2 Kings 10:1-17

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.