2 Kings 10 31

2 Kings 10:31 kjv

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.

2 Kings 10:31 nkjv

But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart; for he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam, who had made Israel sin.

2 Kings 10:31 niv

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.

2 Kings 10:31 esv

But Jehu was not careful to walk in the law of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn from the sins of Jeroboam, which he made Israel to sin.

2 Kings 10:31 nlt

But Jehu did not obey the Law of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He refused to turn from the sins that Jeroboam had led Israel to commit.

2 Kings 10 verses

2 Kings 10 31 Meaning

Despite Jehu's actions to purge the worship of Baal from Israel, he ultimately failed to uphold the entire law of the LORD God of Israel with full and sincere devotion. His significant deficiency lay in his continued adherence to the idolatrous practices introduced by Jeroboam, specifically the golden calf worship, which persistently caused Israel to sin. His zeal was thus partial, indicating a lack of complete obedience to the divine covenant.

2 Kings 10 31 Context

Chapter 10 of 2 Kings details the violent rise of Jehu as the instrument of God's judgment against the house of Ahab and the widespread Baal worship in Israel. Jehu's initial zeal is strikingly evident in his eradication of Ahab's descendants (verses 1-11), the forty-two relatives of Ahaziah of Judah (verses 12-14), and then the total extermination of Baal worshipers and the destruction of the temple of Baal (verses 18-28). The LORD commends Jehu for doing what was right in His eyes regarding Ahab's house (verse 30). However, verse 31 marks a significant shift in tone, providing God's overall assessment of Jehu's reign. Despite the significant reformation, Jehu is judged for failing to fully abandon the politically convenient yet covenant-violating calf worship initiated by Jeroboam I. This sin was distinct from Baal worship but equally an affront to the true worship of Yahweh, symbolizing Jehu's partial, rather than complete, devotion.

2 Kings 10 31 Word analysis

• But Jehu: Wəhû’ Yēhû (וְהוּא יֵהוּ). The "but" introduces a critical qualification or contrast to the preceding divine commendation (v. 30). While Jehu was an instrument of God's will for one purpose, his overall conduct falls short. This is a literary device highlighting a crucial limitation.
• took no heed: lō’-šāmar (לֹא־שָׁמַר). From the Hebrew verb shamar meaning "to keep," "to guard," "to observe." It implies a conscious and intentional failure to adhere to something commanded. Jehu did not diligently watch over, keep, or observe the law.
• to walk: lālɛḵeṯ (לָלֶכֶת). From halakh, often used metaphorically for one's manner of life or conduct. "To walk in the law" means to conduct one's life according to its principles and precepts.
• in the law of the LORD: bəṯôraṯ Yəhwāh (בְּתוֹרַת יְהוָה). Torah (תּוֹרָה) refers to divine instruction, teaching, or law, specifically the Mosaic covenant. Yahweh (יְהוָה) is God's covenant name, signifying His unchanging faithfulness. This phrase specifies the standard Jehu failed to meet: the comprehensive covenant requirements of God.
• God of Israel: ’ĕlōhê Yiśrā’ēl (אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל). Emphasizes God's unique relationship as the covenant deity and sovereign over Israel, holding its leaders accountable.
• with all his heart: bəḵāl-ləḇāḇô (בְּכָל־לְבָבוֹ). Lēvav (לֵבָב) refers to the totality of the inner being—mind, will, affections, and character. This phrase indicates wholehearted commitment and sincere devotion. It directly echoes the supreme command to love God (Deut 6:5), showing Jehu's profound failure in genuine covenant loyalty beyond mere external action.
• for he departed not: kî lō’ sār (כִּי לֹא סָר). Kî serves as a conjunction providing the reason or explanation for Jehu's failure. Sur (סוּר) means "to turn aside" or "depart." His inaction, or persistence in the wrong, is highlighted.
• from the sins of Jeroboam: mēḥaṭṭō’ṯ Yārāḇ‘ām (מֵחַטֹּאות יָרָבְעָם). Refers specifically to the golden calves set up in Bethel and Dan by Jeroboam I (1 Kgs 12:28-30). This was a form of idolatry designed to politically secure the Northern Kingdom by providing an alternative to worshipping in Jerusalem, a clear violation of the first and second commandments. This persistent national sin had a lasting, corrupting influence.
• which he made Israel to sin: ’ăšer heḥĕṭî’ ’eṯ-Yiśrā’ēl (אֲשֶׁר הֶחֱטִיא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל). The verb is in the Hiphil causative stem, meaning "to cause to sin" or "to make sin." It underscores Jeroboam's active role in leading the entire nation into systemic disobedience and its enduring legacy that even Jehu, an agent of judgment, perpetuated.

Word Groups Analysis:

• "But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart": This phrase directly points to a fundamental spiritual failure. Jehu’s great physical actions against Baal did not equate to an inner, all-encompassing commitment to God’s comprehensive law. His service was compartmentalized and lacking sincerity, demonstrating a failure to prioritize God’s complete will above political expediency.
• "for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which he made Israel to sin": This explains the specific nature of Jehu’s spiritual compromise. The retention of Jeroboam’s calves demonstrates that Jehu's purge was tactical rather than theological or comprehensive. He removed one form of idolatry (Baal worship, associated with the preceding dynasty) but kept another that served his own political stability (the calves, rooted in the Northern Kingdom's distinct identity), perpetuating a long-standing national apostasy that caused continued offense to God.

2 Kings 10 31 Bonus section

Jehu's narrative provides a stark illustration of how God can use imperfect instruments for specific acts of judgment or restoration, even if those instruments themselves are not fully devoted. While Jehu fulfilled the prophecy against Ahab (2 Kgs 10:30), he simultaneously continued in the legacy of systemic sin. This highlights the concept that God's sovereign plan will unfold, yet human accountability for obedience remains. It also contrasts Jehu's outward zeal with a truly transformative reformation, which requires not only the removal of blatant evils but also sincere adherence to the positive commands of God with one's whole being. The "sins of Jeroboam" became a chronic spiritual disease in the Northern Kingdom, a marker used throughout the books of Kings to signify apostasy, ultimately leading to their exile.

2 Kings 10 31 Commentary

2 Kings 10:31 serves as the divine verdict on Jehu's reign, revealing the complexity and often the paradox of human obedience. Though he executed God's judgment against the wicked house of Ahab and aggressively rooted out Baal worship with a zeal commended by the LORD (v. 30), his commitment was tragically incomplete. His failure lay in not walking "with all his heart" in the comprehensive law of the LORD. This means his actions, while beneficial in a specific sense, were not driven by an all-encompassing, internal devotion to God's covenant. Instead, he maintained the cultic sites and golden calves introduced by Jeroboam, an act that violated the first two commandments and had consistently led Israel into sin for generations. Jehu's political calculations apparently outweighed full obedience, as these calf cults served to keep the Northern Kingdom religiously and politically distinct from Judah. The verse teaches that God's approval is not granted for partial obedience or instrumental usefulness alone; true faithfulness requires wholehearted commitment to His entire revealed will, without compromise for personal gain or political convenience. It underscores that removing one idol is insufficient if others, even those less ostentatious, remain entrenched in the heart or societal practice.