Βασιλειῶν Δʹ 10

1 καὶ τῷ Αχααβ ἑβδομήκοντα υἱοὶ ἐν Σαμαρείᾳ καὶ ἔγραψεν Ιου βιβλίον καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ἐν Σαμαρείᾳ πρὸς τοὺς ἄρχοντας Σαμαρείας καὶ πρὸς τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους καὶ πρὸς τοὺς τιθηνοὺς υἱῶν Αχααβ λέγων

Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. So Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria to the officials of Jezreel, to the elders, and to the guardians of the sons of Ahab, saying:

2 καὶ νῦν ὡς ἐὰν ἔλθῃ τὸ βιβλίον τοῦτο πρὸς ὑμᾶς μεθ’ ὑμῶν οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ κυρίου ὑμῶν καὶ μεθ’ ὑμῶν τὸ ἅρμα καὶ οἱ ἵπποι καὶ πόλεις ὀχυραὶ καὶ τὰ ὅπλα

“When this letter arrives, since your master’s sons are with you and you have chariots and horses, a fortified city and weaponry,

3 καὶ ὄψεσθε τὸν ἀγαθὸν καὶ τὸν εὐθῆ ἐν τοῖς υἱοῖς τοῦ κυρίου ὑμῶν καὶ καταστήσετε αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὸν θρόνον τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ πολεμεῖτε ὑπὲρ τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ κυρίου ὑμῶν

select the best and most worthy son of your master, set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house.”

4 καὶ ἐφοβήθησαν σφόδρα καὶ εἶπον ἰδοὺ οἱ δύο βασιλεῖς οὐκ ἔστησαν κατὰ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ καὶ πῶς στησόμεθα ἡμεῖς

But they were terrified and reasoned, “If two kings could not stand against him, how can we?”

5 καὶ ἀπέστειλαν οἱ ἐπὶ τοῦ οἴκου καὶ οἱ ἐπὶ τῆς πόλεως καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι καὶ οἱ τιθηνοὶ πρὸς Ιου λέγοντες παῖδές σου ἡμεῖς καὶ ὅσα ἐὰν εἴπῃς πρὸς ἡμᾶς ποιήσομεν οὐ βασιλεύσομεν ἄνδρα τὸ ἀγαθὸν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς σου ποιήσομεν

So the palace administrator, the overseer of the city, the elders, and the guardians sent a message to Jehu: “We are your servants, and we will do whatever you say. We will not make anyone king. Do whatever is good in your sight.”

6 καὶ ἔγραψεν πρὸς αὐτοὺς βιβλίον δεύτερον λέγων εἰ ἐμοὶ ὑμεῖς καὶ τῆς φωνῆς μου ὑμεῖς εἰσακούετε λάβετε τὴν κεφαλὴν ἀνδρῶν τῶν υἱῶν τοῦ κυρίου ὑμῶν καὶ ἐνέγκατε πρός με ὡς ἡ ὥρα αὔριον εἰς Ιεζραελ καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ βασιλέως ἦσαν ἑβδομήκοντα ἄνδρες οὗτοι ἁδροὶ τῆς πόλεως ἐξέτρεφον αὐτούς

Then Jehu wrote them a second letter and said: “If you are on my side, and if you will obey me, then bring the heads of your master’s sons to me at Jezreel by this time tomorrow.” Now the sons of the king, seventy in all, were being brought up by the leading men of the city.

7 καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ἦλθεν τὸ βιβλίον πρὸς αὐτούς καὶ ἔλαβον τοὺς υἱοὺς τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ ἔσφαξαν αὐτούς ἑβδομήκοντα ἄνδρας καὶ ἔθηκαν τὰς κεφαλὰς αὐτῶν ἐν καρτάλλοις καὶ ἀπέστειλαν αὐτὰς πρὸς αὐτὸν εἰς Ιεζραελ

And when the letter arrived, they took the sons of the king and slaughtered all seventy of them. They put their heads in baskets and sent them to Jehu at Jezreel.

8 καὶ ἦλθεν ὁ ἄγγελος καὶ ἀπήγγειλεν λέγων ἤνεγκαν τὰς κεφαλὰς τῶν υἱῶν τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ εἶπεν θέτε αὐτὰς βουνοὺς δύο παρὰ τὴν θύραν τῆς πύλης εἰς πρωί

When the messenger arrived, he told Jehu, “They have brought the heads of the sons of the king.” And Jehu ordered, “Pile them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until morning.”

9 καὶ ἐγένετο πρωὶ καὶ ἐξῆλθεν καὶ ἔστη ἐν τῷ πυλῶνι τῆς πόλεως καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς πάντα τὸν λαόν δίκαιοι ὑμεῖς ἰδοὺ ἐγώ εἰμι συνεστράφην ἐπὶ τὸν κύριόν μου καὶ ἀπέκτεινα αὐτόν καὶ τίς ἐπάταξεν πάντας τούτους

The next morning, Jehu went out and stood before all the people and said, “You are innocent. It was I who conspired against my master and killed him. But who killed all these?

10 ἴδετε αφφω ὅτι οὐ πεσεῖται ἀπὸ τοῦ ῥήματος κυρίου εἰς τὴν γῆν οὗ ἐλάλησεν κύριος ἐπὶ τὸν οἶκον Αχααβ καὶ κύριος ἐποίησεν ὅσα ἐλάλησεν ἐν χειρὶ δούλου αὐτοῦ Ηλιου

Know, then, that not a word the LORD has spoken against the house of Ahab will fail, for the LORD has done what He promised through His servant Elijah.”

11 καὶ ἐπάταξεν Ιου πάντας τοὺς καταλειφθέντας ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ Αχααβ ἐν Ιεζραελ καὶ πάντας τοὺς ἁδροὺς αὐτοῦ καὶ τοὺς γνωστοὺς αὐτοῦ καὶ τοὺς ἱερεῖς αὐτοῦ ὥστε μὴ καταλιπεῖν αὐτοῦ κατάλειμμα

So Jehu killed everyone in Jezreel who remained of the house of Ahab, as well as all his great men and close friends and priests, leaving him without a single survivor.

12 καὶ ἀνέστη καὶ ἐπορεύθη εἰς Σαμάρειαν αὐτὸς ἐν Βαιθακαδ τῶν ποιμένων ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ

Then Jehu set out toward Samaria. At Beth-eked of the Shepherds,

13 καὶ Ιου εὗρεν τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς Οχοζιου βασιλέως Ιουδα καὶ εἶπεν τίνες ὑμεῖς καὶ εἶπον οἱ ἀδελφοὶ Οχοζιου ἡμεῖς καὶ κατέβημεν εἰς εἰρήνην τῶν υἱῶν τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ τῶν υἱῶν τῆς δυναστευούσης

Jehu met some relatives of Ahaziah king of Judah and asked, “Who are you?” “We are relatives of Ahaziah,” they answered, “and we have come down to greet the sons of the king and of the queen mother.”

14 καὶ εἶπεν συλλάβετε αὐτοὺς ζῶντας καὶ συνέλαβον αὐτοὺς ζῶντας καὶ ἔσφαξαν αὐτοὺς εἰς Βαιθακαδ τεσσαράκοντα καὶ δύο ἄνδρας οὐ κατέλιπεν ἄνδρα ἐξ αὐτῶν

Then Jehu ordered, “Take them alive.” So his men took them alive, then slaughtered them at the well of Beth-eked—forty-two men. He spared none of them.

15 καὶ ἐπορεύθη ἐκεῖθεν καὶ εὗρεν τὸν Ιωναδαβ υἱὸν Ρηχαβ ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ εἰς ἀπαντὴν αὐτοῦ καὶ εὐλόγησεν αὐτόν καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτὸν Ιου εἰ ἔστιν καρδία σου μετὰ καρδίας μου εὐθεῖα καθὼς ἡ καρδία μου μετὰ τῆς καρδίας σου καὶ εἶπεν Ιωναδαβ ἔστιν καὶ εἶπεν Ιου καὶ εἰ ἔστιν δὸς τὴν χεῖρά σου καὶ ἔδωκεν τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀνεβίβασεν αὐτὸν πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὸ ἅρμα

When he left there, he found Jehonadab son of Rechab, who was coming to meet him. Jehu greeted him and asked, “Is your heart as true to mine as my heart is to yours?” “It is!” Jehonadab replied. “If it is,” said Jehu, “give me your hand.” So he gave him his hand, and Jehu helped him into his chariot,

16 καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτόν δεῦρο μετ’ ἐμοῦ καὶ ἰδὲ ἐν τῷ ζηλῶσαί με τῷ κυρίῳ Σαβαωθ καὶ ἐπεκάθισεν αὐτὸν ἐν τῷ ἅρματι αὐτοῦ

saying, “Come with me and see my zeal for the LORD!” So he had him ride in his chariot.

17 καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς Σαμάρειαν καὶ ἐπάταξεν πάντας τοὺς καταλειφθέντας τοῦ Αχααβ ἐν Σαμαρείᾳ ἕως τοῦ ἀφανίσαι αὐτὸν κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμα κυρίου ὃ ἐλάλησεν πρὸς Ηλιου

When Jehu came to Samaria, he struck down everyone belonging to Ahab who remained there, until he had destroyed them, according to the word that the LORD had spoken to Elijah.

18 καὶ συνήθροισεν Ιου πάντα τὸν λαὸν καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς Αχααβ ἐδούλευσεν τῷ Βααλ ὀλίγα καί γε Ιου δουλεύσει αὐτῷ πολλά

Then Jehu brought all the people together and said, “Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve him a lot.

19 καὶ νῦν πάντες οἱ προφῆται τοῦ Βααλ πάντας τοὺς δούλους αὐτοῦ καὶ τοὺς ἱερεῖς αὐτοῦ καλέσατε πρός με ἀνὴρ μὴ ἐπισκεπήτω ὅτι θυσία μεγάλη μοι τῷ Βααλ πᾶς ὃς ἐὰν ἐπισκεπῇ οὐ ζήσεται καὶ Ιου ἐποίησεν ἐν πτερνισμῷ ἵνα ἀπολέσῃ τοὺς δούλους τοῦ Βααλ

Now, therefore, summon to me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests. See that no one is missing, for I have a great sacrifice for Baal. Whoever is missing will not live.” But Jehu was acting deceptively in order to destroy the servants of Baal.

20 καὶ εἶπεν Ιου ἁγιάσατε ἱερείαν τῷ Βααλ καὶ ἐκήρυξαν

And Jehu commanded, “Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal.” So they announced it.

21 καὶ ἀπέστειλεν Ιου ἐν παντὶ Ισραηλ λέγων καὶ νῦν πάντες οἱ δοῦλοι τοῦ Βααλ καὶ πάντες οἱ ἱερεῖς αὐτοῦ καὶ πάντες οἱ προφῆται αὐτοῦ μηδεὶς ἀπολειπέσθω ὅτι θυσίαν μεγάλην ποιῶ ὃς ἂν ἀπολειφθῇ οὐ ζήσεται καὶ ἦλθον πάντες οἱ δοῦλοι τοῦ Βααλ καὶ πάντες οἱ ἱερεῖς αὐτοῦ καὶ πάντες οἱ προφῆται αὐτοῦ οὐ κατελείφθη ἀνήρ ὃς οὐ παρεγένετο καὶ εἰσῆλθον εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Βααλ καὶ ἐπλήσθη ὁ οἶκος τοῦ Βααλ στόμα εἰς στόμα

Then Jehu sent word throughout Israel, and all the servants of Baal came; there was not a man who failed to show. They entered the temple of Baal, and it was filled from end to end.

22 καὶ εἶπεν Ιου τῷ ἐπὶ τοῦ οἴκου μεσθααλ ἐξάγαγε ἐνδύματα πᾶσι τοῖς δούλοις τοῦ Βααλ καὶ ἐξήνεγκεν αὐτοῖς ὁ στολιστής

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

23 καὶ εἰσῆλθεν Ιου καὶ Ιωναδαβ υἱὸς Ρηχαβ εἰς οἶκον τοῦ Βααλ καὶ εἶπεν τοῖς δούλοις τοῦ Βααλ ἐρευνήσατε καὶ ἴδετε εἰ ἔστιν μεθ’ ὑμῶν τῶν δούλων κυρίου ὅτι ἀλλ’ ἢ οἱ δοῦλοι τοῦ Βααλ μονώτατοι

Next, Jehu and Jehonadab son of Rechab entered the temple of Baal, and Jehu said to the servants of Baal, “Look around to see that there are no servants of the LORD here among you—only servants of Baal.”

24 καὶ εἰσῆλθεν τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὰ θύματα καὶ τὰ ὁλοκαυτώματα καὶ Ιου ἔταξεν ἑαυτῷ ἔξω ὀγδοήκοντα ἄνδρας καὶ εἶπεν ἀνήρ ὃς ἐὰν διασωθῇ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀνδρῶν ὧν ἐγὼ ἀνάγω ἐπὶ χεῖρας ὑμῶν ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ ἀντὶ τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ

And they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had stationed eighty men outside and warned them, “If anyone allows one of the men I am delivering into your hands to escape, he will forfeit his life for theirs.”

25 καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς συνετέλεσεν ποιῶν τὴν ὁλοκαύτωσιν καὶ εἶπεν Ιου τοῖς παρατρέχουσιν καὶ τοῖς τριστάταις εἰσελθόντες πατάξατε αὐτούς ἀνὴρ μὴ ἐξελθάτω ἐξ αὐτῶν καὶ ἐπάταξαν αὐτοὺς ἐν στόματι ῥομφαίας καὶ ἔρριψαν οἱ παρατρέχοντες καὶ οἱ τριστάται καὶ ἐπορεύθησαν ἕως πόλεως οἴκου τοῦ Βααλ

When he had finished making the burnt offering, Jehu said to the guards and officers, “Go in and kill them. Do not let anyone out.” So the guards and officers put them to the sword, threw the bodies out, and went into the inner room of the temple of Baal.

26 καὶ ἐξήνεγκαν τὴν στήλην τοῦ Βααλ καὶ ἐνέπρησαν αὐτήν

They brought out the sacred pillar of the temple of Baal and burned it.

27 καὶ κατέσπασαν τὰς στήλας τοῦ Βααλ καὶ καθεῖλον τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Βααλ καὶ ἔταξαν αὐτὸν εἰς λυτρῶνας ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης

They also demolished the sacred pillar of Baal. Then they tore down the temple of Baal and made it into a latrine, which it is to this day.

28 καὶ ἠφάνισεν Ιου τὸν Βααλ ἐξ Ισραηλ

Thus Jehu eradicated Baal from Israel,

29 πλὴν ἁμαρτιῶν Ιεροβοαμ υἱοῦ Ναβατ ὃς ἐξήμαρτεν τὸν Ισραηλ οὐκ ἀπέστη Ιου ἀπὸ ὄπισθεν αὐτῶν αἱ δαμάλεις αἱ χρυσαῖ ἐν Βαιθηλ καὶ ἐν Δαν

but he did not turn away from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit—the worship of the golden calves at Bethel and Dan.

30 καὶ εἶπεν κύριος πρὸς Ιου ἀνθ’ ὧν ὅσα ἠγάθυνας ποιῆσαι τὸ εὐθὲς ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς μου καὶ πάντα ὅσα ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ μου ἐποίησας τῷ οἴκῳ Αχααβ υἱοὶ τέταρτοι καθήσονταί σοι ἐπὶ θρόνου Ισραηλ

Nevertheless, the LORD said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in carrying out what is right in My sight and have done to the house of Ahab all that was in My heart, four generations of your sons will sit on the throne of Israel.”

31 καὶ Ιου οὐκ ἐφύλαξεν πορεύεσθαι ἐν νόμῳ κυρίου θεοῦ Ισραηλ ἐν ὅλῃ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἀπέστη ἐπάνωθεν ἁμαρτιῶν Ιεροβοαμ υἱοῦ Ναβατ ὃς ἐξήμαρτεν τὸν Ισραηλ

Yet Jehu was not careful to follow the instruction of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn away from the sins that Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit.

32 ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ἤρξατο κύριος συγκόπτειν ἐν τῷ Ισραηλ καὶ ἐπάταξεν αὐτοὺς Αζαηλ ἐν παντὶ ὁρίῳ Ισραηλ

In those days the LORD began to reduce the size of Israel. Hazael defeated the Israelites throughout their territory

33 ἀπὸ τοῦ Ιορδάνου κατ’ ἀνατολὰς ἡλίου πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν Γαλααδ τοῦ Γαδδι καὶ τοῦ Ρουβην καὶ τοῦ Μανασση ἀπὸ Αροηρ ἥ ἐστιν ἐπὶ τοῦ χείλους χειμάρρου Αρνων καὶ τὴν Γαλααδ καὶ τὴν Βασαν

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

34 καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ τῶν λόγων Ιου καὶ πάντα ὅσα ἐποίησεν καὶ πᾶσα ἡ δυναστεία αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰς συνάψεις ἃς συνῆψεν οὐχὶ ταῦτα γεγραμμένα ἐπὶ βιβλίῳ λόγων τῶν ἡμερῶν τοῖς βασιλεῦσιν Ισραηλ

As for the rest of the acts of Jehu, along with all his accomplishments and all his might, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

35 καὶ ἐκοιμήθη Ιου μετὰ τῶν πατέρων αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔθαψαν αὐτὸν ἐν Σαμαρείᾳ καὶ ἐβασίλευσεν Ιωαχας υἱὸς αὐτοῦ ἀντ’ αὐτοῦ

And Jehu rested with his fathers and was buried in Samaria, and his son Jehoahaz reigned in his place.

36 καὶ αἱ ἡμέραι ἃς ἐβασίλευσεν Ιου ἐπὶ Ισραηλ εἴκοσι ὀκτὼ ἔτη ἐν Σαμαρείᾳ

So the duration of Jehu’s reign over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.