood of his sons, saith the Lord; and I will requite thee in this plat, saith the Lord. Now therefore take and cast him into the plat of ground, according to the word of the Lord. But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the way of the garden house. And Jehu followed after him, and said, Smite him also in the chariot. And they did so at the going up to Gur, which is by Ibleam. And he fled to Megiddo, and died there. And his servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him in his sepulchre with his fathers in the city of David. And in the eleventh year of Joram the son of Ahab began Ahaziah to reign over Judah. And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a window. And as Jehu entered in at the gate, she said, Had Zimri peace, who slew his master? And he lifted up his face to the window, and said, Who is on my side? who? And there looked out to him two or three eunuchs. And he said, Throw her down. So they threw her down: and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses: and he trode her under foot. And when he was come in, he did eat and drink, and said, Go, see now this cursed woman, and bury her: for she is a king's daughter. And they went to bury her: but they found no more of her than the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands. Wherefore they came again, and told him. And he said, This is the word of the Lord, which he spake by his servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, In the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel: And the carcase of Jezebel shall be as dung upon the face of the field in the portion of Jezreel; so that they shall not say, This is Jezebel.

Next up for Jehu was the death of all the children of Ahab, all potential heirs to the throne. Jehu wanted them all dead and sent letters to local leaders telling them to come prepared to fight along with their local descendant of Ahab for the throne of Israel. Nobody took Jehu up on this offer because by this time everyone knew how he had killed both Joram and Ahaziah of Judah. Jehu sent a second letter to these local leaders telling them to simply kill the descendants of Ahab and bring their severed heads to Jehu, and by the next day all of Ahab’s descendants were dead.

With no threat from Ahab’s descendants, Jehu left and went to Samaria. While on the way he met relatives of Ahaziah, King of Judah and also had them killed. While in Samaria he had any and all killed who were loyal to Ahab or who could by any means claim any right to the throne. With his throne secured, Jehu publicly vowed to be a better and more thorough worshipper of Baal than Ahab and his descendants were, but this was just a ruse to gather all the Baal worshippers together. As part of the trickery, Jehu proclaimed a solemn assembly for Baal and gave the worshippers that came special clothes to wear. When all the Baal worshippers were inside the house of Baal making sacrificial offerings, Jehu had eighty men enter to kill every last worshipper of Baal. Not one person’s life was to be spared. With worshippers of Baal dead, the images inside the house of Baal, and the image of Baal were also destroyed. Finally, even the house of Baal was destroyed. Jehu removed Baal from Israel, but did not remove the golden calves established by Jeroboam. Even though God promised Jehu his fourth generation would sit on the throne of Israel, Jehu continued in the worship of the golden calves, and troubles would continue for Israel. Jehu would rule Israel for twenty-eight years before his death.

2 Kings 10:1-36
And Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, unto the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to them that brought up Ahab's children, saying, Now as soon as this letter cometh to you, seeing your master's sons are with you, and there are with you chariots and horses, a fenced city also, and armour; Look even out the best and meetest of your master's sons, and set him on his father's throne, and fight for your master's house. But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, two kings stood not before him: how then shall we stand? And he that was over the house, and he that was over the city, the elders also, and the bringers up of the children, sent to Jehu, saying, We are thy servants, and will do all that thou shalt bid us; we will not make any king: do thou that which is good in thine eyes. Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, If ye be mine, and if ye will hearken unto my voice, take ye the heads of the men your master's sons, and come to me to Jezreel by tomorrow this time. Now the king's sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, which brought them up. And it came to pass, when the letter came to them, that they took the king's sons, and slew seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent him them to Jezreel. And there came a messenger, and told him, saying, They have brought the heads of the king's sons. And he said, Lay ye them in two heaps at the entering in of the gate until the morning. And it came to pass in the morning, that he went out, and stood, and said to all the people, Ye be righteous: behold, I conspired against my master, and slew him: but who slew all these? Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the Lord, which the Lord spake concerning the house of Ahab: for the Lord hath done that which he spake by his servant Elijah. So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his kinsfolks, and his priests, until he left him none remaining. And he arose and departed, and came to Samaria. And as he was at the shearing house in the way, Jehu met with the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, Who are ye? And they answered, We are the brethren of Ahaziah; and we go down to salute the children of the king and the children of the queen. And he said, Take them alive. And they took them alive, and slew them at the pit of the shearing house, even two and forty men; neither left he any of them. 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. And he said, Come with me, and see my zeal for the Lord. So they made him ride in his chariot. 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. And Jehu gathered all the people together, and said unto them, Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu shall serve him much. 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. And Jehu said, Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal. And they proclaimed it. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. And they brought forth the images out of the house of Baal, and burned them. And they brake down the image of Baal, and brake down the house of Baal, and made it a draught house unto this day. Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel. 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 Beth–el, and that were in Dan. And the Lord said unto Jehu, Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes, and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart, thy children of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel. 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. In those days the Lord began to cut Israel short: and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel; From Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the river Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan. Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, and all that he did, and all his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? And Jehu slept with his fathers: and they buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son reigned in his stead. And the time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty and eight years

Elisha had to interact with the Kings of Israel even though he preferred not to, and when the children of the prophets had to interact, they had to act strategically and could even find themselves fleeing to save their lives. Jehu did a good thing by removing Baal from Israel, but his heart wasn’t with God even though it was God who gave him the throne. He didn’t fully commit to God, and that is something as Christians we must do every day of our life. We must fully commit ourselves to God. Next time, we'll see that even though some of the kings of Judah did what was right in the sight of God, they also didn't fully commit.

All verses are from the King James Version.
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