2 Kings 10
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 10
Death of the Sons of Ahab of Israel. 1 (A)Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria, to the elders who were rulers of Jezreel and to Ahab’s guardians. Jehu wrote: 2 “Since your master’s sons are with you, as well as his chariots, horses, fortified city, and weaponry, when this letter reaches you 3 decide which is the best and the fittest of your master’s sons, place him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house.” 4 They were overcome with fright and said, “If the two kings could not withstand him, how can we?” 5 So the master of the palace and the chief of the city, along with the elders and the guardians, sent this message to Jehu: “We are your servants, and we will do everything you tell us. We will proclaim no one king; do whatever you think best.” 6 So Jehu wrote them a second letter: “If you are on my side and will obey me, bring along the heads of your master’s sons[a] and come to me in Jezreel at this time tomorrow.” (The seventy princes were in the care of prominent men of the city, who were rearing them.)
7 When the letter arrived, they took the princes and slew all seventy of them, put their heads in baskets, and sent them to Jehu in Jezreel. 8 A messenger came in and told him, “They have brought the heads of the princes.” He said, “Pile them in two heaps at the gate of the city until morning.”
9 In the morning he came outside, stood there, and said to all the people: “You are guiltless, for it was I who conspired against my lord and slew him. But who killed all these? 10 Know that not a single word which the Lord has spoken against the house of Ahab shall fail. The Lord has accomplished what he decreed through his servant Elijah.”(B) 11 (And so Jehu slew all who were left of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, as well as all his powerful supporters, intimates, and priests, leaving him no survivor.)(C) 12 Then he went back inside.
Death of the Relatives of Ahaziah of Judah. He set out for Samaria and, at Beth-eked-haroim on the way, 13 Jehu came across relatives of Ahaziah, king of Judah. “Who are you?” he asked, and they said, “We are relatives of Ahaziah. We are going down to visit the princes and the family of the queen mother.”[b] 14 “Take them alive,” Jehu ordered. They were taken alive, forty-two in number, then slain at the pit of Beth-eked. Not one of them survived.
15 When he set out from there, Jehu met Jehonadab, son of Rechab, on the road. He greeted him and asked, “Are you with me wholeheartedly, as I am with you?” “Yes,” he replied. “If you are, give me your hand.” He gave him his hand, and he had him mount his chariot,(D) 16 and said, “Come with me and see my zeal for the Lord.” And they took him along in his chariot.
Slaughter of the Worshipers of Baal. 17 When he arrived in Samaria, Jehu slew all who were left of Ahab’s line in Samaria, doing away with them completely, according to the word the Lord spoke to Elijah.
18 Jehu gathered all the people together and said to them: “Ahab served Baal to some extent, but Jehu will serve him yet more.(E) 19 Now summon for me all Baal’s prophets, all his servants, and all his priests. See that no one is absent, for I have a great sacrifice for Baal. Whoever is absent shall not live.” This Jehu did as a ruse, so that he might destroy the servants of Baal.(F)
20 Jehu said further, “Proclaim a solemn assembly in honor of Baal.” They did so, 21 and Jehu sent word of it throughout all Israel. All the servants of Baal came; there was no one who did not come; they came to the temple of Baal, and it was filled from wall to wall. 22 Then Jehu said to the custodian of the wardrobe, “Bring out garments for all the servants of Baal.” When he had brought out the garments for them, 23 Jehu, with Jehonadab, son of Rechab, entered the temple of Baal and said to the servants of Baal, “Search and be sure that there is no one who serves the Lord here with you, but only servants of Baal.” 24 Then they proceeded to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had stationed eighty troops outside with this warning, “Any of you who lets someone escape of those whom I shall deliver into your hands shall pay life for life.”
25 As soon as he finished offering the burnt offering, Jehu said to the guards and aides, “Go in and slay them. Let no one escape.” So the guards and aides put them to the sword and cast them out. Afterward they went into the inner shrine of the temple of Baal, 26 and took out the pillars of the temple of Baal. They burned the shrine, 27 tore down the pillar of Baal, tore down the temple of Baal, and turned it into a latrine, as it remains today.
28 Thus Jehu destroyed Baal in Israel.
Death of Jehu of Israel. 29 However, Jehu did not desist from the sins which Jeroboam, son of Nebat, had caused Israel to commit, the golden calves at Bethel and at Dan.(G)
30 The Lord said to Jehu: Because you have done well what is right in my eyes, and have done to the house of Ahab all that was in my heart, your sons to the fourth generation shall sit upon the throne of Israel.(H) 31 But Jehu was not careful to walk in the law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart, since he did not desist from the sins which Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit. 32 (I)At that time the Lord began to dismember Israel. Hazael defeated the Israelites throughout their territory 33 east of the Jordan (all the land of Gilead, of the Gadites, Reubenites, and Manassites), from Aroer on the wadi Arnon up through Gilead and Bashan.
34 The rest of the acts of Jehu, with all that he did and all his valor, are recorded in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel. 35 Jehu rested with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria, and his son Jehoahaz succeeded him as king. 36 The length of Jehu’s reign over Israel was twenty-eight years in Samaria.
Footnotes
- 10:6 Heads of your master’s sons: Jehu’s command is cleverly ambiguous. He allows the Samarian leaders to understand “heads” either literally or metaphorically as “most important individuals.” Then, when the leaders decapitate Ahab’s potential successors, Jehu can claim to be innocent of their blood (v. 9).
- 10:13 Since Athaliah, the queen mother in Judah, was of the Israelite royal house (8:18, 26), both the “princes” (lit., the “king’s sons”) and the queen mother’s “family” (lit., her “sons”) would belong to the royal houses of both kingdoms. They may thus be numbered among the seventy “sons of Ahab” killed in vv. 1–7. Because “sons” can refer to more remote offspring, the queen mother’s “sons” may include Ahaziah’s brothers, sons, nephews, as well as the “relatives” (lit., the “brothers”) of Ahaziah who are speaking in this scene.
2 Kings 10
English Standard Version
Jehu Slaughters Ahab's Descendants
10 Now Ahab had seventy sons in (A)Samaria. So Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria, to the rulers of the city,[a] to the elders, and to (B)the guardians of the sons[b] of Ahab, saying, 2 “Now then, as soon as this letter comes to you, seeing your master's sons are with you, and there are with you chariots and horses, fortified cities also, and weapons, 3 select the best and fittest of your master's sons and set him on his father's throne and fight for your master's house.” 4 But they were exceedingly afraid and said, “Behold, the two kings could not stand before him. How then can we stand?” 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, (C)“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, (D)who were bringing them up. 7 And as soon as the letter came to them, they took the king's sons (E)and slaughtered them, seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets and sent them to him at Jezreel. 8 When the messenger came and told him, “They have brought the heads of the king's sons,” he said, “Lay them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until the morning.” 9 Then in the morning, when he went out, he stood and said to all the people, “You are innocent. (F)It was I who conspired against my master and killed him, but who struck down all these? 10 Know then that there shall (G)fall to the earth nothing of the word of the Lord, which the Lord spoke concerning the house of Ahab, for the Lord has done (H)what he said by his servant Elijah.” 11 So Jehu struck down all who remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, all his great men and his close friends and his priests, until he left him none remaining.
12 Then he set out and went to Samaria. On the way, when he was at Beth-eked of the Shepherds, 13 Jehu met (I)the relatives of Ahaziah king of Judah, and he said, “Who are you?” And they answered, “We are the relatives of Ahaziah, and we came down to visit the royal princes and the sons of the queen mother.” 14 He said, “Take them alive.” And they took them alive and slaughtered them at the pit of Beth-eked, forty-two persons, and he spared none of them.
15 And when he departed from there, he met (J)Jehonadab the son of (K)Rechab coming to meet him. And he greeted him and said to him, “Is your heart true to my heart as mine is to yours?” And Jehonadab answered, “It is.” Jehu said,[c] “If it is, (L)give me your hand.” So he gave him his hand. And Jehu took him up with him into the chariot. 16 And he said, “Come with me, and see (M)my zeal for the Lord.” So he[d] had him ride in his chariot. 17 And when he came to Samaria, (N)he struck down all who remained to Ahab in Samaria, till he had wiped them out, according to the word of the Lord (O)that he spoke to Elijah.
Jehu Strikes Down the Prophets of Baal
18 Then Jehu assembled all the people and said to them, (P)“Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve him much. 19 Now therefore call to me all the (Q)prophets of Baal, all his worshipers and all his priests. Let none be missing, for I have a great sacrifice to offer to Baal. Whoever is missing shall not live.” But Jehu did it with cunning in order to destroy the worshipers of Baal. 20 And Jehu ordered, (R)“Sanctify (S)a solemn assembly for Baal.” So (T)they proclaimed it. 21 And Jehu sent throughout all Israel, and all the worshipers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left who did not come. And they entered (U)the house of Baal, and the house of Baal was filled from one end to the other. 22 He said to him who was in charge of the wardrobe, “Bring out the vestments for all the worshipers of Baal.” So he brought out the vestments for them. 23 Then Jehu went into the house of Baal with Jehonadab the son of Rechab, and he said to the worshipers of Baal, “Search, and see that there is no servant of the Lord here among you, but only the worshipers of Baal.” 24 Then they[e] went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings.
Now Jehu had stationed eighty men outside and said, “The man who allows any of those whom I give into your hands to escape (V)shall forfeit his life.” 25 So as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, Jehu said to the guard and to the officers, (W)“Go in and strike them down; let not a man escape.” So when they put them to the sword, the guard and the officers cast them out and went into the inner room of the house of Baal, 26 and they brought out the (X)pillar that was in (Y)the house of Baal and burned it. 27 And they demolished the (Z)pillar of Baal, and demolished the house of Baal, and made it (AA)a latrine to this day.
Jehu Reigns in Israel
28 Thus Jehu wiped out Baal from Israel. 29 But Jehu did not turn aside from (AB)the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, (AC)which he made Israel to sin—that is, the golden calves that were in Bethel and in Dan. 30 And the Lord said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in carrying out what is right in my eyes, and have done to the house of Ahab according to all that was in my heart, (AD)your sons of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.” 31 But Jehu was not careful to walk in the law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart. (AE)He did not turn from the sins of Jeroboam, which he made Israel to sin.
32 In those days the Lord (AF)began to cut off parts of Israel. (AG)Hazael defeated them throughout the territory of Israel: 33 from the Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from (AH)Aroer, which is by the Valley of the Arnon, that is, (AI)Gilead and Bashan. 34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehu and all that he did, and all his might, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 35 So Jehu slept with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son reigned in his place. 36 The time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.
Footnotes
- 2 Kings 10:1 Septuagint, Vulgate; Hebrew rulers of Jezreel
- 2 Kings 10:1 Hebrew lacks of the sons
- 2 Kings 10:15 Septuagint; Hebrew lacks Jehu said
- 2 Kings 10:16 Septuagint, Syriac, Targum; Hebrew they
- 2 Kings 10:24 Septuagint he (compare verse 25)
列王纪下 10
Chinese New Version (Traditional)
耶戶寫信給撒瑪利亞的領袖
10 亞哈有七十個兒子在撒瑪利亞。耶戶寫了一批信，送到撒瑪利亞，對耶斯列的首領、長老和亞哈眾子的導師說： 2 “你們主人的兒子都在你們那裡，你們也有戰車、馬匹、設防城和武器，那麼這封信到達你們那裡的時候， 3 你們就要看看在你們主人的兒子中，哪一個是最好最合適的，把他立在父親的寶座上；你們又要為你們主人的家作戰。” 4 他們就十分害怕，說：“看哪，兩個王尚且不能在他面前站立得住，我們又怎能站得住呢？” 5 於是內務長、市長、長老和亞哈眾子的導師送信給耶戶說：“我們是你的僕人，你吩咐我們的，我們都必照辦；我們也不會立甚麼人作王；你看怎樣好，我們就怎樣作。”
殺盡亞哈的子孫
6 於是耶戶寫第二封信給他們說：“如果你們是歸從我，聽我的話的，就要把你們主人的兒子們的頭顱取下，明天大約這個時候，帶來耶斯列給我。”那時，王的七十個兒子是住在撫養他們的城中的大臣那裡。 7 這信到達他們那裡的時候，他們就拿住王的眾子，把這七十人殺了，然後把他們的頭放在籃子裡，送到耶斯列耶戶那裡。 8 有使者來告訴耶戶說：“王的眾子的頭送到了。”他說：“把它們分作兩堆放在城門口，直到早上。” 9 第二天早上的時候，耶戶出來，站著對眾民說：“你們都是無罪的，看哪，是我自己背叛了我的主人，把他殺了，但這所有的人又是誰擊殺的呢？ 10 你們要知道耶和華的話，就是耶和華所說攻擊亞哈家的話，一句也沒有落空；耶和華藉著他的僕人以利亞所說的話，他都作成了。” 11 於是耶戶擊殺了亞哈家在耶斯列剩下的人，還有他所有的大臣、有關的人、祭司，沒有一個給他存留。
殺盡亞哈謝的兄弟
12 耶戶動身，往撒瑪利亞去。在路上，他經過牧羊人的伯艾吉那裡。 13 他遇見了猶大王亞哈謝的兄弟們。他說：“你們是誰？”他們說：“我們是亞哈謝的兄弟。我們下來要向王的眾子和太后的眾子請安。” 14 他說：“活捉他們！”他的手下就活捉了他們，在伯艾吉的坑邊殺了他們；一共是四十二個人，沒有留下一人。
15 他又從那裡往前行，看見利甲的兒子約拿達來迎接他。耶戶向他請安，然後說：“你的心對我忠誠，就像我的心對你的心一樣嗎？”約拿達說：“是的。”耶戶說：“如果是的話，伸出你的手來。”他伸出他的手，耶戶就把他拉上他的戰車。 16 耶戶說：“你和我一起去，看看我對耶和華的熱誠。”於是用自己的戰車載他同去。 17 他來到撒瑪利亞，就擊殺亞哈家所有在撒瑪利亞剩下的人，把他們完全消滅，正如耶和華對以利亞所說的話。
設計殺盡拜巴力的人
18 耶戶集合眾民，對他們說：“從前亞哈信奉巴力還算是少，耶戶要信奉更多。 19 現在，所有的巴力先知、所有信奉他的和他所有的祭司都要給我召來，不要走漏一人；因為我要向巴力獻一個極大的祭，缺席的必不得活。”耶戶用詭計這樣行，是要除滅所有信奉巴力的人。 20 耶戶又說：“要為巴力召開一個嚴肅會。”於是眾人宣告召開大會。 21 耶戶派人走遍以色列各地，所有信奉巴力的人都來了，沒有一個不來的。他們都進了巴力廟，以致巴力廟從這邊到那邊都塞滿了人。 22 耶戶對掌管衣櫥的說：“把禮服拿出來，給所有拜巴力的人穿。”他就把禮服拿出來給他們穿上。 23 耶戶和利甲的兒子約拿達來到巴力的廟中。他對信奉巴力的人說：“搜查看看，這裡不要有信奉耶和華的人和你們同在一起，只可以有信奉巴力的人。” 24 他們進去獻祭和獻燔祭。耶戶布置了八十個人在外面，說：“如果我帶來交在你們手中的人，有一個從他們中間逃脫了，你們就要以命抵命。”
25 耶戶獻完了燔祭，就對衛兵和軍長說：“你們進去，殺死他們，一個也不讓他們出來。”衛兵和軍長於是用刀擊殺他們，又把他們的屍體拋出去，然後往巴力廟的內室去了。 26 他們又把巴力廟內的神柱搬出去燒了。 27 他們毀壞了巴力的神柱，又拆毀了巴力廟，作為廁所，直到今日。 28 這樣，耶戶從以色列中消滅了巴力。
耶戶仍拜金牛犢
29 只是耶戶沒有離棄尼八的兒子耶羅波安的罪，就是他使以色列人陷於罪中的那些罪，敬拜在伯特利和但的金牛犢。 30 耶和華對耶戶說：“因為你辦好了我看為正的事，照我的一切心意對付亞哈家，你的子孫要坐在以色列的王位上，直到第四代。” 31 可是耶戶沒有盡心遵行耶和華以色列 神的律法，離棄耶羅波安使以色列人陷於罪中的那些罪。
哈薛入侵以色列地
32 在那些日子，耶和華開始削弱以色列，哈薛在以色列各處的邊境攻擊他們： 33 從約旦河以東，基列的全地，迦得人、流本人和瑪拿西人之地，從靠近亞嫩河的亞羅珥起，至基列和巴珊。 34 耶戶其餘的事蹟和他所行的一切，以及他的一切英雄事蹟，不是都寫在以色列諸王的年代誌上嗎？
耶戶逝世
35 耶戶和他的祖先同享安息，葬在撒瑪利亞，他兒子約哈斯接續他作王。 36 耶戶在撒瑪利亞作王統治以色列共二十八年。
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