The Heads of Ahab’s Sons Sent to Jehu

1Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria, to the rulers of Jezreel, the elders, and to the guardians of the children of Ahab, saying, 2“So now, when this letter comes to you, [†]since your master’s sons are with you, [†]as well as the chariots and horses and a fortified city and the weapons, 3look for the best and [†]fittest of your master’s sons, and set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house.” 4But they feared exceedingly greatly and said, “Behold, the two kings did not stand before him; how then can we stand?” 5And the one who was over the household, and he who was over the city, the elders, and the guardians of the children, sent word to Jehu, saying, “We are your servants, all that you say to us we will do, we will not make any man king; do what is good in your sight.” 6Then he wrote a letter to them a second time saying, “If you are on my side, and you will listen to my voice, take the heads of the men, your master’s sons, and come to me about this time tomorrow at Jezreel.” Now the king’s sons, seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who were rearing them. 7Now it happened that when the letter came to them, they took the king’s sons and slaughtered them, seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him at Jezreel. 8Then the messenger came and told him, 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 morning.” 9Now it happened in the morning that 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 struck down all these? 10Know then that nothing from the word of Yahweh, which Yahweh spoke concerning the house of Ahab, shall fall to the earth. Indeed, Yahweh has done what He spoke by the hand of His servant Elijah.” 11So Jehu struck down all who remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men and his acquaintances and his priests, until [†]there was no survivor remaining for him.

12Then he arose and came out and went to Samaria. On the way, while he was at [†]Beth-eked of the shepherds, 13Jehu found the [†]relatives of Ahaziah king of Judah and said, “Who are you?” And they said, “We are the [†]relatives of Ahaziah; and we have come down [†]to greet the sons of the king and the sons of the queen mother.” 14Then he said, “Take them alive.” So they took them alive and slaughtered them at the pit of Beth-eked, forty-two men; and he left none of them.

15Then he went from there and found Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him; and he [†]blessed him and said to him, “Is your heart right, as my heart is with your heart?” And Jehonadab [†]answered, “It is.” Jehu said, “If it is, give me your hand.” And he gave him his hand, and he took him up to him into the chariot. 16Then he said, “Come with me and see my zeal for Yahweh.” So [†]he made him ride in his chariot. 17And he came to Samaria and struck down all who were left to Ahab in Samaria, until he had destroyed him, according to the word of Yahweh which He spoke to Elijah.

Jehu Destroys the Slaves of Baal

18Then Jehu gathered all the people and said to them, “Ahab served Baal a little; Jehu will serve him much. 19So now, summon to me all the prophets of Baal, all his slaves and all his priests; let no one be missing, for I have a great sacrifice for Baal; whoever is missing shall not live.” But Jehu did it in [†]cunning, so that he might cause the slaves of Baal to perish. 20And Jehu said, “Sanctify a solemn assembly for Baal.” And they summoned them. 21Then Jehu sent [†]throughout Israel, and all the slaves of Baal came, so that there was not a man left who did not come. So they came into the house of Baal, and the house of Baal was filled from one end to the other. 22Then he said to the one who was [†]in charge of the wardrobe, “Bring out garments for all the slaves of Baal.” So he brought out garments for them. 23And Jehu came into the house of Baal with Jehonadab the son of Rechab; and he said to the slaves of Baal, “Search and see lest there be here with you any of the slaves of Yahweh, but only the slaves of Baal.” 24Then they came in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings.

Now Jehu had placed for himself eighty men outside, and he had said, “The one who permits any of the men whom I cause to come into your hands to escape, [†]shall give up his life in exchange.”

25Now it happened that as soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, Jehu said to the [†]guard and to the royal officers, “Come in, strike them down; let none come out.” And they struck them down with the edge of the sword; and the [†]guard and the royal officers threw them out and went to the [†]inner room of the house of Baal. 26And they brought out the sacred pillars of the house of Baal and burned them. 27They also broke down the sacred pillar of Baal and broke down the house of Baal and made it a latrine to this day.

28Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel. 29However, as for the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel sin, from these Jehu did not depart, even the golden calves that were at Bethel and that were at Dan. 30And Yahweh said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in doing 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 shall sit on the throne of Israel.” 31But Jehu [†]was not careful to walk in the law of Yahweh, the God of Israel, with all his heart; he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam, which he made Israel sin.

32In those days Yahweh began to cut off portions [†]from Israel; and Hazael struck them throughout the territory of Israel: 33from the Jordan to the east toward the sunrise, 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 Reigns over Israel

34Now 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? 35And Jehu slept with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son became king in his place. 36Now the [†]time which Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.