Ii Regum 10

1 Erant autem Achab septuaginta filii in Samaria: scripsit ergo Iehu litteras, et misit in Samariam, ad optimates civitatis, et ad maiores natu, et ad nutritios Achab, dicens:

There were seventy descendants of King Ahab who were living there in Samaria. Jehu wrote a letter [and made copies of it] and sent them to the rulers of the city, to the elders, and to those who raised and tutored Ahab’s children.

2 Statim ut acceperitis litteras has, qui habetis filios domini vestri, et currus, et equos, et civitates firmas, et arma,

[This is what he wrote]: “You are the ones who are [taking care of] the king’s descendants. You have chariots and horses and weapons, and you live in cities that have walls around them. So as soon as you receive this letter,

3 eligite meliorem, et eum qui vobis placuerit de filiis domini vestri, et eum ponite super solium patris sui, et pugnate pro domo domini vestri.

choose one of the king’s sons, the one who is the best qualified, and appoint him to be your king. Then [prepare to] fight to defend him.”

4 Timuerunt illi vehementer, et dixerunt: Ecce duo reges non potuerunt stare coram eo, et quo modo nos valebimus resistere?

But [when they got those letters from Jehu and read them], they became very afraid. They said, “King Joram and King Ahaziah could not resist him; (how can we resist him?/we cannot possibly resist him!)” [RHQ]

5 Miserunt ergo praepositi domus, et praefecti civitatis, et maiores natu, et nutritii, ad Iehu, dicentes: Servi tui sumus, quaecumque iusseris faciemus, nec constituemus nobis regem: quaecumque tibi placent, fac.

So the officer who was in charge of the palace and the mayor of the city sent a message to Jehu saying, “We want to serve you, and we are ready to do whatever you tell us to do. We will not appoint anyone to become our king. You do whatever you think is best.”

6 Rescripsit autem eis litteras secundo, dicens: Si mei estis, et obeditis mihi, tollite capita filiorum domini vestri, et venite ad me hac eadem hora cras in Iezrahel. Porro filii regis, septuaginta viri apud optimates civitates nutriebantur.

So Jehu sent a second letter to them, writing this: “If you (are on my side/want to help me), and if you are ready to obey me, [kill] King Ahab’s descendants [and cut off their heads and] bring their heads to me here in Jezreel at this time tomorrow.” The seventy descendants of King Ahab were being brought up and supervised by the leaders of [Samaria] city.

7 Cumque venissent litteras ad eos, tulerunt filios regis, et occiderunt septuaginta viros, et posuerunt capita eorum in cophinis, et miserunt ad eum in Iezrahel.

When they received the letter from Jehu, they killed all seventy of Ahab’s descendants and [cut off their heads]. They put their heads in baskets and sent them to Jehu at Jezreel.

8 Venit autem nuncius, et indicavit ei, dicens: Attulerunt capita filiorum regis. Qui respondit: Ponite ea ad duos acervos iuxta introitum portae usque mane.

A messenger came to Jehu and told him, “They have brought the heads of Ahab’s descendants.” So Jehu commanded that the heads should be put in two piles at the city gate and that the heads should stay there until the next morning.

9 Cumque diluxisset, egressus est, et stans dixit ad omnem populum: Iusti estis: si ego coniuravi contra dominum meum, et interfeci eum, quis percussit omnes hos?

The next morning he went out [to the city gate] and said to all the people, “I am the one who plotted against King Joram and killed him. You are not guilty of doing that. But [it was Yahweh, not I] [RHQ] who [commanded that] all these [descendants of Ahab should be] killed.

10 Videte ergo nunc quoniam non cecidit de sermonibus Domini in terram, quos locutus est Dominus super domum Achab, et Dominus fecit quod locutus est in manu servi sui Eliae.

So you need to know that everything that Yahweh said would happen has happened. He has caused to happen what he told the prophet Elijah would happen.”

11 Percussit igitur Iehu omnes, qui reliqui erant de domo Achab in Iezrahel, et universos optimates eius, et notos, et sacerdotes, donec non remanerent ex eo reliquiae.

Then Jehu executed all the other relatives of Ahab in Jezreel, and all Ahab’s officers, and close friends, and his priests. He did not allow any of them to remain alive.

12 Et surrexit, et venit in Samariam: cumque venisset ad Cameram pastorum in via,

Then Jehu left [Jezreel] and went toward Samaria. While he was going there, at a place called ‘Shepherds’ Camp’,

13 invenit fratres Ochoziae regis Iuda, dixitque ad eos: Quinam estis vos? Qui responderunt: Fratres Ochoziae sumus, et descendimus ad salutandos filios regis, et filios reginae.

he met some relatives of King Ahaziah of Judah. He asked them, “Who are you?” They replied, “We are relatives of King Ahaziah. We are going to Jezreel to visit the children of Queen Jezebel and the other members of King [Joram’s] family.”

14 Qui ait: Comprehendite eos vivos. Quos cum comprehendissent vivos, iugulaverunt eos in cisterna iuxta Cameram, quadraginta duos viros, et non reliquit ex eis quemquam.

Jehu said to his men, “Seize them!” So they seized them and killed all of them at the pit named Beth-Eked. There were 42 people whom they killed; they did not allow any of them to remain alive.

15 Cumque abiisset inde, invenit Ionadab filium Rechab in occursum sibi, et benedixit ei. Et ait ad eum: Numquid est cor tuum rectum, sicut cor meum cum corde tuo? Et ait Ionadab: Est. Si est, inquit, da manum tuam. Qui dedit ei manum suam. At ille levavit eum ad se in currum:

Then Jehu [continued to travel toward Samaria]. Along the road, he was met by Jonadab, a leader of the Rechab clan. Jehu greeted him and said to him, “Are you as devoted to me [IDM] as I am devoted to you?” Jonadab replied, “Yes, I am.” Jehu said, “If you are, shake hands with me.” So Jonadab shook hands with him, and Jehu helped him to get into his chariot.

16 dixitque ad eum: Veni mecum, et vide zelum meum pro Domino. Et impositum in curru suo

Jehu said to him, “Come with me, and you will see that I am very devoted to Yahweh.” So they rode together to Samaria.

17 duxit in Samariam. Et percussit omnes qui reliqui fuerant de Achab in Samaria usque ad unum, iuxta verbum Domini, quod locutus est per Eliam.

When they arrived in Samaria, Jehu killed all of Ahab’s relatives who were still alive. He did not (spare any of them/allow any of them to remain alive). That was what Yahweh told Elijah would happen.

18 Congregavit ergo Iehu omnem populum, et dixit ad eos: Achab coluit Baal parum, ego autem colam eum amplius.

Then Jehu summoned all the people [of Samaria], and said to them, “King Ahab was devoted to [your god] Baal a little bit, but I will serve him much more.

19 Nunc igitur omnes prophetas Baal, et universos servos eius, et cunctos sacerdotes ipsius vocate ad me: nullus sit qui non veniat, sacrificium enim grande est mihi Baal: quicumque defuerit, non vivet. Porro Iehu faciebat hoc insidiose, ut disperderet cultores Baal.

So now summon all the prophets of Baal, all of Baal’s priests, and all the others who worship Baal. I am going to make a great sacrifice to Baal. I want all of them to be there. Any of them who is not there will be executed.” But Jehu was planning to trick them; he was planning to kill all those who worshiped Baal.

20 Et dixit: Sanctificate diem sollemnem Baal. Vocavitque

Then Jehu commanded, “Announce that we are going to set aside a day to honor Baal.” So they did that.

21 et misit in universos terminos Israel, et venerunt cuncti servi Baal: non fuit residuus ne unus quidem qui non veniret. Et ingressi sunt templum Baal: et repleta est domus Baal, a summo usque ad summum.

Jehu [decided what day they would gather and] sent messages throughout Israel [telling everyone what day to gather on], and on that day, everyone who worshiped Baal came. No one stayed at home. They all went into the huge temple of Baal and filled it from one end to the other.

22 Dixitque his, qui erant super vestes: Proferte vestimenta universis servis Baal. Et protulerunt eis vestes.

Jehu told the priest who took care of the sacred robes to bring them out and give them to the people who worshiped Baal. So the priest did that.

23 Ingressusque Iehu, et Ionadab filius Rechab templum Baal, ait cultoribus Baal: Perquirite, et videte, ne quis forte vobiscum sit de servis Domini, sed ut sint servi Baal soli.

Then Jehu went into the temple of Baal with Jonadab, and he said to the people who were there to worship Baal, “Be sure that only those who worship Baal are here. Be sure that no one who worships Yahweh has come in.”

24 Ingressi sunt igitur ut facerent victimas et holocausta: Iehu autem praeparaverat sibi foris octoginta viros, et dixerat eis: Quicumque fugerit de hominibus his, quos ego adduxero in manus vestras, anima eius erit pro anima illius.

Then he and Jonadab prepared to offer sacrifices and other offerings to Baal that would be completely burned [on the altar that was there in Samaria]. But Jehu had stationed eighty of his men outside the temple, and had said to them, “I want you to kill all the people [who are in the temple]. Anyone who allows one of them to escape will be executed!”

25 Factum est autem, cum completum esset holocaustum, praecepit Iehu militibus et ducibus suis: Ingredimini, et percutite eos, nullus evadat. Percusseruntque eos in ore gladii, et proiecerunt milites et duces: et ierunt in civitatem templi Baal,

As soon as Jehu [and Jonadab] had finished killing the animals that would be completely burned to be an offering to Baal, they [went outside and] said to the guards and officers, “Go in and kill all of them! Do not allow any of them to escape!” So the guards and officers went in and killed them all with their swords. Then they dragged their corpses outside the temple. Then they went into the inner room of the temple,

26 et protulerunt statuam de fano Baal, et combusserunt,

and they carried out the sacred pillar of Baal that was there, and they burned it.

27 et comminuerunt eam. Destruxerunt quoque aedem Baal, et fecerunt pro ea latrinas usque in diem hanc.

So they destroyed that pillar that honored Baal, and then they burned down the temple, and made it a public toilet. And it is still a toilet!

28 Delevit itaque Iehu Baal de Israel:

That is how Jehu got rid of the worship of Baal in Israel.

29 verumtamen a peccatis Ieroboam filii Nabat, qui peccare fecit Israel, non recessit, nec dereliquit vitulos aureos, qui erant in Bethel, et in Dan.

But Jehu did not quit committing the kinds of sins that Jeroboam had committed, sins that led the people of Israel to sin by worshiping the gold [statues of] calves in Bethel and Dan [cities].

30 Dixit autem Dominus ad Iehu: Quia studiose egisti quod rectum erat, et placebat in oculis meis, et omnia quae erant in corde meo fecisti contra domum Achab: filii tui usque ad quartam generationem sedebunt super thronum Israel.

Then Yahweh said to Jehu, “You have done what pleased me by getting rid of all of Ahab’s descendants. So I promise you that your son and grandson and great-grandson and great-great-grandson will all be kings of Israel.”

31 Porro Iehu non custodivit ut ambularet in lege Domini Dei Israel in toto corde suo: non enim recessit a peccatis Ieroboam, qui peccare fecerat Israel.

But Jehu did not obey all the laws of Yahweh, the God of the Israeli people. He did not stop committing the sins that Jeroboam had committed, sins that led the Israeli people to sin.

32 In diebus illis coepit Dominus taedere super Israel: percussitque eos Hazael in universis finibus Israel,

At that time, Yahweh began to cause the territory controlled by Israel to become smaller. [The army of] King Hazael [of Syria] conquered much of the Israeli territory.

33 a Iordane contra Orientalem plagam, omnem Terram Galaad, et Gad, et Ruben, et Manasse, ab Aroer, quae est super Torrentem Arnon, et Galaad, et Basan.

He conquered the parts east of the Jordan [River], as far south as Aroer [town] on the Arnon [River]. That included [the] Gilead and Bashan [regions], where the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and half of the tribe of Manasseh lived.

34 Reliqua autem verborum Iehu, et universa quae fecit, et fortitudo eius, nonne haec scripta sunt in Libro verborum dierum regum Israel?

[If you want to read more] about all the other things that Jehu did [RHQ], they are written in the scroll called ‘The History of the Kings of Israel’.

35 Et dormivit Iehu cum patribus suis, sepelieruntque eum in Samaria: et regnavit Ioachaz filius eius pro eo.

Jehu died [EUP], and was buried in Samaria. His son Jehoahaz became the king in place of his father.

36 Dies autem, quos regnavit Iehu super Israel, viginti et octo anni sunt, in Samaria.

Jehu had ruled in Samaria as the king of Israel for twenty-eight years.