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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1.0;"/><title>Topical Bible: Iconoclasm: Destroyed by Jehu</title><link rel="canonical" href="https://biblehub.com/topical/naves/i/iconoclasm--destroyed_by_jehu.htm" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/newtopical.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script src='https://qd.admetricspro.com/js/biblehub/biblehub-layout-loader-revcatch.js'></script><script id='HyDgbd_1s' src='https://prebidads.revcatch.com/ads.js' type='text/javascript' async></script><script>(function(w,d,b,s,i){var cts=d.createElement(s);cts.async=true;cts.id='catchscript'; cts.dataset.appid=i;cts.src='https://app.protectsubrev.com/catch_rp.js?cb='+Math.random(); document.head.appendChild(cts); }) (window,document,'head','script','rc-anksrH');</script></head> <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-LR4HSKRP2H"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-LR4HSKRP2H'); </script><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="/topical/vmenus/2_kings/10-26.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="//biblehu.com/bmcde/j/jehu.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="/">Bible</a> > <a href="/topical/">Topical</a> > Iconoclasm</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="/topical/naves/i/iconoclasm--destroyed_by_jehoshaphat.htm" title="Iconoclasm: Destroyed by Jehoshaphat">◄</a> Iconoclasm: Destroyed by Jehu <a href="/topical/naves/i/iconoclasm--destroyed_by_jews.htm" title="Iconoclasm: Destroyed by Jews">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="topverse">Jump to: <a href="#nav" title="Nave's Topical Index">Nave's</a> • <a href="#sub" title="Subtopics">Subtopics</a> • <a href="#rel" title="Related Terms">Terms</a></div><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><a name="te" id="te"></a><div class="vheading2">Topical Encyclopedia</div>Iconoclasm, the destruction of religious icons and symbols, finds a significant biblical precedent in the actions of Jehu, the tenth king of the northern kingdom of Israel. Jehu's reign is marked by a zealous campaign against the worship of Baal, a Canaanite deity whose cult had been established in Israel through the influence of Queen Jezebel, the wife of King Ahab.<br><br><b>Background and Context</b><br><br>The rise of Baal worship in Israel was a direct violation of the First Commandment, which states, "You shall have no other gods before Me" (<a href="/exodus/20-3.htm">Exodus 20:3</a>). The syncretism that characterized the reigns of Ahab and Jezebel led to widespread idolatry, provoking the wrath of the LORD. The prophet Elijah, and later Elisha, were instrumental in opposing this apostasy, setting the stage for Jehu's iconoclastic reforms.<br><br><b>Jehu's Anointing and Mission</b><br><br>Jehu's mission was divinely ordained. The prophet Elisha sent a young prophet to anoint Jehu as king over Israel with a specific mandate: to destroy the house of Ahab and eradicate Baal worship from the land. In <a href="/2_kings/9-6.htm">2 Kings 9:6-7</a> , the young prophet declares, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anoint you king over the LORD’s people Israel. You are to strike down the house of your master Ahab, so that I may avenge the blood of My servants the prophets and all the servants of the LORD who died at the hand of Jezebel.’"<br><br><b>The Destruction of Baal Worship</b><br><br>Jehu's campaign against Baal worship is detailed in <a href="/bsb/2_kings/10.htm">2 Kings 10</a>. After securing his position as king, Jehu cunningly gathered all the prophets and worshipers of Baal under the pretense of holding a great sacrifice. Once assembled, Jehu ordered their execution, effectively purging the land of Baal's followers. <a href="/2_kings/10-28.htm">2 Kings 10:28</a> succinctly states, "Thus Jehu eradicated Baal from Israel."<br><br>Jehu's iconoclastic zeal extended to the physical destruction of Baal's temple and its sacred objects. In <a href="/2_kings/10-26.htm">2 Kings 10:26-27</a> , it is recorded, "They brought out the sacred pillar of the temple of Baal and burned it. They also demolished the sacred pillar of Baal and tore down the temple of Baal, and they made it a latrine—to this day."<br><br><b>Theological Implications</b><br><br>Jehu's actions are seen as a fulfillment of divine justice and a return to the worship of Yahweh, the God of Israel. His iconoclasm was not merely a political maneuver but a religious reformation aimed at restoring the covenantal relationship between God and His people. The eradication of Baal worship underscored the exclusivity of Yahweh as the one true God, as emphasized throughout the Hebrew Scriptures.<br><br><b>Legacy and Evaluation</b><br><br>While Jehu's zeal for the LORD was commendable, his reign is also critiqued for failing to completely turn Israel back to the LORD. <a href="/2_kings/10-31.htm">2 Kings 10:31</a> notes, "Yet Jehu was not careful to walk in the law 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." Despite his partial reforms, Jehu's iconoclastic actions remain a significant biblical example of the struggle against idolatry and the call to exclusive worship of the LORD.<a name="nav" id="nav"></a><div class="vheading2">Nave's Topical Index</div><span class="rtext"><a href="/context/2_kings/10-26.htm">2 Kings 10:26-28</a></span><br>And they brought forth the images out of the house of Baal, and burned them.<br><span class="source">Nave's Topical Index</span><p><a name="res" id="res"></a><div class="vheading2">Resources</div><a href="https://www.gotquestions.org/King-Jehu.html">Who was King Jehu in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.gotquestions.org/Jehu-Baal-worship.html">Why did Jehu destroy the Baal worship in Israel but not the worship of golden calves? | GotQuestions.org</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.gotquestions.org/King-Joash.html">Who was King Joash in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org</a><br /><br /><a href="https://clyx.com/term/jehu.htm">Jehu: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com</a><br /><br /><a href="/concordance/">Bible Concordance</a> • <a href="/dictionary/">Bible Dictionary</a> • <a href="/encyclopedia/">Bible Encyclopedia</a> • <a href="/topical/">Topical Bible</a> • <a href="/thesaurus/">Bible Thesuarus</a></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="sub" id="sub"></a><div class="vheading2">Subtopics</div><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/i/iconoclasm--destroyed_by_jehu.htm">Iconoclasm: Destroyed by Jehu</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/j/jehu.htm">Jehu</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/j/jehu--a_benjamite.htm">Jehu: A Benjamite</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/j/jehu--son_of_josibiah.htm">Jehu: Son of Josibiah</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/j/jehu--son_of_nimshi,_king_of_israel.htm">Jehu: Son of Nimshi, King of Israel</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/j/jehu--son_of_nimshi,_king_of_israel--death_of.htm">Jehu: Son of Nimshi, King of Israel: Death of</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/j/jehu--son_of_nimshi,_king_of_israel--his_territory_invaded_by_hazael,_king_of_syria.htm">Jehu: Son of Nimshi, King of Israel: His Territory Invaded by Hazael, King of Syria</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/j/jehu--son_of_nimshi,_king_of_israel--prophecies_concerning.htm">Jehu: Son of Nimshi, King of Israel: Prophecies Concerning</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/j/jehu--son_of_nimshi,_king_of_israel--religious_zeal_of,_in_killing_idolaters.htm">Jehu: Son of Nimshi, King of Israel: Religious Zeal of, in Killing Idolaters</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/j/jehu--son_of_obed.htm">Jehu: Son of Obed</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/j/jehu--the_prophet_wbo_announced_the_wrath_of_jehovah_against_baasha,_king_of_israel.htm">Jehu: The Prophet Wbo Announced the Wrath of Jehovah Against Baasha, King of Israel</a></p><a name="rel" id="rel"></a><div class="vheading2">Related Terms</div><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/i/iconium.htm">Iconium (6 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/i/icy.htm">Icy (1 Occurrence)</a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/topical/naves/i/iconoclasm--destroyed_by_jehoshaphat.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Iconoclasm: Destroyed by Jehoshaphat"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Iconoclasm: Destroyed by Jehoshaphat" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/topical/naves/i/iconoclasm--destroyed_by_jews.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Iconoclasm: Destroyed by Jews"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Iconoclasm: Destroyed by Jews" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div> <div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"><script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; 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