Ahab’s Dynasty is Ended

10 Meanwhile, Ahab had 70 sons who lived in Samaria. So Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria—to the rulers of Jezreel, the elders, and the guardians of Ahab’s children.^[a] He told them, ² “As soon as you receive this letter (since your master’s children are with you, you have chariots and horses there with you, and you are protected by a walled city and weaponry), ³ select the best and most qualified of your master’s sons, set him in place on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s dynasty!”

⁴ But they were too terrified, and so they told one another,^[b] “Look! Two previous kings couldn’t stand up to Jehu, so how can we?” ⁵ So the household overseer and the city supervisor, along with the elders and the children’s guardians, sent word^[c] to Jehu, telling him, “We will serve you and do everything you ask. We won’t set up a king, so do what you want to do.”

⁶ But Jehu wrote them another letter: “If you’re loyal to me, and if you intend to obey my commands,^[d] then bring the heads of your master’s sons and meet me in Jezreel about this time tomorrow.”

Now the king’s sons, totaling 70 men, were living with the leading men of the city, who were their guardians. ⁷ When the letter from Jehu^[e] arrived, the city leaders arrested the king’s sons, slaughtered all 70 of them, put their heads in baskets, and sent them to Jehu^[f] at Jezreel.

⁸ When the messenger arrived to report to the king, he said, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons.”

Jehu^[g] replied, “Put them in two piles at the entrance of the city gate until morning.” ⁹ The next morning, Jehu went out, stood still, and announced to all the people: “Are you righteous? I conspired against my master and killed him, but who slaughtered all of these? ¹⁰ Keep this in mind—not a single statement by the Lord will fail to come about that he spoke concerning Ahab’s dynasty, because the Lord has accomplished what he predicted by his servant Elijah.”

¹¹ So Jehu executed all those who remained from Ahab’s dynasty in Jezreel, including all of Ahab’s men, his friends, and his priests, until there remained not even one survivor.