耶戶寫信給耶斯列首領
1 亞哈有七十個兒子在撒馬利亞。耶戶寫信送到撒馬利亞，通知耶斯列的首領，就是長老和教養亞哈眾子的人，說： 2「你們那裏既有你們主人的眾子和車馬、器械、堅固城， 3接了這信，就可以在你們主人的眾子中選擇一個賢能合宜的，使他坐他父親的位，你們也可以為你們主人的家爭戰。」 4他們卻甚懼怕，彼此說：「二王在他面前尚且站立不住，我們怎能站得住呢？」 5家宰、邑宰，和長老，並教養眾子的人，打發人去見耶戶，說：「我們是你的僕人，凡你所吩咐我們的都必遵行，我們不立誰作王，你看怎樣好就怎樣行。」
亞哈眾子被殺
6 耶戶又給他們寫信說：「你們若歸順我，聽從我的話，明日這時候，要將你們主人眾子的首級帶到耶斯列來見我。」那時王的兒子七十人都住在教養他們那城中的尊貴人家裏。 7信一到，他們就把王的七十個兒子殺了，將首級裝在筐裏，送到在耶斯列的耶戶那裏。 8有使者來告訴耶戶說：「他們將王眾子的首級送來了。」耶戶說：「將首級在城門口堆作兩堆，擱到明日。」 9次日早晨，耶戶出來，站着對眾民說：「你們都是公義的，我背叛我主人，將他殺了；這些人卻是誰殺的呢？ 10由此可知，耶和華指着亞哈家所說的話一句沒有落空，因為耶和華藉他僕人以利亞所說的話都成就了。」 11凡亞哈家在耶斯列所剩下的人和他的大臣、密友、祭司，耶戶盡都殺了，沒有留下一個。
亞哈謝的兄弟被殺
12 耶戶起身往撒馬利亞去。在路上、牧人剪羊毛之處， 13遇見猶大王亞哈謝的弟兄，問他們說：「你們是誰？」回答說：「我們是亞哈謝的弟兄，現在下去要問王和太后的眾子安。」 14耶戶吩咐說：「活捉他們！」跟從的人就活捉了他們，將他們殺在剪羊毛之處的坑邊，共四十二人，沒有留下一個。
亞哈家剩下的人被殺
15 耶戶從那裏前行，恰遇利甲的兒子約拿達來迎接他，耶戶問他安，對他說：「你誠心待我像我誠心待你嗎？」約拿達回答說：「是。」耶戶說：「若是這樣，你向我伸手」，他就伸手；耶戶拉他上車。 16耶戶說：「你和我同去，看我為耶和華怎樣熱心」；於是請他坐在車上， 17到了撒馬利亞，就把撒馬利亞的亞哈家剩下的人都殺了，直到滅盡，正如耶和華對以利亞所說的。
拜巴力的人被殺
18 耶戶招聚眾民，對他們說：「亞哈事奉巴力還冷淡，耶戶卻更熱心。 19現在我要給巴力獻大祭。應當叫巴力的眾先知和一切拜巴力的人，並巴力的眾祭司，都到我這裏來，不可缺少一個；凡不來的必不得活。」耶戶這樣行，是用詭計要殺盡拜巴力的人。 20耶戶說：「要為巴力宣告嚴肅會！」於是宣告了。 21耶戶差人走遍以色列地；凡拜巴力的人都來齊了，沒有一個不來的。他們進了巴力廟，巴力廟中從前邊直到後邊都滿了人。 22耶戶吩咐掌管禮服的人說：「拿出禮服來，給一切拜巴力的人穿。」他就拿出禮服來給了他們。 23耶戶和利甲的兒子約拿達進了巴力廟，對拜巴力的人說：「你們察看察看，在你們這裏不可有耶和華的僕人，只可容留拜巴力的人。」 24耶戶和約拿達進去，獻平安祭和燔祭。
耶戶先安派八十人在廟外，吩咐說：「我將這些人交在你們手中，若有一人脫逃，誰放的必叫他償命！」 25耶戶獻完了燔祭，就出來吩咐護衛兵和眾軍長說：「你們進去殺他們，不容一人出來！」護衛兵和軍長就用刀殺他們，將屍首拋出去，便到巴力廟的城去了， 26將巴力廟中的柱像都拿出來燒了； 27毀壞了巴力柱像，拆毀了巴力廟作為廁所，直到今日。
28這樣，耶戶在以色列中滅了巴力。 29只是耶戶不離開尼八的兒子耶羅波安使以色列人陷在罪裏的那罪，就是拜伯特利和但的金牛犢。 30耶和華對耶戶說：「因你辦好我眼中看為正的事，照我的心意待亞哈家，你的子孫必接續你坐以色列的國位，直到四代。」 31只是耶戶不盡心遵守耶和華－以色列神的律法，不離開耶羅波安使以色列人陷在罪裏的那罪。
耶戶去世
32在那些日子，耶和華才割裂以色列國，使哈薛攻擊以色列的境界， 33乃是約旦河東、基列全地，從靠近亞嫩谷邊的亞羅珥起，就是基列和巴珊的迦得人、呂便人、瑪拿西人之地。 34耶戶其餘的事，凡他所行的和他的勇力都寫在以色列諸王記上。 35耶戶與他列祖同睡，葬在撒馬利亞；他兒子約哈斯接續他作王。 36耶戶在撒馬利亞作以色列王二十八年。
各位弟兄姊妹，平安！
我們今天讀的是《列王記下》第十章。常說「亂世出梟雄」，在這裡我們就看到了亂世中的一位梟雄——耶戶。這個人確實非常有手段，也極其兇狠。
在這一整章裡，我們看到雖然他取代了原本很糟糕的以色列王約蘭，成為了以色列的新王，但他殘暴的手段卻讓人不敢恭維。在中國歷史中，我們常常會讀到所謂的「株連九族」，這是指一個人的親戚、遠親，甚至只要與他有關聯的親朋好友等，都會被牽連並處死。這通常發生在一個王朝更替的時候，目的是「斬草除根」。
在王朝更替的過程中，株連九族的慘劇時有發生，而在這裡，我們看到了一個更為嚴重的事件，稱之為「株連十族」。這是一個更加殘酷的清算行動，徹底摧毀了整個家族和其所有相關的人。而且，耶戶一開始是用「借刀殺人」的方式。他威脅原本看守和養育國王70名兒子的這些大臣，讓他們來殺害這些王子。因為耶戶的威脅，這些人不得不聽從，並且主動殺死了王的後裔。這真是非常可怕——一封信就導致了70個人頭落地。而且他還這件事情推給了殺死王子們的這些大臣 – 雖然說他沒有親自動手，但這個命令也是他下的。
耶戶還沒有停止，他接下來看到亞哈的兄弟們，這些要去問安的大臣們，接著，當他來到耶斯列時，他甚至繼續殘殺亞哈家的人。這場屠殺不僅僅針對亞哈家族的成員，還包括他的大臣、密友以及祭司們，全部都被抓來殺掉。
這是真正的「株連十族」，耶戶將當時與亞哈有關係的所有人一個不留，全部殺光。這種手段和心智之可怕與殘忍，令人不寒而慄。
當我們看到耶戶用上帝的預言來為自己的行動辯解，正規化他所做的事時，我們需要參考另一個地方，就是《何西阿書》一章4到5節。其實，我們知道耶戶的行為已經過火，這並不是上帝的本意。
上帝的本意是要他毁滅亞哈家的人，因為亞哈和耶洗別做了極大的壞事，讓整個國家走向邪路。因此，這兩位國王和王后受到懲罰是應得的，而不是周圍的這麼多無辜之人。
在《何西阿書》中，上帝明確說到，耶戶做得太過分了，所以上帝也要懲罰他。耶戶的過度殘暴已經超出了上帝的旨意，這是一個值得我們深思的地方。
在這段歷史中，我們還是要提到有一些上帝的僕人始終堅守著信仰。這裡看到的約拿達，他是利甲族的一員，這一族依然守護著對上帝的信仰，並沒有像巴力的信徒那樣背離。他們是當時的非主流，因為不願與那個敗壞的社會同流合污，選擇退到曠野過著獨自的生活。耶戶為了讓百姓看見他尊重上帝，特別邀請約拿達這位利甲族領袖來到撒瑪利亞。表面上看，耶戶似乎想要悔改並歸向上帝，但我們後來看到，他最終仍轉向拜金牛犢，並沒有真正意義上的悔改和轉變。
當我們看到耶戶進行宗教清洗時，他所使用的手段同樣極其殘忍。為了徹底滅絕巴力的信徒，他將所有的巴力信徒都聚集在一座廟宇內，然後進行了集體大屠殺。這樣的行為，實際上違背了上帝的本意，因為其中一些人原本可能有機會悔改，但他們卻在這場屠殺中喪命。
而且提到亞哈，我們還要提到一個可能很容易被忽略的人物，他不是特別被記錄的角色，但卻在歷史中留下了重要榜樣，他的名字是俄巴底亞（Obadiah）。在《列王紀上》18章中記載，俄巴底亞是一個敬畏上帝的人，儘管他是亞哈王的家宰，但他依然忠於上帝。
在耶洗別迫害上帝先知的時候，俄巴底亞暗中藏匿了100個先知在山洞中，並且長時間以餅和水供養他們。這是一個真心服侍上帝的人。當耶戶在聚集巴力信徒預備殺害的時候，他多次確認 “不可有耶和華的僕人”可能代表他還是很小心，不要誤殺了也是敬拜上帝的人。
總結一下，第十章紀錄了耶戶這一個原本應該聽從上帝驅除偶像的人，到最後卻成了另外一個拜偶像的邪惡君王。可惜有些人原本是被上帝呼召去做重要的工作，到最後卻成了服侍自己的罪性的人。
而以色列的敗壞之路還在繼續。但在這些敗壞之中，請各位繼續注意在這些 悲劇之中從未斷絕的希望之光。我們接下來看第十一章的故事，感謝各位的聆聽。
Ahab’s Family Killed
Now there were in Samaria seventy sons of the house of Ahab. So Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria: to the officials of Jezreel, to the elders and to the guardians of Ahab’s children. He said, “You have your master’s sons with you and you have chariots and horses, a fortified city and weapons. Now as soon as this letter reaches you, choose the best and most worthy of your master’s sons and set him on his father’s throne. Then fight for your master’s house.”
But they were terrified and said, “If two kings could not resist him, how can we?”
So the palace administrator, the city governor, the elders and the guardians sent this message to Jehu: “We are your servants and we will do anything you say. We will not appoint anyone as king; you do whatever you think best.”
Then Jehu wrote them a second letter, saying, “If you are on my side and will obey me, take the heads of your master’s sons and come to me in Jezreel by this time tomorrow.”
Now the royal princes, seventy of them, were with the leading men of the city, who were rearing them. When the letter arrived, these men took the princes and slaughtered all seventy of them. They put their heads in baskets and sent them to Jehu in Jezreel. When the messenger arrived, he told Jehu, “They have brought the heads of the princes.”
Then Jehu ordered, “Put them in two piles at the entrance of the city gate until morning.”
The next morning Jehu went out. He stood before all the people and said, “You are innocent. It was I who conspired against my master and killed him, but who killed all these? Know, then, that not a word the Lord has spoken against the house of Ahab will fail. The Lord has done what he announced through his servant Elijah.” So Jehu killed everyone in Jezreel who remained of the house of Ahab, as well as all his chief men, his close friends and his priests, leaving him no survivor.
Jehu then set out and went toward Samaria. At Beth Eked of the Shepherds, he met some relatives of Ahaziah king of Judah and asked, “Who are you?”
They said, “We are relatives of Ahaziah, and we have come down to greet the families of the king and of the queen mother.”
“Take them alive!” he ordered. So they took them alive and slaughtered them by the well of Beth Eked—forty-two of them. He left no survivor.
After he left there, he came upon Jehonadab son of Rekab, who was on his way to meet him. Jehu greeted him and said, “Are you in accord with me, as I am with you?”
“I am,” Jehonadab answered.
“If so,” said Jehu, “give me your hand.” So he did, and Jehu helped him up into the chariot. Jehu said, “Come with me and see my zeal for the Lord.” Then he had him ride along in his chariot.
When Jehu came to Samaria, he killed all who were left there of Ahab’s family; he destroyed them, according to the word of the Lord spoken to Elijah.
Servants of Baal Killed
Then Jehu brought all the people together and said to them, “Ahab served Baal a little; Jehu will serve him much. Now summon all the prophets of Baal, all his servants and all his priests. See that no one is missing, because I am going to hold a great sacrifice for Baal. Anyone who fails to come will no longer live.” But Jehu was acting deceptively in order to destroy the servants of Baal.
Jehu said, “Call an assembly in honor of Baal.” So they proclaimed it. Then he sent word throughout Israel, and all the servants of Baal came; not one stayed away. They crowded into the temple of Baal until it was full from one end to the other. And Jehu said to the keeper of the wardrobe, “Bring robes for all the servants of Baal.” So he brought out robes for them.
Then Jehu and Jehonadab son of Rekab went into the temple of Baal. Jehu said to the servants of Baal, “Look around and see that no one who serves the Lord is here with you—only servants of Baal.” So they went in to make sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had posted eighty men outside with this warning: “If one of you lets any of the men I am placing in your hands escape, it will be your life for his life.”
As soon as Jehu had finished making the burnt offering, he ordered the guards and officers: “Go in and kill them; let no one escape.” So they cut them down with the sword. The guards and officers threw the bodies out and then entered the inner shrine of the temple of Baal. They brought the sacred stone out of the temple of Baal and burned it. They demolished the sacred stone of Baal and tore down the temple of Baal, and people have used it for a latrine to this day.
So Jehu destroyed Baal worship in Israel. However, he did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit—the worship of the golden calves at Bethel and Dan.
The Lord said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in accomplishing what is right in my eyes and have done to the house of Ahab all I had in mind to do, your descendants will sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.” Yet Jehu was not careful to keep the law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam, which he had caused Israel to commit.
In those days the Lord began to reduce the size of Israel. Hazael overpowered the Israelites throughout their territory east of the Jordan in all the land of Gilead (the region of Gad, Reuben and Manasseh), from Aroer by the Arnon Gorge through Gilead to Bashan.
As for the other events of Jehu’s reign, all he did, and all his achievements, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?
Jehu rested with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son succeeded him as king. The time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.
Brothers and sisters, peace be with you!
Today we are reading from 2 Kings, chapter 10. It is often said, "Turbulent times produce heroes," and here we see one such figure in the chaos of those times—Jehu. This man was indeed cunning and ruthless.
In this chapter, we observe that while Jehu replaced the corrupt king of Israel, Joram, and became the new king, his brutal methods leave much to be desired. In Chinese history, we often read about the concept of "extermination of nine generations," where an individual's relatives, distant family, and even friends and associates would be executed. This often happened during dynastic transitions to "uproot" any potential threats.
In this case, we see something even more extreme—a situation I would call "extermination of ten generations," where a brutal purge wipes out an entire family and all associated with it. Jehu initially used "killing by proxy" to achieve his ends. He threatened the officials who were caring for and raising the 70 sons of the king, forcing them to kill the princes. Due to Jehu's threats, these officials had no choice but to obey and slaughter the royal heirs. This was truly horrifying—one letter led to 70 heads rolling. Even though Jehu did not personally execute them, he issued the order and made sure the blame fell on the officials.
Jehu did not stop there. He later encountered the brothers of Ahaziah, the king of Judah, and those officials who were going to inquire about the king’s health. When he arrived in Jezreel, he continued to massacre the family of Ahab. This slaughter wasn't limited to Ahab’s family members; it also included his officials, close friends, and priests, all of whom were captured and killed.
This is the true "extermination of ten generations"—Jehu left no one connected to Ahab alive. His methods and mindset were terrifyingly ruthless, leaving one cold with fear.
When we see Jehu justifying his actions with God's prophecy, claiming that his deeds were divinely sanctioned, we need to look at another passage—Hosea 1:4-5. Here we learn that Jehu's actions went too far, exceeding God's intentions.
God’s purpose was to destroy the house of Ahab because of the immense evil Ahab and Jezebel had committed, leading the entire nation astray. Therefore, the punishment of these two was justified. However, the slaughter of so many others who were not directly guilty was not God's will.
In Hosea, God clearly states that Jehu's actions were excessive, and therefore he too would face punishment. Jehu's brutal overreach went beyond God's directives, which is a significant point for us to reflect on.
In this historical context, we must also mention those who remained steadfast in their faith. One such person is Jonadab of the Rechabites. The Rechabites continued to uphold their faith in God and did not follow the ways of Baal. They were non-conformists at the time, choosing to live in the wilderness and not participate in the corrupt society around them.
To show his respect for God, Jehu invited Jonadab, the leader of the Rechabites, to Samaria. On the surface, it appeared that Jehu wanted to repent and turn to God, but as we later see, he ultimately returned to idol worship, specifically the golden calves, showing no real repentance or transformation.
When Jehu carried out his religious purges, his methods were equally brutal. To wipe out the followers of Baal, he gathered all of them in a temple and then conducted a mass slaughter. This act also went against God’s will because some of those people may have had the opportunity to repent, but they were all killed in the massacre.
Additionally, when we mention Ahab, we must also bring up a figure who might easily be overlooked—Obadiah. Though not a central character, Obadiah plays an important role in the history of faith. According to 1 Kings 18, Obadiah was a man who feared the Lord, even though he served as a palace administrator under Ahab.
When Jezebel was persecuting God’s prophets, Obadiah secretly hid 100 prophets in caves and sustained them with bread and water for a long time. He was truly a man devoted to serving God, even though he worked for a wicked king like Ahab. When Jehu was gathering Baal's followers to prepare for their execution, he took great care to ensure that no servants of the Lord were mistakenly killed, showing some level of caution and discernment.
In summary, chapter 10 records Jehu, a man who was initially called to rid Israel of idolatry, but who eventually became another idol-worshiping, evil king. It is unfortunate that some, who are called by God to do important work, end up serving their own sinful desires.
Israel’s path of corruption continued, but even amidst this moral decay, we must pay attention to the glimmers of hope that never fully disappeared. As we move on to chapter 11, I thank you all for listening.
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