2 Kings 10:1-11

Modern English Version

Ahab’s Seventy Sons Killed

10 Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. So Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria to the captains of Jezreel, to the elders, and to the guardians of the sons of Ahab, saying, ² “Now as soon as this letter comes to you—since you are with your master’s sons, chariots, horses, a fortified city, and weapons— ³ select the best and most fitting of your master’s sons, put him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house.”

⁴ But they were extremely afraid and said, “Two kings could not stand before him. How can we stand?”

⁵ So he who was over the house, and he who was over the city, the elders, and the guardians sent word to Jehu, saying, “We are your servants, and everything you say to us we will do. We will not appoint a man king. Do what is good in your eyes.”

⁶ Then he wrote a second letter to them, saying, “If you belong to me and will obey me, take the heads of your master’s sons and come to me at Jezreel at this time tomorrow.”

Now the king’s sons, seventy men, were with the great men of the city who brought them up. ⁷ When the letter came to them, they took the king’s sons, slaughtered all seventy, put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him in Jezreel. ⁸ So the messenger came and told him, saying, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons.”

Then he said, “Put them in two heaps at the entry of the gate until morning.”

⁹ When morning came, he went out and stood and said to all the people, “You are innocent. I conspired against my master and killed him, but who struck all these? ¹⁰ Know then that the words of the Lord which He spoke about the house of Ahab will not fall to the ground. The Lord has done that which He spoke by His servant Elijah.” ¹¹ So Jehu struck all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel and all his great men, his confidants, and his priests, until he left him no survivor.