1 A hab had seventy in Samaria. So Jehu wrote letters and sent them from Jezreel to the rulers of Samaria, to the elders, and to those who brought up Ahab’s, saying,

Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. So Jehu wrote letters. He sent them to Samaria, to the rulers of Jezreel, to the leaders, and to those who took care of Ahab’s children. He said,

2 N ow as soon as this letter comes to you, seeing your master sons are with you and also chariots and horses, a fortified city, and weapons,

“Now your owner’s sons are with you. And you have war-wagons, and horses, and a strong city, and things to fight with. When this letter comes to you,

3 S elect the best and most fit of your master’s sons and set him on his father’s throne; and fight for your master’s house.

choose the best of your owner’s sons. Put him on his father’s throne. And fight for your owner’s house.”

4 B ut they were exceedingly afraid and reasoned, The two kings could not stand before; how then can we stand?

But they were filled with fear, and said, “See, the two kings could not stand in front of him. How can we stand?”

5 A nd he who was over the household, he who was over the city, the elders also, and the guardians and tutors sent to Jehu, saying, We are your servants and will do all that you bid us; we will not make any man king; do what is good in your eyes.

So the head man of the house, the head man of the city, the leaders, and those who took care of the children, sent word to Jehu. They said, “We are your servants. We will do all that you say. We will not make any man king. Do what is good in your eyes.”

6 T hen wrote a second letter to them, saying, If you are with me and will obey me, take the heads of your master sons and come to me at Jezreel by tomorrow this time. Now the king’s sons, seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who were bringing them up.

Then Jehu wrote a letter to them a second time. He said, “If you are on my side and will obey me, bring the heads of your owner’s sons to me. Meet me in Jezreel about this time tomorrow.” Now the king’s seventy sons were with the important men of the city who were taking care of them.

7 W hen the letter came to these men, they took the king’s sons and slew them, seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets and sent them to Jehu at Jezreel.

When the letter came to them, they took the king’s seventy sons and killed them. They put their heads in baskets, and sent them to Jehu at Jezreel.

8 W hen a messenger came and told him, They have brought the heads of the king’s sons, he said, Lay them in two heaps at the entrance of the city gate until morning.

The men who had been sent returned and told Jehu, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons.” And he said, “Put them one upon the other in two places at the gate until morning.”

9 T he next morning he went out and stood and said to all the people, You are just and innocent. Behold, I conspired against my master and slew him, but who smote all these?

In the morning Jehu went out and stood, and said to all the people, “You are without guilt. See, I made plans against my owner and killed him. But who killed all these?

10 K now now that nothing which the Lord spoke concerning the house of Ahab shall be unfulfilled or ineffective; for the Lord has done what He said through His servant Elijah.

Know now that everything the Lord spoke about the family of Ahab will come true. For the Lord has done what He said through his servant Elijah.”

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

So Jehu killed all who were left of the family of Ahab in Jezreel. He killed all of Ahab’s important men, his friends, and his religious leaders. Not one person of Ahab was left alive. Ahaziah’s Forty-Two Brothers Are Killed

12 A nd he arose and went to Samaria. And as he was at the shearing house of the shepherds on the way,

Then Jehu left and went to Samaria. On the way, while he was at Beth-eked of the shepherds,

13 J ehu met the kinsmen of Ahaziah king of Judah and said, Who are you? They answered, We are the kinsmen of Ahaziah, and we came down to visit the royal princes and the sons of the queen mother.

Jehu met the brothers of Ahaziah king of Judah. He asked them, “Who are you?” And they answered, “We are the brothers of Ahaziah. We have come down to visit the sons of the king and the sons of the queen mother.”

14 H e said, Take them alive. And they did so and slew them at the cistern of the shearing house, forty-two men; he left none of them.

Jehu said, “Take them alive.” So his men took them alive, and killed them at the hole of Beth-eked, forty-two men. He left none of them alive. The Rest of Ahab’s Family Are Killed

15 W hen Jehu left there, he met Jehonadab son of Rechab coming to meet him. He saluted him and said to him, Is your heart right, as my heart is with yours? Jehonadab answered, It is. If it is, give me your hand. He gave him his hand, and Jehu took him up into the chariot.

When Jehu left there, he met Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him. Jehu said to him, “Is your heart right with my heart as mine is with yours?” And Jehonadab answered, “It is.” Jehu said, “If it is, give me your hand.” So Jehonadab gave him his hand, and Jehu took him up into the war-wagon with him.

16 A nd he said, Come with me and see my zeal for the Lord. So they made ride in Jehu’s chariot.

Then Jehu said, “Come with me and see how glad I am to work for the Lord.” And he had him go in his war-wagon.

17 W hen Jehu came to Samaria, he slew all who remained of Ahab’s family in Samaria, till he had destroyed them all, according to what the Lord said to Elijah.

When he came to Samaria, he killed all of Ahab’s people who were left in Samaria. He destroyed them, as the word of the Lord was spoken to Elijah. The Worshipers of Baal Are Killed

18 J ehu assembled all the people and said to them, Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu will serve him much.

Then Jehu gathered all the people and said to them, “Ahab worshiped Baal a little. Jehu will worship him much.

19 S o call to me all the prophets of Baal, all his worshipers, and all his priests. Let none be missing, for I have a great sacrifice to make to Baal; whoever is missing shall not live. But Jehu did it with trickery, intending to destroy the Baal worshipers.

Now call all the men who speak for Baal, all his worshipers and all his religious leaders. Let no one be missing. For I have a big gift for Baal. Whoever is missing will not live.” But Jehu did this to fool them, so that he might destroy the worshipers of Baal.

20 J ehu said, Sanctify a solemn assembly for Baal. And they proclaimed it.

He said, “Set apart a special meeting for Baal.” And they made the news known.

21 J ehu sent through all Israel, and all the worshipers of Baal came; not a man failed to come. They went to the house or temple of Baal, filling it from one end to the other.

Then Jehu sent for all the worshipers of Baal in Israel. Every one of them came. When they went into the house of Baal, the house was filled from one end to the other.

22 A nd he said to the man over the vestry, Bring vestments for all the worshipers of Baal. And he brought them vestments.

Jehu said to the one who took care of the clothes, “Bring out clothing for all the worshipers of Baal.” So he brought out clothing for them.

23 T hen Jehu with Jehonadab son of Rechab went into the house of Baal and said to the worshipers of Baal, Search and see that there are here with you none of the servants of the Lord—but Baal worshipers only.

Jehu went into the house of Baal with Jehonadab the son of Rechab. And he said to the worshipers of Baal, “Look and see that there are no servants of the Lord here with you, but only the worshipers of Baal.”

24 A nd when they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings, Jehu appointed eighty men outside and said, If any of the men whom I have brought into your hands escape, he who lets him go shall forfeit his own life for his life.

Then they went in to kill animals on the altar and give burnt gifts. Now Jehu had left eighty of his men outside. He had told them, “The one who lets anyone get away, will pay for it with his life.”

25 A s soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, Jehu said to the guards and to the officers, Go in and slay them; let none escape. And they smote them with the sword; and the guards or runners and the officers threw their bodies out and went into the inner dwelling of the house of Baal.

As soon as he had finished giving the burnt gift, Jehu said to the soldiers and the leaders, “Go in and kill them. Let no one come out.” And they killed them with the sword. Then the soldiers and leaders threw the bodies out, and went into the inside room of the house of Baal.

26 T hey brought out the pillars or obelisks of the house of Baal and burned them.

They brought out the objects of the house of Baal, and burned them.

27 T hey broke down the pillars of Baal and the house of Baal, and made it a privy to this day.

They destroyed the objects of Baal and destroyed the house of Baal. They made it a place for body waste to this day.

28 T hus Jehu rooted Baal out of Israel.

So Jehu got rid of Baal from Israel.

29 B ut Jehu did not give up the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, by which he made Israel to sin, that is, the golden calves at Bethel and Dan.

But Jehu did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel sin. He kept the gold calves at Bethel and Dan.

30 A nd the Lord said to Jehu, Because you have executed well what is right in My eyes and have done to the house of Ahab as I willed, your sons to the fourth generation shall sit on Israel’s throne.

The Lord said to Jehu, “You have done well what is right in My eyes. You have done to the family of Ahab all that was in My heart. So your sons, even your great great grandson, will sit on the throne of Israel.”

31 B ut Jehu paid no attention to walking in the law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not quit the sins with which Jeroboam made Israel to sin.

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 away from the sins of Jeroboam, which he made Israel sin. The Death of Jehu

32 i n those days the Lord began to cut off parts of Israel. Hazael defeated them in all the territory of Israel

In those days the Lord began to cut off parts of Israel. Hazael won over them in battle through the land of Israel.

33 F rom the Jordan east, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, Reubenites, and Manassites, from Aroer which is by the Valley of the Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan.

He took the land east of the Jordan, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, the Reubenites and the Manassites, from Aroer, by the valley of the Arnon. He took Gilead and Bashan.

34 T he 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?

Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, all he did and all his strength, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

35 J ehu slept with his fathers. They buried him in Samaria. Jehoahaz his son reigned in his stead.

Then Jehu died and they buried him in Samaria. And his son Jehoahaz became king in his place.

36 T he time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.

Jehu ruled over Israel in Samaria for twenty-eight years.