Jehu son of Hanani

Biblical Record

Jehu is a prophet who appears briefly in 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles. The text consistently calls him "Jehu the son of Hanani," which distinguishes him from Jehu, the king of northern Israel.

• Prophecy against Baasha (1 Kings 16:1-4, 7): Jehu delivers the word of God to Baasha, king of northern Israel. God had exalted Baasha out of the dust and made him king, yet Baasha walked in the way of Jeroboam and made the people sin. Therefore, Jehu declares, Baasha's house would be destroyed like the house of Jeroboam.
• Fulfillment of the prophecy (1 Kings 16:12): In the days of Baasha's son Elah, Zimri rebelled and killed the entire house of Baasha. The text records that this took place according to the word the Lord spoke "by Jehu the prophet."
• Rebuke of Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 19:1-3): Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, returns home after going to war alongside Ahab, king of northern Israel. Jehu "the seer" (an older term for a prophet, meaning one who sees and declares the will of God) goes out to meet him. Jehu rebukes him for helping the ungodly and loving those who hate the Lord. At the same time, he acknowledges the good Jehoshaphat did in taking away the groves and seeking God.
• The book of Jehu (2 Chronicles 20:34): The acts of Jehoshaphat are said to be written "in the book of Jehu the son of Hanani, who is mentioned in the book of the kings of Israel." This writing has not survived.

His father Hanani is generally identified with Hanani the seer, who was imprisoned for rebuking King Asa (2 Chronicles 16:7-10).

Significance Within Scripture

Jehu rebuked the kings of both northern Israel and southern Judah. Chronicles frequently cites the writings of various prophets as sources for its historical record, and Jehu's book is one of them. This shows that prophets also served to record and evaluate the deeds of kings. Jehu's name does not appear in the New Testament.

Interpretations and Debates

• Length of ministry: Several decades separate the reign of Baasha from that of Jehoshaphat, so some question whether both references describe the same person. Most, however, understand them to refer to one man with a long ministry.
• Interpretation of 1 Kings 16:7: Among the reasons for Baasha's judgment, this verse cites not only his following the sins of Jeroboam but also his striking down the house of Jeroboam ("because he killed him"). Interpreters differ over why one who carried out God's judgment should himself be judged. The nuance of this verse also varies somewhat among translations.
• Common embellishments: The text does not mention Jehu's place of origin or any other events in his life. Some accounts conflate him with King Jehu, who bore the same name, so caution is needed.

In Korean Churches

In Korean Protestant churches, Jehu is rarely treated as a subject in his own right. He is mentioned mainly in sermons and Bible studies on the downfall of Baasha or the life of Jehoshaphat. Second Chronicles 19:2 is cited in discussions of how believers should discern with whom to form alliances. It is also frequently cited to illustrate a prophet who speaks the truth even to kings.