2 Kings 10:1-13 ▼

1 And Achaab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Ju wrote a letter, and sent it into Samaria to the rulers of Samaria, and to the elders, and to the guardians of the children of Achaab, saying.

2 Now then, as soon as this letter shall have reached you, whereas there are with you the sons of your master, and with you chariots and horses, and strong cities, and arms,

3 do ye accordingly look out the best and fittest among your master's sons, and set him on the throne of his father, and fight for the house of your master.

4 And they feared greatly, and said, Behold, two kings stood not before him: and how shall we stand?

5 So they that were over the house, and they that were over the city, and the elders and the guardians, sent to Ju, saying, We also are thy servants, and whatsoever thou shalt say to us we will do; we will not make any man king: we will do that which is right in thine eyes.

6 And Ju wrote them a second letter, saying, If ye are for me, and hearken to my voice, take the heads of the men your master's sons, and bring them to me at this time to-morrow in Jezrael. Now the sons of the king were seventy men; these great men of the city brought them up.

7 And it came to pass, when the letter came to them, that they took the king's sons, and slew them, even seventy men, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him at Jezrael.

8 And a messenger came and told him , saying, They have brought the heads of the king's sons. And he said, Lay them in two heaps by the door of the gate until the morning.

9 And the morning came, and he went forth, and stood, and said to all the people, Ye are righteous: behold, I conspired against my master, and slew him: but who slew all these?

10 See now that there shall not fall to the ground anything of the word of the Lord which the Lord spoke against the house of Achaab: for the Lord has performed all that he spoke of by the hand of his servant Eliu.

11 And Ju smote all that were left of the house of Achaab in Jezrael, and all his great men, and his acquaintance, and his priests, so as not to leave him any remnant.

12 And he arose and went to Samaria, and he was in the house of sheep-shearing in the way.

13 And Ju found the brethren of Ochozias king of Juda, and said, Who are ye? And they said, We are the brethren of Ochozias, and we have come down to salute the sons of the king, and the sons of the queen.