2 Kings 10:1-13 ▼

1 And Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters and sent to Samaria to the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to those supporting Ahab, saying,

2 “And now at the coming in of this letter to you?—and with you? are sons of your? master, and with you? are the chariots and the horses, and a fortified city, and weapons—

3 choose the best and the most upright of the sons of your? master, and set him on the throne of his father, and fight for the house of your? master.”

4 And they were afraid exceedingly greatly, and they said, “Behold, the two kings could not stand up to him, and how can we stand ourselves?”

5 And he who was over the house, and he who was in charge of the city, and the elders, and the supporters, sent to Jehu, saying, “We are your servants, and all that you tell to us, we will do. But not any man we will make king. That which is good in your eyes, do.”

6 And he wrote to them a second letter, saying, “If you? are for me, and my voice you? will obey, take the heads of the men, the sons of your? master, and come to me by this time tomorrow to Jezreel.” The sons of the king, seventy men, were with the great ones of the city, those bringing them up.

7 And it came to pass, when the letter came to them, that they took the sons of the king and slaughtered seventy men, and they put their heads in the baskets and sent them to him at Jezreel.

8 And a messenger came and declared to him, saying, “They have brought the heads of the sons of the king.” And he said, “Place them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until the morning.”

9 And it came to pass 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. And who killed all these?

10 Know, then, that nothing shall fall to the earth of the word of YHWH that YHWH spoke concerning the house of Ahab, for YHWH has done what He spoke by the hand of His servant Elijah.”

11 And Jehu killed all who remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his acquaintances, and his priests, until none he left remaining to him.

12 And he arose and departed and went to Samaria. He was at Beth-eked of the Shepherds on the way,

13 and Jehu met the brothers of Ahaziah king of Judah and said, “Who are you??” And they said, “We are brothers of Ahaziah, and we have come down for the welfare of the sons of the king and the sons of the queen mother.”