Catholic Dictionary

Find accurate definitions of over 5,000 Catholic terms and phrases (including abbreviations). Based on Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.

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JEHU

1. listed as one of David's many heroic supporters in battle, who are described as "champions, standbys in battle, who could handle the bow with right hand or with left, who could use stones or arrows" (I Chronicles 12:1-3); 2. a prophet, son of Hanani, who denounced King Baasha of Israel for leading his people into sin, and prophesied that the king and his family would be swept away because of Yahweh's anger (i Kings 16:1-4); 3. the son of Jehoshaphat who was inspired by Elisha to attack and kill King Jehoram of Israel because he had violated Yahweh's laws. The subsequent wholesale slaughter included Jehoram, his mother Jezebel, King Ahaziah of Judah, and all the sons and supporters of Jehoram and Ahab. Then he gathered all the devotees of the pagan deity Baal into the temple under the pretense of offering sacrifice. Unable to escape, every one of them was killed. After this bloodbath Jehu's reign over Israel lasted twenty-eight years, but it was not distinguished by virtue (II Kings 9, 10). He repeated all the offenses against Yahweh for which he had murdered his predecessor (II Kings 10:31).