Jehu

See also: jehu

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Hebrew יְהוּא (y'hu). Attested to in Akkadian as 𒅀𒌑𒀀 𒈥 𒄷𒌝𒊑𒄿 (Iaúa mar Chumrii, literally “Jehu of the people of the land of Omri”).

Proper noun

Jehu

1. A king of Israel in the 9th century B.C.
   • 1937, Josephus, Ralph Marcus, transl., chapter VIII, in Josephus: With an English Translation (Loeb Classical Library), volume VI (Jewish Antiquities), London: William Heinemann Ltd.; Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, published 1958, →OCLC, book IX, paragraph 1, page 87:

     Now Azaēlos, the king of Syria, made war on the Israelites and their king Jehu, and ravaged the eastern parts of the country across the Jordan […] spreading fire everywhere and plundering everything and inflicting violence on all who fell into his hands.

2. A male given name from Hebrew

Noun

Jehu (plural Jehus)

1. Alternative form of jehu
   • 1897, Richard Marsh, The Beetle:

     ‘Are you sure, Atherton, that there is no one at the back?’
     ‘Of course I’m sure, — you can go and see for yourself if you like; do you think I’m blind? Jehu’s drunk.’ Throwing up the sash he addressed the driver. ‘What do you mean with your old gent at the window? — what window?’