2 Kings 10

Jehu Challenges Ahab’s Seventy Sons

1Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria, to the officials of Jezreel, the elders, and the guardians of Ahab’s sons, saying, 2“And now, when this letter comes to you, since your lord’s sons are with you, and with you are chariots, horses, a fortified city, and weapons, 3see which of your lord’s sons is the best and most upright, set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your lord’s house.” 4But they were exceedingly afraid and said, “Look, two kings did not stand before him, so how can we stand?” 5So the one over the palace, the one over the city, the elders, and the guardians sent to Jehu, saying, “We are your servants, and all that you say to us we will do. We will not make anyone king. Do what is good in your eyes.” 6Then he wrote to them a second letter, saying, “If you are for me and listen to my voice, take the heads of the men, your lord’s sons, and come to me at Jezreel tomorrow at this time.”

Now the king’s sons, seventy men, were with the great men of the city who were raising them. 7And it happened when the letter came to them that they took the king’s sons and slaughtered seventy men. They put their heads in baskets and sent them to him at Jezreel.

Jehu Destroys the House of Ahab

8The messenger came and told him, saying, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons.” He said, “Put them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until morning.” 9In the morning he went out, stood, and said to all the people, “You are righteous. Look, I conspired against my lord and killed him, but who struck all these? 10Know therefore that nothing from the word of the LORD will fall to the ground, which the LORD spoke concerning the house of Ahab. The LORD has done what he spoke by the hand of his servant Elijah.” 11So Jehu struck all who remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, all his great men, his acquaintances, and his priests, until he left him no survivor.

Jehu Kills Ahaziah’s Relatives

12Then he arose and came and went to Samaria. He was at Beth-Eked of the Shepherds on the way. 13Jehu met the relatives of Ahaziah king of Judah and said, “Who are you?” They said, “We are relatives of Ahaziah, and we have come down to greet the sons of the king and the sons of the queen mother.” 14He said, “Take them alive.” So they took them alive and slaughtered them at the pit of Beth-Eked, forty-two men. He left not one of them.

Jehu Meets Jehonadab

15He went from there and found Jehonadab son of Rechab coming to meet him. He blessed him and said to him, “Is your heart upright, as my heart is with your heart?” Jehonadab said, “It is.” “If it is, give me your hand.” So he gave him his hand, and Jehu brought him up to himself into the chariot. 16He said, “Come with me and see my zeal for the LORD.” So they made him ride in his chariot. 17He came to Samaria and struck all who remained to Ahab in Samaria until he had destroyed him, according to the word of the LORD that he spoke to Elijah.

Jehu Deceives the Worshipers of Baal

18Then Jehu gathered all the people and said to them, “Ahab served Baal a little; Jehu will serve him much. 19And now call to me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, 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 acted with deception in order to destroy the servants of Baal. 20Jehu said, “Consecrate a solemn assembly for Baal.” So they proclaimed it. 21Jehu sent throughout all Israel, and all the servants of Baal came; not a man remained who did not come. They entered the house of Baal, and the house of Baal was filled from one end to the other. 22He said to the one over the wardrobe, “Bring out garments for all the servants of Baal.” So he brought out garments for them. 23Jehu and Jehonadab son of Rechab entered the house of Baal and said to the servants of Baal, “Search and see that there is here with you no servant of the LORD, but only the servants of Baal.”

Jehu Destroys Baal Worship

24They went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. But Jehu had stationed eighty men outside and said, “The man who allows any of the men whom I bring into your hands to escape—his life shall be for the life of the one who escapes.” 25And it happened when he finished offering the burnt offering that Jehu said to the guards and officers, “Go in, strike them. Let no one come out.” So they struck them with the edge of the sword. The guards and officers threw them out and went as far as the inner room of the house of Baal. 26They brought out the pillars of the house of Baal and burned them. 27They tore down the pillar of Baal and tore down the house of Baal and made it a latrine to this day. 28Thus Jehu destroyed Baal from Israel.

Jehu Does Not Turn from Jeroboam’s Sins

29Yet Jehu did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, by which he caused Israel to sin—the gold calves that were at Bethel and at Dan. 30The LORD 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 shall sit upon the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.” 31But Jehu was not careful to walk in the instruction of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn from the sins of Jeroboam by which he caused Israel to sin.

Hazael Begins to Cut Off Israel’s Territory

32In those days the LORD began to cut off parts of Israel, and Hazael struck them throughout all the territory of Israel: 33from the Jordan toward the sunrise, all the land of Gilead—the Gadites, Reubenites, and Manassites—from Aroer, which is by the Wadi Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan. 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? 35Jehu lay down with his ancestors, and they buried him in Samaria. Jehoahaz his son became king in his place. 36The days that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria were twenty-eight years.