Dual Panel1Ahab <0256> had seventy <07657> sons <01121> living in Samaria <08111>. So Jehu <03058> wrote <03789> letters <05612> and sent <07971> them to <0413> Samaria <08111> to the leading <02205> officials <08269> of Jezreel <03157> and to <0413> the guardians <0539> of Ahab’s <0256> dynasty. This is what the letters said <0559>,
2“You have with <0854> you the sons <01121> of your master <0113>, chariots <07393> and horses <05483>, a fortified <04013> city <05892>, and weapons <05402>. So <06258> when this <02088> letter <05612> arrives <0935>,
3pick <07200> the best <02896> and most capable <03477> of your master’s <0113> sons <01121>, place <07760> him on <05921> his father’s <01> throne <03678>, and defend <05921> <03898> your master’s <0113> dynasty <01004>.”
4They were absolutely <03966> <03966> terrified <03372> and said <0559>, “Look <02009>, two <08147> kings <04428> could not <03808> stop <05975> him! How <0349> can we <0587>?”
5So the palace <01004> supervisor, the city <05892> commissioner, the leaders <02205>, and the guardians <0539> sent <07971> this message to <0413> Jehu <03058>, “We <0587> are your subjects <05650>! Whatever <0834> <03605> you say <0559>, we will do <06213>. We will not <03808> make anyone <0376> king <04427>. Do <06213> what you consider <05869> proper <02896>.”
6He wrote <03789> them a second <08145> letter <05612>, saying <0559>, “If <0518> you <0859> are really on my side and are willing to obey <08085> me, then take <03947> the heads <07218> of your master’s <0113> sons <01121> and come <0935> to <0413> me in Jezreel <03157> at this time <06256> tomorrow <04279>.” Now the king <04428> had seventy <07657> sons <01121>, and the prominent <01419> men <0376> of the city <05892> were raising <01431> them.
7When <01961> they received <0935> the letter <05612>, they seized <03947> the king’s <04428> sons <01121> and executed <07819> all seventy <07657> of them. They put <07760> their heads <07218> in baskets <01731> and sent <07971> them to <0413> him in Jezreel <03157>.
8The messenger <04397> came <0935> and told <05046> Jehu, “They have brought <0935> the heads <07218> of the king’s <04428> sons <01121>.” Jehu said <0559>, “Stack <07760> them in two <08147> piles <06652> at the entrance <06607> of the city gate <08179> until <05704> morning <01242>.”
9In the morning <01242> he went out <03318> and stood <05975> there. Then he said <0559> to <0413> all <03605> the people <05971>, “You <0859> are innocent <06662>. I <0589> conspired <07194> against <05921> my master <0113> and killed <02026> him. But who <04310> struck down <05221> all <03605> of these <0428> men?
10Therefore <0645> take note <03045> that <03588> not <03808> one of the judgments <01697> the Lord <03068> announced <01696> against <05921> Ahab’s <0256> dynasty <01004> has failed <05307> to materialize. The Lord <03068> had done <06213> what <0834> he announced <01696> through <03027> his servant <05650> Elijah <0452>.”
11Then Jehu <03058> killed <05221> all <03605> who were left <07604> of Ahab’s <0256> family <01004> in Jezreel <03157>, and all <03605> his nobles <01419>, close friends <03045>, and priests <03548>. He left <07604> no <01115> survivors <08300>.
12Jehu then left <06965> there and set out <0935> for Samaria <08111>. While he <01931> was traveling <01870> through Beth Eked <01004> of the Shepherds <07462>,
13Jehu <03058> encountered <04672> the relatives <0251> of King <04428> Ahaziah <0274> of Judah <03063>. He asked <0559>, “Who <04310> are you <0859>?” They replied <0559>, “We are Ahaziah’s <0274> relatives <0251>. We <0587> have come down <03381> to see how the king’s <04428> sons <01121> and the queen mother’s <01377> sons <01121> are doing.”
14He said <0559>, “Capture <08610> them alive <02416>!” So they captured <08610> them alive <02416> and then executed <07819> all forty-two <08147> <0705> of them <0376> in <0413> the cistern <0953> at Beth Eked <01044>. He left <07604> no <03808> survivors <0376>.
15When he left <01980> there <08033>, he met <04672> Jehonadab <03082>, son <01121> of Rekab <07394>, who had been looking for <07125> him. Jehu greeted <01288> him and asked <0559>, “Are <03426> you as committed <03477> to me as <0834> I am to <05973> you?” Jehonadab <03082> answered <0559>, “I am <03426>!” Jehu replied, “If so, give <05414> me your hand <03027>.” So he offered <05414> his hand <03027> and Jehu pulled <05927> him up <05927> into <0413> <0413> the chariot <04818>.
16Jehu said <0559>, “Come <01980> with <0854> me and see <07200> how zealous <07068> I am for the Lord’s <03068> cause.” So he took <07392> him along <07392> in his chariot <07393>.
17He went <0935> to Samaria <08111> and exterminated <05221> all <03605> the members of Ahab’s <0256> family who were still alive <07604> in Samaria <08111>, just as <0834> the Lord <03068> had announced <01696> to <0413> Elijah <0452>.
18Jehu <03058> assembled <06908> all <03605> the people <05971> and said <0559> to <0413> them, “Ahab <0256> worshiped <05647> Baal <01168> a little <04592>; Jehu <03058> will worship <05647> him with great devotion <07235>.
19So now <06258>, bring <07121> to me all <03605> the prophets <05030> of Baal <01168>, as well as all <03605> his servants <05647> and priests <03548>. None <0408> <0376> of them must be absent <06485>, for <03588> I am offering a great <01419> sacrifice <02077> to Baal <01168>. Any <03605> of them who <0834> fail to appear <06485> will lose <03808> their lives <02421>.” But Jehu <03058> was tricking <06122> <06213> them so <04616> he could destroy <06> the servants <05647> of Baal <01168>.
20Then Jehu <03058> ordered <0559>, “Make arrangements <06942> for a celebration <06116> for Baal <01168>.” So they announced <07121> it.
21Jehu <03058> sent <07971> invitations <0935> throughout <03605> Israel <03478>, and all <03605> the servants <05647> of Baal <01168> came <0935>; not <03808> one <0376> was absent <07604>. They arrived <0935> at the temple <01004> of Baal <01168> and filled <04390> it <01168> <01004> up from end <06310> to end <06310>.
22Jehu ordered <0559> the one who <0834> was in charge <05921> of the wardrobe <04458>, “Bring out <03318> robes <03830> for all <03605> the servants <05647> of Baal <01168>.” So he brought out <03318> robes <04403> for them.
23Then Jehu <03058> and Jehonadab <03082> son <01121> of Rekab <07394> went <0935> to the temple <01004> of Baal <01168>. Jehu said <0559> to the servants <05647> of Baal <01168>, “Make sure <07200> <02664> there <03426> are no <06435> servants <05650> of the Lord <03068> here <06311> with you; there must be only <0905> servants <05647> of Baal <01168>.”
24They went <0935> inside to offer <06213> sacrifices <02077> and burnt offerings <05930>. Now Jehu <03058> had stationed <07760> eighty <08084> men <0376> outside <02351>. He <0376> had told <0559> them, “If any of the men <0376> inside get away <04422>, you will pay with <08478> your lives <05315> <05315>!”
25When <01961> he finished <03615> offering <06213> the burnt sacrifice <05930>, Jehu <03058> ordered <0559> the royal guard <07323> and officers <07991>, “Come <0935> in and strike <05221> them down <05221>! Don’t <0408> let any <0376> escape <03318>!” So the royal guard <07323> and officers <07991> struck <05221> them down <05221> with the sword <02719> and left <07993> their bodies lying there. Then they entered <01980> the inner sanctuary <05892> of the temple <01004> of Baal <01168>.
26They hauled out <03318> the sacred pillar <04676> of the temple <01004> of Baal <01168> and burned <08313> it.
27They demolished <05422> the sacred pillar <04676> of Baal <01168> and the temple <01004> of Baal <01168>; it is used as <07760> a latrine <04163> to <05704> this very day <03117>.
28So Jehu <03058> eradicated <08045> Baal <01168> worship from Israel <03478>.
29However <07535>, Jehu <03058> did not <03808> repudiate <05493> the sins <02399> which Jeroboam <03379> son <01121> of Nebat <05028> had encouraged <02398> Israel <03478> to commit <02398>; the golden <02091> calves <05695> remained in Bethel <01008> and Dan <01835>.
30The Lord <03068> said <0559> to <0413> Jehu <03058>, “You have done well <02895>. You have accomplished <06213> my will and carried out <06213> my wishes with regard to Ahab’s <0256> dynasty <01004>. Therefore four <07243> generations of your descendants <01121> will rule <03678> <03427> over <05921> Israel <03478>.”
31But Jehu <03058> did not <03808> carefully <08104> and wholeheartedly <03824> <03605> obey <01980> the law <08451> of the Lord <03068> God <0430> of Israel <03478>. He did not <03808> repudiate <05493> the sins <02403> which Jeroboam <03379> had <0834> encouraged <02398> Israel <03478> to commit <02398>.
32In those <01992> days <03117> the Lord <03068> began <02490> to reduce <07096> the size of Israel’s <03478> territory. Hazael <02371> attacked <05221> their eastern <03605> border <01366>.
33He conquered all <03605> the land <0776> of Gilead <01568>, including the territory of Gad <01425>, Reuben <07206>, and Manasseh <04520>, extending all the way from the Aroer <06177> in <05921> the Arnon <0769> Valley <05158> through Gilead <01568> to Bashan <01316>.
34The rest <03499> of the events <01697> of Jehu’s <03058> reign, including all <03605> his accomplishments <06213> and successes <01369>, are recorded <03789> in <05921> the scroll <05612> called the Annals <03117> <01697> of the Kings <04428> of Israel <03478>.
35Jehu <03058> passed away <01> <05973> <07901> and was buried <06912> in Samaria <08111>. His son <01121> Jehoahaz <03059> replaced <08478> him as king <04427>.
36Jehu <03058> reigned <04427> over <05921> Israel <03478> for twenty-eight <08083> <06242> years <08141> in Samaria <08111>.