2 Kings 10

1 And Ahab hath seventy sons in Samaria, and Jehu writeth letters, and sendeth to Samaria, unto the heads of Jezreel, the elders, and unto the supporters of Ahab, saying,

Now Ahab had seventy descendants in Samaria. Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria, to the rulers of Jezreel, including the elders and the guardians of Ahab's descendants, saying,

2 'And now, at the coming in of this letter unto you, and with you [are] sons of your lord, and with you [are] the chariots and the horses, and a fenced city, and the armour,

“Your master's descendants are with you, and you also have chariots and horses and a fortified city and armor. So then, as soon as this letter comes to you,

3 and ye have seen the best and the uprightest of the sons of your lord, and have set [him] on the throne of his father, and fight ye for the house of your lord.'

select the best and most deserving of your master's descendants and set him on his father's throne, and fight for your master's royal line.”

4 And they fear very greatly, and say, 'Lo, the two kings have not stood before him, and how do we stand — we?'

But they were terrified and said among themselves, “See, the two kings could not stand before Jehu. So how can we stand?”

5 And he who [is] over the house, and he who [is] over the city, and the elders, and the supporters, send unto Jehu, saying, 'Thy servants we [are], and all that thou sayest unto us we do; we do not make any one king — that which [is] good in thine eyes do.'

Then the man who was in charge of the palace, and the man who was over the city, and the elders also, and they who raised the children, sent word back to Jehu, saying, “We are your servants. We will do everything that you command us. We will not make any man king. Do what is good in your eyes.”

6 And he writeth unto them a letter a second time, saying, 'If ye [are] for me, and to my voice are hearkening, take the heads of the men — the sons of your lord, and come unto me about this time to-morrow, to Jezreel;' and the sons of the king [are] seventy men, with the great ones of the city those bringing them up.

Then Jehu wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, “If you are on my side, and if you will listen to my voice, you must take the heads of the men of your master's descendants, and come to me to Jezreel by tomorrow this time.” Now the king's descendants, seventy in number, were with the important men of the city, who were bringing them up.

7 And it cometh to pass, at the coming in of the letter unto them, that they take the sons of the king, and slaughter seventy men, and put their heads in baskets, and send unto him to Jezreel,

So when the letter came to them, they took the king's sons and killed them, seventy persons, put their heads in baskets, and sent them to Jehu in Jezreel.

8 and the messenger cometh in, and declareth to him, saying, 'They have brought in the heads of the sons of the king,' and he saith, 'Make them two heaps at the opening of the gate till the morning.'

A messenger came to Jehu, saying, “They have brought the heads of the king's sons.” So he said, “Put them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until the morning.”

9 And it cometh to pass in the morning, that he goeth out, and standeth, and saith unto all the people, 'Righteous are ye; lo, I have conspired against my lord, and slay him — and who smote all these?

In the morning Jehu went out and stood, and said to all the people, “You are innocent. See, I plotted against my master and killed him, but who killed all these?

10 Know ye now, that nothing doth fall of the word of Jehovah to the earth that Jehovah spake against the house of Ahab, and Jehovah hath done that which He spake by the hand of His servant Elijah.'

Now you should certainly realize that no part of Yahweh's word, the word that he spoke concerning the family of Ahab, will fall to the ground, for Yahweh has done what he spoke about through his servant Elijah.”

11 And Jehu smiteth all those left to the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his acquaintances, and his priests, till he hath not left to him a remnant.

So Jehu killed all who remained in the family of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his important men, his close friends, and his priests, until none of them remained.

12 And he riseth, and cometh in and goeth to Samaria; he [is] at the shepherds' shearing-house in the way,

Then Jehu arose and left; he went to Samaria. As he was arriving at Beth Eked of the shepherd,

13 and Jehu hath found the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah, and saith, 'Who [are] ye?' and they say, 'Brethren of Ahaziah we [are], and we go down to salute the sons of the king, and the sons of the mistress.'

he met brothers of Ahaziah king of Judah. Jehu said to them, “Who are you?” They answered, “We are brothers of Ahaziah, and we are going down to greet the children of the king and the children of Queen Jezebel.”

14 And he saith, 'Catch them alive;' and they catch them alive, and slaughter them at the pit of the shearing-house, forty and two men, and he hath not left a man of them.

Jehu said to his own men, “Take them alive.” So they took them alive and killed them at the well of Beth Eked, all forty-two men. He did not leave any of them alive.

15 And he goeth thence, and findeth Jehonadab son of Rechab — to meet him, and blesseth him, and saith unto him, 'Is thy heart right, as my heart [is] with thy heart?' and Jehonadab saith, 'It is;' — 'Then it is; give thy hand;' and he giveth his hand, and he causeth him to come up into him into the chariot,

When Jehu had left there, he met Jehonadab son of Recab coming to meet him. Jehu greeted him and said to him, “Is your heart with me, as my heart is with yours?” Jehonadab answered, “It is.” Jehu said, “If it is, give me your hand.” So he gave Jehu his hand, and Jehu took Jehonadab up with him into the chariot.

16 and saith, 'Come with me, and look on my zeal for Jehovah;' and they cause him to ride in his chariot.

Jehu said, “Come with me and see my zeal for Yahweh.” So he had Jonadab ride along with him in his chariot.

17 And he cometh in to Samaria, and smiteth all those left to Ahab in Samaria, till his destroying him, according to the word of Jehovah that He spake unto Elisha.

When he came to Samaria, Jehu killed all who remained from Ahab's descendants in Samaria, until he had destroyed Ahab's royal line, just as was told them before by the word of Yahweh, which he had spoken to Elijah.

18 And Jehu gathereth the whole of the people, and saith unto them, 'Ahab served Baal a little — Jehu doth serve him much:

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

19 and now, all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests, call ye unto me; let not a man be lacking, for a great sacrifice I have for Baal; every one who is lacking — he doth not live;' and Jehu hath done [it] in subtilty, in order to destroy the servants of Baal.

Now therefore call to me all the prophets of Baal, all his worshipers, and all his priests. Let no one be left out, for I have a great sacrifice to offer to Baal. Whoever does not come will not live.” But Jehu did this deceitfully, with the intent to kill the worshipers of Baal.

20 And Jehu saith, 'Sanctify a restraint for Baal;' and they proclaim [it].

Jehu said, “Set a time to have an assembly for Baal.” So they announced it.

21 And Jehu sendeth into all Israel, and all the servants of Baal come in, and there hath not been left a man who hath not come in; and they come in to the house of Baal, and the house of Baal is full — mouth to mouth.

Then Jehu sent throughout all Israel and all the worshipers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left who did not come. They came into the temple of Baal, and it was filled from one end to another.

22 And he saith to him who [is] over the wardrobe, 'Bring out clothing to all servants of Baal;' and he bringeth out to them the clothing.

Jehu said to the man who kept the priest's wardrobe, “Bring out robes for all the worshipers of Baal.” So the man brought out robes to them.

23 And Jehu goeth in, and Jehonadab son of Rechab, to the house of Baal, and saith to the servants of Baal, 'Search and see, lest there be here with you of the servants of Jehovah — but, the servants of Baal by themselves.'

So Jehu went with Jehonadab son of Recab into the house of Baal, and he said to the worshipers of Baal, “Search and make sure that there is no one here with you from the servants of Yahweh, but the worshipers of Baal alone.”

24 And they come in to make sacrifices and burnt-offerings, and Jehu hath set for himself in an out-place eighty men, and saith, 'The man who letteth escape [any] of the men whom I am bringing in unto your hand — his soul for his soul.'

Then they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had chosen eighty men who were standing outside, and he told them, “If any of the men whom I bring into your hands escapes, whoever lets that man escape, his life will be taken for the life of the one who escaped.”

25 And it cometh to pass at his finishing to make the burnt-offering, that Jehu saith to the runners, and to the captains, 'Go in, smite them, let none come out;' and they smite them by the mouth of the sword, and the runners and the captains cast [them] out; and they go unto the city, to the house of Baal,

So then as soon as Jehu finished offering the burnt offering, he said to the guard and to the captains, “Go in and kill them. Let no one come out.” So they killed them with the edge of the sword, and the guard and the captains threw them out and went into the inner room of the house of Baal.

26 and bring out the standing-pillars of the house of Baal, and burn them,

They dragged out the stone pillars that were in the house of Baal, and they burned them.

27 and break down the standing-pillar of Baal, and break down the house of Baal, and appoint it for a draught-house unto this day.

Then they broke down the pillar of Baal, and destroyed the house of Baal and made it a latrine, which it is to this day.

28 And Jehu destroyeth Baal out of Israel,

That is how Jehu destroyed Baal worship from Israel.

29 only — the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, that he caused Israel to sin, Jehu hath not turned aside from after them — the calves of gold that [are] at Beth-El, and in Dan.

But Jehu did not leave the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, by which he made Israel sin—that is, the worship of the golden calves in Bethel and Dan.

30 And Jehovah saith unto Jehu, 'Because that thou hast done well, to do that which [is] right in Mine eyes — according to all that [is] in My heart thou hast done to the house of Ahab — the sons of the fourth [generation] do sit for thee on the throne of Israel.'

So Yahweh said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in executing what was right in my eyes, and have done to the house of Ahab according to all that was in my heart, your descendants will sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.”

31 And Jehu hath not taken heed to walk in the law of Jehovah, God of Israel, with all his heart, he hath not turned aside from the sins of Jeroboam, that he caused Israel to sin.

But Jehu took no care to walk in the law of Yahweh, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam, by which he made Israel sin.

32 In those days hath Jehovah begun to cut off [some] in Israel, and Hazael smiteth them in all the border of Israel,

In those days Yahweh began to cut off regions from Israel, and Hazael defeated the Israelites at the borders of Israel,

33 from the Jordan, at the sun-rising, the whole land of Gilead, of the Gadite, and the Reubenite, and the Manassahite (from Aroer, that [is] by the brook Arnon), even Gilead and Bashan.

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, through Gilead to Bashan.

34 And the rest of the matters of Jehu, and all that he did, and all his might, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel?

As for the other matters concerning Jehu, and all that he did, and all his power, are they not written in the book of the events of the kings of Israel?

35 And Jehu lieth with his fathers, and they bury him in Samaria, and reign doth Jehoahaz his son in his stead.

Jehu slept with his ancestors, and they buried him in Samaria. Then Jehoahaz his son became king in his place.

36 And the days that Jehu hath reigned over Israel [are] twenty and eight years, in Samaria.

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