10 6 Jehu causeth the seventy sons of Ahab to be slain, 14 And after that forty and two of Ahaziah’s brethren. 25 He killeth also all the Priests of Baal. 35 After his death his son reigneth in his stead.

Ahab had now seventy [a]sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria unto the rulers of Jezreel, and to the Elders, and to the bringers up of Ahab’s children, to this effect,

Now when this letter cometh to you, (for ye have with you your master’s sons, ye have with you both chariots and horses, and a defensed city, and armor)

Consider therefore which of your master’s sons is best and most meet, and [b]set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house.

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

And he that was governor of Ahab’s house, and he that ruled the city, and the Elders, 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 make no king: do what seemeth good to thee.

¶ Then he wrote another letter to them, saying, If ye be mine, and will obey my voice, [c]take the heads of the men that are your master’s sons, and come to me to Jezreel by tomorrow this time. (Now the king’s sons, even seventy persons were with the great men of the city, which brought them up)

And when the letter came to them, they took the King’s sons, and slew the seventy persons, and laid their heads in baskets, and sent them unto him to Jezreel.

¶ Then there came a messenger and told him, saying, They have brought the heads of the King’s sons. And he said, Let them lay them on two heaps at the entering in of the gate until the morning.

And when it was day he went out, and stood and said to all the people, Ye be [d]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 brought to pass the things that he spake [e]by his servant (A)Elijah.

11 So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all that were great with him, and his familiars, and his [f]priests, so that he let none of his remain.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 10:1 The Scripture useth to call them sons, which are either children or nephews.
  2. 2 Kings 10:3 He wrote this, to prove them whether they would take his part or no.
  3. 2 Kings 10:6 God as a just judge punisheth the wicked children of wicked parents unto the third and fourth generation.
  4. 2 Kings 10:9 Ye cannot justly condemn me for the king’s death, seeing ye have done the like to his posterity: for the Lord commanded me, and moved you to execute this his judgment.
  5. 2 Kings 10:10 Hebrew, by the hand of.
  6. 2 Kings 10:11 Meaning, which were the idolatrous priests.

Bible Gateway Recommends