2 Kings 10:1 ←
Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria, to the rulers of Jezreel, even the elders, and to those who brought up Ahab’s sons, saying,
2 Kings 10:2 ←
“Now as soon as this letter comes to you, since your master’s sons are with you, and you have chariots and horses, a fortified city also, and armor,
2 Kings 10:3 ←
select the best and fittest of your master’s sons, set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house.”
2 Kings 10:4 ←
But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, “Behold, the two kings didn’t stand before him! How then shall we stand?”
2 Kings 10:5 ←
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.”
2 Kings 10:6 ←
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 who are 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.
2 Kings 10:7 ←
When the letter came to them, they took the king’s sons and killed them, even seventy people, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him to Jezreel.
2 Kings 10:8 ←
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.”
2 Kings 10:9 ←
In the morning, he went out and stood, and said to all the people, “You are righteous. Behold, I conspired against my master and killed him, but who killed all these?
2 Kings 10:10 ←
Know now that nothing will fall to the earth of Yahweh’s word, which Yahweh spoke concerning Ahab’s house. For Yahweh has done that which he spoke by his servant Elijah.”
2 Kings 10:11 ←
So Jehu struck all that remained of Ahab’s house in Jezreel, with all his great men, his familiar friends, and his priests, until he left him no one remaining.
2 Kings 10:12 ←
He arose and departed, and went to Samaria. As he was at the shearing house of the shepherds on the way,
2 Kings 10:13 ←
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.”
2 Kings 10:14 ←
He said, “Take them alive!” They took them alive, and killed them at the pit of the shearing house, even forty-two men. He didn’t leave any of them.
2 Kings 10:15 ←
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.” “If it is, give me your hand.” He gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot.
2 Kings 10:16 ←
He said, “Come with me, and see my zeal for Yahweh.” So they made him ride in his chariot.
2 Kings 10:17 ←
When he came to Samaria, he struck all who remained to Ahab in Samaria, until he had destroyed them, according to Yahweh’s word which he spoke to Elijah.
2 Kings 10:18 ←
Jehu gathered all the people together, and said to them, “Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve him much.
2 Kings 10:19 ←
Now therefore call to me all the prophets of Baal, all of his worshipers, and all of his priests. Let no one be absent, for I have a great sacrifice to Baal. Whoever is absent, he shall not live.” But Jehu did deceptively, intending to destroy the worshipers of Baal.
2 Kings 10:20 ←
Jehu said, “Sanctify a solemn assembly for Baal!” So they proclaimed it.
2 Kings 10:21 ←
Jehu sent through all Israel; and all the worshipers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that didn’t come. They came into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was filled from one end to another.
2 Kings 10:22 ←
He said to him who kept the wardrobe, “Bring out robes for all the worshipers of Baal!” So he brought robes out to them.
2 Kings 10:23 ←
Jehu went with Jehonadab the son of Rechab into the house of Baal. Then he said to the worshipers of Baal, “Search, and see that none of the servants of Yahweh are here with you, but only the worshipers of Baal.”
2 Kings 10:24 ←
So they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had appointed for himself 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.”
2 Kings 10:25 ←
As soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, “Go in and kill them! Let no one escape.” So they struck them with the edge of the sword. The guard and the captains threw the bodies out, and went to the inner shrine of the house of Baal.
2 Kings 10:26 ←
They brought out the pillars that were in the house of Baal and burned them.
2 Kings 10:27 ←
They broke down the pillar of Baal, and broke down the house of Baal, and made it a latrine, to this day.
2 Kings 10:28 ←
Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.
2 Kings 10:29 ←
However, Jehu didn’t depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin—the golden calves that were in Bethel and that were in Dan.
2 Kings 10:30 ←
Yahweh said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in executing that which is right in my eyes, and have done to Ahab’s house according to all that was in my heart, your descendants shall sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.”
2 Kings 10:31 ←
But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of Yahweh, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He didn’t depart from the sins of Jeroboam, with which he made Israel to sin.
2 Kings 10:32 ←
In those days Yahweh began to cut away parts of Israel; and Hazael struck them in all the borders of Israel
2 Kings 10:33 ←
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.
2 Kings 10:34 ←
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?
2 Kings 10:35 ←
Jehu slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Samaria. Jehoahaz his son reigned in his place.
2 Kings 10:36 ←
The time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.
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