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2 Kings 10
New American Standard Bible

Judgment upon Ahab’s House

10 Now Ahab had seventy sons in (A)Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria, to the officials of Jezreel, the elders, and to the guardians of the children of Ahab, saying, 2 “And now, (B)when this letter comes to you, since your master’s sons are with you, [a]as well as the chariots and horses, and a fortified city and the weapons, 3 select the best and most capable of your master’s sons and seat him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house.” 4 But they feared greatly and said, “Behold, (C)the two kings did not stand firm before him; how then can we stand?” 5 And the one who was in charge of the household, and the one who was in charge of the city, and the elders, and the guardians of the children, sent word to Jehu, saying, “(D)We are your servants, and everything that you tell us we will do. We will not appoint any man king; do what is good in your sight.” 6 Then he wrote them a letter a second time, saying, “If you are on my side, and will listen to my voice, take the heads of the men, your master’s sons, and come to me at Jezreel about this time tomorrow.” Now the king’s sons, seventy men, were with the great people of the city, who were raising them. 7 When the letter came to them, they took the king’s sons and (E)slaughtered them, seventy men, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him at Jezreel. 8 When the messenger came and informed him, saying, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons,” he said, “Put them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until morning.” 9 Now in the morning he went out and stood and said to all the people, “You are [b]innocent; behold, (F)I conspired against my master and killed him, but (G)who [c]killed all these? 10 Know then that (H)nothing of the word of the Lord, which the Lord spoke concerning the house of Ahab, shall [d]fall to the earth, for the Lord has done (I)what He spoke [e]through His servant Elijah.” 11 So Jehu [f]killed all who remained of the house of Ahab in (J)Jezreel, and all his great men, his acquaintances, and his priests, until he left him without a survivor.

12 Then he set out and [g]went to Samaria. On the way while he was at [h]Beth-eked of the shepherds, 13 (K)Jehu [i]encountered the relatives of Ahaziah king of Judah, and he said, “Who are you?” And they [j]answered, “We are the relatives of Ahaziah; and we have come down to greet the sons of the king and the sons of the queen mother.” 14 Then he said, “Take them alive.” So they took them alive, and slaughtered them at the pit of Beth-eked, forty-two men; and he left none of them.

15 Now when he had gone from there, he [k]encountered (L)Jehonadab the son of (M)Rechab coming to meet him; and he [l]greeted him and said to him, “Is your heart right, just as my heart is with your heart?” And Jehonadab [m]answered, “It is.” Jehu said, “If it is, (N)give me your hand.” And he gave him his hand, and he pulled him up to him into the chariot. 16 Then he said, “Come with me and (O)see my zeal for the Lord.” So [n]he had him ride in his chariot. 17 When he came to Samaria, (P)he [o]killed all who remained to Ahab in Samaria, until he had eliminated [p]them, (Q)in accordance with the word of the Lord which He spoke to Elijah.

Jehu Destroys Baal Worshipers

18 Then Jehu gathered all the people and said to them, “(R)Ahab served Baal a little; Jehu will serve him much. 19 Now, (S)summon to me all the prophets of Baal, all his worshipers and all his priests; let no one go missing, because I have a great sacrifice for Baal; whoever is missing shall not live.” But Jehu did it in deception, in order to eliminate the worshipers of Baal. 20 And Jehu said, “(T)Proclaim a holy assembly for Baal.” And (U)they proclaimed it. 21 Then Jehu sent word [q]throughout Israel, and all the worshipers of Baal came, so that there was not a person left who did not come. And when they entered (V)the house of Baal, the house of Baal was filled from one end to the other. 22 And he said to the one who was [r]in charge of the wardrobe, “Bring out garments for all the worshipers of Baal.” So he brought out the garments for them. 23 Then Jehu entered the house of Baal with Jehonadab the son of Rechab; and he said to the worshipers of Baal, “Search carefully and see to it that there is here with you none of the servants of the Lord, but only the worshipers of Baal.” 24 Then they entered to [s]offer sacrifices and burnt offerings.

Now Jehu had stationed for himself eighty men outside, and he had said, “(W)The one who allows any of the men whom I bring into your hands to escape [t]shall give up his life in exchange.”

25 Then it came about, as soon as he had finished [u]offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the [v](X)guard and to the royal officers, “(Y)Go in, [w]kill them; let none come out.” So they [x]killed them with the edge of the sword; and the [y]guard and the royal officers threw them out, and went to the [z]sanctuary of the house of Baal. 26 They brought out the (Z)memorial stones of the house of Baal and burned them. 27 They also tore down the memorial stone of Baal and tore down the house of Baal, and (AA)made it a latrine as it is to this day.

28 So Jehu eradicated Baal from Israel. 29 However, (AB)as for the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, into which he misled Israel, from these Jehu did not desist, including the (AC)golden calves that were at Bethel and at Dan. 30 Yet the Lord said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in performing what is right in My eyes, and have done to the house of Ahab in accordance with everything that was in My heart, (AD)your sons to the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.” 31 But Jehu (AE)was not careful to walk in the Law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart; (AF)he did not desist from the sins of Jeroboam, into which he misled Israel.

32 In those days the (AG)Lord began to cut off pieces from Israel; and (AH)Hazael [aa]defeated them throughout the territory of Israel: 33 from the Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, the Reubenites, and the Manassites; from (AI)Aroer, which is by the Valley of the Arnon, that is, (AJ)Gilead and Bashan.

Jehoahaz Succeeds Jehu

34 Now as for the rest of the acts of Jehu and everything that he did and all his might, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 35 And Jehu [ab]lay down with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria. And his son Jehoahaz became king in his place. 36 So the [ac]time which Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 10:2 Lit and with you the
  2. 2 Kings 10:9 Lit righteous
  3. 2 Kings 10:9 Lit struck
  4. 2 Kings 10:10 I.e., fail to come true
  5. 2 Kings 10:10 Lit by the hand of
  6. 2 Kings 10:11 Lit struck
  7. 2 Kings 10:12 Lit came in and went
  8. 2 Kings 10:12 I.e., house of binding
  9. 2 Kings 10:13 Lit found
  10. 2 Kings 10:13 Lit said
  11. 2 Kings 10:15 Lit found
  12. 2 Kings 10:15 Lit blessed
  13. 2 Kings 10:15 Lit said
  14. 2 Kings 10:16 Lit they
  15. 2 Kings 10:17 Lit struck
  16. 2 Kings 10:17 Lit him
  17. 2 Kings 10:21 Lit in all
  18. 2 Kings 10:22 Lit over the
  19. 2 Kings 10:24 Lit make
  20. 2 Kings 10:24 Lit his soul for his soul
  21. 2 Kings 10:25 Lit making
  22. 2 Kings 10:25 Lit runners
  23. 2 Kings 10:25 Lit strike
  24. 2 Kings 10:25 Lit struck
  25. 2 Kings 10:25 Lit runners
  26. 2 Kings 10:25 Lit city
  27. 2 Kings 10:32 Lit struck
  28. 2 Kings 10:35 I.e., died
  29. 2 Kings 10:36 Lit days
Listen to 2 Kings 10
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2 Kings 10
King James Version

10 And Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, unto the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to them that brought up Ahab's children, saying,

2 Now as soon as this letter cometh to you, seeing your master's sons are with you, and there are with you chariots and horses, a fenced city also, and armour;

3 Look even out the best and meetest of your master's sons, and set him on his father's throne, and fight for your master's house.

4 But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, two kings stood not before him: how then shall we stand?

5 And he that was over the house, and he that was over the city, the elders also, and the bringers up of the children, sent to Jehu, saying, We are thy servants, and will do all that thou shalt bid us; we will not make any king: do thou that which is good in thine eyes.

6 Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, If ye be mine, and if ye will hearken unto my voice, take ye the heads of the men your master's sons, and come to me to Jezreel by to morrow this time. Now the king's sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, which brought them up.

7 And it came to pass, when the letter came to them, that they took the king's sons, and slew seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent him them to Jezreel.

8 And there came a messenger, and told him, saying, They have brought the heads of the king's sons. And he said, Lay ye them in two heaps at the entering in of the gate until the morning.

9 And it came to pass in the morning, that he went out, and stood, and said to all the people, Ye be righteous: behold, I conspired against my master, and slew him: but who slew all these?

10 Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the Lord, which the Lord spake concerning the house of Ahab: for the Lord hath done that which he spake by his servant Elijah.

11 So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his kinsfolks, and his priests, until he left him none remaining.

12 And he arose and departed, and came to Samaria. And as he was at the shearing house in the way,

13 Jehu met with the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, Who are ye? And they answered, We are the brethren of Ahaziah; and we go down to salute the children of the king and the children of the queen.

14 And he said, Take them alive. And they took them alive, and slew them at the pit of the shearing house, even two and forty men; neither left he any of them.

15 And when he was departed thence, he lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him: and he saluted him, and said to him, Is thine heart right, as my heart is with thy heart? And Jehonadab answered, It is. If it be, give me thine hand. And he gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot.

16 And he said, Come with me, and see my zeal for the Lord. So they made him ride in his chariot.

17 And when he came to Samaria, he slew all that remained unto Ahab in Samaria, till he had destroyed him, according to the saying of the Lord, which he spake to Elijah.

18 And Jehu gathered all the people together, and said unto them, Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu shall serve him much.

19 Now therefore call unto me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests; let none be wanting: for I have a great sacrifice to do to Baal; whosoever shall be wanting, he shall not live. But Jehu did it in subtilty, to the intent that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal.

20 And Jehu said, Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal. And they proclaimed it.

21 And Jehu sent through all Israel: and all the worshippers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that came not. And they came into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was full from one end to another.

22 And he said unto him that was over the vestry, Bring forth vestments for all the worshippers of Baal. And he brought them forth vestments.

23 And Jehu went, and Jehonadab the son of Rechab, into the house of Baal, and said unto the worshippers of Baal, Search, and look that there be here with you none of the servants of the Lord, but the worshippers of Baal only.

24 And when they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings, Jehu appointed fourscore men without, and said, If any of the men whom I have brought into your hands escape, he that letteth him go, his life shall be for the life of him.

25 And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, Go in, and slay them; let none come forth. And they smote them with the edge of the sword; and the guard and the captains cast them out, and went to the city of the house of Baal.

26 And they brought forth the images out of the house of Baal, and burned them.

27 And they brake down the image of Baal, and brake down the house of Baal, and made it a draught house unto this day.

28 Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.

29 Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them, to wit, the golden calves that were in Bethel, and that were in Dan.

30 And the Lord said unto Jehu, Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes, and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart, thy children of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.

31 But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin.

32 In those days the Lord began to cut Israel short: and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel;

33 From Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the river Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan.

34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, and all that he did, and all his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

35 And Jehu slept with his fathers: and they buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son reigned in his stead.

36 And the time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty and eight years.

Close TLB

2 Kings 10
Living Bible

10 Then Jehu wrote a letter to the city council of Samaria and to the guardians of Ahab’s seventy sons—all of whom were living there.

2-3 “Upon receipt of this letter, select the best one of Ahab’s sons to be your king, and prepare to fight for his throne. For you have chariots and horses and a fortified city and an armory.”

4 But they were too frightened to do it. “Two kings couldn’t stand against this man! What can we do?” they said.

5 So the manager of palace affairs and the city manager, together with the city council and the guardians of Ahab’s sons, sent him this message:

“Jehu, we are your servants and will do anything you tell us to. We have decided that you should be our king instead of one of Ahab’s sons.”

6 Jehu responded with this message: “If you are on my side and are going to obey me, bring the heads of your master’s sons to me at Jezreel at about this time tomorrow.”

(These seventy sons of King Ahab were living in the homes of the chief men of the city, where they had been raised since childhood.) 7 When the letter arrived, all seventy of them were murdered, and their heads were packed into baskets and presented to Jehu at Jezreel. 8 When a messenger told Jehu that the heads of the king’s sons had arrived, he said to pile them in two heaps at the entrance of the city gate, and to leave them there until the next morning.

9-10 In the morning he went out and spoke to the crowd that had gathered around them. “You aren’t to blame,” he told them. “I conspired against my master and killed him, but I didn’t kill his sons! The Lord has done that, for everything he says comes true. He declared through his servant Elijah that this would happen to Ahab’s descendants.”

11 Jehu then killed all the rest of the members of the family of Ahab who were in Jezreel, as well as all of his important officials, personal friends, and private chaplains. Finally, no one was left who had been close to him in any way.[a] 12 Then he set out for Samaria and stayed overnight at a shepherd’s inn along the way. 13 While he was there he met the brothers of King Ahaziah of Judah.

“Who are you?” he asked them.

And they replied, “We are brothers[b] of King Ahaziah. We are going to Samaria to visit the sons of King Ahab and of the Queen Mother, Jezebel.”

14 “Grab them!” Jehu shouted to his men. And he took them out to the cistern and killed all forty-two of them.

15 As he left the inn, he met Jehonadab, the son of Rechab, who was coming to meet him. After they had greeted each other, Jehu said to him, “Are you as loyal to me as I am to you?”

“Yes,” Jehonadab replied.

“Then give me your hand,” Jehu said, and he helped him into the royal chariot.

16 “Now come along with me,” Jehu said, “and see how much I have done for the Lord.” So Jehonadab rode along with him. 17 When he arrived in Samaria he butchered all of Ahab’s friends and relatives, just as Elijah, speaking for the Lord, had predicted.

Then Jehu called a meeting of all the people of the city and said to them, “Ahab hardly worshiped Baal at all in comparison to the way I am going to! 18-19 Summon all the prophets and priests of Baal, and call together all his worshipers. See to it that every one of them comes, for we worshipers of Baal are going to have a great celebration to praise him. Any of Baal’s worshipers who don’t come will be put to death.”

But Jehu’s plan was to exterminate them. 20-21 He sent messengers throughout all Israel summoning those who worshiped Baal; and they all came and filled the temple of Baal from one end to the other. 22 He instructed the head of the robing room, “Be sure that every worshiper wears one of the special robes.”

23 Then Jehu and Jehonadab (son of Rechab) went into the temple to address the people: “Check to be sure that only those who worship Baal are here; don’t let anyone in who worships the Lord!”

24 As the priests of Baal began offering sacrifices and burnt offerings, Jehu surrounded the building with eighty of his men and told them, “If you let anyone escape, you’ll pay for it with your own life.”

25 As soon as he had finished sacrificing the burnt offering, Jehu went out and told his officers and men, “Go in and kill the whole bunch of them. Don’t let a single one escape.”

So they slaughtered them all and dragged their bodies outside. Then Jehu’s men went into the inner temple, 26 dragged out the pillar used for the worship of Baal, and burned it. 27 They wrecked the temple and converted it into a public toilet, which it still is today. 28 Thus Jehu destroyed every trace of Baal from Israel. 29 However, he didn’t destroy the gold calves at Bethel and Dan—this was the great sin of Jeroboam (son of Nebat), for it resulted in all Israel sinning.

30 Afterwards the Lord said to Jehu, “You have done well in following my instructions to destroy the dynasty of Ahab. Because of this I will cause your son, your grandson, and your great-grandson to be the kings of Israel.”

31 But Jehu didn’t follow the Lord God of Israel with all his heart, for he continued to worship Jeroboam’s gold calves that had been the cause of such great sin in Israel.

32-33 At about that time the Lord began to whittle down the size of Israel. King Hazael conquered several sections of the country east of the Jordan River, as well as all of Gilead, Gad, and Reuben; he also conquered parts of Manasseh from the Aroer River in the valley of the Arnon as far as Gilead and Bashan.

34 The rest of Jehu’s activities are recorded in The Annals of the Kings of Israel. 35 When Jehu died, he was buried in Samaria; and his son Jehoahaz became the new king. 36 In all, Jehu reigned as king of Israel, in Samaria, for twenty-eight years.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 10:11 no one was left who had been close to him in any way. Apparently Jehu in his zeal exceeded the Lord’s command in this bloodbath, for he was blamed for it by the prophet Hosea (1:4).
  2. 2 Kings 10:13 brothers, literally, “kinsmen.”
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