2 Kings 10

1 Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, to the rulers of the city, even the elders, and to the guardians of the sons of Ahab, saying,

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.

2 "Now as soon as this letter comes to you, since your master's sons are with you, and there are with you chariots and horses, fortified cities also, and weapons.

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,

3 Select the best and fittest of your master's sons, set him on his father's throne, and fight for your master's house."

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

4 But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, "Look, the two kings did not stand before him. How then shall we stand?"

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

5 He who was over the household, and he who was over the city, the elders also, and those who raised the children, sent to Jehu, saying, "We are your servants, and will do all that you ask us. We will not make any man king. You do that which is good in your eyes."

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] thy servants, and whatsoever thou shalt say to us we will do; we will not make [any] man king: we will do that which is right in thine eyes.

6 Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, "If you are on my side, and if you will listen to my voice, take the heads of the men your master's sons, and come to me to Jezreel by tomorrow this time." Now the king's sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who brought them up.

And Ju wrote them a second letter, saying, If ye [are] for me, and hearken 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.

7 It happened, when the letter came to them, that they took the king's sons, and killed them, even seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him to Jezreel.

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

8 A messenger came, and told him, "They have brought the heads of the king's sons." He said, "Lay them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until the morning."

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.

9 It happened in the morning, that he went out, and stood, and said to all the people, "You are righteous. Look, I conspired against my master, and killed him; but who struck all these?

And the morning came, and he went forth, and stood, and said to all the people, Ye are righteous: behold, I conspired against my master, and slew him: but who slew all these?

10 Know now that nothing shall fall to the earth of the word of the LORD, which the LORD spoke concerning the house of Ahab. For the LORD has done that which he spoke by his servant Elijah."

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.

11 So Jehu struck all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, with all his great men, his familiar friends, and his priests, until he left him none remaining.

And Ju smote 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.

12 He arose and departed, and went to Samaria. As he was at Beth Eked of the Shepherds on the way,

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

13 Jehu met with the brothers of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, "Who are you?" They answered, "We are the brothers of Ahaziah. We are going down to greet the children of the king and the children of the queen."

And Ju found the brethren of Ochozias king of Juda, and said, Who [are] ye? 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.

14 He said, "Take them alive." They took them alive, and killed them at the pit of the shearing house, even forty-two men. He did not leave any of them.

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

15 When he had departed from there, he met Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him. He greeted him, and said to him, "Is your heart right, as my heart is with your heart?" Jehonadab answered, "It is." And he said, "If it is, give me your hand." He gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot.

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 thy heart right with my heart, as my heart [is] with thy heart? And Jonadab said, It is. And Ju said, If it is then, give me thy hand. And he gave him his hand, and he took him up to him into the chariot.

16 He said, "Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD." So he made him ride in his chariot.

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

17 When he came to Samaria, he struck all who remained to Ahab in Samaria, until he had destroyed him, according to the word of the LORD, which he spoke to Elijah.

And he entered into Samaria, and smote 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.

18 Jehu gathered all the people together, and said to them, "Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu will serve him much.

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

19 Now therefore call to me all the prophets of Baal, all of his worshippers, and all of his priests. Let none be absent; for I have a great sacrifice to Baal. Whoever is absent, he shall not live." But Jehu did it in subtlety, intending that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal.

Now then do all [ye] the prophets of Baal call all his servants and his priests to me; let not a man be wanting: 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.

20 Jehu said, "Sanctify a solemn assembly for Baal." They proclaimed it.

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

21 Jehu sent through all Israel; and all the worshippers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that did not come. They came into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was filled from one end to another.

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; whosoever 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.

22 He said to him who was over the vestry, "Bring out robes for all the worshippers of Baal." He brought robes out to them.

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.

23 Jehu went with Jehonadab the son of Rechab into the house of Baal. Then he said to the worshippers of Baal, "Search, and look that there are here with you none of the servants of the LORD, but the worshippers of Baal only."

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.

24 They went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had appointed him eighty men outside, and said, "If any of the men whom I bring into your hands escape, he who lets him go, his life shall be for the life of him."

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.

25 It happened, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, "Go in, and kill them. Let none escape." They struck them with the edge of the sword; and the guard and the captains cast them out, and went to the city of the house of Baal.

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 ye in and slay them; let not a man of them escape. So they smote 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.

26 They brought out the pillar that was in the house of Baal, and burned it.

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

27 They broke down the pillar of Baal, and broke down the house of Baal, and made it a latrine, to this day.

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

28 Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.

So Ju abolished Baal out of Israel.

29 However from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin, Jehu did not depart from after them, the golden calves that were in Bethel, and that were in Dan.

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.

30 The LORD said to Jehu, "Because you have done well in executing that which is right in my eyes, and have done to the house of Ahab according to all that was in my heart, your descendants of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel."

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

31 But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam, with which he made Israel to sin.

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.

32 In those days the LORD began to cut off from Israel; and Hazael struck them in all the borders of Israel;

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

33 from the Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the Valley of the Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan.

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.

34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, and all that he did, and all his might, aren't they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

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?

35 Jehu slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Samaria. Jehoahaz his son reigned in his place.

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

36 The time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.

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