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2 Kings 9:14-10:31
New American Standard Bible

Jehu Assassinates Jehoram (Joram)

14 So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. (A)Now Joram [a]with all Israel was [b]defending Ramoth-gilead against Hazael king of Aram, 15 but (B)King [c]Joram had returned to Jezreel to have himself healed of the wounds which the Arameans had [d]inflicted on him when he fought Hazael king of Aram. So Jehu said to the other men, “If this is your [e]intent, then let no [f]one escape from the city to go tell about it in Jezreel.” 16 Then Jehu rode in a chariot and went to Jezreel, since Joram was lying there recovering. (C)And Ahaziah the king of Judah had come down to see Joram.

17 Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel and he saw the [g]company of Jehu as he came, and he said, “I see a [h]company.” And [i]Joram said, “Take a horseman and send him to meet them and have him [j]ask, ‘Is your intention peace?’” 18 So a horseman went to meet him and said, “This is what the king says: ‘Is your intention peace?’” But Jehu said, “[k](D)How is peace any business of yours? Turn and follow me.” And the watchman [l]reported, “The messenger came to them, but he did not return.” 19 Then he sent a second horseman, and he came to them and said, “This is what the king says: ‘Is your intention peace?’” And Jehu [m]answered, “[n]How is peace any business of yours? Turn and follow me.” 20 And the watchman [o]reported, “He came up to them, but he did not return; and (E)the [p]driving is like the driving of (F)Jehu the son of Nimshi, for he drives furiously.”

21 Then [q]Joram said, “[r]Get ready.” And they [s]made his chariot ready. (G)Then [t]Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his chariot, and they went out to meet Jehu and found him on the [u](H)property of Naboth the Jezreelite. 22 When [v]Joram saw Jehu, he said, “Is your intention peace, Jehu?” And he [w]answered, “What ‘peace,’ (I)so long as your mother Jezebel’s acts of prostitution and witchcraft are so many?” 23 So [x]Joram [y]turned back and fled, and he said to Ahaziah, “(J)There is treachery, Ahaziah!” 24 Then (K)Jehu [z]drew his bow with his full strength and [aa]shot [ab]Joram between his arms; and the arrow went [ac]through his heart, and he sank in his chariot. 25 And Jehu said to Bidkar his officer, “Pick him up and (L)throw him on the [ad]property of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite; for remember, when [ae]you and I were riding together after his father Ahab, that the (M)Lord brought this (N)pronouncement against him: 26 ‘(O)I have certainly seen yesterday the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons,’ declares the Lord, ‘and (P)I will repay you on this [af]property,’ declares the Lord. Now then, pick him up and throw him on the [ag]property, in accordance with the word of the Lord.”

Jehu Assassinates Ahaziah

27 (Q)When Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by way of the garden house. But Jehu pursued him and said, “[ah]Shoot him too, in the chariot.” So they shot him at the ascent of Gur, which is at (R)Ibleam. But he fled to Megiddo and died there. 28 (S)Then his servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him in his grave with his fathers in the city of David.

29 Now in (T)the eleventh year of Joram, the son of Ahab, Ahaziah became king over Judah.

30 When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard about it, and (U)she put makeup on her eyes and adorned her head, and looked down through the window. 31 As Jehu entered the gate, she said, “(V)Is your intention peace, Zimri, his master’s murderer?” 32 Then he raised his face toward the window and said, “Who is with me, who?” And two or three officials looked down at him.

Jezebel Is Killed

33 Then he said, “Throw her down.” So they threw her down, and some of her blood spattered on the wall and on the horses, and he trampled her underfoot. 34 When he came in, he ate and drank; and he said, “See now to (W)this cursed woman and bury her, for (X)she is a king’s daughter.” 35 So they went to bury her, but they found nothing of her except the skull, the feet, and the palms of her hands. 36 Therefore they returned and informed him. And he said, “This is the word of the Lord, which He spoke by His servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, ‘(Y)On the [ai]property of Jezreel the dogs shall eat the flesh of Jezebel; 37 and (Z)the corpse of Jezebel will be like dung on the face of the field in the [aj]property of Jezreel, so they cannot say, “This is Jezebel.”’”

Judgment upon Ahab’s House

10 Now Ahab had seventy sons in (AA)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, (AB)when this letter comes to you, since your master’s sons are with you, [ak]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, (AC)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, “(AD)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 (AE)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 [al]innocent; behold, (AF)I conspired against my master and killed him, but (AG)who [am]killed all these? 10 Know then that (AH)nothing of the word of the Lord, which the Lord spoke concerning the house of Ahab, shall [an]fall to the earth, for the Lord has done (AI)what He spoke [ao]through His servant Elijah.” 11 So Jehu [ap]killed all who remained of the house of Ahab in (AJ)Jezreel, and all his great men, his acquaintances, and his priests, until he left him without a survivor.

12 Then he set out and [aq]went to Samaria. On the way while he was at [ar]Beth-eked of the shepherds, 13 (AK)Jehu [as]encountered the relatives of Ahaziah king of Judah, and he said, “Who are you?” And they [at]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 [au]encountered (AL)Jehonadab the son of (AM)Rechab coming to meet him; and he [av]greeted him and said to him, “Is your heart right, just as my heart is with your heart?” And Jehonadab [aw]answered, “It is.” Jehu said, “If it is, (AN)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 (AO)see my zeal for the Lord.” So [ax]he had him ride in his chariot. 17 When he came to Samaria, (AP)he [ay]killed all who remained to Ahab in Samaria, until he had eliminated [az]them, (AQ)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, “(AR)Ahab served Baal a little; Jehu will serve him much. 19 Now, (AS)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, “(AT)Proclaim a holy assembly for Baal.” And (AU)they proclaimed it. 21 Then Jehu sent word [ba]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 (AV)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 [bb]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 [bc]offer sacrifices and burnt offerings.

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

25 Then it came about, as soon as he had finished [be]offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the [bf](AX)guard and to the royal officers, “(AY)Go in, [bg]kill them; let none come out.” So they [bh]killed them with the edge of the sword; and the [bi]guard and the royal officers threw them out, and went to the [bj]sanctuary of the house of Baal. 26 They brought out the (AZ)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 (BA)made it a latrine as it is to this day.

28 So Jehu eradicated Baal from Israel. 29 However, (BB)as for the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, into which he misled Israel, from these Jehu did not desist, including the (BC)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, (BD)your sons to the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.” 31 But Jehu (BE)was not careful to walk in the Law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart; (BF)he did not desist from the sins of Jeroboam, into which he misled Israel.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 9:14 Lit he and
  2. 2 Kings 9:14 Lit protecting
  3. 2 Kings 9:15 Heb Jehoram
  4. 2 Kings 9:15 Lit struck
  5. 2 Kings 9:15 Lit soul
  6. 2 Kings 9:15 Lit escapee leave
  7. 2 Kings 9:17 Lit crowd
  8. 2 Kings 9:17 Lit crowd
  9. 2 Kings 9:17 Heb Jehoram
  10. 2 Kings 9:17 Lit say
  11. 2 Kings 9:18 Lit What to you and to peace
  12. 2 Kings 9:18 Lit reported, saying
  13. 2 Kings 9:19 Lit said
  14. 2 Kings 9:19 See note 1 v 18
  15. 2 Kings 9:20 Lit reported, saying
  16. 2 Kings 9:20 I.e., of the chariot
  17. 2 Kings 9:21 Heb Jehoram
  18. 2 Kings 9:21 Lit Harness the chariot
  19. 2 Kings 9:21 Lit harnessed
  20. 2 Kings 9:21 Heb Jehoram
  21. 2 Kings 9:21 Lit portion
  22. 2 Kings 9:22 Heb Jehoram
  23. 2 Kings 9:22 Lit said
  24. 2 Kings 9:23 Heb Jehoram
  25. 2 Kings 9:23 Lit turned his hands
  26. 2 Kings 9:24 Lit filled his hand with the bow
  27. 2 Kings 9:24 Lit struck
  28. 2 Kings 9:24 Heb Jehoram
  29. 2 Kings 9:24 Lit out from
  30. 2 Kings 9:25 Lit portion
  31. 2 Kings 9:25 Lit I and you
  32. 2 Kings 9:26 Lit portion
  33. 2 Kings 9:26 Lit portion
  34. 2 Kings 9:27 Lit strike
  35. 2 Kings 9:36 Lit portion
  36. 2 Kings 9:37 Lit portion
  37. 2 Kings 10:2 Lit and with you the
  38. 2 Kings 10:9 Lit righteous
  39. 2 Kings 10:9 Lit struck
  40. 2 Kings 10:10 I.e., fail to come true
  41. 2 Kings 10:10 Lit by the hand of
  42. 2 Kings 10:11 Lit struck
  43. 2 Kings 10:12 Lit came in and went
  44. 2 Kings 10:12 I.e., house of binding
  45. 2 Kings 10:13 Lit found
  46. 2 Kings 10:13 Lit said
  47. 2 Kings 10:15 Lit found
  48. 2 Kings 10:15 Lit blessed
  49. 2 Kings 10:15 Lit said
  50. 2 Kings 10:16 Lit they
  51. 2 Kings 10:17 Lit struck
  52. 2 Kings 10:17 Lit him
  53. 2 Kings 10:21 Lit in all
  54. 2 Kings 10:22 Lit over the
  55. 2 Kings 10:24 Lit make
  56. 2 Kings 10:24 Lit his soul for his soul
  57. 2 Kings 10:25 Lit making
  58. 2 Kings 10:25 Lit runners
  59. 2 Kings 10:25 Lit strike
  60. 2 Kings 10:25 Lit struck
  61. 2 Kings 10:25 Lit runners
  62. 2 Kings 10:25 Lit city
Close NLT

2 Kings 9:14-10:31
New Living Translation

Jehu Kills Joram and Ahaziah

14 So Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, son of Nimshi, led a conspiracy against King Joram. (Now Joram had been with the army at Ramoth-gilead, defending Israel against the forces of King Hazael of Aram. 15 But King Joram[a] was wounded in the fighting and returned to Jezreel to recover from his wounds.) So Jehu told the men with him, “If you want me to be king, don’t let anyone leave town and go to Jezreel to report what we have done.”

16 Then Jehu got into a chariot and rode to Jezreel to find King Joram, who was lying there wounded. King Ahaziah of Judah was there, too, for he had gone to visit him. 17 The watchman on the tower of Jezreel saw Jehu and his company approaching, so he shouted to Joram, “I see a company of troops coming!”

“Send out a rider to ask if they are coming in peace,” King Joram ordered.

18 So a horseman went out to meet Jehu and said, “The king wants to know if you are coming in peace.”

Jehu replied, “What do you know about peace? Fall in behind me!”

The watchman called out to the king, “The messenger has met them, but he’s not returning.”

19 So the king sent out a second horseman. He rode up to them and said, “The king wants to know if you come in peace.”

Again Jehu answered, “What do you know about peace? Fall in behind me!”

20 The watchman exclaimed, “The messenger has met them, but he isn’t returning either! It must be Jehu son of Nimshi, for he’s driving like a madman.”

21 “Quick! Get my chariot ready!” King Joram commanded.

Then King Joram of Israel and King Ahaziah of Judah rode out in their chariots to meet Jehu. They met him at the plot of land that had belonged to Naboth of Jezreel. 22 King Joram demanded, “Do you come in peace, Jehu?”

Jehu replied, “How can there be peace as long as the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother, Jezebel, are all around us?”

23 Then King Joram turned the horses around[b] and fled, shouting to King Ahaziah, “Treason, Ahaziah!” 24 But Jehu drew his bow and shot Joram between the shoulders. The arrow pierced his heart, and he sank down dead in his chariot.

25 Jehu said to Bidkar, his officer, “Throw him into the plot of land that belonged to Naboth of Jezreel. Do you remember when you and I were riding along behind his father, Ahab? The Lord pronounced this message against him: 26 ‘I solemnly swear that I will repay him here on this plot of land, says the Lord, for the murder of Naboth and his sons that I saw yesterday.’ So throw him out on Naboth’s property, just as the Lord said.”

27 When King Ahaziah of Judah saw what was happening, he fled along the road to Beth-haggan. Jehu rode after him, shouting, “Shoot him, too!” So they shot Ahaziah[c] in his chariot at the Ascent of Gur, near Ibleam. He was able to go on as far as Megiddo, but he died there. 28 His servants took him by chariot to Jerusalem, where they buried him with his ancestors in the City of David. 29 Ahaziah had become king over Judah in the eleventh year of the reign of Joram son of Ahab.

The Death of Jezebel

30 When Jezebel, the queen mother, heard that Jehu had come to Jezreel, she painted her eyelids and fixed her hair and sat at a window. 31 When Jehu entered the gate of the palace, she shouted at him, “Have you come in peace, you murderer? You’re just like Zimri, who murdered his master!”[d]

32 Jehu looked up and saw her at the window and shouted, “Who is on my side?” And two or three eunuchs looked out at him. 33 “Throw her down!” Jehu yelled. So they threw her out the window, and her blood spattered against the wall and on the horses. And Jehu trampled her body under his horses’ hooves.

34 Then Jehu went into the palace and ate and drank. Afterward he said, “Someone go and bury this cursed woman, for she is the daughter of a king.” 35 But when they went out to bury her, they found only her skull, her feet, and her hands.

36 When they returned and told Jehu, he stated, “This fulfills the message from the Lord, which he spoke through his servant Elijah from Tishbe: ‘At the plot of land in Jezreel, dogs will eat Jezebel’s body. 37 Her remains will be scattered like dung on the plot of land in Jezreel, so that no one will be able to recognize her.’”

Jehu Kills Ahab’s Family

10 Ahab had seventy sons living in the city of Samaria. So Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria, to the elders and officials of the city,[e] and to the guardians of King Ahab’s sons. He said, 2 “The king’s sons are with you, and you have at your disposal chariots, horses, a fortified city, and weapons. As soon as you receive this letter, 3 select the best qualified of your master’s sons to be your king, and prepare to fight for Ahab’s dynasty.”

4 But they were paralyzed with fear and said, “We’ve seen that two kings couldn’t stand against this man! What can we do?”

5 So the palace and city administrators, together with the elders and the guardians of the king’s sons, sent this message to Jehu: “We are your servants and will do anything you tell us. We will not make anyone king; do whatever you think is best.”

6 Jehu responded with a second letter: “If you are on my side and are going to obey me, bring the heads of your master’s sons to me at Jezreel by this time tomorrow.” Now the seventy sons of the king were being cared for by the leaders of Samaria, where they had been raised since childhood. 7 When the letter arrived, the leaders killed all seventy of the king’s sons. They placed their heads in baskets and presented them to Jehu at Jezreel.

8 A messenger went to Jehu and said, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons.”

So Jehu ordered, “Pile them in two heaps at the entrance of the city gate, and leave them there until morning.”

9 In the morning he went out and spoke to the crowd that had gathered around them. “You are not to blame,” he told them. “I am the one who conspired against my master and killed him. But who killed all these? 10 You can be sure that the message of the Lord that was spoken concerning Ahab’s family will not fail. The Lord declared through his servant Elijah that this would happen.” 11 Then Jehu killed all who were left of Ahab’s relatives living in Jezreel and all his important officials, his personal friends, and his priests. So Ahab was left without a single survivor.

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

And they replied, “We are relatives of King Ahaziah. We are going to visit the sons of King Ahab and the sons of the queen mother.”

14 “Take them alive!” Jehu shouted to his men. And they captured all forty-two of them and killed them at the well of Beth-eked. None of them escaped.

15 When Jehu left there, he met Jehonadab son of Recab, 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, I am,” Jehonadab replied.

“If you are,” Jehu said, “then give me your hand.” So Jehonadab put out his hand, and Jehu helped him into the chariot. 16 Then Jehu said, “Now come with me, and see how devoted I am to the Lord.” So Jehonadab rode along with him.

17 When Jehu arrived in Samaria, he killed everyone who was left there from Ahab’s family, just as the Lord had promised through Elijah.

Jehu Kills the Priests of Baal

18 Then Jehu called a meeting of all the people of the city and said to them, “Ahab’s worship of Baal was nothing compared to the way I will worship him! 19 Therefore, summon all the prophets and worshipers of Baal, and call together all his priests. See to it that every one of them comes, for I am going to offer a great sacrifice to Baal. Anyone who fails to come will be put to death.” But Jehu’s cunning plan was to destroy all the worshipers of Baal.

20 Then Jehu ordered, “Prepare a solemn assembly to worship Baal!” So they did. 21 He sent messengers throughout all Israel summoning those who worshiped Baal. They all came—not a single one remained behind—and they filled the temple of Baal from one end to the other. 22 And Jehu instructed the keeper of the wardrobe, “Be sure that every worshiper of Baal wears one of these robes.” So robes were given to them.

23 Then Jehu went into the temple of Baal with Jehonadab son of Recab. Jehu said to the worshipers of Baal, “Make sure no one who worships the Lord is here—only those who worship Baal.” 24 So they were all inside the temple to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had stationed eighty of his men outside the building and had warned them, “If you let anyone escape, you will pay for it with your own life.”

25 As soon as Jehu had finished sacrificing the burnt offering, he commanded his guards and officers, “Go in and kill all of them. Don’t let a single one escape!” So they killed them all with their swords, and the guards and officers dragged their bodies outside.[f] Then Jehu’s men went into the innermost fortress[g] of the temple of Baal. 26 They dragged out the sacred pillar[h] used in the worship of Baal and burned it. 27 They smashed the sacred pillar and wrecked the temple of Baal, converting it into a public toilet, as it remains to this day.

28 In this way, Jehu destroyed every trace of Baal worship from Israel. 29 He did not, however, destroy the gold calves at Bethel and Dan, with which Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to sin.

30 Nonetheless the Lord said to Jehu, “You have done well in following my instructions to destroy the family of Ahab. Therefore, your descendants will be kings of Israel down to the fourth generation.” 31 But Jehu did not obey the Law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He refused to turn from the sins that Jeroboam had led Israel to commit.

Footnotes

  1. 9:15 Hebrew Jehoram, a variant spelling of Joram; also in 9:17, 21, 22, 23, 24.
  2. 9:23 Hebrew turned his hands.
  3. 9:27 As in Greek and Syriac versions; Hebrew lacks So they shot Ahaziah.
  4. 9:31 See 1 Kgs 16:9-10, where Zimri killed his master, King Elah.
  5. 10:1 As in some Greek manuscripts and Latin Vulgate (see also 10:6); Hebrew reads of Jezreel.
  6. 10:25a Or and they left their bodies lying there; or and they threw them out into the outermost court.
  7. 10:25b Hebrew city.
  8. 10:26 As in Greek and Syriac versions and Latin Vulgate; Hebrew reads sacred pillars.
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