The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Kings 10
1 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,
2 “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,
3 select the best and fittest of your master’s sons, set him on his father’s throne,
and fight for your master’s house.”
4 But they were exceedingly afraid, and
said, “Behold, the two kings didn’t stand
before him! How then shall we stand?”
5 He who was over the household, and he
who was over the city, the elders also, and
those who raised the children, sentto 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.”
6 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
ofthemen who are yourmaster’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.
7 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.
8 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.”
9 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 allthese?
10 Know now that nothing will fall to the
earth of Yahweh’s word, which Yahweh
spoke concerning Ahab’s house. For Yahweh has done that which he spoke by his
servant Elijah.”
11 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.
12 He arose and departed, and went to
Samaria. As he was at the shearing house
of the shepherds on the way,
13 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 ofthe king and the children ofthe
queen.”
14 He said, “Take them alive!”
They took them alive, and killed them at
the pit of the shearing house, even fortytwo men. He didn’t leave any of them.
15 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.”
“Ifit is, give me your hand.” He gave him
his hand; and he took him up to him into
the chariot.
16 He said, “Come with me, and see my
zeal for Yahweh.” So they made him ride
in his chariot.
17 When he came to Samaria, he struck
all who remained to Ahab inSamaria, until
he had destroyed them, according to Yahweh’s word which he spoke to Elijah.
18 Jehu gathered all the people together,
andsaidto them, “AhabservedBaal a little,
but Jehu will serve him much.
19 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.
20 Jehusaid, “Sanctify a solemnassembly
for Baal!” So they proclaimed it.
21 Jehu sentthrough allIsrael; and allthe
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.
22 He said to him who keptthe wardrobe,
“Bring out robes for all the worshipers of
Baal!” So he brought robes out to them.
23 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 Yahweh are here with you, but only the worshipers of Baal.”
24 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.”
25 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.
26 They brought out the pillars that were
in the house of Baal and burned them.
27 They broke down the pillar of Baal,
and broke down the house of Baal, and
made it a latrine, to this day.
28 Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.
29 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.
30 Yahweh 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.”
31 But Jehu took no heed to walk in the
law of Yahweh, the God of Israel, with all
his heart. He didn’t depart from the sins
of Jeroboam, with which he made Israel to
sin.
32 In those days Yahweh began to cut
away parts of Israel; and Hazael struck
them in all the borders of Israel
33 from the Jordan eastward, all the land
of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites,
and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is
by the valley ofthe Arnon, even Gilead and
Bashan.
34 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?
35 Jehu slept with his fathers; and they
buried him in Samaria. Jehoahaz his son
reigned in his place.
36 The time that Jehu reigned over Israel
in Samaria was twenty-eight years.