2 Kings 10

Ahab’s Seventy Sons Killed

1Now AhabH256 had seventyH7657 sonsH1121 in SamariaH8111. So JehuH3058 wroteH3789 lettersH5612 and sent themH7971 to SamariaH8111 toH413 the officialsH8269 of JezreelH3157,1 to the eldersH2205, and toH413 the guardiansH539 of the sons2 of AhabH256, sayingH559: 2“When thisH2088H413 letterH5612 arrivesH935, sinceH6258 your master’sH113 sonsH1121 are with youH854 and you haveH854 chariotsH7393 and horsesH5483, a fortifiedH4013 cityH5892 and weaponryH5402, 3selectH7200 the bestH2896 and most worthyH3477 sonH1121 of your masterH113, set himH7760 onH5921 his father’sH1 throneH3678, and fightH3898 forH5921 your master’sH113 houseH1004.”

4But they were terrifiedH3372H3966 and reasonedH559, “IfH2009 twoH8147 kingsH4428 could notH3808 standH5975 against himH6440, howH349H5975 can weH587?”

5So the palaceH1004 administratorH834H5921, the overseerH834H5921 of the cityH5892, the eldersH2205, and the guardiansH539 sentH7971 a message toH413 JehuH3058: “WeH587 are your servantsH5650, and we will doH6213 whateverH3605 you sayH559H413. We will notH3808 make anyoneH376 kingH4427. DoH6213 whatever is goodH2896 in your sightH5869.”

6Then Jehu wroteH3789 themH413 a secondH8145 letterH5612 and saidH559: “IfH518 you are on my sideH859, and if youH859 will obey meH8085, then bringH3947 the headsH7218H582 of your master’sH113H935H413 sonsH1121 to meH853 at JezreelH3157 by this timeH6256 tomorrowH4279.”

Now the sonsH1121 of the kingH4428, seventyH7657 in allH376H854, were being brought upH1431 by the leading menH1419 of the cityH5892. 7AndH1961 when the letterH5612 arrivedH935H413, they tookH3947 the sonsH1121 of the kingH4428 and slaughteredH7819 all seventyH7657 of themH376. They putH7760 their headsH7218 in basketsH1731 and sent themH7971 to JehuH413 at JezreelH3157.

8When the messengerH4397 arrivedH935, he toldH5046 Jehu, “They have broughtH935 the headsH7218 of the sonsH1121 of the kingH4428H559.”

And Jehu orderedH559, “PileH7760 themH853 in twoH8147 heapsH6652 at the entranceH6607 of the gateH8179 untilH5704 morningH1242.”

9

The next morningH1242, Jehu went outH3318 and stoodH5975 beforeH413 allH3605 the peopleH5971 and saidH559, “YouH859H2009 are innocentH6662. It was IH589 who conspiredH7194 againstH5921 my masterH113 and killed himH2026. But whoH4310 killedH5221 allH3605 theseH428? 10KnowH3045, thenH645, thatH3588 notH3808 a wordH1697 the LORDH3068 has spokenH1696 againstH5921 the houseH1004 of AhabH256 will failH5307H776, for the LORDH3068 has doneH6213 whatH834 He promisedH1696 throughH3027 His servantH5650 ElijahH452.”

11So JehuH3058 killedH5221 everyoneH3605 in JezreelH3157 who remainedH7604 of the houseH1004 of AhabH256, as well as allH3605 his great menH1419 and close friendsH3045 and priestsH3548H5704, leavingH7604 him withoutH1115 a single survivorH8300.

12Then Jehu set outH6965H935H1980 toward SamariaH8111H1931. At Beth-ekedH1044 of the ShepherdsH7462, 13JehuH3058 metH4672 some relativesH251 of AhaziahH274 kingH4428 of JudahH3063 and askedH559, “WhoH4310 are youH859?”

“We areH587 relativesH251 of AhaziahH274,” they answeredH559, “and we have come downH3381 to greetH7965 the sonsH1121 of the kingH4428 and of the queen motherH1377.”

14Then Jehu orderedH559, “Take themH8610 aliveH2416.” So his men took themH8610 aliveH2416, then slaughtered themH7819 atH413 the wellH953 of Beth-ekedH1044—forty-twoH705H8147 menH376. HeH3808 sparedH7604 noneH376 of them.

15When he leftH1980 thereH8033, he foundH4672 JehonadabH3082 sonH1121 of RechabH7394, who was coming to meet himH7122. Jehu greeted himH1288 and askedH559, “IsH3426H854 your heartH3824 as true to mineH3477 asH834 my heartH3824 isH5973 to yoursH3824?”

“It isH3426!” JehonadabH3082 repliedH559.

“If it is,” said JehuH3426, “giveH5414 meH853 your handH3027.”

So he gave himH5414 his handH3027, and Jehu helped himH5927 intoH413 his chariotH4818H413, 16sayingH559, “ComeH1980 with meH854 and seeH7200 my zealH7068 for the LORDH3068!” So he had him rideH73923 in his chariotH7393.

17When Jehu cameH935 to SamariaH8111, he struck downH5221 everyoneH3605 belonging to AhabH256 who remainedH7604 there, untilH5704 he had destroyed themH8045, according to the wordH1697 thatH834 the LORDH3068 had spokenH1696 toH413 ElijahH452.

Jehu Kills the Priests of Baal

18Then JehuH3058 brought allH3605 the peopleH5971 togetherH6908 and saidH559, “AhabH256 servedH5647 BaalH1168 a littleH4592, but JehuH3058 will serve himH5647 a lotH7235. 19Now, thereforeH6258, summonH7121 to meH413 allH3605 the prophetsH5030 of BaalH1168, allH3605 his servantsH5647, and allH3605 his priestsH3548. See that no oneH376H408 is missingH6485, forH3588 I have a greatH1419 sacrificeH2077 for BaalH1168. WhoeverH3605 is missingH6485 will notH3808 liveH2421.”

But JehuH3058 was actingH6213 deceptivelyH6122 in order toH4616 destroyH6 the servantsH5647 of BaalH1168.

20And JehuH3058 commandedH559, “ProclaimH6942 a solemn assemblyH6116 for BaalH1168.” So they announced itH7121.

21Then JehuH3058 sent wordH7971 throughoutH3605 IsraelH3478, and allH3605 the servantsH5647 of BaalH1168 cameH935; there was notH3808 a manH376 whoH834 failedH3808 to showH935. They enteredH935 the templeH1004 of BaalH1168, and itH1004H1168 was filledH4390 from endH6310 to endH6310.

22And Jehu saidH559 to the keeperH834H5921 of the wardrobeH4458, “Bring outH3318 garmentsH3830 for allH3605 the servantsH5647 of BaalH1168.” So he brought outH3318 garmentsH4403 for them.

23Next, JehuH3058 and JehonadabH3082 sonH1121 of RechabH7394 enteredH935 the templeH1004 of BaalH1168, and Jehu saidH559 to the servantsH5647 of BaalH1168, “Look aroundH2664 to seeH7200 that there areH3426 noH6435 servantsH5650 of the LORDH3068 hereH6311 among youH5973—onlyH3588H518 servantsH5647 of BaalH1168H905.”

24And they went inH9354 to offerH6213 sacrificesH2077 and burnt offeringsH5930. Now JehuH3058 had stationedH7760 eightyH8084 menH376 outsideH2351 and warned themH559, “If anyoneH376 allows one ofH4480 the menH582 IH589 am deliveringH935 intoH5921 your handsH3027 to escapeH4422, he will forfeit his lifeH5315 forH8478 theirsH5315.”

25

When he had finishedH3615 makingH6213 the burnt offeringH5930, JehuH3058 saidH559 to the guardsH7323 and officersH7991, “Go inH935 and kill themH5221. Do notH408 let anyoneH376 outH3318.”

So the guardsH7323 and officersH7991 put themH5221 to the swordH6310H2719, threw the bodies outH7993, and wentH1980 intoH5704 the inner roomH5892 of the templeH1004 of BaalH1168.

26They brought outH3318 the sacred pillarH4676 of the templeH1004 of BaalH1168 and burned itH8313. 27They also demolishedH5422 the sacred pillarH4676 of BaalH1168. Then they tore downH5422 the templeH1004 of BaalH1168 and madeH7760 it into a latrineH4280, which it is toH5704 this dayH3117.

Jehu Repeats Jeroboam’s Sins

28Thus JehuH3058 eradicatedH8045 BaalH1168 from IsraelH3478, 29butH7535 he did notH3808 turn awayH5493 fromH310 the sinsH2399 that JeroboamH3379 sonH1121 of NebatH5028 had caused IsraelH3478 to commitH2398—the worship of the goldenH2091 calvesH5695 at BethelH1008 and DanH1835.

30Nevertheless, the LORDH3068 saidH559 toH413 JehuH3058, “BecauseH3282 you have done wellH2895 in carrying outH6213 what is rightH3477 in My sightH5869 and have doneH6213 to the houseH1004 of AhabH256 allH3605 thatH834 was in My heartH3824, four generationsH7243 of your sonsH1121 will sitH3427 onH5921 the throneH3678 of IsraelH3478.”

31Yet JehuH3058 was notH3808 carefulH8104 to followH1980 the instructionH8451 of the LORDH3068, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478, with allH3605 his heartH3824. He did notH3808 turn awayH5493 fromH5921 the sinsH2403 thatH834 JeroboamH3379 had caused IsraelH3478 to commitH2398.

32In thoseH1992 daysH3117 the LORDH3068 beganH2490 to reduce the sizeH7096 of IsraelH3478. HazaelH2371 defeatedH5221 the IsraelitesH3478 throughoutH3605 their territoryH1366 33fromH4480 the JordanH3383 eastwardH4217H8121 through allH3605 the landH776 of GileadH1568 (the region of GadH1425, ReubenH7206, and ManassehH4520), and from AroerH6177 byH5921 the ArnonH769 ValleyH5158 through GileadH1568 to BashanH1316.

Jehoahaz Succeeds Jehu in Israel

34As for the restH3499 of the actsH1697 of JehuH3058, along with allH3605 his accomplishmentsH834H6213 and allH3605 his mightH1369H3808H1992, are they not writtenH3789 inH5921 the BookH5612 of the ChroniclesH1697 of the KingsH4428 of IsraelH3478?

35And JehuH3058 restedH7901 withH5973 his fathersH1 and was buriedH6912 in SamariaH8111, and his sonH1121 JehoahazH3059 reignedH4427 in his placeH8478. 36So the durationH3117 of Jehu’sH3058 reignH4427 overH5921 IsraelH3478 in SamariaH8111 was twenty-eightH6242H8083 yearsH8141.