1 N ow Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. 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,

And Ahab hath seventy sons in Samaria, and Jehu writeth letters, and sendeth to Samaria, unto the heads of Jezreel, the elders, and unto the supporters of Ahab, saying,

2 “ Now, when this letter comes to you, since your master’s sons are with you, as well as the chariots and horses and a fortified city and the weapons,

`And now, at the coming in of this letter unto you, and with you sons of your lord, and with you the chariots and the horses, and a fenced city, and the armour,

3 s elect the best and fittest of your master’s sons, and set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house.”

and ye have seen the best and the uprightest of the sons of your lord, and have set on the throne of his father, and fight ye for the house of your lord.'

4 B ut they feared greatly and said, “Behold, the two kings did not stand before him; how then can we stand?”

And they fear very greatly, and say, `Lo, the two kings have not stood before him, and how do we stand -- we?'

5 A nd 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, “ We 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.”

And he who over the house, and he who over the city, and the elders, and the supporters, send unto Jehu, saying, `Thy servants we, and all that thou sayest unto us we do; we do not make any one king -- that which good in thine eyes do.'

6 T hen 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.

And he writeth unto them a letter a second time, saying, `If ye for me, and to my voice are hearkening, take the heads of the men -- the sons of your lord, and come unto me about this time to-morrow, to Jezreel;' and the sons of the king seventy men, with the great ones of the city those bringing them up.

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

And it cometh to pass, at the coming in of the letter unto them, that they take the sons of the king, and slaughter seventy men, and put their heads in baskets, and send unto him to Jezreel,

8 W hen 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.”

and the messenger cometh in, and declareth to him, saying, `They have brought in the heads of the sons of the king,' and he saith, `Make them two heaps at the opening of the gate till the morning.'

9 N ow in the morning he went out and stood and said to all the people, “You are innocent; behold, I conspired against my master and killed him, but who killed all these?

And it cometh to pass in the morning, that he goeth out, and standeth, and saith unto all the people, `Righteous are ye; lo, I have conspired against my lord, and slay him -- and who smote all these?

10 K now then that there 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 what He spoke through His servant Elijah.”

Know ye now, that nothing doth fall of the word of Jehovah to the earth that Jehovah spake against the house of Ahab, and Jehovah hath done that which He spake by the hand of His servant Elijah.'

11 S o Jehu killed all who remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men and his acquaintances and his priests, until he left him without a survivor.

And Jehu smiteth all those left to the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his acquaintances, and his priests, till he hath not left to him a remnant.

12 T hen he arose and departed and went to Samaria. On the way while he was at Beth-eked of the shepherds,

And he riseth, and cometh in and goeth to Samaria; he at the shepherds' shearing-house in the way,

13 J ehu met the relatives of Ahaziah king of Judah and said, “Who are you?” And they answered, “We are the relatives of Ahaziah; and we have come down to greet the sons of the king and the sons of the queen mother.”

and Jehu hath found the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah, and saith, `Who ye?' and they say, `Brethren of Ahaziah we, and we go down to salute the sons of the king, and the sons of the mistress.'

14 H e 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.

And he saith, `Catch them alive;' and they catch them alive, and slaughter them at the pit of the shearing-house, forty and two men, and he hath not left a man of them.

15 N ow when he had departed from there, he met Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him; and he greeted him and said to him, “Is your heart right, as my heart is with your heart?” And Jehonadab answered, “It is.” Jehu said, “If it is, give me your hand.” And he gave him his hand, and he took him up to him into the chariot.

And he goeth thence, and findeth Jehonadab son of Rechab -- to meet him, and blesseth him, and saith unto him, `Is thy heart right, as my heart with thy heart?' and Jehonadab saith, `It is;' -- `Then it is; give thy hand;' and he giveth his hand, and he causeth him to come up into him into the chariot,

16 H e said, “Come with me and see my zeal for the Lord.” So he made him ride in his chariot.

and saith, `Come with me, and look on my zeal for Jehovah;' and they cause him to ride in his chariot.

17 W hen he came to Samaria, he killed all who remained to Ahab in Samaria, until he had destroyed him, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke to Elijah. Jehu Destroys Baal Worshipers

And he cometh in to Samaria, and smiteth all those left to Ahab in Samaria, till his destroying him, according to the word of Jehovah that He spake unto Elisha.

18 T hen Jehu gathered all the people and said to them, “ Ahab served Baal a little; Jehu will serve him much.

And Jehu gathereth the whole of the people, and saith unto them, `Ahab served Baal a little -- Jehu doth serve him much:

19 N ow, summon 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 cunning, so that he might destroy the worshipers of Baal.

and now, all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests, call ye unto me; let not a man be lacking, for a great sacrifice I have for Baal; every one who is lacking -- he doth not live;' and Jehu hath done in subtilty, in order to destroy the servants of Baal.

20 A nd Jehu said, “ Sanctify a solemn assembly for Baal.” And they proclaimed it.

And Jehu saith, `Sanctify a restraint for Baal;' and they proclaim.

21 T hen Jehu sent throughout 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 the house of Baal, the house of Baal was filled from one end to the other.

And Jehu sendeth into all Israel, and all the servants of Baal come in, and there hath not been left a man who hath not come in; and they come in to the house of Baal, and the house of Baal is full -- mouth to mouth.

22 H e said to the one who was in charge of the wardrobe, “Bring out garments for all the worshipers of Baal.” So he brought out garments for them.

And he saith to him who over the wardrobe, `Bring out clothing to all servants of Baal;' and he bringeth out to them the clothing.

23 J ehu 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.”

And Jehu goeth in, and Jehonadab son of Rechab, to the house of Baal, and saith to the servants of Baal, `Search and see, lest there be here with you of the servants of Jehovah -- but, the servants of Baal by themselves.'

24 T hen they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had stationed for himself eighty men outside, and he had said, “ The one who permits any of the men whom I bring into your hands to escape shall give up his life in exchange.”

And they come in to make sacrifices and burnt-offerings, and Jehu hath set for himself in an out-place eighty men, and saith, `The man who letteth escape of the men whom I am bringing in unto your hand -- his soul for his soul.'

25 T hen it came about, as soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the royal officers, “ Go in, kill them; let none come out.” And they killed them with the edge of the sword; and the guard and the royal officers threw them out, and went to the inner room of the house of Baal.

And it cometh to pass at his finishing to make the burnt-offering, that Jehu saith to the runners, and to the captains, `Go in, smite them, let none come out;' and they smite them by the mouth of the sword, and the runners and the captains cast out; and they go unto the city, to the house of Baal,

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

and bring out the standing-pillars of the house of Baal, and burn them,

27 T hey also broke down the sacred pillar of Baal and broke down the house of Baal, and made it a latrine to this day.

and break down the standing-pillar of Baal, and break down the house of Baal, and appoint it for a draught-house unto this day.

28 T hus Jehu eradicated Baal out of Israel.

And Jehu destroyeth Baal out of Israel,

29 H owever, as for the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel sin, from these Jehu did not depart, even the golden calves that were at Bethel and that were at Dan.

only -- the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, that he caused Israel to sin, Jehu hath not turned aside from after them -- the calves of gold that at Beth-El, and in Dan.

30 T he 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, your sons of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.”

And Jehovah saith unto Jehu, `Because that thou hast done well, to do that which right in Mine eyes -- according to all that in My heart thou hast done to the house of Ahab -- the sons of the fourth do sit for thee on the throne of Israel.'

31 B ut Jehu was not careful to walk in the law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart; he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam, which he made Israel sin.

And Jehu hath not taken heed to walk in the law of Jehovah, God of Israel, with all his heart, he hath not turned aside from the sins of Jeroboam, that he caused Israel to sin.

32 I n those days the Lord began to cut off portions from Israel; and Hazael defeated them throughout the territory of Israel:

In those days hath Jehovah begun to cut off in Israel, and Hazael smiteth them in all the border of Israel,

33 f rom the Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites and the Reubenites and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the valley of the Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan. Jehoahaz Succeeds Jehu

from the Jordan, at the sun-rising, the whole land of Gilead, of the Gadite, and the Reubenite, and the Manassahite (from Aroer, that by the brook Arnon), even Gilead and Bashan.

34 N ow 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 the rest of the matters of Jehu, and all that he did, and all his might, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel?

35 A nd Jehu slept with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son became king in his place.

And Jehu lieth with his fathers, and they bury him in Samaria, and reign doth Jehoahaz his son in his stead.

36 N ow the time which Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.

And the days that Jehu hath reigned over Israel twenty and eight years, in Samaria.