Jehu Kills the House of Ahab

10 Since Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria,^(A) Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria to the rulers of Jezreel,^(B) to the elders, and to the guardians of Ahab’s sons,^[a] saying:

² Your master’s sons are with you, and you have chariots, horses, a fortified city, and weaponry, so when this letter^(C) arrives ³ select the most qualified^[b] of your master’s sons, set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house.

⁴ However, they were terrified and reasoned, “Look, two kings^(D) couldn’t stand against him; how can we?”

⁵ So the overseer of the palace, 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 tell us. We will not make anyone king. Do whatever you think is right.”^[c](E)

⁶ Then Jehu wrote them a second letter, saying:

If you are on my side, and if you will obey me, bring me the heads of your master’s sons^[d] at this time tomorrow at Jezreel.

All seventy of the king’s sons were being cared for by the city’s prominent men. ⁷ When the letter came to them, they took the king’s sons and slaughtered all seventy, put their heads in baskets, and sent them to Jehu at Jezreel. ⁸ When the messenger came and told him, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons,” the king said, “Pile them in two heaps at the entrance of the city gate until morning.”

⁹ The next morning when he went out and stood at the gate, he said to all the people, “You are innocent. It was I who conspired against my master and killed him.^(F) But who struck down all these? ¹⁰ Know, then, that not a word the Lord spoke against the house of Ahab will fail,^(G) for the Lord has done what he promised through his servant Elijah.”^{(H) 11} So Jehu killed all who remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel—all his great men, close friends, and priests—leaving him no survivors.

¹² Then he set out and went to Samaria. On the way, while he was at Beth-eked of the Shepherds, ¹³ Jehu met the relatives of King Ahaziah of Judah and asked, “Who are you?”

They answered, “We’re Ahaziah’s^(I) relatives. We’ve come down to greet the king’s sons and the queen mother’s^(J) sons.”

The Queen of Sheba

9 The queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame,^(A) so she came to test Solomon with difficult questions at Jerusalem with a very large entourage, with camels bearing spices, gold in abundance, and precious stones. She came to Solomon and spoke with him about everything that was on her mind. ² So Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too difficult for Solomon to explain to her. ³ When the queen of Sheba observed Solomon’s wisdom, the palace he had built, ⁴ the food at his table, his servants’ residence, his attendants’ service and their attire, his cupbearers and their attire, and the burnt offerings he offered at the Lord’s temple, it took her breath away.

⁵ She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your words and about your wisdom is true. ⁶ But I didn’t believe their reports until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, I was not even told half of your great wisdom! You far exceed the report I heard. ⁷ How happy are your men.^[a](B) How happy are these servants of yours, who always stand in your presence hearing your wisdom. ⁸ Blessed be the Lord your God! He delighted in you and put you on his throne as king for the Lord your God.^(C) Because your God loved Israel enough to establish them forever, he has set you over them as king to carry out justice and righteousness.”^(D)

⁹ Then she gave the king four and a half tons^[b] of gold, a great quantity of spices, and precious stones. There never were such spices as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. ¹⁰ In addition, Hiram’s servants and Solomon’s servants who brought gold from Ophir^(E) also brought algum wood and precious stones. ¹¹ The king made the algum wood into walkways for the Lord’s temple and for the king’s palace and into lyres and harps for the singers. Never before had anything like them been seen in the land of Judah.

¹² King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba her every desire, whatever she asked—far more than she had brought the king. Then she, along with her servants, returned to her own country.