Jehu Slaughters Ahab’s Family
1 Now Ahab had 70 sons in Samaria. Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria, to the rulers of Jezreel, the elders, and to those who brought up Ahab’s sons, saying, 2 “Now as soon as this letter arrives to you, since your master’s sons are with you, and you have chariots and horses, and also a fortified city, and armor, 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 terrified and said, “Two kings couldn’t stand before him! How then shall we stand?” 5 So the manager of the palace, the governor of the city, the elders, and the guardians, sent a message 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 Jehu wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, “If you are on my side, and if you will listen to my voice, then take the heads of the men who are your master’s sons and come to me at Jezreel by tomorrow at this time.”
Now the king’s sons–there were 70–were with the leaders of the city, who brought them up. 7 When the letter came to them, the leaders took the king’s sons and killed them, 70 people, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him at Jezreel. 8 A messenger came and told Jehu, “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 In the morning, he went out and stood and said to all the people, “You are innocent. It was I who conspired against my master and killed him, but who killed all these? 10 Know now that nothing will fail of the word of the Lord, which the Lord spoke concerning Ahab’s house. For the Lord has done that which he spoke through his servant Elijah.”
11 So Jehu killed all that remained of Ahab’s house in Jezreel, including all his leading men, his close friends, and his priests, until he left him not one remaining.
Jehu Slays Ahaziah’s Brothers
12 Jehu arose and departed and went to Samaria. As he was at the shearing house of the shepherds on the way, 13 he 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 sons of the king and the sons of the queen.”
14 He said, “Take them alive!”
They took them alive and killed them at the pit of the shearing house, 42 men. He did not leave any of them.
Ahab’s Remaining Family Killed
15 When Jehu had departed from there, he met Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him. He greeted him, and said to him, “Is your heart right, as my heart is with yours?”
Jehonadab answered, “It is.”
“If it is, give me your hand.” He gave him his hand, and he took him up to him into the chariot. 16 He said, “Come with me and see my zeal for the Lord.” So they made him ride in his chariot. 17 When he came to Samaria, he struck down all who remained from the house of Ahab in Samaria, until he had destroyed them completely, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke to Elijah.
Jehu Kills the Priests of Baal
18 Jehu gathered all the people together and said to them, “Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve him much. 19 Now therefore call all of the prophets of Baal, all of his worshipers, and all of his priests to me. Let no one be absent, for I have a great sacrifice for Baal. Whoever is absent, he shall not live.” But Jehu acted deceptively, intending to destroy the worshipers of Baal.
20 Jehu said, “Sanctify a solemn assembly for Baal!” So they proclaimed it.
21 Jehu sent through all Israel, and all the worshipers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that did not come. They came into the house of Baal, and the house of Baal was filled from one end to another. 22 He said to him who kept the wardrobe, “Bring out robes for all the worshipers of Baal!” So he brought robes out to them.
23 Jehu went with Jehonadab the son of Rechab into the house of Baal. Then he said to the worshipers of Baal, “Search and see that none of the servants of the Lord are here with you, but only the worshipers of Baal.” 24 So they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had appointed for himself 80 men outside and said, “If any of the men whom I bring into your hands escape, he who lets him go, his life shall be for the life of him.”
25 As soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, “Go in and kill them! Let no one escape.” So they struck them with the edge of the sword. The guard and the captains threw the bodies out and went to the inner shrine of the house of Baal. 26 They brought out the pillars that were in the house of Baal and burned them. 27 They broke down the pillar of Baal and broke down the house of Baal and made it a public toilet, to this day. 28 Thus Jehu destroyed Baal from Israel.
Jehu Repeats Jeroboam’s Sins
29 However, Jehu did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he caused Israel to commit, with the golden calves that were in Bethel and that were in Dan. 30 The Lord said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in executing that which is right in my eyes and have done to Ahab’s house according to all that was in my heart, your descendants shall sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.”
31 But Jehu was not careful to follow the law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam, which he caused Israel to commit.
Hazael Oppresses Israel
32 In those days the Lord began to cut away parts of Israel, and Hazael struck them in all the borders of Israel. 33 from the Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the valley of the Arnon, to Gilead and Bashan.
Jehoahaz Succeeds Jehu in 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 Jehu rested with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria. Jehoahaz his son reigned in his place. 36 The time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was 28 years.