2 Kings, 10

1. And Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, unto the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to them that brought up Ahab's [children], saying,

1. The seventy sons of Ahab lived in Samaria. So Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria, to the leaders of the city, to the judges and to those who took care of the sons of Ahab, saying,

2. Now as soon as this letter cometh to you, seeing your master's sons [are] with you, and [there are] with you chariots and horses, a fenced city also, and armour;

2. "As soon as this letter comes to you who have the king's sons, chariots of war and horses, fortified cities and weapons,

3. Look even out the best and meetest of your master's sons, and set [him] on his father's throne, and fight for your master's house.

3. select the best and most fit of your master's sons and make him sit on his father's throne; then prepare to defend the family of your lord."

4. But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, two kings stood not before him: how then shall we stand?

4. They were in great fear, and they said, "If the two kings were not able to stand up to him, how then can we resist him?"

5. And he that [was] over the house, and he that [was] over the city, the elders also, and the bringers up [of the children], sent to Jehu, saying, We [are] thy servants, and will do all that thou shalt bid us; we will not make any king: do thou [that which is] good in thine eyes.

5. The palace chamberlain, the military commissioner of the city, the judges and the tutors sent this response to Jehu: "We are your servants, and we will do whatever you say. We will not proclaim anyone king; do whatever seems best to you."

6. Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, If ye [be] mine, and [if] ye will hearken unto my voice, take ye the heads of the men your master's sons, and come to me to Jezreel by to morrow this time. Now the king's sons, [being] seventy persons, [were] with the great men of the city, which brought them up.

6. Then he sent them a second letter which said, "If you are on my side and among those who obey me, take the heads of the sons of the king, your lord, and come to talk to me tomorrow at this time in Jezreel." The king's sons were seventy and they were growing up in the houses of prominent families of the city.

7. And it came to pass, when the letter came to them, that they took the king's sons, and slew seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent him [them] to Jezreel.

7. As soon as this letter reached them, they seized the sons of the king, beheaded seventy of them and placed their heads in large baskets which they sent to Jezreel.

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

8. The messenger came to where Jehu was and said to him, "Here they send you the heads of the king's sons." He answered, "Lay them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate of Jezreel until tomorrow."

9. And it came to pass in the morning, that he went out, and stood, and said to all the people, Ye [be] righteous: behold, I conspired against my master, and slew him: but who slew all these?

9. In the morning, Jehu went out and said to all the people, "Be fair, tell me: if I have conspired against my king and have killed him, who then has beheaded all these?

10. Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the LORD, which the LORD spake concerning the house of Ahab: for the LORD hath done [that] which he spake by his servant Elijah.

10. Know then that none of the words Yahweh has spoken against the family of Ahab shall be without effect. Everything he said through the mouth of his servant Elijah has been fulfilled."

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

11. Jehu then killed all who remained loyal to Ahab in Jezreel - all his ministers, relatives, priests - without sparing anyone.

12. And he arose and departed, and came to Samaria. [And] as he [was] at the shearing house in the way,

12. Then he left for Samaria, and in Beth-eked of the Shepherds,

13. Jehu met with the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, Who [are] ye? And they answered, We [are] the brethren of Ahaziah; and we go down to salute the children of the king and the children of the queen.

13. he met the brothers of Ahaziah, king of Judah. He asked them, "Who are you?" They answered, "We are the brothers of Ahaziah, and we go to greet the sons of the king and the sons of the queen."

14. And he said, Take them alive. And they took them alive, and slew them at the pit of the shearing house, [even] two and forty men; neither left he any of them.

14. Jehu said, "Take them alive." They took them alive and beheaded them all by the well of Beth-eked. They were forty-two men, and none was left alive.

15. And when he was departed thence, he lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab [coming] to meet him: and he saluted him, and said to him, Is thine heart right, as my heart [is] with thy heart? And Jehonadab answered, It is. If it be, give [me] thine hand. And he gave [him] his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot.

15. Setting out from there, he met Jehonadab, son of Rechab, who came out to meet him. Jehu greeted him and said, "Would you be faithful to me as I am to you?" Jehonadab answered, "Yes." So Jehu said to him, "Give me your hand." He gave him his hand, and Jehu took him up with him into his chariot, and said,

16. And he said, Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD. So they made him ride in his chariot.

16. "Come with me and see my zeal for Yahweh." And he had him ride in his chariot.

17. And when he came to Samaria, he slew all that remained unto Ahab in Samaria, till he had destroyed him, according to the saying of the LORD, which he spake to Elijah.

17. When Jehu came to Samaria, he killed all the survivors loyal to Ahab in that city, and he did not spare anyone. So the word Yahweh had said through the mouth of Elijah was fulfilled.

18. And Jehu gathered all the people together, and said unto them, Ahab served Baal a little; [but] Jehu shall serve him much.

18. Jehu gathered together all the inhabitants and said, "Ahab served Baal, but I will serve him still better."

19. Now therefore call unto me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests; let none be wanting: for I have a great sacrifice [to do] to Baal; whosoever shall be wanting, he shall not live. But Jehu did [it] in subtilty, to the intent that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal.

19. And he added, "Summon all the prophets of Baal, all his faithful followers and priests.

20. And Jehu said, Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal. And they proclaimed [it].

20. Let no one be missing at the solemn sacrifice I will offer to Baal. Whoever is absent shall die." Jehu did this with cunning, for he was determined to kill all who were faithful to Baal. They themselves proclaimed the sacred solemnity that Jehu had commanded. And Jehu, for his part,

21. And Jehu sent through all Israel: and all the worshippers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that came not. And they came into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was full from one end to another.

21. sent messengers throughout Israel for all the faithful of Baal to come without any exception. When they entered the temple of Baal, they were so many that they hardly touched the ground.

22. And he said unto him that [was] over the vestry, Bring forth vestments for all the worshippers of Baal. And he brought them forth vestments.

22. Then Jehu ordered those in charge of the vestments to bring out the sacred vestments reserved for the faithful of Baal and to distribute these to them.

23. And Jehu went, and Jehonadab the son of Rechab, into the house of Baal, and said unto the worshippers of Baal, Search, and look that there be here with you none of the servants of the LORD, but the worshippers of Baal only.

23. Jehu who was accompanied by Jehonadab, the son of Rechab, said insistently to the faithful of Baal, "Make sure that none of the faithful of Yahweh has entered with you, that there is no one here except all the true servants of Baal."

24. And when they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings, Jehu appointed fourscore men without, and said, [If] any of the men whom I have brought into your hands escape, [he that letteth him go], his life [shall be] for the life of him.

24. Then they entered to prepare the sacrifice. But Jehu had stationed eighty men outside, and said to them, "Whoever of you lets anyone escape of those who must die shall pay with his own life."

25. And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, Go in, [and] slay them; let none come forth. And they smote them with the edge of the sword; and the guard and the captains cast [them] out, and went to the city of the house of Baal.

25. And when the sacrifice was finished, Jehu gave this order to the soldiers and officers, "Go in and kill all of them, let none of them escape." So, they went in and put everyone to the sword, going as far as the sanctuary of the House of Baal.

26. And they brought forth the images out of the house of Baal, and burned them.

26. They pulled out the sacred pillar of the House of Baal and burned it.

27. And they brake down the image of Baal, and brake down the house of Baal, and made it a draught house unto this day.

27. They destroyed the altar and pulled down the temple, which remains a garbage dump to this very day.

28. Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.

28. This was how Jehu wiped out the name of Baal from Israel.

29. Howbeit [from] the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them, [to wit], the golden calves that [were] in Bethel, and that [were] in Dan.

29. But Jehu did not turn aside from the sins which Jeroboam, the son of Nesbat, had caused Israel to commit, for they kept the golden calves of Bethel and Dan.

30. And the LORD said unto Jehu, Because thou hast done well in executing [that which is] right in mine eyes, [and] hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that [was] in mine heart, thy children of the fourth [generation] shall sit on the throne of Israel.

30. In spite of this, Yahweh said to Jehu, "Since you have acted well, doing what seems just to me, and have dealt with the family of Ahab according to my will, your sons until the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel."

31. But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin.

31. But Jehu did not completely walk according to the Law of Yahweh, since he did not give up the sins into which Jeroboam had led Israel.

32. In those days the LORD began to cut Israel short: and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel;

32. In those days, Yahweh began to reduce the land of Israel, and Hazael conquered the Israelites taking their territory

33. From Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which [is] by the river Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan.

33. from the Jordan to the East, all the land of Gilead, of the tribes of Gad, Reuben, Manasseh, from Aroer by the brook of Arnon, all the land of Gilead and Bashan.

34. Now 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?

34. Now the rest of the story of Jehu, all that he did and his bravery are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.

35. And Jehu slept with his fathers: and they buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son reigned in his stead.

35. When Jehu died, they buried him in Samaria, and his son Jehoahaz reigned in his place.

36. And the time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria [was] twenty and eight years.

36. Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria for twenty-eight years.