2 Kings 10:1-17

1Now Ahab had seventy sons in 1Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria, to the officials of Jezreel, the elders, and to the guardians of the children of Ahab, saying, 2“And 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 most capable of your master’s sons and seat him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house.” 4But they feared greatly and said, “Behold, 4the two kings did not stand firm before him; how then can we stand?” 5And the one who was in charge of the household, and the one who was in charge of the city, and the elders, and the guardians of the children, sent word to Jehu, saying, “5We are your servants, and everything that you tell us we will do. We will not appoint any man king; do what is good in your sight.” 6Then he wrote them a letter a second time, saying, “If you are on my side, and will listen to my voice, take the heads of the men, your master’s sons, and come to me at Jezreel about this time tomorrow.” Now the king’s sons, seventy men, were with the great people of the city, who were raising them. 7When the letter came to them, they took the king’s sons and 6slaughtered them, seventy men, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him at Jezreel. 8When the messenger came and informed 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 7innocent; behold, 8I conspired against my master and killed him, but 9who 10killed all these? 10Know then that 11nothing of the word of the Lord, which the Lord spoke concerning the house of Ahab, shall 12fall to the earth, 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, his acquaintances, and his priests, until he left him without a survivor.

12Then he set out and 17went to Samaria. On the way while he was at 18Beth-eked of the shepherds, 1319Jehu 20encountered the relatives of Ahaziah king of Judah, and he said, “Who are you?” And they 21answered, “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.” 14Then he said, “Take them alive.” So they took them alive, and slaughtered them at the pit of Beth-eked, forty-two men; and he left none of them.

15Now when he had gone from there, he 22encountered 23Jehonadab the son of 24Rechab coming to meet him; and he 25greeted him and said to him, “Is your heart right, just as my heart is with your heart?” And Jehonadab 26answered, “It is.” Jehu said, “If it is, 27give me your hand.” And he gave him his hand, and he pulled him up to him into the chariot. 16Then he said, “Come with me and 28see my zeal for the Lord.” So 29he had him ride in his chariot. 17When he came to Samaria, 30he 31killed all who remained to Ahab in Samaria, until he had eliminated 32them, 33in accordance with the word of the Lord which He spoke to Elijah.