The Second Book of the Kings

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- Kapitel 10 -

Now Ahab had seventy descendants in Samaria. Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria, to the rulers of Jezreel, including the elders and the guardians of Ahab’s descendants, saying,

“Your master’s descendants are with you, and you also have chariots and horses and a fortified city and armor. So then, as soon as this letter comes to you,

select the best and most deserving of your master’s descendants and set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s royal line.”

But they were terrified and said among themselves, “See, the two kings could not stand before Jehu. So how can we stand?”

Then the man who was in charge of the palace, and the man who was over the city, and the elders also, and they who raised the children, sent word back to Jehu, saying, “We are your servants. We will do everything that you command us. We will not make any man king. Do what is good in your eyes.”

Then Jehu wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, “If you are on my side, and if you will listen to my voice, you must take the heads of the men of your master’s descendants, and come to me to Jezreel by tomorrow this time.” Now the king’s descendants, seventy in number, were with the important men of the city, who were bringing them up.

So when the letter came to them, they took the king’s sons and killed them, seventy persons, put their heads in baskets, and sent them to Jehu in Jezreel.

A messenger came to Jehu, saying, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons.” So he said, “Put them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until the morning.”

In the morning Jehu went out and stood, and said to all the people, “You are innocent. See, I plotted against my master and killed him, but who killed all these?

Now you should certainly realize that no part of Yahweh’s word, the word that he spoke concerning the family of Ahab, will fall to the ground, for Yahweh has done what he spoke about through his servant Elijah.”

So Jehu killed all who remained in the family of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his important men, his close friends, and his priests, until none of them remained.

Then Jehu arose and left; he went to Samaria. As he was arriving at Beth Eked of the shepherd,

he met brothers of Ahaziah king of Judah. Jehu said to them, “Who are you?” They answered, “We are brothers of Ahaziah, and we are going down to greet the children of the king and the children of Queen Jezebel.”

Jehu said to his own men, “Take them alive.” So they took them alive and killed them at the well of Beth Eked, all forty-two men. He did not leave any of them alive.

When Jehu had left there, he met Jonadab son of Rechab coming to meet him. Jehu greeted him and said to him, “Is your heart with me, as my heart is with yours?” Jonadab answered, “It is.” Jehu said, “If it is, give me your hand.” So Jonadab gave him his hand, and Jehu took Jonadab up into the chariot with him.

Jehu said, “Come with me and see my zeal for Yahweh.” So he had Jonadab ride along with him in his chariot.

When he came to Samaria, Jehu killed all who remained from Ahab’s descendants in Samaria, until he had destroyed Ahab’s royal line, just as was told them before by the word of Yahweh, which he had spoken to Elijah.

Jehu Kills the Priests of Baal

Then Jehu gathered all the people together and said to them, “Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve him much.

Now therefore call to me all the prophets of Baal, all his worshipers, and all his priests. Let no one be left out, for I have a great sacrifice to offer to Baal. Whoever does not come will not live.” But Jehu did this deceitfully, with the intent to kill the worshipers of Baal.

Jehu said, “Set a time to have an assembly for Baal.” So they announced it.

Then Jehu sent throughout all Israel and all the worshipers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left who did not come. They came into the temple of Baal, and it was filled from one end to another.

Jehu said to the man who kept the priest’s wardrobe, “Bring out robes for all the worshipers of Baal.” So the man brought out robes to them.

So Jehu went with Jonadab son of Rechab into the house of Baal, and he said to the worshipers of Baal, “Search and make sure that there is no one here with you from the servants of Yahweh, but the worshipers of Baal alone.”

Then they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had chosen eighty men who were standing outside, and he told them, “If any of the men whom I bring into your hands escapes, whoever lets that man escape, his life will be taken for the life of the one who escaped.”

So then as soon as Jehu finished offering the burnt offering, he said to the guard and to the captains, “Go in and kill them. Let no one come out.” So they killed them with the edge of the sword, and the guard and the captains threw them out and went into the inner room of the house of Baal.

They dragged out the stone pillars that were in the house of Baal, and they burned them.

Then they broke down the pillar of Baal, and destroyed the house of Baal and made it a latrine, which it is to this day.

Jehu Repeats Jeroboam’s Sins

That is how Jehu destroyed Baal worship from Israel.

But Jehu did not leave the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, by which he made Israel sin-that is, the worship of the golden calves in Bethel and Dan.

So Yahweh said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in executing what was right in my eyes, and have done to the house of Ahab according to all that was in my heart, your descendants will sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.”

But Jehu took no care to walk in the law of Yahweh, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam, by which he made Israel sin.

In those days Yahweh began to cut off regions from Israel, and Hazael defeated the Israelites at the borders of Israel,

from the Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the Valley of the Arnon, through Gilead to Bashan.

Jehoahaz Succeeds Jehu in Israel

As for the other matters concerning Jehu, and all that he did, and all his power, are they not written in The Book of the Events of the Kings of Israel?

Jehu slept with his ancestors, and they buried him in Samaria. Then Jehoahaz his son became king in his place.

The time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.

Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria, to the rulers of Jezreel, even the elders, and to those who brought up Ahab’s sons, saying,

“Now as soon as this letter comes to you, since your master’s sons are with you, and you have chariots and horses, a fortified city also, and armor,

select the best and fittest of your master’s sons, set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house.”

But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, “Behold, the two kings didn’t stand before him! How then shall we stand?”

He who was over the household, and he who was over the city, the elders also, and those who raised the children, sent to Jehu, saying, “We are your servants, and will do all that you ask us. We will not make any man king. You do that which is good in your eyes.”

Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, “If you are on my side, and if you will listen to my voice, take the heads of the men who are your master’s sons, and come to me to Jezreel by tomorrow this time.” Now the king’s sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who brought them up.

When the letter came to them, they took the king’s sons and killed them, even seventy people, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him to Jezreel.

A messenger came and told him, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons.” He said, “Lay them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until the morning.”

In the morning, he went out and stood, and said to all the people, “You are righteous. Behold, I conspired against my master and killed him, but who killed all these?

Know now that nothing will fall to the earth of the LORD’s word, which the LORD spoke concerning Ahab’s house. For the LORD has done that which he spoke by his servant Elijah.”

So Jehu struck all that remained of Ahab’s house in Jezreel, with all his great men, his familiar friends, and his priests, until he left him no one remaining.

He arose and departed, and went to Samaria. As he was at the shearing house of the shepherds on the way,

Jehu met with the brothers of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, “Who are you?” They answered, “We are the brothers of Ahaziah. We are going down to greet the children of the king and the children of the queen.”

He said, “Take them alive!” They took them alive, and killed them at the pit of the shearing house, even forty-two men. He didn’t leave any of them.

When he had departed from there, he met Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him. He greeted him, and said to him, “Is your heart right, as my heart is with your heart?” Jehonadab answered, “It is.” “If it is, give me your hand.” He gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot.

He said, “Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD.” So they made him ride in his chariot.

When he came to Samaria, he struck all who remained to Ahab in Samaria, until he had destroyed them, according to the LORD’s word which he spoke to Elijah.

Jehu Kills the Priests of Baal

Jehu gathered all the people together, and said to them, “Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve him much.

Now therefore call to me all the prophets of Baal, all of his worshipers, and all of his priests. Let no one be absent, for I have a great sacrifice to Baal. Whoever is absent, he shall not live.” But Jehu did deceptively, intending to destroy the worshipers of Baal.

Jehu said, “Sanctify a solemn assembly for Baal!” So they proclaimed it.

Jehu sent through all Israel; and all the worshipers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that didn’t come. They came into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was filled from one end to another.

He said to him who kept the wardrobe, “Bring out robes for all the worshipers of Baal!” So he brought robes out to them.

Jehu went with Jehonadab the son of Rechab into the house of Baal. Then he said to the worshipers of Baal, “Search, and see that none of the servants of the LORD are here with you, but only the worshipers of Baal.”

So they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had appointed for himself eighty men outside, and said, “If any of the men whom I bring into your hands escape, he who lets him go, his life shall be for the life of him.”

As soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, “Go in and kill them! Let no one escape.” So they struck them with the edge of the sword. The guard and the captains threw the bodies out, and went to the inner shrine of the house of Baal.

They brought out the pillars that were in the house of Baal and burned them.

They broke down the pillar of Baal, and broke down the house of Baal, and made it a latrine, to this day.

Jehu Repeats Jeroboam’s Sins

Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.

However, Jehu didn’t depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin—the golden calves that were in Bethel and that were in Dan.

The LORD said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in executing that which is right in my eyes, and have done to Ahab’s house according to all that was in my heart, your descendants shall sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.”

But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He didn’t depart from the sins of Jeroboam, with which he made Israel to sin.

In those days the LORD began to cut away parts of Israel; and Hazael struck them in all the borders of Israel

from the Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the valley of the Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan.

Jehoahaz Succeeds Jehu in Israel

Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, and all that he did, and all his might, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

Jehu slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Samaria. Jehoahaz his son reigned in his place.

The time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.