2 Kings 10:1-17

1Now Ahab had seventy sons in 1Samaria. 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, 2“Now, 2when this letter comes to you, since your master’s sons are with you, 3as well as the chariots and horses and a fortified city and the weapons, 3select the best and 4fittest of your master’s sons, and set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house.” 4But they feared greatly and said, “Behold, 5the two kings did not stand before him; how then can we stand?” 5And 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, “6We 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.” 6Then 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. 7When the letter came to them, they took the king’s sons and 7slaughtered them, seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him at Jezreel. 8When 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.” 9Now in the morning he went out and stood and said to all the people, “You are 8innocent; behold, 9I conspired against my master and killed him, but 10who 11killed all these? 10Know then that 12there 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 13what He spoke 14through His servant Elijah.” 11So Jehu 15killed all who remained of the house of Ahab in 16Jezreel, and all his great men and his acquaintances and his priests, until he left him without a survivor.

12Then he arose and departed and went to Samaria. On the way while he was at 17Beth-eked of the shepherds, 1318Jehu 19met the 20relatives of Ahaziah king of Judah and said, “Who are you?” And they 21answered, “We are the 22relatives of Ahaziah; and we have come down 23to greet the sons of the king and the sons of the queen mother.” 14He 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.

15Now when he had departed from there, he 24met 25Jehonadab the son of 26Rechab coming to meet him; and he 27greeted him and said to him, “Is your heart right, as my heart is with your heart?” And Jehonadab 28answered, “It is.” Jehu said, “If it is, 29give me your hand.” And he gave him his hand, and he took him up to him into the chariot. 16He said, “Come with me and 30see my zeal for the Lord.” So 31he made him ride in his chariot. 17When he came to Samaria, 32he 33killed all who remained to Ahab in Samaria, until he had destroyed him, 34according to the word of the Lord which He spoke to Elijah.