Kings IV 10

1 And Achaab [had] seventy sons in Samaria. And Ju wrote a letter, and sent it into Samaria to the rulers of Samaria, and to the elders, and to the guardians of [the children of] Achaab, saying.

There were seventy sons of the house of Ahab living in Samaria. So Jehu wrote letters and sent them to the officials of Samaria, to the elders, and to the guardians of the sons of Ahab, saying:

2 Now then, as soon as this letter shall have reached you, whereas [there are] with you the sons of your master, and with you chariots and horses, and strong cities, and arms,

“Since your master's sons are with you, and you have at your disposal chariots, horses, a fortified city, and weapons, when you receive this letter,

3 do you accordingly look out the best and fit among your master's sons, and set him on the throne of his father, and fight for the house of your master.

choose the best and most appropriate son of your master, place him on his father's throne, and fight for your master's house.”

4 And they feared greatly, and said, Behold, two kings stood not before him: and how shall we stand?

But they were extremely frightened, and said to themselves, “If two kings couldn't defeat him, how could we?”

5 So they that were over the house, and they that were over the city, and the elders and the guardians, sent to Ju, saying, We also [are] your servants, and whatever you shall say to us we will do; we will not make [any] man king: we will do that which is right in your eyes.

So the palace and the city leaders, the elders, and the guardians sent a message to Jehu: “We are your servants, and we will do whatever you tell us. We're not going to make anyone king. Do what you think is best.”

6 And Ju wrote them a second letter, saying, If you [are] for me, and listen to my voice, take the heads of the men your master's sons, and bring [them] to me at this time to-morrow in Jezrael. Now the sons of the king were seventy men; these great men of the city brought them up.

Then Jehu wrote them a second letter, saying, “If you are on my side, and if you are going to obey what I say, bring the heads of your master's sons to me in Jezreel by this time tomorrow.” The seventy king's sons were being raised by the leading men of the city.

7 And it came to pass, when the letter came to them, that they took the king's sons, and killed them, [even] seventy men, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him at Jezrael.

When the letter arrived, they seized the king's sons and killed all seventy of them, placed their heads in baskets, and sent them to Jehu at Jezreel.

8 And a messenger came and told [him], saying, They have brought the heads of the king's sons. And he said, Lay them [in] two heaps by the door of the gate until the morning.

A messenger came in and told Jehu, “They have brought the heads of the king's sons.” Jehu gave the order, “Put them in two piles at the entrance to the city gate until the morning.”

9 And the morning came, and he went forth, 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?

In the morning Jehu went out to speak to the people who had gathered. “You haven't done anything wrong,” he told them. “I was the one who plotted against my master and killed him. But who killed all these?

10 See now that there shall not fall to the ground anything of the word of the Lord which the Lord spoke against the house of Achaab: for the Lord has performed all that he spoke of by the hand of his servant Eliu.

Rest assured that nothing of what the Lord has prophesied against the house of Ahab will fail, for the Lord has done what he promised through his servant Elijah.”

11 And Ju struck all that were left of the house of Achaab in Jezrael, and all his great men, and his acquaintance, and his priests, so as not to leave him [any] remnant.

So Jehu killed everyone in Jezreel who was left of the house of Ahab, as well as all his high officials, close friends, and priests. This left Ahab without a single survivor.

12 And he arose and went to Samaria, [and] he [was] in the house of sheep-shearing in the way.

Then Jehu left and went Samaria. At Beth-eked of the Shepherds,

13 And Ju found the brethren of Ochozias king of Juda, and said, Who [are] you? And they said, We [are] the brethren of Ochozias, and we have come down to salute the sons of the king, and the sons of the queen.

he met some relatives of Ahaziah, king of Judah. “Who are you?” he asked them. “We're relatives of Ahaziah,” they replied. “We've come to visit the sons of the king and of the queen mother.”

14 And he said, Take them alive. And they killed them at the shearing-house, forty and two men: he left not a man of them.

“Take them alive!” Jehu ordered. So they took them alive, then killed them at the well of Beth-eked. There were forty-two men. He didn't allow any of them to live.

15 And he went thence and found Jonadab the son of Rechab [coming] to meet him; and he saluted him, and Ju said to him, Is your heart right with my heart, as my heart [is] with your heart? And Jonadab said, It is. And Ju said, If it is then, give me your hand. And he gave him his hand, and he took him up to him into the chariot.

He left there and came across Jehonadab, son of Rekab, who was coming to meet him. Jehu greeted him and asked him, “Are you as committed to me, as I am to you?” “Yes I am,” Jehonadab replied. “In that case, give me your hand,” said Jehu. So he stretched out his hand, and Jehu helped him up into the chariot.

16 And he said to him, Come with me, and see me zealous for the Lord. And he caused him to sit in his chariot.

“Come with me and see how dedicated I am to the Lord!” Jehu said, and had him ride in his chariot.

17 And he entered into Samaria, and struck all that were left of Achaab in Samaria, until he had utterly destroyed him, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke to Eliu.

When Jehu arrived in Samaria, he went around killing everyone who was left of Ahab's family until he had killed all of them, just as the Lord had said through Elijah.

18 And Ju gathered all the people, and said to them, Achaab served Baal a little; Ju shall serve him much.

Jehu had all the people gather together and told them, “Ahab worshiped Baal a little, but Jehu will worship him a lot.

19 Now then do all [you] the prophets of Baal call all his servants and his priests to me; let not a man be lacking: for I have a great sacrifice [to offer] to Baal; every one who shall be missing shall die. But Ju did it in subtilty, that he might destroy the servants of Baal.

So summon all the prophets of Baal, all his servants and all his priests. Make sure no one is missing, because I'm organizing a great sacrifice for Baal. Anyone who doesn't attend will be executed.” But Jehu's plan was a trick to destroy the followers of Baal.

20 And Ju said, Sanctify a solemn festival to Baal, and they made a proclamation.

Jehu gave the order, “Call a religious assembly to honor Baal!” So they did so.

21 And Ju sent throughout all Israel, saying, Now then let all [Baal's] servants, and all his priests, and all his prophets [come], let none be lacking: for I am going to offer a great sacrifice; whoever shall be missing, shall not live. So all the servants of Baal came, and all his priests, and all his prophets: there was not one left who came not. And they entered into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was filled from one end to the other.

Jehu sent the announcement through the whole of Israel. All the followers of Baal came—not a single man was missing. They went into the temple of Baal, filling it from end to end.

22 And he said to the man who was over the house of the wardrobe, Bring forth a robe for all the servants of Baal. And the keeper of the robes brought forth to them.

Jehu said to the keeper of the wardrobe, “Distribute clothes for all the servants of Baal.” So he brought out clothes for them.

23 And Ju and Jonadab the son of Rechab entered into the house of Baal, and said to the servants of Baal, Search, and see whether there is among you any of the servants of the Lord, or only the servants of Baal, by themselves.

Then Jehu and Jehonadab, son of Rekab, went into the temple of Baal. Jehu told the followers of Baal, “Look around and make sure that no one who follows the Lord is here with you, only the worshipers of Baal.”

24 And he went in to offer sacrifices and whole burnt offerings; and Ju set for himself eighty men without, and said, Every man who shall escape of the men whom I bring into your hand, the life of him [that spares him] shall go for his life.

They were inside presenting sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had positioned eighty men outside and cautioned them, “I'm handing these men over to you. If you let any of them escape, you will pay for his life with yours.”

25 And it came to pass, when he had finished offering the whole burnt offering, that Ju said to the footmen and to the officers, Go you in and kill them; let not a man of them escape. So they struck them with the edge of the sword, and the footmen and the officers cast [the bodies] forth, and went to the city of the house of Baal.

As soon as Jehu had finished presenting the burnt offering, he ordered his guards and officers, “Go in and kill them all! Don't let even one escape!” So they killed them with their swords. The guards and officers threw their bodies outside, and then they went into the inner sanctuary of the temple of Baal.

26 And they brought out the pillar of Baal, and burnt it.

They dragged out the idol pillars and burned them.

27 And they tore down the pillars of Baal, and made his house a draught-house until this day.

They smashed the sacred pillar of Baal, and tore down the temple of Baal and turned it into a toilet, which it still is to this day.

28 So Ju abolished Baal out of Israel.

This was how Jehu destroyed Baal worship in Israel,

29 Nevertheless Ju departed not from following the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nabat, who led Israel to sin: [these were] the golden heifers in Baethel and in Dan.

but he did not end the sins that Jeroboam, son of Nebat, had made Israel commit—the worship of the golden calves at Bethel and Dan.

30 And the Lord said to Ju, Because of all your deeds wherein you have acted well in doing that which was right in my eyes, according to all things which you have done to the house of Achaab [as they were] in my heart, your sons to the fourth generation shall sit upon the throne of Israel.

The Lord said to Jehu, “Since you have done well, and have carried out what is right in my sight, and have accomplished all that I planned for the house of Ahab, your descendants will sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.”

31 But Ju took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart: he departed not from following the sins of Jeroboam, who made Israel to sin.

But Jehu was not completely committed to following the law of the Lord, the God of Israel. He did not end the sins that Jeroboam had made Israel commit.

32 In those days the Lord began to cut Israel short; and Azael struck them in every coast of Israel;

At that time the Lord began to reduce the extent of Israel. Hazael defeated the Israelites throughout their territory

33 from Jordan eastward all the land of Galaad belonging to the Gadites, of Gaddi and that of Ruben, and of Manasses, from Aroer, which is on the brink of the brook of Arnon, and Galaad and Basan.

east of the Jordan, all the land of Gilead (the region occupied by Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh), and from Aroer through the Arnon Valley up to Gilead and Bashan.

34 And the rest of the acts of Ju, and all that he did, and all his might, and the wars wherein he engaged, [are] not these things written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

The rest of what happened in Jehu's reign, all that he did and what he accomplished, are recorded in the Book of Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.

35 And Ju slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Samaria: and Joachaz his son reigned in his stead.

Jehu died and was buried in Samaria. His son Jehoahaz succeeded him as king.

36 And the days which Ju reigned over Israel [were] twenty-eight years in Samaria.

Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria for twenty-eight years.