Liber II Regum, 10

1. Erant autem Achab septuaginta filii in Samaria. Scripsit ergo Iehu litteras et misit in Samariam ad optimates civitatis et ad maiores natu et ad nutricios filiorum Achab dicens:

1. Now Ahab had seventy sons in Sama'ria. So Jehu wrote letters, and sent them to Sama'ria, to the rulers of the city, to the elders, and to the guardians of the sons of Ahab, saying,

2. “Statim ut acceperitis litteras has, qui habetis filios domini vestri et currus et equos et civitatem firmam et arma,

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

3. eligite meliorem et iustiorem de filiis domini vestri et ponite eum super solium patris sui et pugnate pro domo domini vestri”.

3. select the best and fittest of your master's sons and set him on his father's throne, and fight for your master's house."

4. Timuerunt illi vehementer et dixerunt: “Ecce duo reges non potuerunt stare coram eo, et quomodo nos valebimus resistere?”.

4. But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, "Behold, the two kings could not stand before him; how then can we stand?"

5. Miserunt ergo praepositus domus et praefectus civitatis et maiores natu et nutricii ad Iehu dicentes: “Servi tui sumus: quaecumque iusseris, faciemus nec constituemus regem; quodcumque tibi placet, fac”.

5. So he who was over the palace, and he who was over the city, together with the elders and the guardians, sent to Jehu, saying, "We are your servants, and we will do all that you bid us. We will not make any one king; do whatever is good in your eyes."

6. Rescripsit autem eis litteras secundo dicens: “Si mei estis et oboeditis mihi, tollite capita virorum filiorum domini vestri et venite ad me hac eadem hora cras in Iezrahel”. Porro filii regis, septuaginta viri, apud optimates civitatis nutriebantur.

6. Then he wrote to them a second letter, saying, "If you are on my side, and if you are ready to obey me, take the heads of your master's sons, and come to me at Jezreel tomorrow at this time." Now the king's sons, seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who were bringing them up.

7. Cumque venissent litterae ad eos, tulerunt filios regis et occiderunt septuaginta viros et posuerunt capita eorum in cophinis et miserunt ad eum in Iezrahel.

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

8. Venit autem nuntius et indicavit ei dicens: “Attulerunt capita filiorum regis”. Qui respondit: “Ponite ea duos acervos iuxta introitum portae usque mane”.

8. When the 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. Cumque diluxisset, egressus est et stans dixit ad omnem populum: “Vos iusti estis; ecce ego coniuravi contra dominum meum et interfeci eum, sed quis percussit omnes hos?

9. Then in the morning, when he went out, he stood, and said to all the people, "You are innocent. It was I who conspired against my master, and slew him; but who struck down all these?

10. Videte ergo nunc quoniam non cecidit de sermonibus Domini in terram, quos locutus est Dominus super domum Achab, et Dominus fecit, quod locutus est in manu servi sui Eliae”.

10. Know then that there shall fall to the earth nothing of the word of the LORD, which the LORD spoke concerning the house of Ahab; for the LORD has done what he said by his servant Eli'jah."

11. Percussit igitur Iehu omnes, qui reliqui erant de domo Achab in Iezrahel, et universos optimates eius et notos et sacerdotes, donec non remanerent ex eo reliquiae.

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

12. Et surrexit et intravit. Deinde profectus est in Samariam; cumque esset ad Betheced Pastorum in via,

12. Then he set out and went to Sama'ria. On the way, when he was at Beth-eked of the Shepherds,

13. invenit fratres Ochoziae regis Iudae dixitque ad eos: “Quinam estis vos?”. At illi responderunt: “Fratres Ochoziae sumus et descendimus ad salutandos filios regis et filios dominae reginae”.

13. Jehu met the kinsmen of Ahazi'ah king of Judah, and he said, "Who are you?" And they answered, "We are the kinsmen of Ahazi'ah, and we came down to visit the royal princes and the sons of the queen mother."

14. Qui ait: “Comprehendite eos vivos”. Quos cum comprehendissent vivos, iugulaverunt eos iuxta cisternam Betheced, quadraginta duos viros, et non reliquit ex eis quemquam.

14. He said, "Take them alive." And they took them alive, and slew them at the pit of Beth-eked, forty-two persons, and he spared none of them.

15. Cumque abisset inde, invenit Ionadab filium Rechab in occursum sibi et benedixit ei. Et ait ad eum: “Numquid est cor tuum rectum sicut cor meum cum corde tuo?”. Et ait Ionadab: “Est”. “Si est, inquit, da manum tuam”. Qui dedit manum suam. At ille levavit eum ad se in curru

15. And when he departed from there, he met Jehon'adab the son of Rechab coming to meet him; and he greeted him, and said to him, "Is your heart true to my heart as mine is to yours?" And Jehon'adab answered, "It is." Jehu said, "If it is, give me your hand." So he gave him his hand. And Jehu took him up with him into the chariot.

16. dixitque ad eum: “Veni mecum et vide zelum meum pro Domino”. Et impositum currui suo

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

17. duxit in Samariam. Et percussit omnes, qui reliqui fuerant de Achab in Samaria usque ad unum, iuxta verbum Domini, quod locutus est per Eliam.

17. And when he came to Sama'ria, he slew all that remained to Ahab in Sama'ria, till he had wiped them out, according to the word of the LORD which he spoke to Eli'jah.

18. Congregavit ergo Iehu omnem populum et dixit ad eos: “Achab coluit Baal parum, ego autem colam eum amplius.

18. Then Jehu assembled all the people, and said to them, "Ahab served Ba'al a little; but Jehu will serve him much.

19. Nunc igitur omnes prophetas Baal et universos servos eius et cunctos sacerdotes ipsius vocate ad me; nullus sit qui non veniat. Sacrificium enim grande est mihi Baal; quicumque defuerit, non vivet”. Porro Iehu faciebat hoc insidiose, ut disperderet cultores Baal.

19. Now therefore call to me all the prophets of Ba'al, all his worshipers and all his priests; let none be missing, for I have a great sacrifice to offer to Ba'al; whoever is missing shall not live." But Jehu did it with cunning in order to destroy the worshipers of Ba'al.

20. Dixitque: “Sanctificate diem sollemnem Baal”. Vocaveruntque.

20. And Jehu ordered, "Sanctify a solemn assembly for Ba'al." So they proclaimed it.

21. Et misit Iehu in universos terminos Israel, et venerunt cuncti servi Baal; non fuit residuus, ne unus quidem qui non veniret. Et ingressi sunt templum Baal, et repleta est domus Baal a summo usque ad summum.

21. And Jehu sent throughout all Israel; and all the worshipers of Ba'al came, so that there was not a man left who did not come. And they entered the house of Ba'al, and the house of Ba'al was filled from one end to the other.

22. Dixitque ei, qui erat super vestes: “Profer vestimenta universis servis Baal”. Et protulit eis vestes.

22. He said to him who was in charge of the wardrobe, "Bring out the vestments for all the worshipers of Ba'al." So he brought out the vestments for them.

23. Ingressusque Iehu et Ionadab filius Rechab templum Baal ait cultoribus Baal: “Perquirite et videte, ne quis forte vobiscum sit de servis Domini, sed ut sint soli servi Baal”.

23. Then Jehu went into the house of Ba'al with Jehon'adab the son of Rechab; and he said to the worshipers of Ba'al, "Search, and see that there is no servant of the LORD here among you, but only the worshipers of Ba'al."

24. Ingressi sunt igitur, ut facerent victimas et holocausta; Iehu autem praeparaverat sibi foris octoginta viros et dixerat eis: “Quicumque permiserit fugere de hominibus his, quos ego adduxero in manus vestras, anima eius erit pro anima illius”.

24. Then he went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had stationed eighty men outside, and said, "The man who allows any of those whom I give into your hands to escape shall forfeit his life."

25. Factum est ergo cum completum esset holocaustum, praecepit Iehu cursoribus et ducibus suis: “Ingredimini et percutite eos; nullus evadat!”. Percusseruntque eos cursores et duces ore gladii et proiecerunt. Tunc ierunt usque in dabir templi Baal.

25. So as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, Jehu said to the guard and to the officers, "Go in and slay them; let not a man escape." So when they put them to the sword, the guard and the officers cast them out and went into the inner room of the house of Ba'al

26. Et protulerunt lapidem Baal et combusserunt

26. and they brought out the pillar that was in the house of Ba'al, and burned it.

27. et comminuerunt eum. Destruxerunt quoque aedem Baal et fecerunt pro ea latrinas usque diem hanc.

27. And they demolished the pillar of Ba'al, and demolished the house of Ba'al, and made it a latrine to this day.

28. Delevit itaque Iehu Baal de Israel.

28. Thus Jehu wiped out Ba'al from Israel.

29. Verumtamen a peccatis Ieroboam filii Nabat, qui peccare fecerat Israel, non recessit; nec dereliquit vitulos aureos, qui erant in Bethel et in Dan.

29. But Jehu did not turn aside from the sins of Jerobo'am the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin, the golden calves that were in Bethel, and in Dan.

30. Dixit autem Dominus ad Iehu: “Quia studiose fecisti, quod rectum erat in oculis meis et omnia quae erant in corde meo fecisti contra domum Achab, filii tui usque ad quartam generationem sedebunt super thronum Israel”.

30. And the LORD said to Jehu, "Because you have done well in carrying out what is right in my eyes, and have done to the house of Ahab according to all that was in my heart, your sons of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel."

31. Porro Iehu non custodivit, ut ambularet in lege Domini, Dei Israel, in toto corde suo; non enim recessit a peccatis Ieroboam, qui peccare fecerat Israel.

31. But Jehu was not careful to walk in the law of the LORD the God of Israel with all his heart; he did not turn from the sins of Jerobo'am, which he made Israel to sin.

32. In diebus illis coepit Dominus discindere in Israel; percussitque eos Hazael in universis finibus Israel

32. In those days the LORD began to cut off parts of Israel. Haz'ael defeated them throughout the territory of Israel:

33. a Iordane contra orientalem plagam omnem terram Galaad et Gad et Ruben et Manasse, ab Aroer, quae est super torrentem Arnon, et Galaad et Basan.

33. from the Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manas'sites, from Aro'er, which is by the valley of the Arnon, that is, Gilead and Bashan.

34. Reliqua autem gestorum Iehu et universa, quae fecit, et fortitudo eius, nonne haec scripta sunt in libro annalium regum Israel?

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?

35. Et dormivit Iehu cum patribus suis, sepelieruntque eum in Samaria; et regnavit Ioachaz filius eius pro eo.

35. So Jehu slept with his fathers, and they buried him in Sama'ria. And Jeho'ahaz his son reigned in his stead.

36. Dies autem, quos regnavit Iehu super Israel, viginti et octo anni sunt, in Samaria.

36. The time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Sama'ria was twenty-eight years.