Dual Panel1There were seventy sons of Ahab left in Samaria. Jehu therefore sent a letter to Samaria, addressed to the rulers of the city, the elders, and the guardians of Ahab's sons, in which he wrote:
2“You have in your care your master's family as well as his chariots and horses, fortified cities, and weapons; therefore, whenever this letter reaches you,
3choose the best and the most suitable of your master's sons, set him on his father's throne, and fight for your master's house.”
4They were panic-stricken and said, “If two kings could not stand against him, what hope is there that we can?”
5Therefore the comptroller of the household and the governor of the city, with the elders and the children's guardians, sent this message to Jehu: “We are your servants. Whatever you tell us we shall do; but we shall not make anyone king. Do as you think fit.”
6So in a second letter to them Jehu wrote: “If you are on my side and will obey my orders, then bring the heads of your master's sons to me at Jezreel by this time tomorrow.” The royal princes, seventy in all, were with the nobles of the city who had charge of their upbringing.
7When the letter arrived, they took the royal princes and killed all seventy; they piled their heads in baskets and sent the heads to Jehu in Jezreel.
8When the messenger came to him and reported that they had brought the heads of the royal princes, he ordered them to be piled in two heaps and left till morning at the entrance to the city gate.
9In the morning Jehu went out, and standing there said to all the people, “You are fair-minded judges. I conspired against my master and killed him, but who put all these to death?
10Be sure then that every word which the LORD has spoken against the house of Ahab will be fulfilled, and that the LORD has now done what he promised through his servant Elijah.”
11So Jehu put to death all who were left of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, as well as all Ahab's nobles, his close friends, and priests, until he had left not one survivor.
12Then he set out for Samaria, and on the way there, when he had reached a shepherds' shelter,
13he came upon the kinsmen of King Ahaziah of Judah and demanded to know who they were. “We are kinsmen of Ahaziah,” they replied, “and we have come down to pay our respects to the families of the king and of the queen mother.”
14“Take them alive,” he said. They were taken alive, all forty-two of them, then slain, and flung into a pit that was there; he did not leave a single survivor.
15When he had left that place, he found Jehonadab son of Rechab coming to meet him. Jehu greeted him and said, “Are you with me wholeheartedly, as I am with you?” “I am,” replied Jehonadab. “Then if you are,” said Jehu, “give me your hand,” and he did so. Jehu had him come up into his chariot.
16“Come with me,” he said, “and you will see my zeal for the LORD.” So he took him with him in his chariot.
17When he came to Samaria, he put to death all of Ahab's house who were left there and so blotted it out, in fulfilment of the word which the LORD had spoken to Elijah.
18Jehu called all the people together and said to them, “Ahab served the Baal a little; Jehu will serve him much.
19Now summon all the prophets of Baal, all his ministers and priests; not one must be missing. For I am holding a great sacrifice to Baal, and no one who is missing from it shall live.” In this way Jehu outwitted the ministers of Baal in order to destroy them.
20Jehu gave the order, “Proclaim a sacred ceremony for Baal.” This was done,
21and Jehu himself sent word throughout Israel. All the ministers of Baal came; there was not a man left who did not come, and when they went into the temple of Baal, it was filled from end to end.
22Jehu said to the person who had charge of the wardrobe, “Bring out robes for all the ministers of Baal”; and he brought them out.
23Then Jehu and Jehonadab son of Rechab went into the temple of Baal and said to the ministers, “Look carefully and make sure that there are no servants of the LORD here with you, but only the ministers of Baal.”
24Then they went in to offer sacrifices and whole-offerings. Jehu had stationed eighty of his men outside and warned them, “I shall hold you responsible for these men, and if anyone of you lets one of them escape he will pay for it with his own life.”
25When he had finished offering the whole-offering, Jehu ordered the guards and officers to go in and cut them all down, and let not one of them escape. They were slain without quarter, and the guard and the officers threw them out. Then going into the keep of the temple of Baal,
26they brought out the sacred pole from the temple and burnt it;
27they overthrew the sacred pillar of the Baal and pulled down the temple itself and made a privy of it -- as it is today.
28Thus Jehu stamped out the worship of Baal in Israel.
29He did not however abandon the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat who led Israel into sin: he maintained the worship of the golden calves of Bethel and Dan.
30The LORD said to Jehu, “You have done well in carrying out what is right in my eyes, and you have done to the house of Ahab all that it was in my mind to do. Therefore your sons to the fourth generation will occupy the throne of Israel.”
31But Jehu was not careful to follow the law of the LORD the God of Israel with all his heart; he did not abandon the sins of Jeroboam who led Israel into sin.
Kings of Israel and Judah
32IN those days the LORD began to cut down Israel. Hazael struck at them in every corner of their territory
33eastwards from the Jordan: all the land of Gilead, Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh, from Aroer which is by the wadi of the Arnon, including Gilead and Bashan.
34The other events of Jehu's reign, his achievements and his exploits, are recorded in the annals of the kings of Israel.
35Jehu rested with his forefathers and was buried in Samaria. His son Jehoahaz succeeded him.
36Jehu had reigned over Israel in Samaria for twenty-eight years.