Beginning

9 Forsooth Elisha, the prophet, called one of the sons of (the) prophets, and said to him, Gird (up) thy loins, and take this vessel of oil in thine hand, and go into Ramoth of Gilead.

² And when thou shalt come thither, thou shalt see Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi; and thou shalt enter, and shalt raise him (up) from the midst of his brethren, and thou shalt lead him into an inner closet.

³ And thou shalt hold the vessel of oil, and thou shalt pour it on his head, and thou shalt say, The Lord saith these things, I have anointed thee into king upon Israel (I have anointed thee king upon Israel); and then thou shalt open the door, and shalt flee (from) thence, and thou shalt not abide there.

⁴ Therefore the young waxing man, the child of the prophet, went into Ramoth of Gilead, (And so the young man, the young prophet, went to Ramoth of Gilead.)

⁵ and entered thither. Lo! soothly the princes of the host sat there; and he said, O! prince, I have a word to thee (O! prince, I have a word for thee). And Jehu said, To whom of all (of) us? And he said, To thee, thou prince.

⁶ And he rose, and entered into the closet. And that young man poured (the) oil upon the head of him, and said, The Lord God of Israel saith these things, I have anointed thee into king on the people of the Lord, of Israel; (And he rose up, and they went inside. And that young man poured the oil upon his head, and said, The Lord God of Israel saith these things, I have anointed thee king upon Israel, yea, upon the people of the Lord;)

⁷ and thou shalt smite the house of Ahab, thy lord, that I venge the blood of my servants (the) prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord, of the hand of Jezebel. (and thou shalt strike down the house of Ahab, thy lord, so that I avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord, at the hands of Jezebel.)

⁸ And I shall lose all the house of Ahab, and I shall slay of the house of Ahab a pisser to the wall, and the enclosed, and the last in Israel. (And I shall destroy all the house of Ahab, and I shall kill all the house of Ahab unto a pisser on the wall, and the captive, and the last in Israel.)

⁹ And I shall give the house of Ahab as the house of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, and as the house of Baasha, the son of Ahijah. (And I shall make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha, the son of Ahijah.)

¹⁰ Also dogs shall eat Jezebel in the field of Jezreel (And the dogs shall eat up Jezebel in the field of Jezreel); and there shall be none that shall bury her. And (then) the young man opened the door, and fled.

¹¹ And Jehu went out to the servants of his lord, which said to him, Whether all things be rightful? (Is everything all right?) (For) What came this mad man to thee? Which said to them, Ye know the man, and what he spake.

¹² And they answered, It is false; but more rather tell thou us what he said (but rather now tell thou us what he said). The which said to them, He spake these things and these to me, and said, The Lord saith these things, I have anointed thee king of Israel.

¹³ Therefore they hasted, and each man took his mantle, and putted under his feet by the likeness of a throne. And they sang with a trump, and said, Jehu shall reign.

¹⁴ Therefore Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, swore with others together against Joram^[a]. Forsooth Joram had besieged Ramoth of Gilead, he and all Israel, against Hazael, king of Syria.

¹⁵ And Joram turned again to be healed in Jezreel for wounds that he had; for men of Syria had smitten him fighting against Hazael, king of Syria (Now Joram had returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds that he had; for the men of Syria had struck him when he fought against Hazael, the king of Syria). And Jehu said (to them), If it please you, (then let) no man go out fleeing from the city, lest he go, and tell (it) in Jezreel.

¹⁶ And (then) Jehu went up, and went forth into Jezreel; for Joram was sick there; and Ahaziah, king of Judah, came down to visit Joram.

¹⁷ Therefore a watchman, that stood above (in) a tower of Jezreel, saw the multitude of Jehu coming, and he said, I see a multitude. And Joram said, Take thou a chariot, and send it into the meeting of him; and say the goer, Whether all things be rightful? (and let the goer, or the driver, say to him, Is everything all right?)

¹⁸ Then he, that went upon the chariot, went into the meeting of Jehu, and said, The king saith these things, Whether all things be peaced? (Is everything at peace with you?) And Jehu said to him, What to thee and to peace? Pass thou from Joram, and follow me. And the watchman told to Joram, and said, The messenger came to them, and he turneth not again.

¹⁹ Also the king sent the second chariot of horses, and he came to them, and said, The king saith these things, Whether peace is with you? (And the king sent a second chariot of horses, and the man came to them, and said, The king saith these things, Is everything at peace with you?) And Jehu said, What to thee and to peace? Pass thou forth, and follow me.

²⁰ And the espyer told to Joram, and said, He came unto them, and he turneth not again; forsooth the going of the duke is as the going of Jehu, son of Nimshi (and the driving of the leader is like the driving of Jehu, the son of Nimshi); certainly he goeth fast.

²¹ And Joram said, Join ye (up) a chariot. And they joined (up) his chariot. And Joram, king of Israel, went out, and Ahaziah, king of Judah, went out, each in his chariot; and they went out into the meeting of Jehu, and they found him in the field of Naboth of Jezreel.

²² And when Joram had seen Jehu, he said, Jehu, is (it) peace? (And when Joram had seen Jehu, he said, Jehu, is everything at peace with you?) And he answered, What peace? Yet the fornications, that is, (the) idolatries, of Jezebel, thy mother, and (the) many poisonings of her be in strength.

²³ And Joram turned his hand, and fled, and said to Ahaziah, Treasons! treasons! (O!) Ahaziah.

²⁴ Certainly Jehu bent a bow with his hand, and smote Joram betwixt the shoulders, and the arrow went out through his heart; and at once he felled down in his chariot.

²⁵ And Jehu said to Bidkar the duke, Take thou (him) away, and cast forth him in the field of Naboth of Jezreel; for I have mind, when I and thou sat in the chariot, and followed Ahab, his father, that the Lord raised on him this burden, and said, (And Jehu said to Bidkar, his officer, Take thou him away, and throw him forth into the field of Naboth of Jezreel; for I remember, when I and thou sat in the chariot, and followed his father Ahab, that the Lord raised on him this burden, and said,)

²⁶ If not for the blood of Naboth, and for the blood of his sons, which I saw yesterday, saith the Lord, I shall yield to thee in this field, saith the Lord. Now therefore do thou away him, and cast forth him in the field, by the word of the Lord. (For the blood of Naboth, and for the blood of his sons, which I saw yesterday, saith the Lord, I shall yield to thee in this field, saith the Lord. And so now do thou him away, and throw him forth into the field, by the word of the Lord.)

²⁷ Forsooth Ahaziah, king of Judah, saw this, and fled by the way of the house of the garden; and Jehu pursued him, and said, Also smite ye this man in his chariot. And men smote Ahaziah in the going up of Gur, that is beside Ibleam; and Ahaziah fled into Megiddo, and was dead there (and Ahaziah fled to Megiddo, and died there).

²⁸ And his servants putted him on his chariot, and brought him into Jerusalem; and they buried him in a sepulchre with his fathers, in the city of David.

²⁹ In the eleventh year of Joram, the son of Ahab, king of Israel, Ahaziah reigned upon Judah (Ahaziah began to reign upon Judah).

³⁰ And Jehu came into Jezreel. Forsooth when his entering was heard (And when she heard him coming), Jezebel painted her eyes with (the) ointment of lecherous women, and adorned her head; and she beheld by a window

³¹ Jehu entering by the gate, and she said, Whether peace may be to Zimri, that killed his lord?/that slew his lord? (Jehu entering by the gate, and she said, Can there be peace for Zimri, who killed his lord?)

³² And Jehu raised up his face to the window, and said, What woman is this? And twain either three chamberlains bowed themselves to him, and said to him, This is that Jezebel.

³³ And he said to them, Cast ye her down. And they casted down her (And they went, and threw her down); and the wall was besprinkled with (her) blood, and (also) the hooves of (the) horses, that treaded (upon) her.

³⁴ And when he had entered to eat and drink, he said, Go ye, and see that cursed woman, and bury ye her, for she is a king’s daughter.

³⁵ And when they had gone to bury her, they found not of her, no but the skull, and the feet, and the ends of her hands;

³⁶ and they turned again, and told to him (and they returned, and told him). And Jehu said, This is the word of the Lord, which he spake by his servant, Elijah of Tishbe/Elijah (the) Tishbite, and said, (The) Dogs shall eat (up) the flesh of Jezebel in the field of Jezreel;

³⁷ and the fleshes of Jezebel shall be as dung upon the face of the earth in the field of Jezreel, so that men passing forth thereby say, Lo! this is that Jezebel.

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,)

² 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,)

³ 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.

⁴ 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?)

⁵ 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.)

⁶ 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.)

⁷ 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).

⁸ 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.

⁹ 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^[b] (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.

11 Forsooth Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, saw (that) her son (was) dead, and she rose up, and killed all the seed of the king (and killed all of the king’s descendants).

² And Jehosheba, the daughter of king Jehoram^[c], (and) the sister of Ahaziah, took Joash^[d], the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from the midst of the sons of the king, that were slain (who were killed); and she (also) took the nurse of him from the house of three stages; and she hid him from the face of Athaliah, so that he were not slain.

³ And he was with her in the house of the Lord privily six years (And he was hid with her in the House of the Lord for six years). Forsooth Athaliah reigned upon the land six years.

⁴ But in the seventh year Jehoiada, the priest, sent, and took (the) chieftains upon hundreds, and (the) knights, and he brought them to him into the temple of the Lord; and covenanted with them a bond of peace (and made a covenant with them), and he made them to swear in the temple of the Lord, and showed to them the son of the king.

⁵ And he commanded to them, and said, This is the word, that ye ought to do; the third part of you enter in (on) the sabbath day, and keep ye the watches of the king’s house; (And he commanded to them, and said, This is the thing, that ye ought to do; a third part of you be on duty on the sabbath day, and keep ye watch over, or guard, the palace;)

⁶ and another third part be at the gate of Sur; and the third part be at the gate that is behind the dwelling place of the makers of shields; and ye shall keep the watches of the house of Masah. (and a third part be at the Sur Gate; and a third part be at the gate that is behind the dwelling place of the shield-makers; and so ye shall keep watch over the House of the Lord behind the other guards.)

⁷ Forsooth two parts of you all going out in the sabbath, keep they the watches of the house of the Lord about the king. (And so the two parts of you that be off-duty on the sabbath, keep they watch over the king in the House of the Lord.)

⁸ And ye shall compass the king, and ye shall have arms in your hands; and if any man enter into the closing of the temple, be he slain; and ye shall be with the king going in and going out. (And ye shall encompass, or surround, the king, and ye shall have weapons in your hands; and if anyone enter into the enclosing, or the interior, of the Temple, they shall be killed; and ye shall be with the king coming in and going out.)

⁹ And the chieftains upon hundreds did by all things that Jehoiada, the priest, had commanded to them; and they all taking their men that entered to the sabbath day, with them that went out from the sabbath day, came to Jehoiada, the priest (and they all took their men who went on duty on the sabbath day, with those who went off-duty on the sabbath day, and came to Jehoiada, the priest).

¹⁰ Which gave to them [the] spears, and [the] armours of king David, that were in the house of the Lord. (And he gave them King David’s spears and shields, that were in the House of the Lord.)

¹¹ And all stood having arms in their hand (And they all stood with weapons in their hands), from the right side of the temple unto the left side of the altar and of the house, (all) about the king.

¹² And he brought forth the son of the king, and put upon his head a diadem, and the witnessing; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped with the hand[s], and said, The king live! (And he brought forth the king’s son, and put the crown on his head, and gave him the warrant; and then they anointed him king; and they clapped their hands, and said, Long live the king!)

¹³ Forsooth Athaliah heard the voice(s) of the people running, and she entered to the companies into the temple of the Lord, (And Athaliah heard all the noise that the people made, and she came into the Temple of the Lord,)

¹⁴ and she saw the king standing on the throne (and she saw the king standing by the throne), (as) by custom, and singers, and companies nigh him, and all the people of the land being glad, and singing with trumps. And she rent her clothes, and cried, Swearing together! swearing together!/Conjuration! conjuration! either treason.

¹⁵ Certainly Jehoiada commanded to the chieftains (upon hundreds), that were upon the host, and said to them, Lead ye her out of the closings of the temple; and whoever followeth her, be he smitten with [a] sword. And the priest said, Be she not slain in the temple of the Lord. (And Jehoiada commanded to the chieftains upon hundreds, who were over the army, and said to them, Take ye her out of the enclosings of the Temple; and whoever followeth her, let him be struck down with a sword. And the priest said, She shall not be killed in the Temple of the Lord.)

¹⁶ And they putted hands on her, and hurled her by the way of the entering of [the] horses beside the palace; and she was slain there.

¹⁷ Therefore Jehoiada made (a) bond of peace betwixt the Lord and the king, and betwixt the people, that it should be the people of the Lord; and (also) betwixt the king and the people. (And so Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord and the king and the people, that they would be the people of the Lord; and also between the king and the people.)

¹⁸ [And] All the people of the land entered into the temple of Baal; and they destroyed the altars of him, and all-brake strongly the images; and they killed before the altar Mattan, the priest of Baal. And Jehoiada the priest set keepings in the house of the Lord; (And all the people of the land entered into the temple of Baal; and they destroyed his altars, and broke up all the images, or all the idols; and they killed Mattan, Baal’s priest, in front of the altar. And Jehoiada the priest put guards in the House of the Lord;)

¹⁹ and he took [the] chieftains upon hundreds, and [the] legions of Cherethites, and Pelethites, and all the people of the land. And they led forth the king from the house of the Lord; and they came by the way of the gate of the makers of shields into the palace; and Joash sat upon the throne of kings.

²⁰ And all the people of the land was glad, and the city rested. Forsooth Athaliah was slain by (the) sword in the house of the king.

²¹ And Joash was of seven years, when he began to reign. (And Joash was seven years old, when he began to reign.)