2 Kings 10

1 Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. So Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria to the officials of Jezreel, to the elders, and to the guardians of the sons of Ahab, saying:

2 “When this letter arrives, since your master’s sons are with you and you have chariots and horses, a fortified city and weaponry,

3 select the best and most worthy son of your master, set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house.”

4 But they were terrified and reasoned, “If two kings could not stand against him, how can we?”

5 So the palace administrator, the overseer of the city, the elders, and the guardians sent a message to Jehu: “We are your servants, and we will do whatever you say. We will not make anyone king. Do whatever is good in your sight.”

6 Then Jehu wrote them a second letter and said: “If you are on my side, and if you will obey me, then bring the heads of your master’s sons to me at Jezreel by this time tomorrow.” Now the sons of the king, seventy in all, were being brought up by the leading men of the city.

7 And when the letter arrived, they took the sons of the king and slaughtered all seventy of them. They put their heads in baskets and sent them to Jehu at Jezreel.

8 When the messenger arrived, he told Jehu, “They have brought the heads of the sons of the king.” And Jehu ordered, “Pile them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until morning.”

9 The next morning, Jehu went out and stood before all the people and said, “You are innocent. It was I who conspired against my master and killed him. But who killed all these?

10 Know, then, that not a word the LORD has spoken against the house of Ahab will fail, for the LORD has done what He promised through His servant Elijah.”

11 So Jehu killed everyone in Jezreel who remained of the house of Ahab, as well as all his great men and close friends and priests, leaving him without a single survivor.

12 Then Jehu set out toward Samaria. At Beth-eked of the Shepherds,

13 Jehu met some relatives of Ahaziah king of Judah and asked, “Who are you?” “We are relatives of Ahaziah,” they answered, “and we have come down to greet the sons of the king and of the queen mother.”

14 Then Jehu ordered, “Take them alive.” So his men took them alive, then slaughtered them at the well of Beth-eked—forty-two men. He spared none of them.

15 When he left there, he found Jehonadab son of Rechab, who was coming to meet him. Jehu greeted him and asked, “Is your heart as true to mine as my heart is to yours?” “It is!” Jehonadab replied. “If it is,” said Jehu, “give me your hand.” So he gave him his hand, and Jehu helped him into his chariot,

16 saying, “Come with me and see my zeal for the LORD!” So he had him ride in his chariot.

17 When Jehu came to Samaria, he struck down everyone belonging to Ahab who remained there, until he had destroyed them, according to the word that the LORD had spoken to Elijah.

18 Then Jehu brought all the people together and said, “Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve him a lot.

19 Now, therefore, summon to me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests. See that no one is missing, for I have a great sacrifice for Baal. Whoever is missing will not live.” But Jehu was acting deceptively in order to destroy the servants of Baal.

20 And Jehu commanded, “Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal.” So they announced it.

21 Then Jehu sent word throughout Israel, and all the servants of Baal came; there was not a man who failed to show. They entered the temple of Baal, and it was filled from end to end.

22 And Jehu said to the keeper of the wardrobe, “Bring out garments for all the servants of Baal.” So he brought out garments for them.

23 Next, Jehu and Jehonadab son of Rechab entered the temple of Baal, and Jehu said to the servants of Baal, “Look around to see that there are no servants of the LORD here among you—only servants of Baal.”

24 And they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had stationed eighty men outside and warned them, “If anyone allows one of the men I am delivering into your hands to escape, he will forfeit his life for theirs.”

25 When he had finished making the burnt offering, Jehu said to the guards and officers, “Go in and kill them. Do not let anyone out.” So the guards and officers put them to the sword, threw the bodies out, and went into the inner room of the temple of Baal.

26 They brought out the sacred pillar of the temple of Baal and burned it.

27 They also demolished the sacred pillar of Baal. Then they tore down the temple of Baal and made it into a latrine, which it is to this day.

28 Thus Jehu eradicated Baal from Israel,

29 but he did not turn away from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit—the worship of the golden calves at Bethel and Dan.

30 Nevertheless, the LORD said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in carrying out what is right in My sight and have done to the house of Ahab all that was in My heart, four generations of your sons will sit on the throne of Israel.”

31 Yet Jehu was not careful to follow the instruction of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn away from the sins that Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit.

32 In those days the LORD began to reduce the size of Israel. Hazael defeated the Israelites throughout their territory

33 from the Jordan eastward through all the land of Gilead (the region of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh), and from Aroer by the Arnon Valley through Gilead to Bashan.

34 As for the rest of the acts of Jehu, along with all his accomplishments and all his might, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

35 And Jehu rested with his fathers and was buried in Samaria, and his son Jehoahaz reigned in his place.

36 So the duration of Jehu’s reign over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.

1 ¶ And Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, unto the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to them that brought up Ahab's [children], saying,

2 Now as soon as this letter cometh to you, seeing your master's sons [are] with you, and [there are] with you chariots and horses, a fenced city also, and armour;

3 Look even out the best and meetest of your master's sons, and set [him] on his father's throne, and fight for your master's house.

4 But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, two kings stood not before him: how then shall we stand?

5 And he that [was] over the house, and he that [was] over the city, the elders also, and the bringers up [of the children], sent to Jehu, saying, We [are] thy servants, and will do all that thou shalt bid us; we will not make any king: do thou [that which is] good in thine eyes.

6 Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, If ye [be] mine, and [if] ye will hearken unto my voice, take ye the heads of the men your master's sons, and come to me to Jezreel by to morrow this time. Now the king's sons, [being] seventy persons, [were] with the great men of the city, which brought them up.

7 And it came to pass, when the letter came to them, that they took the king's sons, and slew seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent him [them] to Jezreel.

8 And there came a messenger, and told him, saying, They have brought the heads of the king's sons. And he said, Lay ye them in two heaps at the entering in of the gate until the morning.

9 And it came to pass in the morning, that he went out, and stood, and said to all the people, Ye [be] righteous: behold, I conspired against my master, and slew him: but who slew all these?

10 Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the LORD, which the LORD spake concerning the house of Ahab: for the LORD hath done [that] which he spake by his servant Elijah.

11 So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his kinsfolks, and his priests, until he left him none remaining.

12 And he arose and departed, and came to Samaria. [And] as he [was] at the shearing house in the way,

13 Jehu met with the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, Who [are] ye? And they answered, We [are] the brethren of Ahaziah; and we go down to salute the children of the king and the children of the queen.

14 And he said, Take them alive. And they took them alive, and slew them at the pit of the shearing house, [even] two and forty men; neither left he any of them.

15 ¶ And when he was departed thence, he lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab [coming] to meet him: and he saluted him, and said to him, Is thine heart right, as my heart [is] with thy heart? And Jehonadab answered, It is. If it be, give [me] thine hand. And he gave [him] his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot.

16 And he said, Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD. So they made him ride in his chariot.

17 And when he came to Samaria, he slew all that remained unto Ahab in Samaria, till he had destroyed him, according to the saying of the LORD, which he spake to Elijah.

18 And Jehu gathered all the people together, and said unto them, Ahab served Baal a little; [but] Jehu shall serve him much.

19 Now therefore call unto me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests; let none be wanting: for I have a great sacrifice [to do] to Baal; whosoever shall be wanting, he shall not live. But Jehu did [it] in subtilty, to the intent that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal.

20 And Jehu said, Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal. And they proclaimed [it].

21 And Jehu sent through all Israel: and all the worshippers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that came not. And they came into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was full from one end to another.

22 And he said unto him that [was] over the vestry, Bring forth vestments for all the worshippers of Baal. And he brought them forth vestments.

23 And Jehu went, and Jehonadab the son of Rechab, into the house of Baal, and said unto the worshippers of Baal, Search, and look that there be here with you none of the servants of the LORD, but the worshippers of Baal only.

24 And when they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings, Jehu appointed fourscore men without, and said, [If] any of the men whom I have brought into your hands escape, [he that letteth him go], his life [shall be] for the life of him.

25 And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, Go in, [and] slay them; let none come forth. And they smote them with the edge of the sword; and the guard and the captains cast [them] out, and went to the city of the house of Baal.

26 And they brought forth the images out of the house of Baal, and burned them.

27 And they brake down the image of Baal, and brake down the house of Baal, and made it a draught house unto this day.

28 Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.

29 ¶ Howbeit [from] the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them, [to wit], the golden calves that [were] in Bethel, and that [were] in Dan.

30 And the LORD said unto Jehu, Because thou hast done well in executing [that which is] right in mine eyes, [and] hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that [was] in mine heart, thy children of the fourth [generation] shall sit on the throne of Israel.

31 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.

32 In those days the LORD began to cut Israel short: and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel;

33 From Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which [is] by the river Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan.

34 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?

35 And Jehu slept with his fathers: and they buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son reigned in his stead.

36 And the time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria [was] twenty and eight years.

1 And Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters, and sent them to Samaria unto the rulers of the city of Jezreel, unto the elders and guardians of Ahab, saying thus:

2 When this letter cometh unto you, with whom your lord's sons are, chariots, horses, strong cities, and armour,

3 Then see which of your lord's is the best and the most skillful, and set him in his father's seat, and fight for your lord's house.

4 And they were almost afraid, and said, Behold, two kings have not stood before him: how then shall we stand?

5 And they that were over the house, and over the city, and the elders, and the guardians, sent unto Jehu, saying, We are thy servants; we will do all that thou sayest unto us; we will make no man king. Do what pleases thee!

6 And he wrote another letter unto them, saying, If ye be mine, and if ye hearken unto my voice, take the heads of the men that are your lord's sons, and bring them unto me to Jezreel to morrow about this time. (Now the king's sons were seventy men, and the greatest of the city brought them up).

7 And when the letter came unto them, they took the king's sons, and slew seventy men, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them unto him to Jezreel.

8 And when the messenger came and told him, saying, They have brought the king's children's heads, he said, Lay them in two heaps at the door of the gate until to morrow.

9 And it came to pass in the morning, when he was gone out, that he stood and said unto all the people, Ye are right. Behold, have I made a covenant against my lord, and slain him? Who then hath smitten all these?

10 Ye know therefore that there fell not a word of the LORD upon the earth, which the LORD spake against the house of Ahab: and the LORD did as he spake by his servant Elijah.

11 So Jehu smote all the remnant of the house of Ahab that was in Jezreel, all his great men, and his kinsmen, and his priests, until not one remained unto him.

12 And he arose, and went, and came to Samaria. And there was a shepherd's house by the way.

13 And Jehu met the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, Who are ye? And they said: We are the brethren of Ahaziah, and go down to salute the king's children, and the queen's children.

14 And he said, Take them alive. And they took them alive, and slew them at the well by the shepherd's house, forty and two men, and left not one of them.

15 And as he departed thence, he found Jonadab the son of Rechab meeting him, and greeted him, and said unto him, Is thy heart right, as my heart is right with thy heart? And Jonadab said, Yea. If it be so, give me thine hand. And he gave him his hand. And he made him sit with him in the chariot.

16 And said, Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD. And they led him with him in his chariot.

17 And when he was come to Samaria, he smote all that remained of Ahab in Samaria, until he had destroyed him, according to the word of the LORD which he spake unto Elijah.

18 And Jehu gathered all the people together, and said unto them, Ahab hath served Baal little; Jehu will serve him much.

19 Now therefore let all the prophets of Baal, and all his servants, and all his priests, cry unto me, that no man miss: for I have a great sacrifice to make unto Baal. Whomsoever shall be missed, he shall not live. But Jehu did this to put an end to the servants of Baal.

20 And Jehu said, Sanctify the feast unto Baal, and let it be proclaimed.

21 And Jehu sent throughout all Israel, and called for all the servants of Baal, that there should not be left any that should not come. And they came into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was filled at every end.

22 Then said he unto them that were over the house of garments: Bring out all the servants of Baal's garments. And they brought forth the garments.

23 And Jehu went into the church of Baal with Jonadab the son of Rechab, and said unto the servants of Baal, Search ye, and see that there be no servant of the LORD here among you, but Baal's servant only.

24 And when they were come in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings, Jehu appointed him fourscore men without, saying, If any of the men which I shall put in your hand escape, his soul shall be for his soul.

25 And it came to pass, when he had finished the burnt offerings, that Jehu said unto the guard and to the knights, Go in, smite every man, and let no man go out. And they smote them with the edge of the sword. And the satellites and the knights cast them away, and went to the city of the church of Baal.

26 And they brought out the pillars of the church of Baal, and burned them.

27 And they brake down the pillar of Baal, and the church of Baal, and made it a secret chamber unto this day.

28 So Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.

29 But of the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin, Jehu left not, of the calves of gold that were in Bethel, and in Dan.

30 And the LORD said unto Jehu, Because thou hast been willing to do that which is right in mine eyes, and hast done in the house of Ahab all that was in mine heart, let thy children sit on thy throne of Israel unto the fourth generation.

31 But Jehu kept not the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, who had made Israel to sin.

32 At that time the LORD began to be weary of Israel: for Hazael smote them throughout all the coasts of Israel,

33 From Jordan toward the rising of the sun, and all the land of Gilead, of the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the river near Arnon, and Gilead, and Bashan.

34 And the rest of the acts of Jehu, and all that he did, and all his might, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

35 And Jehu slept with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son reigned in his stead.

36 And the time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty and eight years.