2 Kings 10:1-13 ▼

1 Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, to the rulers of the city, even the elders, and to the guardians of the sons of Ahab, saying,

2 |Now as soon as this letter comes to you, since your master's sons are with you, and there are with you chariots and horses, fortified cities also, and weapons.

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, |Look, the two kings did not 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, 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.|

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 of the men 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.

7 It happened, when the letter came to them, that they took the king's sons, and killed them, even seventy persons, 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 It happened in the morning, that he went out, and stood, and said to all the people, |You are righteous. Look, I conspired against my master, and killed him; but who struck all these?

10 Know now that nothing shall fall to the earth of the word of the LORD, which the LORD spoke concerning the house of Ahab. For the LORD has done that which he spoke by his servant Elijah.|

11 So Jehu struck all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, with all his great men, his familiar friends, and his priests, until he left him none remaining.

12 He arose and departed, and went to Samaria. As he was at Beth Eked 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 of the king and the children of the queen.|