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10 Forsooth seventy sons in Samaria were to Ahab. Therefore Jehu wrote letters, and sent into Samaria to the best men of the city, and to the greater men in birth, and to all the nurses of the sons of Ahab, and said, (Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And so Jehu wrote letters, and sent them to Samaria, to the best men of the city, and to the men of great age, that is, to the elders, and to all the nurses, or the guardians, of the sons of Ahab, and said,)

Anon as ye have taken these letters, ye that have the sons of your lord, and the chariots, and horses, and strong cities, and armours, (As soon as ye have received these letters, ye who have the sons of your lord, and the chariots, and horses, and fortified cities, and arms, or weapons,)

choose the best, and him that pleaseth to you of the sons of your lord, and set him on the throne of his father, and fight ye for the house of your lord.

And they dreaded greatly, and said, Lo! two kings might not stand before him, and how shall we be able to against-stand him? (And they greatly feared, and said, Lo! two kings could not stand against him, so how shall we be able to stand against him?)

Therefore the sovereigns of the house, and the prefect of the city, and the greater men of birth, and the nurses (of the sons) sent to Jehu, and said, We be thy servants; whatever things thou commandest, we shall do, and we shall not make a king to us; do thou whatever thing pleaseth thee. (And so the sovereign, or the ruler, of the household, and the prefect of the city, and the men of great age, that is, the elders, and the nurses, or the guardians, of Ahab’s sons sent to Jehu, and said, We be thy servants; whatever thou commandest, we shall do, and we shall not make a king for us; do thou whatever thing pleaseth thee.)

Forsooth he wrote again to them letters the second time, and said, If ye be mine, and obey to me, take ye (off) the heads of the sons of your lord, and come ye to me in this same hour tomorrow into Jezreel. And the sons of the king, seventy men, were nursed at the best men of the city. (And he wrote letters to them a second time, and said, If ye be mine, and obey me, then bring ye to me the heads of the sons of your lord, and come ye to me in Jezreel at this same hour tomorrow. And the sons of the king, seventy men, were nourished, or were cared for, by the best men of the city.)

And when the letters had come to them, they took the sons of the king, and killed those seventy men, and they putted the heads of them in coffins; and sent those to Jehu into Jezreel (and sent them to Jehu in Jezreel).

And a messenger came to him, and showed to him (and told him), and said, They have brought the heads of the sons of the king. Which answered, Put ye those heads (in)to twain heaps, beside the entering of the gate, till the morrowtide.

And when it was clear day, he went out, and stood, and said to all the people, Ye be just men; if I conspired against my lord, and killed him, who killed all these?

10 Therefore see ye now, that none of the words of the Lord hath fallen down into the earth, which the Lord spake on the house of Ahab; and the Lord hath done that, that he spake in the hand of his servant, Elijah. (And so see ye now, that none of the words of the Lord hath fallen to the ground, words which the Lord spoke about the house of Ahab; yea, the Lord hath done what he spoke by his servant Elijah.)

11 Therefore Jehu smote all that were left of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all the best men of him, and his known men, and his priests, till no relics of him (were) left. (And so Jehu struck down all who were left of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his best men, and his friends, and his priests, until none was left.)

12 And he rose, and came into Samaria; and when he had come to the chamber of the shepherds in the way, (And he rose up, and went to Samaria; and when he had come to the shepherds’ shelter on the way,)

13 he found there the brethren of Ahaziah, king of Judah (he found there the kinsmen of Ahaziah, the king of Judah); and he said to them, Who be ye? And they answered, We be the brethren of Ahaziah, and we came down to greet the sons of the king, and the sons of the queen.

14 And Jehu said, Take ye them quick. And when they had taken them quick, they strangled them in the cistern, beside the chamber, two and forty men; and he left not any of them (alive). (And Jehu said, Take ye them alive. And when they had taken them alive, then they strangled them there at the well, beside the shelter, forty-two men; and he left none of them alive.)

15 And when he had gone from thence, he found Jehonadab, the son of Rechab, (coming) into (the) meeting of him; and he blessed him. And Jehu said to him, Whether thine heart is rightful with mine heart, as mine heart is with thine heart? (Is thy heart right with my heart, as my heart is with thy heart?) And Jehonadab said, It is. And Jehu said, If it is, give me thine hand. Which gave his hand to him; and Jehu raised him up to him(self) into his chariot.

16 And he said to him, Come thou with me, and see my fervent love for the Lord. And he led him, put in his chariot, into Samaria (And they rode together, in his chariot, to Samaria).

17 And (once they arrived,) he killed all (the) men that were residue, or left, of Ahab in Samaria, till to one, by the word of the Lord, which he spake by Elijah.

18 Therefore Jehu gathered together all the people (And then Jehu gathered together all the people), and said to them, Ahab worshipped Baal a little, but I shall worship him more.

19 Now therefore call ye to me all the prophets of Baal, and all his servants, and all his priests; (let) none be that come not, for (a) great sacrifice is of me to Baal; whoever shall fail (to come), he shall not live. Forsooth Jehu did this by treason, that he should destroy all the worshippers of Baal. (And so now call unto me all the prophets of Baal, and all his servants, and all his priests; let there be no one who shall not come, for I shall make a great sacrifice to Baal; whoever shall fail to come, he shall not live. But Jehu did this to deceive them, so that he could destroy all the worshippers of Baal.)

20 And he said, Hallow ye a solemn day to Baal. And Jehu called, (And he said, Proclaim ye a sacred day for Baal. And they proclaimed it,)

21 and sent into all the terms of Israel; and all the servants of Baal came, none was left, and soothly not one was that came not. And they entered into the temple of Baal; and the house of Baal was [full-]filled, from one end till to the tother. (and Jehu sent into all the land of Israel; and all the servants of Baal came, and truly there was not one who did not come. And they entered into the temple of Baal; and the house of Baal was filled full, from one end unto the other.)

22 And Jehu said to them that were sovereigns over the priests’ clothes, Bring ye forth [the] vestments to all the servants of Baal; and they brought forth [the] vestments to them. (And Jehu said to them who looked after the priests’ clothing, Bring ye forth the vestments for all of Baal’s servants; and they brought forth the vestments for them.)

23 And Jehu entered, and Jehonadab, the son of Rechab, into the temple of Baal. And Jehu said to the worshippers of Baal, Inquire ye, and see, lest peradventure any of the servants of the Lord be with you; but that the servants be alone of Baal. (And Jehu, and Jehonadab, the son of Rechab, entered into the temple of Baal. And Jehu said to the worshippers of Baal, Inquire ye, and see, lest perhaps any of the servants of the Lord be with you; make certain that only Baal’s servants be here.)

24 Then they entered, to make slain sacrifices, and burnt sacrifices. Soothly Jehu had made ready to him withoutforth fourscore men, and had said to them, Whoever shall flee away of all these, which I shall bring into your hands, the life of him that suffereth any (to) escape shall be for the life of him that escapeth. (Then they entered, to offer slain sacrifices, and burnt sacrifices. Now Jehu had prepared eighty men outside, and had said to them, Of all these whom I shall bring into your hands, whoever shall let anyone of them flee away, his life shall be for the life of him who escapeth.)

25 Forsooth it was done, when the burnt sacrifice was [ful]filled, Jehu commanded to his knights and [his] dukes, (and said,) Enter ye, and slay them, that none escape. And the knights and dukes smote [them] with the sharpness of [the] sword, and cast forth. And they went into the city of the temple of Baal, (And it was done, when the burnt sacrifice was finished, Jehu commanded to his horsemen and his leaders, and said, Go ye in, and kill them all, so that none escape. And the horsemen and the leaders struck them down with the sharpness of their swords, and cast them forth. And then they went into the inner chamber of the temple of Baal,)

26 and they brought forth the image from the temple of Baal, and burnt it, (and they brought forth the sacred pillar from the temple of Baal, and burned it,/and they brought forth the images, or the idols, from the temple of Baal, and burned them,)

27 and all-brake it. Also they destroyed the house of Baal, and made privies for it unto this day. (and broke it all up/and broke them all up. And they utterly destroyed the house of Baal, and made it into latrines, as it still is unto this day.)

28 Therefore Jehu did away Baal from Israel; (And so Jehu did away Baal from Israel;)

29 nevertheless he went not away from the sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, that made Israel to do sin, neither he forsook the golden calves, that were in Bethel and in Dan.

30 Forsooth the Lord said to Jehu, For thou didest busily that that was rightful (For thou didest what was right), and that pleased in mine eyes, and hast done against the house of Ahab all things that were in mine heart, thy sons till to the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.

31 Forsooth Jehu kept not, that he went in the law of the Lord God of Israel in all his heart; for he went not away from the sins of Jeroboam, that made Israel to do sin. (But Jehu did not follow the Law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart; for he went not away from the sins of Jeroboam, who made Israel to do sin.)

32 In those days the Lord began to be annoyed upon Israel[a] (In those days the Lord began to do harm to Israel); and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel,

33 from Jordan against the east coast, all the land of Gilead, and of Gad, and of Reuben, and of Manasseh, from Aroer, which is on the strand of Arnon (which is by the Arnon Stream), and (even unto) Gilead, and Bashan.

34 Forsooth the residue of [the] words of Jehu, and all things that he did, and his strength, whether these be not written in the book of [the] words of [the] days of the kings of Israel?

35 And Jehu slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Samaria; and Jehoahaz, his son, reigned for him.

36 Forsooth the days, in which Jehu reigned upon Israel in Samaria, be eight and twenty years.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 10:32 That is, to have abomination of her deeds, for the worshipping of idols had endured long then (for worshipping idols had long endured then), and many other evils came forth with those, and therefore that realm was suffered, (or allowed,) to be tormented by Hazael in many manners.

Ahab’s Family Killed

10 Now there were in Samaria(A) seventy sons(B) of the house of Ahab. So Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria: to the officials of Jezreel,[a](C) to the elders and to the guardians(D) of Ahab’s children. He said, “You have your master’s sons with you and you have chariots and horses, a fortified city and weapons. Now as soon as this letter reaches you, choose the best and most worthy of your master’s sons and set him on his father’s throne. Then fight for your master’s house.”

But they were terrified and said, “If two kings could not resist him, how can we?”

So the palace administrator, the city governor, the elders and the guardians sent this message to Jehu: “We are your servants(E) and we will do anything you say. We will not appoint anyone as king; you do whatever you think best.”

Then Jehu wrote them a second letter, saying, “If you are on my side and will obey me, take the heads of your master’s sons and come to me in Jezreel by this time tomorrow.”

Now the royal princes, seventy of them, were with the leading men of the city, who were rearing them. When the letter arrived, these men took the princes and slaughtered all seventy(F) of them. They put their heads(G) in baskets and sent them to Jehu in Jezreel. When the messenger arrived, he told Jehu, “They have brought the heads of the princes.”

Then Jehu ordered, “Put them in two piles at the entrance of the city gate until morning.”

The next morning Jehu went out. He stood before all the people and said, “You are innocent. It was I who conspired against my master and killed him, but who killed all these? 10 Know, then, that not a word the Lord has spoken against the house of Ahab will fail. The Lord has done what he announced(H) through his servant Elijah.”(I) 11 So Jehu(J) killed everyone in Jezreel who remained of the house of Ahab, as well as all his chief men, his close friends and his priests, leaving him no survivor.(K)

12 Jehu then set out and went toward Samaria. At Beth Eked of the Shepherds, 13 he met some relatives of Ahaziah king of Judah and asked, “Who are you?”

They said, “We are relatives of Ahaziah,(L) and we have come down to greet the families of the king and of the queen mother.(M)

14 “Take them alive!” he ordered. So they took them alive and slaughtered them by the well of Beth Eked—forty-two of them. He left no survivor.(N)

15 After he left there, he came upon Jehonadab(O) son of Rekab,(P) who was on his way to meet him. Jehu greeted him and said, “Are you in accord with me, as I am with you?”

“I am,” Jehonadab answered.

“If so,” said Jehu, “give me your hand.”(Q) So he did, and Jehu helped him up into the chariot. 16 Jehu said, “Come with me and see my zeal(R) for the Lord.” Then he had him ride along in his chariot.

17 When Jehu came to Samaria, he killed all who were left there of Ahab’s family;(S) he destroyed them, according to the word of the Lord spoken to Elijah.

Servants of Baal Killed

18 Then Jehu brought all the people together and said to them, “Ahab served(T) Baal a little; Jehu will serve him much. 19 Now summon(U) all the prophets of Baal, all his servants and all his priests. See that no one is missing, because I am going to hold a great sacrifice for Baal. Anyone who fails to come will no longer live.” But Jehu was acting deceptively in order to destroy the servants of Baal.

20 Jehu said, “Call an assembly(V) in honor of Baal.” So they proclaimed it. 21 Then he sent word throughout Israel, and all the servants of Baal came; not one stayed away. They crowded into the temple of Baal until it was full from one end to the other. 22 And Jehu said to the keeper of the wardrobe, “Bring robes for all the servants of Baal.” So he brought out robes for them.

23 Then Jehu and Jehonadab son of Rekab went into the temple of Baal. Jehu said to the servants of Baal, “Look around and see that no one who serves the Lord is here with you—only servants of Baal.” 24 So they went in to make sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had posted eighty men outside with this warning: “If one of you lets any of the men I am placing in your hands escape, it will be your life for his life.”(W)

25 As soon as Jehu had finished making the burnt offering, he ordered the guards and officers: “Go in and kill(X) them; let no one escape.”(Y) So they cut them down with the sword. The guards and officers threw the bodies out and then entered the inner shrine of the temple of Baal. 26 They brought the sacred stone(Z) out of the temple of Baal and burned it. 27 They demolished the sacred stone of Baal and tore down the temple(AA) of Baal, and people have used it for a latrine to this day.

28 So Jehu(AB) destroyed Baal worship in Israel. 29 However, he did not turn away from the sins(AC) of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit—the worship of the golden calves(AD) at Bethel(AE) and Dan.

30 The Lord said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in accomplishing what is right in my eyes and have done to the house of Ahab all I had in mind to do, your descendants will sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.”(AF) 31 Yet Jehu was not careful(AG) to keep the law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn away from the sins(AH) of Jeroboam, which he had caused Israel to commit.

32 In those days the Lord began to reduce(AI) the size of Israel. Hazael(AJ) overpowered the Israelites throughout their territory 33 east of the Jordan in all the land of Gilead (the region of Gad, Reuben and Manasseh), from Aroer(AK) by the Arnon(AL) Gorge through Gilead to Bashan.

34 As for the other events of Jehu’s reign, all he did, and all his achievements, are they not written in the book of the annals(AM) of the kings of Israel?

35 Jehu rested with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son succeeded him as king. 36 The time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 10:1 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts and Vulgate of the city

Families of Ahab and Ahaziah Killed

10 Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria [C the city, not the region]. Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria—to the officers of the city[a] and elders—and to the guardians of the sons of Ahab. Jehu said, “You have your ·master’s [lord’s] sons with you, and you have chariots, horses, a ·city with strong walls [fortified city], and weapons. When you get this letter, choose the best and most worthy person among your ·master’s [lord’s] sons, and make him king. Then fight for your ·master’s [lord’s] ·family [L house].”

But the officers and leaders of Jezreel were ·frightened [utterly terrified]. They said, “Two kings could not ·stand up to [resist] Jehu, so how can we?”

The ·palace manager [steward of the house], the city ·governor [administrator], the ·leaders [elders], and the guardians sent a message to Jehu. “We are your servants,” they said. “We will do everything you tell us to do. We won’t make any man king, so do whatever ·you think is best [L is good in your eyes/sight].”

Then Jehu wrote a second letter, saying, “If you are on my side and will obey me, cut off the heads of your ·master’s [lord’s] sons and come to me at Jezreel tomorrow about this time.”

Now the seventy sons of the king’s ·family [L house] were with the leading men of the city who were ·their guardians [raising them]. When the leaders received the letter, they took the king’s sons and ·killed [slaughtered] all seventy of them. They put their heads in baskets and sent them to Jehu at Jezreel. The messenger came to Jehu and told him, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons.”

Then Jehu said, “·Lay [Pile] the heads in two ·piles [heaps] at the city gate until morning.”

In the morning, Jehu went out and stood before the people and said to them, “You are innocent. Look, I ·made plans [conspired; plotted] against my ·master [lord] and killed him. But who killed all these [C Jehu might have been blaming the Samaritan officials, or perhaps was implying that God ordered the killing]? 10 You should know that ·everything [L nothing] the Lord said about Ahab’s ·family [L house] will ·come true [L fall to the ground/earth]. The Lord ·has spoken [spoke his word] through his servant Elijah, and the Lord has done what he said.” 11 So Jehu killed everyone of Ahab’s ·family [L house] in Jezreel who was still alive. He also killed all Ahab’s ·leading men [important officials], ·close [personal] friends, and priests. ·No one who had helped Ahab was left alive [He left no one to survive him].

The Killing of Ahaziah’s Relatives(A)

12 Then Jehu left and went to Samaria by way of the road to Beth Eked of the Shepherds. 13 There Jehu met some relatives of Ahaziah king of Judah. Jehu asked, “Who are you?”

They answered, “We are relatives of Ahaziah. We have come down to ·get revenge for [or greet; visit] the families of the king and the king’s mother.”

14 Then Jehu said, “Take them alive!” So they captured Ahaziah’s relatives alive and killed them at the ·well [pit] near Beth Eked—forty-two of them. Jehu ·did not leave anyone alive [spared no one].

15 After Jehu left there, he met Jehonadab son of Recab [Jer. 35], who was also on his way to meet Jehu. Jehu greeted him and said, “·Are you as good a friend to me as I am to you [Are you as loyal to me as I am to you; L Is your heart right, as my heart is with your heart]?”

Jehonadab answered, “·Yes, I am [L It is].”

Jehu said, “If you are, then give me your hand.” So Jehonadab gave him his hand, and Jehu pulled him into the chariot. 16 “Come with me,” Jehu said. “You can see ·how strong my feelings are [my zeal/devotion] for the Lord.” So Jehu had Jehonadab ride in his chariot.

17 When Jehu came to Samaria, he killed all of Ahab’s ·family [L house] in Samaria. He destroyed all those who were left, ·just as the Lord had told Elijah it would happen [L in accordance with the word of the Lord spoken to Elijah].

Baal Worshipers Killed

18 Then Jehu gathered all the people together and said to them, “Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve Baal ·much [greatly]. 19 Now ·call for me [summon; assemble] all Baal’s prophets and priests and all the people who ·worship [serve] Baal. Don’t let anyone miss this meeting, because I have a great sacrifice for Baal. Anyone who is not there will not live.” But Jehu was ·tricking them [deceiving them; L acting cunningly] so he could destroy ·the worshipers of [those who served] Baal. 20 He said, “Prepare a ·holy [sacred; solemn] meeting for Baal.” So they ·announced [proclaimed] the meeting. 21 Then Jehu sent word through all Israel, and all ·the worshipers of [who served] Baal came; not one stayed ·home [behind]. They came into the ·temple [L house] of Baal, and the ·temple [L house] was filled from one side to the other.

22 Jehu said to the man who kept the robes, “Bring out ·robes [garments; vestments] for all ·the worshipers of [those who serve] Baal.” After he brought out ·robes [garments; vestments] for them, 23 Jehu and Jehonadab son of Recab went into the ·temple [L house] of Baal. Jehu said to ·the worshipers of [those who served] Baal, “Look around, and make sure there are no servants of the Lord with you. Be sure there are only ·worshipers of [those who serve] Baal.” 24 Then they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings.

Jehu had eighty men waiting outside. He had told them, “·Don’t let anyone escape. If you do, you [The one who allows any of these men who I have put in your hands to escape] must ·pay with [exchange] your own life.”

25 As soon as Jehu finished offering the burnt offering, he ordered the guards and the ·captains [officers], “Go in and kill ·the worshipers of [those who serve] Baal. Don’t let anyone ·come out [escape].” So the guards and ·captains [officers] killed ·the worshipers of [those who served] Baal with the sword and threw their bodies out. Then they went to the inner rooms of the ·temple [L house of Baal] 26 and brought out the ·pillars [sacred poles/stone; C used in worship] of the ·temple [L house] of Baal and burned them. 27 They ·tore down [smashed] the stone pillar of Baal, as well as the ·temple [L house] of Baal. And they made it into a ·sewage pit [public toilet; latrine], as it is today.

28 So Jehu destroyed Baal worship in Israel, 29 but he did not ·stop doing [turn/depart from] the sins Jeroboam son of Nebat had done. Jeroboam had led Israel to sin by worshiping the golden calves at Bethel and Dan.

30 The Lord said to Jehu, “You have done well in ·obeying what I said was right [L doing what was right in my eyes/sight]. You have done to the ·family [L house] of Ahab ·as I wanted [L all that was in my heart/mind]. Because of this, your ·descendants as far as your great-great-grandchildren [sons to the fourth generation] will ·be kings [L sit on the throne] of Israel.” 31 But Jehu was not careful to follow the ·teachings [law; L torah] of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not ·stop doing [turn/depart from] the same sins Jeroboam had done, by which he had led Israel to sin.

32 At that time the Lord began to ·make Israel smaller [cut/trim off parts of Israel]. Hazael defeated the Israelites ·in all the land [throughout the territory] of Israel, 33 taking all the land east of the Jordan known as the land of Gilead. (It was the region of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh.) He took land from Aroer by the Arnon Ravine through Gilead to Bashan.

34 The other things Jehu did—everything he did and all his ·victories [achievements; power]—·are [L are they not…?] recorded in the book of the ·history [chronicles; annals; 1:18] of the kings of Israel. 35 Jehu ·died [L lay down/T slept with his fathers/ancestors] and was buried in Samaria, and his son Jehoahaz became king in his place. 36 Jehu ·was king [reigned] over Israel in Samaria for twenty-eight years.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 10:1 the city Greek copies read “the city.” Hebrew copies read “Jezreel.”

10 And Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, unto the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to them that brought up Ahab's children, saying,

Now as soon as this letter cometh to you, seeing your master's sons are with you, and there are with you chariots and horses, a fenced city also, and armour;

Look even out the best and meetest of your master's sons, and set him on his father's throne, and fight for your master's house.

But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, two kings stood not before him: how then shall we stand?

And he that was over the house, and he that was over the city, the elders also, and the bringers up of the children, sent to Jehu, saying, We are thy servants, and will do all that thou shalt bid us; we will not make any king: do thou that which is good in thine eyes.

Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, If ye be mine, and if ye will hearken unto my voice, take ye the heads of the men your master's sons, and come to me to Jezreel by to morrow this time. Now the king's sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, which brought them up.

And it came to pass, when the letter came to them, that they took the king's sons, and slew seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent him them to Jezreel.

And there came a messenger, and told him, saying, They have brought the heads of the king's sons. And he said, Lay ye them in two heaps at the entering in of the gate until the morning.

And it came to pass in the morning, that he went out, and stood, and said to all the people, Ye be righteous: behold, I conspired against my master, and slew him: but who slew all these?

10 Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the Lord, which the Lord spake concerning the house of Ahab: for the Lord hath done that which he spake by his servant Elijah.

11 So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his kinsfolks, and his priests, until he left him none remaining.

12 And he arose and departed, and came to Samaria. And as he was at the shearing house in the way,

13 Jehu met with the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, Who are ye? And they answered, We are the brethren of Ahaziah; and we go down to salute the children of the king and the children of the queen.

14 And he said, Take them alive. And they took them alive, and slew them at the pit of the shearing house, even two and forty men; neither left he any of them.

15 And when he was departed thence, he lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him: and he saluted him, and said to him, Is thine heart right, as my heart is with thy heart? And Jehonadab answered, It is. If it be, give me thine hand. And he gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot.

16 And he said, Come with me, and see my zeal for the Lord. So they made him ride in his chariot.

17 And when he came to Samaria, he slew all that remained unto Ahab in Samaria, till he had destroyed him, according to the saying of the Lord, which he spake to Elijah.

18 And Jehu gathered all the people together, and said unto them, Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu shall serve him much.

19 Now therefore call unto me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests; let none be wanting: for I have a great sacrifice to do to Baal; whosoever shall be wanting, he shall not live. But Jehu did it in subtilty, to the intent that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal.

20 And Jehu said, Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal. And they proclaimed it.

21 And Jehu sent through all Israel: and all the worshippers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that came not. And they came into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was full from one end to another.

22 And he said unto him that was over the vestry, Bring forth vestments for all the worshippers of Baal. And he brought them forth vestments.

23 And Jehu went, and Jehonadab the son of Rechab, into the house of Baal, and said unto the worshippers of Baal, Search, and look that there be here with you none of the servants of the Lord, but the worshippers of Baal only.

24 And when they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings, Jehu appointed fourscore men without, and said, If any of the men whom I have brought into your hands escape, he that letteth him go, his life shall be for the life of him.

25 And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, Go in, and slay them; let none come forth. And they smote them with the edge of the sword; and the guard and the captains cast them out, and went to the city of the house of Baal.

26 And they brought forth the images out of the house of Baal, and burned them.

27 And they brake down the image of Baal, and brake down the house of Baal, and made it a draught house unto this day.

28 Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.

29 Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them, to wit, the golden calves that were in Bethel, and that were in Dan.

30 And the Lord said unto Jehu, Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes, and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart, thy children of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.

31 But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin.

32 In those days the Lord began to cut Israel short: and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel;

33 From Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the river Arnon, even 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 And Jehu slept with his fathers: and they buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son reigned in his stead.

36 And the time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty and eight years.