Old/New Testament
Jehu Destroys Ahab’s Sons and Baal Worshippers
10 Now Ahab had 70 sons in Samaria. Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria, to the rulers of Jezreel, the elders, and to the guardians of Ahab’s sons, saying: 2 “Now as soon as this letter reaches you—since your master’s sons are with you, and you also have chariots and horses, a fortified city and weapons— 3 choose the best and the most worthy of your master’s sons, set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house.”
4 But they were very terrified and said, “Look, two kings couldn’t stand before him, how then can we?” 5 So the steward of the palace, the governor of the city, the elders, and the guardians sent word to Jehu saying, “We are your servants, and will do whatever you tell us to. We won’t make any man king. Do whatever is good in your eyes.”
6 Then he wrote a second letter to them saying, “If you are on my side, and if you will obey me, then bring the heads of the men, your master’s sons, and come to me to Jezreel at this time tomorrow.”
Now the king’s sons, 70 people, were with the city’s prominent men. 7 When it came to pass that the letter reached them, they took the king’s 70 sons and slaughtered them, put their heads in baskets and sent them to him at Jezreel. 8 When a messenger came and told him saying, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons,” he said, “Put them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until morning.”
9 It came to pass in the morning that he went out and stood and addressed all the people, “You are innocent. Behold, I conspired against my master and killed him, but who struck down all these? 10 Know then that not a word of Adonai will fall to the earth—which Adonai spoke about the house of Ahab—for Adonai has done what He spoke through His servant Elijah.” 11 So Jehu struck down all who remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel—all his nobles, his acquaintances, his priests—until he left him not a survivor.
12 Then he arose and went on his way to Samaria. As he was at Shearing House[a] of the Shepherds along the way, 13 Jehu met with the kinsmen of King Ahaziah of Judah and asked, “Who are you?”
“We are the kinsmen of Ahaziah,” they replied, “We’ve come down to greet the children of the king and the children of the queen mother.”
14 “Take them alive!” he said. So they took them alive, then struck them down at the pit of Shearing House, 42 men—he spared not a single one of them.
15 Now when he left from there, he met Jehonadab son of Rechab coming to meet him. So he greeted him and said to him, “Is your heart right as my heart is with your heart?”
“It is,” Jehonadab replied.
“If it is, give me your hand.” So he gave him his hand, and Jehu helped him up into the chariot. 16 Then he said, “Come with me and see my zeal for Adonai.” So he let him ride in his chariot.
17 When he came to Samaria, he struck down all who remained from Ahab in Samaria, until he had destroyed him, according to the word of Adonai spoken to Elijah.
18 Then Jehu gathered all the people together and said to them, “Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve him much! 19 Now therefore, summon to me all the prophets of Baal, all his worshippers, and all his priests, let none be missing, for I have a great sacrifice for Baal—whoever is missing will not live.” But Jehu did it in cunning, in order to destroy the worshippers of Baal.
20 Then Jehu said, “Sanctify a solemn assembly for Baal.” So they proclaimed it. 21 Then Jehu sent throughout Israel and all the worshippers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left who did not come. When they went into the temple of Baal, the temple of Baal was filled from one end to another.
22 Then he said to the one over the wardrobe, “Bring out vestments for all the worshippers of Baal.” So he brought out vestments for them. 23 Then Jehu and Jehonadab son of Rechab went into the temple of Baal, and he said to the worshippers of Baal, “Search and look that there is here with you none of the servants of Adonai—only servants of Baal.” 24 Then they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings.
Now Jehu had already stationed 80 of his men outside and said, “If any of the men whom I am bringing into your hands escapes, your life will be for his life.” 25 Then it came to pass, as soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, “Go in, strike them down—let none get out.” So they struck them down with the edge of the sword, and the guard and the captains threw them out. Then they proceeded to the inner room of the temple of Baal, 26 brought out the pillars of the temple of Baal, and burned them. 27 Then they demolished the pillar of Baal, tore down the temple of Baal and turned it into latrines—as it is to this day.
28 Thus Jehu eradicated Baal from Israel. 29 However, from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he caused Israel to commit, from these Jehu did not turn away—the golden calves in Bethel and in Dan. 30 Now Adonai had said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in executing what is right in My eyes, and have done to the house of Ahab according to all that was in My heart, your sons of the fourth generation will sit on the throne of Israel.”
31 Yet Jehu was not careful to walk in the Torah of Adonai, God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn from the sins of Jeroboam, which he caused Israel to commit. 32 In those days Adonai began to reduce the size of Israel. For Hazael defeated them throughout the territory of Israel, 33 from the Jordan eastward in all the land of Gilead—the Gadites, the Reubenites, and the Manassites—from Aroer by the Arnon Valley up to 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 Then Jehu slept with his fathers and they buried him in Samaria. And his son Jehoahaz became king in his place. 36 The days of Jehu’s reign over Israel in Samaria were 28 years.
Wicked Queen Athaliah Overthrown
11 Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal offspring. 2 But Jehosheba, daughter of King Joram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the king’s sons who were being put to death. She put him and his nurse in the bedroom, so he was hidden from Athaliah, so that he was not killed. 3 He remained with her, hidden in the House of Adonai for six years, while Athaliah was reigning over the country.
4 Now in the seventh year, Jehoiada sent and fetched the captains of the hundreds, of both the Carites and the guards, and had them come to him in the House of Adonai. After he cut a covenant with them and put them under oath in the House of Adonai, he showed them the king’s son. 5 Then he commanded them saying, “This is what you will do: one-third of you—those going on duty on Shabbat—keeps watch over the palace. 6 Then another third will be stationed at the Sur Gate and the last third will be at the gate behind the guards—so you will keep watch over the house on every side. 7 Your other two divisions, who are off duty on Shabbat, will also keep watch over the House of Adonai for the king. 8 So you are to surround the king on every side—every man with his weapons in his hand—whoever breaks through the ranks must be put to death. You must be with the king in his comings and goings.”
9 So the captains of hundreds did all that Jehoiada the kohen commanded. Each of the captains took his men—those who were on duty on Shabbat and those who were off duty on Shabbat—and presented themselves to Jehoiada the kohen. 10 The kohen delivered to the captains of hundreds the spear and shields that belonged to King David that were in the House of Adonai. 11 So the guards stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, from the right side of the House to the left side of the House, by the altar and the House, around the king on every side.
12 Then he brought out the king’s son and put the crown and the insignia on him, and so they proclaimed him king and anointed him. Then they clapped their hands and shouted, “Long live the king!”
13 When Athaliah heard the noise of the guards and the people, she came to the people in the House of Adonai. 14 She looked and behold, the king was standing by the pillar, as was the custom, with the captains and the trumpets beside the king, and all the people of the land rejoicing and blowing trumpets. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and cried, “Treason, treason!”
15 Then Jehoiada the kohen ordered the captains of hundreds, appointed over the army, and said to them, “Bring her out between the ranks—whoever follows her, put him to death with the sword.” For the kohen said, “Let her not be put to death in the House of Adonai.”
16 So they laid hands on her, and brought her to the horses’ entry of the royal palace, where she was put to death.
17 Then Jehoiada cut a covenant between Adonai and the king and the people—that they would be Adonai’s people—and also between the king and the people. 18 Next, all the people of the land went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They broke his altars and his images into pieces thoroughly, and slew Mattan, the priest of Baal, before the altars. Moreover, the kohen appointed officers over the House of Adonai. 19 Then he took the captains over hundreds, the Carites, the guard, and all the people of the land, and they brought the king down from the House of Adonai, and came by the way of the gate of the guards to the royal palace. So he sat on the royal throne. 20 Then all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet—they had already slain Athaliah with the sword in the royal palace.
Jehoash Restores the Temple
12 Jehoash was seven years old when he became king. 2 Jehoash began his reign in the seventh year of Jehu and he reigned 40 years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah of Beer-sheba. 3 Now Jehoash did what was right in Adonai’s eyes all his days, just as Jehoiada the kohen instructed him. 4 The high places, however, were not taken away. The people were still sacrificing and burning incense on the high places.
5 Then Jehoash said to the kohanim, “All the money of the sacred donations brought to the House of Adonai—the money in exchange for each person’s valuation, as well as all the money that anyone’s heart prompts him to bring to the House of Adonai— 6 let the kohanim receive it, each from one of the treasurers, so they may repair the damage to the House wherever any damage is found.”
7 But by the twenty-third year of King Jehoash, the kohanim still had not repaired the damage to the House. 8 Then King Jehoash summoned Jehoiada the kohen and the other kohanim, and said to them, “Why are you not repairing the damage to the House? Now therefore, take no more money from your treasurers, but hand it over for the damage to the House.” 9 The kohanim agreed that they would take no more money from the people, nor would they repair the damage of the House.
10 But Jehoiada the kohen took a chest, bored a hole in its lid, and placed it beside the altar, on the right side as one entered the House of Adonai. The priestly guards of the threshold deposited there all the money that was brought to the House of Adonai. 11 Whenever they saw that there was a large amount of money in the chest, the royal scribe and the kohen gadol would come up, put the money in bags and count the money that was found in the House of Adonai. 12 Then they would give the money that was weighed out into the hands of those who did the work, who had been overseeing the House of Adonai—they, in turn, would pay it out to the carpenters and the builders who worked on the House of Adonai, 13 and to the masons and the stonecutters, and for buying timber and cut stone to repair the damage to Adonai’s House, and for all that was laid out for the House to repair it.
14 But there were no silver cups, snuffers, bowls, trumpets, and no vessels of gold or vessels of silver made for the House of Adonai from the money brought to the House of Adonai. 15 For they gave it to those that did the work, and with it they repaired the House of Adonai. 16 They did not check on the men to whom they gave the money to pay the workers, for they dealt faithfully. 17 The money from the guilt offering and money from the sin offering was not brought into the House of Adonai—it was for the kohanim.
18 Then King Hazael of Aram marched and attacked Gath and captured it, and next Hazael set his face to march against Jerusalem. 19 But King Jehoash of Judah took all the sacred objects that his fathers Jehoshaphat, Jehoram and Ahaziah, kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own sacred objects, and all the gold that was found in the treasuries of the House of Adonai and in the royal palace, and sent them to King Hazael of Aram, so he withdrew from Jerusalem.
20 Now the rest of the acts of Joash and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 21 But his courtiers arose, conspired against him and assassinated Joash at Beth-Millo, on the way that goes down to Silla. 22 His courtiers Jozacar son of Shimeath and Jehozabad son of Shomer struck him down, and he died. Then they buried him with his fathers in the city of David. His son Amaziah became king in his place.
Behold, the Lamb of God
29 The next day, John sees Yeshua coming to him and says, “Behold, the Lamb[a] of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the One about whom I told you, ‘He who comes after me is above me, because He was before me.’ 31 I didn’t know Him, but I came immersing with water so that He might be revealed to Israel.”
32 Then John testified, “I have seen the Ruach coming down like a dove out of heaven, and it remained on Him. 33 I did not know Him; but the One who sent me to immerse in water said to me, ‘The One on whom you see the Ruach coming down and remaining, this is the One who immerses in the Ruach ha-Kodesh.’ 34 And I have seen and testified that this is Ben-Elohim.”[b]
Yeshua’s First Disciples
35 Again the next day, John was standing with two of his disciples 36 and watched Yeshua walking by. He said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Yeshua.
38 Yeshua turned around and saw them following. He said to them, “What are you looking for?”
They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which is translated Teacher), “where are you staying?”
39 “Come and see,” Yeshua tells them. So they came and saw where He was staying, and they spent that day with Him. It was about the tenth hour.[c]
40 Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard John speak and followed Yeshua. 41 First he finds his own brother Simon and tells him, “We’ve found the Messiah!” (which is translated Anointed One).
42 Andrew brought Simon to Yeshua. Yeshua looked at him and said, “You are Simon, son of John. You shall be called Kefa (which is translated Peter).”
Disciples Offer Witness
43 The next day, Yeshua decided to go to the Galilee. He finds Philip and says to him, “Follow Me!” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the same town as Andrew and Peter.
45 Philip finds Nathanael and tells him, “We’ve found the One that Moses in the Torah, and also the prophets, wrote about—Yeshua of Natzeret, the son of Joseph!”
46 “Natzeret!” Nathanael answered. “Can anything good come from there?”
Philip said to him, “Come and see.”
47 Yeshua saw Nathanael coming toward Him. He said, “Look, a true Israelite! There’s nothing false in him.”
48 Nathanael said to Him, “How do you know me?”
Yeshua answered, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”
49 “Rabbi,” Nathanael answered, “You are Ben-Elohim! You are the King of Israel!”[d]
50 “Because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree, you believe?” Yeshua replied to him. “You will see greater things than that!” 51 And He said, “Amen, amen I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God going up and coming down on the Son of Man!”[e]
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.