JEHU, a king of Israel. Son of Jehoshaphat and grandson of Nimshi, he was at first general of Ahab and Jehoram of Israel, and was noted for his furious driving of the chariot. During the joint expedition of Jehoram of Israel and Ahaziah of Judah, the former was wounded, and retired to Jezreel, where he was visited by the king of Judah. Instigated by the prophetic party and sup ported by the Rechabites, Jehu organised a revolution, hastened to Jezreel, where he put to death both Jehoram and Ahaziah, whilst he had the whole of the family of Ahab assassinaLd. The movement was the result of patriotic hostility to the foreign political theories and the religious innovations introduced by Jezebel from Sidon, which offended both the democratic feeling and the enthusiasm for Yahweh which were characteristic of Israel. Thus not only Jezebel herself but also large numbers of
Baal worshippers were put to death.
In the course of an expedition against Damascus, undertaken in 841 B.C., Shalmaneser III. received tribute from Jehu. This was probably paid in order to secure Assyrian protection for the new regime, but it did not prevent the loss of much Israelite ter ritory to the east of Jordan, or continuous war between Jehu and Hazael, king of Damascus, after the withdrawal from the country of the Assyrian armies.
Jehu is also the name of a prophet of the time of Baasha and Jehoshaphat (I Kings xvi.; II Chron. xix. seq.).