Ii Regum 10

1 erant autem Ahab septuaginta filii in Samaria scripsit ergo Hieu litteras et misit in Samariam ad optimates civitatis et ad maiores natu et ad nutricios Ahab dicens

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 statim ut acceperitis litteras has qui habetis filios domini vestri et currus et equos et civitates firmas et arma

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

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

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 timuerunt illi vehementer et dixerunt ecce duo reges non potuerunt stare coram eo et quomodo nos valebimus resistere

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

5 miserunt ergo praepositus domus et praefectus civitatis et maiores natu et nutricii ad Hieu dicentes servi tui sumus quaecumque iusseris faciemus nec constituemus regem quodcumque tibi placet fac

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 rescripsit autem eis litteras secundo dicens si mei estis et oboeditis mihi tollite capita filiorum domini vestri et venite ad me hac eadem hora cras in Hiezrahel porro filii regis septuaginta viri apud optimates civitatis nutriebantur

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 cumque venissent litterae ad eos tulerunt filios regis et occiderunt septuaginta viros et posuerunt capita eorum in cofinis et miserunt ad eum in Hiezrahel

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 venit autem nuntius et indicavit ei dicens adtulerunt capita filiorum regis qui respondit ponite ea duos acervos iuxta introitum portae usque mane

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 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, 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 videte ergo nunc quoniam non cecidit de sermonibus Domini in terram quos locutus est Dominus super domum Ahab et Dominus fecit quod locutus est in manu servi sui Heliae

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 percussit igitur Hieu omnes qui reliqui erant de domo Ahab in Hiezrahel et universos optimates eius et notos et sacerdotes donec non remanerent ex eo reliquiae

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 et surrexit et venit in Samariam cumque venisset ad Camaram pastorum in via

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

13 invenit fratres Ahaziae regis Iuda dixitque ad eos quinam estis vos at illi responderunt fratres Ahaziae sumus et descendimus ad salutandos filios regis et filios reginae

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 qui ait conprehendite eos vivos quos cum conprehendissent vivos iugulaverunt eos in cisterna iuxta Camaram quadraginta duos viros et non reliquit ex eis quemquam

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 cumque abisset 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 manum suam at ille levavit eum ad se in curru

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 dixitque ad eum veni mecum et vide zelum meum pro Domino et inpositum currui suo

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

17 duxit in Samariam et percussit omnes qui reliqui fuerant de Ahab in Samaria usque ad unum iuxta verbum Domini quod locutus est per Heliam

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 congregavit ergo Hieu omnem populum et dixit ad eos Ahab coluit Baal parum ego autem colam eum amplius

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

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 Hieu faciebat hoc insidiose ut disperderet cultores Baal

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 dixit sanctificate diem sollemnem Baal vocavitque

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

21 et misit in universos terminos Israhel 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

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 dixitque his qui erant super vestes proferte vestimenta universis servis Baal et protulerunt eis vestes

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 ingressusque Hieu et Ionadab filius Rechab templum Baal et ait cultoribus Baal perquirite et videte ne quis forte vobiscum sit de servis Domini sed ut sint soli servi Baal

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 ingressi sunt igitur ut facerent victimas et holocausta Hieu 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

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 factum est ergo cum conpletum esset holocaustum praecepit Hieu militibus et ducibus suis ingredimini et percutite eos nullus evadat percusseruntque eos ore gladii et proiecerunt milites et duces et ierunt in civitatem templi Baal

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 et protulerunt statuam de fano Baal et conbuserunt

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

27 et comminuerunt eam destruxerunt quoque aedem Baal et fecerunt pro ea latrinas usque ad diem hanc

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 delevit itaque Hieu Baal de Israhel

Thus Jehu eradicated Baal from Israel,

29 verumtamen a peccatis Hieroboam filii Nabath qui peccare fecerat Israhel non recessit nec dereliquit vitulos aureos qui erant in Bethel et in Dan

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 dixit autem Dominus ad Hieu quia studiose fecisti quod rectum erat et placebat in oculis meis et omnia quae erant in corde meo fecisti contra domum Ahab filii tui usque ad quartam generationem sedebunt super thronum Israhel

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 porro Hieu non custodivit ut ambularet in lege Domini Dei Israhel in toto corde suo non enim recessit a peccatis Hieroboam qui peccare fecerat Israhel

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 in diebus illis coepit Dominus taedere super Israhel percussitque eos Azahel in universis finibus Israhel

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

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 reliqua autem verborum Hieu et universa quae fecit et fortitudo eius nonne haec scripta sunt in libro verborum dierum regum Israhel

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 et dormivit Hieu cum patribus suis sepelieruntque eum in Samaria et regnavit Ioachaz filius eius pro eo

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

36 dies autem quos regnavit Hieu super Israhel viginti et octo anni sunt in Samaria

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