⁵ So he who was over the palace, and he who was over the city, together with the elders and the guardians, sent to Jehu, saying, ^(A)“We are your servants, and we will do all that you tell us. We will not make anyone king. Do whatever is good in your eyes.” ⁶ Then he wrote to them a second letter, saying, “If you are on my side, and if you are ready to obey me, take the heads of your master's sons and come to me at Jezreel tomorrow at this time.” Now the king's sons, seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, ^(B)who were bringing them up. ⁷ And as soon as the letter came to them, they took the king's sons ^(C)and slaughtered them, seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets and sent them to him at Jezreel.