1 N ow Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, to the rulers of Jezreel, even the elders, and to those who brought up Ahab’s sons, 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 as soon as this letter comes to you, since your master’s sons are with you, and you have chariots and horses, a fortified city also, and armor,

`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, 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 were exceedingly afraid, and said, “Behold, the two kings didn’t stand before him! How then shall 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 H e who was over the household, and he who was over the city, the elders also, and those who raised the children, sent to Jehu, saying, “We are your servants, and will do all that you ask us. We will not make any man king. You do that which is good in your eyes.”

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 the second time to them, saying, “If you are on my side, and if you will listen to my voice, take the heads of the men who are your master’s sons, and come to me to Jezreel by tomorrow this time.” Now the king’s sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who brought them up.

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 killed them, even seventy people, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him to 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 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 gate until the 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 I n the morning, he went out, and stood, and said to all the people, “You are righteous. 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 now that nothing will fall to the earth of Yahweh’s word, which Yahweh spoke concerning Ahab’s house. For Yahweh has done that which he spoke by 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 struck all that remained of Ahab’s house in Jezreel, with all his great men, his familiar friends, and his priests, until he left him no one remaining.

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 H e arose and departed, and went to Samaria. As he was at the shearing house of the shepherds on the way,

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

13 J ehu met with the brothers of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, “Who are you?” They answered, “We are the brothers of Ahaziah. We are going down to greet the children of the king and the children of the queen.”

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!” They took them alive, and killed them at the pit of the shearing house, even forty-two men. He didn’t leave any 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 W hen he had departed from there, he met Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him. He greeted him, and said to him, “Is your heart right, as my heart is with your heart?” Jehonadab answered, “It is.” “If it is, give me your hand.” 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 Yahweh.” So they 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 struck all who remained to Ahab in Samaria, until he had destroyed him, according to Yahweh’s word, which he spoke to Elijah.

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 J ehu gathered all the people together, and said to them, “Ahab served Baal a little; but 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 therefore call to me all the prophets of Baal, all of his worshipers, and all of his priests. Let no one be absent; for I have a great sacrifice to Baal. Whoever is absent, he shall not live.” But Jehu did deceptively, intending to 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 J ehu said, “Sanctify a solemn assembly for Baal!” So they proclaimed it.

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

21 J ehu sent through all Israel; and all the worshipers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that didn’t come. They came into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was filled from one end to another.

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 him who kept the wardrobe, “Bring out robes for all the worshipers of Baal!” So he brought robes out to 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 with Jehonadab the son of Rechab into the house of Baal. Then he said to the worshipers of Baal, “Search, and see that none of the servants of Yahweh are here with you, 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 S o they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had appointed for himself eighty men outside, and said, “If any of the men whom I bring into your hands escape, he who lets him go, his life shall be for the life of him.”

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 A s soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, “Go in and kill them! Let no one escape.” So they struck them with the edge of the sword. The guard and the captains threw the bodies out, and went to the inner shrine 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 pillars that were in the house of Baal, and burned them.

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

27 T hey broke down the 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 destroyed Baal out of Israel.

And Jehu destroyeth Baal out of Israel,

29 H owever, Jehu didn’t depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin, the golden calves that were in Bethel and that were in 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 Y ahweh said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in executing that which is right in my eyes, and have done to Ahab’s house according to all that was in my heart, your descendants shall sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.”

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 took no heed to walk in the law of Yahweh, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He didn’t depart from the sins of Jeroboam, with which he made Israel to 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 Yahweh began to cut away parts of Israel; and Hazael struck them in all the borders 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.

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, aren’t they 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 J ehu slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Samaria. Jehoahaz his son reigned 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 T he time that 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.