Now Ahab had seventy
sons
in aSamaria
. And Jehu
wrote
letters
and sent
them to Samaria
, to the rulers
of Jezreel
, the elders
, and to the guardians
of the children of Ahab
, saying
,
"Now, awhen this
letter
comes
to you, since your master's
sons
are with you, 1as well as the chariots
and horses
and a fortified
city
and the weapons
,
select the best
and 1fittest
of your master's
sons
, and set
him on his father's
throne
, and fight
for your master's
house
."
But they feared greatly
and said
, "Behold
, athe two
kings
did not stand
before
him; how
then can we stand
?"
And the one who was over
the household
, and he who
was over
the city
, the elders
, and the guardians
of the children, sent
word to Jehu
, saying
, " aWe are your servants
, all
that you say
to us we will do
, we will not make
any
man
king
; do
what
is good
in your sight
."
Then he wrote a letter
to them a second
time
saying
, "If
you are on my side, and you will listen
to my voice
, take
the heads
of the men
, your master's
sons
, and come
to me at Jezreel
tomorrow
about this time
." Now the king's
sons
, seventy
persons
, were with the great
men
of the city
, who were rearing
them.
When the letter came
to them, they took
the king's
sons
and aslaughtered
them, seventy
persons
, and put
their heads
in baskets
, and sent
them to him at Jezreel
.
When the messenger came
and told
him, saying
, "They have brought
the heads
of the king's
sons
," he said
, "Put
them in two
heaps
at the entrance
of the gate
until
morning
."
Now in the morning he went
out and stood
and said
to all
the people
, "You are 1innocent
; behold
, aI conspired
against
my master
and killed
him, but bwho
2killed
all
these
?
"Know then
that athere shall fall
to the earth
nothing
of the word
of the LORD
, which
the LORD
spoke
concerning
the house
of Ahab
, for the LORD
has done
bwhat
He spoke
1through
His servant
Elijah
."
So Jehu 1killed
all
who remained
of the house
of Ahab
in aJezreel
, and all
his great
men
and his acquaintances
and his priests
, until
he left
him without
a survivor
.
Then he arose and departed
and went
to Samaria
. On the way
while he was at 1Beth-eked
of the shepherds
,
aJehu 1met
the 2relatives
of Ahaziah
king
of Judah
and said
, "Who
are you?" And they 3answered
, "We are the 2relatives
of Ahaziah
; and we have come
down
4to greet
the sons
of the king
and the sons
of the queen
mother
."
He said, "Take
them alive
." So they took
them alive
and killed
them at the pit
of Beth-eked
, forty-two
men
; and he left
none
of them.
Now when he had departed from there
, he 1met
aJehonadab
the son
of bRechab
coming to meet
him; and he 2greeted
him and said
to him, "Is your heart
right
, as my heart
is with your heart
?" And Jehonadab
3answered
, "It is." Jehu said, "If it is, cgive
me your hand
." And he gave
him his hand
, and he took
him up to him into the chariot
.
He said, "Come
with me and asee
my zeal
for the LORD
." So 1he made him ride
in his chariot
.
When he came to Samaria
, ahe 1killed
all
who remained
to Ahab
in Samaria
, until
he had destroyed
him, baccording to the word
of the LORD
which
He spoke
to Elijah
.
Then Jehu gathered
all
the people
and said
to them, " aAhab
served
Baal
a little
; Jehu
will serve
him much
.
"Now, asummon
all
the prophets
of Baal
, all
his worshipers
and all
his priests
; let no
one
be missing
, for I have a great
sacrifice
for Baal
; whoever
is missing
shall not live
." But Jehu
did
it in 1cunning
, so
that he might destroy
the worshipers
of Baal
.
And Jehu said
, " aSanctify
a solemn
assembly
for Baal
." And bthey proclaimed
it.
Then Jehu sent
1throughout
Israel
and all
the worshipers
of Baal
came
, so that there was not a man
left
who
did not come
. And when they went
into athe house
of Baal
, the house
of Baal
was filled
from one
end
to the other
.
He said to the one who
was 1in charge
of the wardrobe
, "Bring
out garments
for all
the worshipers
of Baal
." So he brought
out garments
for them.
Jehu went
into the house
of Baal
with Jehonadab
the son
of Rechab
; and he said
to the worshipers
of Baal
, "Search
and see
that there
is here
with you none
of the servants
of the LORD
, but only
the worshipers
of Baal
."
Then they went in to offer
sacrifices
and burnt
offerings
.
Now Jehu had stationed
for himself eighty
men
outside
, and he had said
, " aThe one
who
permits any
of the men
whom
I bring
into your hands
to escape
1shall give up his life
in exchange
."
Then it came about, as soon as he had finished
offering
the burnt
offering
, that Jehu
said
to the 1 aguard
and to the royal
officers
, " bGo
in, 2kill
them; let none
come
out." And they 3killed
them with the edge
of the sword
; and the 1guard
and the royal
officers
threw
them out, and went
to the 4inner
room
of the house
of Baal
.
They brought out the sacred apillars
of the house
of Baal
and burned
them.
They also broke down
the sacred pillar
of Baal
and broke
down
the house
of Baal
, and amade
it a latrine
to this day
.
Thus Jehu eradicated
Baal
out of Israel
.
However, aas for the sins
of Jeroboam
the son
of Nebat
, which
he made Israel
sin
, from these Jehu
did not depart
, even the bgolden
calves
that were at Bethel
and that were at Dan
.
The LORD said
to Jehu
, "Because
you have done
well
in executing
what
is right
in My eyes
, and have done
to the house
of Ahab
according to all
that was in My heart
, ayour sons
of the fourth
generation shall sit
on the throne
of Israel
."
But Jehu 1 awas not careful
to walk
in the law
of the LORD
, the God
of Israel
, with all
his heart
; bhe did not depart
from the sins
of Jeroboam
, which
he made Israel
sin
.
In those days
the aLORD
began
to cut
off
portions 1from Israel
; and bHazael
2defeated
them throughout
the territory
of Israel
:
from the Jordan eastward
, all
the land
of Gilead
, the Gadites
and the Reubenites
and the Manassites
, from aAroer
, which
is by the valley
of the Arnon
, even bGilead
and Bashan
.
Now the rest of the acts
of Jehu
and all
that he did
and all
his might
, are they not written
in the Book
of the Chronicles
of the Kings
of Israel
?
And Jehu slept
with his fathers
, and they buried
him in Samaria
. And Jehoahaz
his son
became
king
in his place
.
Now the 1time which
Jehu
reigned
over
Israel
in Samaria
was twenty-eight
years
.