2 Kings 10
10
Jehu Writes the Leaders of Samaria
1Ahab had 70 sons in Samaria. Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria to the rulers and leaders of Jezreel.#10:1 leaders of Jezreel The ancient Greek and Latin versions have “leaders of the city.” He also sent the letters to the people who raised Ahab’s sons saying, 2-3“As soon as you get this letter, choose the one who is the best and most worthy among your master’s sons. You have chariots and horses. And you are living in a strong city. You also have weapons. Put the son you choose on his father’s throne. Then fight for your master’s family.”
4But the rulers and leaders of Jezreel were very afraid. They said, “The two kings could not stop Jehu. So we cannot stop him either!”
5The palace manager, the official in charge of the city, the elders, and the people who raised the king’s children sent a message to Jehu. “We are your servants and we will do whatever you tell us. We will not make anyone king; you may do whatever you think is best.”
Leaders of Samaria Kill Ahab’s Children
6Then Jehu wrote a second letter to these leaders. He said, “If you support me and obey me, cut off the heads of Ahab’s sons. Bring them to me at Jezreel about this time tomorrow.”
Ahab had 70 sons. They were with the leaders of the city who raised them. 7When the leaders of the city received the letter, they took the king’s sons and killed all 70 of them. Then the leaders put the heads of the king’s sons in baskets and sent the baskets to Jehu at Jezreel. 8The messenger came to Jehu and told him, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons.”
Then Jehu said, “Lay the heads in two piles at the city gate until morning.”
9In the morning Jehu went out and stood before the people. He said to them, “You are innocent. Look, I made plans against my master. I killed him. But who killed all these sons of Ahab? You killed them. 10You should know that everything the Lord says will happen. The Lord used Elijah to say these things about Ahab’s family. Now the Lord has done what he said he would do.”
11So Jehu killed all the people in Ahab’s family living in Jezreel. He killed all the important men, close friends, and priests. None of Ahab’s people were left alive.
Jehu Kills Ahaziah’s Relatives
12Jehu left Jezreel and went to Samaria. On the way, he stopped at a place called Shepherd’s Camp. 13There he met with the relatives of King Ahaziah of Judah. Jehu asked, “Who are you?”
They answered, “We are the relatives of King Ahaziah of Judah. We have come down to visit the king’s children and the queen mother’s#10:13 queen mother The mother of the king. children.”
14Then Jehu said, “Take them alive!”
Jehu’s men captured Ahaziah’s relatives alive. There were 42 of them. Jehu killed them at the well near Beth Eked. He did not leave anyone alive.
Jehu Meets Jehonadab
15After Jehu left there, he met Jehonadab son of Recab. Jehonadab was on his way to meet Jehu. Jehu greeted Jehonadab and said to him, “Are you a faithful friend to me, as I am to you?”#10:15 Are you a faithful friend … you Literally, “Is your heart true to me? My heart is true to your heart.”
Jehonadab answered, “Yes, I am a faithful friend to you.”
Jehu said, “If you are, give me your hand.”
Then Jehu reached out and pulled Jehonadab up into the chariot.
16Jehu said, “Come with me. You can see how strong my feelings are for the Lord.”
So Jehonadab rode in Jehu’s chariot. 17Jehu came to Samaria and killed all Ahab’s family who were still alive in Samaria. He killed them all. He did what the Lord had told Elijah.
Jehu Calls the Worshipers of Baal
18Then Jehu gathered all the people together and said to them, “Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve Baal much. 19Now call together all the priests and prophets of Baal. And call together everyone who worships Baal. Don’t let anyone miss this meeting. I have a great sacrifice to give to Baal. I will kill anyone who does not come to this meeting.”
But Jehu was tricking them. He wanted to destroy the worshipers of Baal. 20Jehu said, “Prepare a holy meeting for Baal.” So the priests announced the meeting. 21Then Jehu sent a message through all the land of Israel. All the worshipers of Baal came. Not one stayed home. The Baal worshipers came into the temple of Baal. The temple was filled with people.
22Jehu said to the man who kept the robes, “Bring out the robes for all the worshipers of Baal.” So that man brought out the robes for the Baal worshipers.
23Then Jehu and Jehonadab son of Recab went into the temple of Baal. Jehu said to the worshipers of Baal, “Look around and be sure that there are no servants of the Lord with you. Be sure there are only people who worship Baal.” 24The worshipers of Baal went into the temple of Baal to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings.
But outside, Jehu had 80 men waiting. He told them, “Don’t let anyone escape. If any man lets one person escape, that man must pay with his own life.”
25Quickly after Jehu had finished offering the burnt offering, he said to the guards and to the captains, “Go in and kill the worshipers of Baal! Don’t let anyone come out of the temple alive!”
So the captains used thin swords and killed the worshipers of Baal. They threw the bodies of the worshipers of Baal out. Then the guards and the captains went to the inner room#10:25 inner room Literally, “the city of the temple of Baal.” of the temple of Baal. 26They brought out the memorial stones that were in the temple of Baal and burned that temple. 27Then they smashed the memorial stones of Baal. They also smashed the temple of Baal. They made the temple of Baal into a public toilet, which is still used today.
28So Jehu destroyed Baal worship in Israel, 29but he did not completely turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat that caused Israel to sin. Jehu did not destroy the golden calves in Bethel and in Dan.
Jehu’s Rule Over Israel
30The Lord said to Jehu, “You have done well. You have done what I say is good. You destroyed Ahab’s family the way I wanted you to, so your descendants will rule Israel for four generations.”
31But Jehu was not careful to follow the law of the Lord with all his heart. Jehu did not stop committing the sins of Jeroboam that caused Israel to sin.
Hazael Defeats Israel
32At that time the Lord began to cut away sections of Israel and give them to other nations. King Hazael of Aram defeated the Israelites on every border of Israel. 33He won the land east of the Jordan River—all the land of Gilead, including the land that belonged to the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh. He won all the land from Aroer by the Arnon Valley to Gilead and Bashan.
The Death of Jehu
34All the other great things that Jehu did are written in the book, The History of the Kings of Israel. 35Jehu died and was buried with his ancestors. The people buried him in Samaria. His son Jehoahaz became the new king of Israel after him. 36Jehu ruled over Israel in Samaria for 28 years.
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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
2 Kings 10
10
The Descendants of Ahab are Killed
1There were seventy descendants of King Ahab living in the city of Samaria. Jehu wrote a letter and sent copies to the rulers of the city,#10.1 Some ancient translations the city; Hebrew Jezreel. to the leading citizens, and to the guardians of Ahab's descendants. The letter read: 2“You are in charge of the king's descendants and you have at your disposal chariots, horses, weapons, and fortified cities. So then, as soon as you receive this letter, 3you are to choose the best qualified of the king's descendants, make him king, and fight to defend him.”
4The rulers of Samaria were terrified. “How can we oppose Jehu,” they said, “when neither King Joram nor King Ahaziah could?” 5So the officer in charge of the palace and the official in charge of the city, together with the leading citizens and the guardians, sent this message to Jehu: “We are your servants and we are ready to do anything you say. But we will not make anyone king; do whatever you think best.”
6Jehu wrote them another letter: “If you are with me, and are ready to follow my orders, bring the heads of King Ahab's descendants to me at Jezreel by this time tomorrow.”
The seventy descendants of King Ahab were under the care of the leading citizens of Samaria, who were bringing them up. 7When Jehu's letter was received, the leaders of Samaria killed all seventy of Ahab's descendants, put their heads in baskets, and sent them to Jehu at Jezreel.
8When Jehu was told that the heads of Ahab's descendants had been brought, he ordered them to be piled up in two heaps at the city gate and to be left there until the following morning. 9In the morning, he went out to the gate and said to the people who were there, “I was the one who plotted against King Joram and killed him; you are not responsible for that. But who killed all these? 10This proves that everything that the LORD said about the descendants of Ahab will come true. The LORD has done what he promised through his prophet Elijah.” 11#Hos 1.4Then Jehu put to death all the other relatives of Ahab living in Jezreel, and all his officers, close friends, and priests; not one of them was left alive.
The Relatives of King Ahaziah are Killed
12Jehu left Jezreel to go to Samaria. On the way, at a place called “Shepherds' Camp”, 13he met some relatives of the late King Ahaziah of Judah and asked them, “Who are you?”
“Ahaziah's relatives,” they answered. “We are going to Jezreel to pay our respects to the children of Queen Jezebel and to the rest of the royal family.” 14Jehu ordered his men, “Take them alive!” They seized them, and he put them to death near a pit there. There were 42 people in all, and not one of them was left alive.
All Remaining Relatives of Ahab are Killed
15Jehu started out again, and on his way he was met by Jonadab son of Rechab. Jehu greeted him and said, “You and I think alike. Will you support me?”
“I will,” Jonadab answered.
“Give me your hand, then,” Jehu replied. They clasped hands, and Jehu helped him up into the chariot, 16saying, “Come with me and see for yourself how devoted I am to the LORD.” And they rode on together to Samaria. 17When they arrived there, Jehu killed all of Ahab's relatives, not sparing even one. This is what the LORD had told Elijah would happen.
The Worshippers of Baal are Killed
18Jehu called the people of Samaria together and said, “King Ahab served the god Baal a little, but I will serve him much more. 19Call together all the prophets of Baal, all his worshippers, and all his priests. No one is excused; I am going to offer a great sacrifice to Baal, and whoever is not present will be put to death.” (This was a trick on the part of Jehu by which he meant to kill all the worshippers of Baal.) 20Then Jehu ordered, “Proclaim a day of worship in honour of Baal!” The proclamation was made, 21and Jehu sent word throughout all the land of Israel. All who worshipped Baal came; not one of them failed to come. They all went into the temple of Baal, filling it from one end to the other. 22Then Jehu ordered the priest in charge of the sacred robes to bring the robes out and give them to the worshippers. 23After that, Jehu himself went into the temple with Jonadab son of Rechab and said to the people there, “Make sure that only worshippers of Baal are present and that no worshipper of the LORD has come in.” 24Then he and Jonadab went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings to Baal. He had stationed eighty men outside the temple and had instructed them: “You are to kill all these people; anyone who lets one of them escape will pay for it with his life!”
25As soon as Jehu had presented the offerings, he said to the guards and officers, “Go in and kill them all; don't let anyone escape!” They went in with drawn swords, killed them all, and dragged the bodies outside. Then they went on into the inner sanctuary of the temple, 26brought out the sacred pillar that was there, and burnt it. 27So they destroyed the sacred pillar and the temple, and turned the temple into a latrine — which it still is today.
28That was how Jehu wiped out the worship of Baal in Israel. 29#1 Kgs 12.28–30But he imitated the sin of King Jeroboam, who led Israel into the sin of worshipping the gold bull calves he set up in Bethel and in Dan. 30The LORD said to Jehu, “You have done to Ahab's descendants everything I wanted you to do. So I promise you that your descendants, down to the fourth generation, will be kings of Israel.” 31But Jehu did not obey with all his heart the law of the LORD, the God of Israel; instead, he followed the example of Jeroboam, who led Israel into sin.
The Death of Jehu
32At that time the LORD began to reduce the size of Israel's territory. King Hazael of Syria conquered all the Israelite territory 33east of the Jordan, as far south as the town of Aroer on the River Arnon — this included the territories of Gilead and Bashan, where the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and East Manasseh lived.
34Everything else that Jehu did, including his brave deeds, is recorded in The History of the Kings of Israel. 35He died and was buried in Samaria, and his son Jehoahaz succeeded him as king. 36Jehu had ruled in Samaria as king of Israel for 28 years.
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Good News Bible. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.