Ahab’s Seventy Sons Killed 1 UEB Now Ahab had seventy descendants in Samaria. Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria, to the rulers of Jezreel, including the elders and the guardians of Ahab's descendants, saying, BSB BSB: Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. So Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria to the officials of Jezreel, to the elders, and to the guardians of the sons of Ahab, saying:
2 UEB "Your master's descendants are with you, and you also have chariots and horses and a fortified city and armor. So then, as soon as this letter comes to you, BSB BSB: “When this letter arrives, since your master’s sons are with you and you have chariots and horses, a fortified city and weaponry,
3 UEB select the best and most deserving of your master's descendants and set him on his father's throne, and fight for your master's royal line." BSB BSB: select the best and most worthy son of your master, set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house.”
4 UEB But they were terrified and said among themselves, "See, the two kings could not stand before Jehu. So how can we stand?" BSB BSB: But they were terrified and reasoned, “If two kings could not stand against him, how can we?”
5 UEB Then the man who was in charge of the palace, and the man who was over the city, and the elders also, and they who raised the children, sent word back to Jehu, saying, "We are your servants. We will do everything that you command us. We will not make any man king. Do what is good in your eyes." BSB BSB: So the palace administrator, the overseer of the city, the elders, and the guardians sent a message to Jehu: “We are your servants, and we will do whatever you say. We will not make anyone king. Do whatever is good in your sight.”
6 UEB 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, you must take the heads of the men of your master's descendants, and come to me to Jezreel by tomorrow this time." Now the king's descendants, seventy in number, were with the important men of the city, who were bringing them up. BSB BSB: Then Jehu wrote them a second letter and said: “If you are on my side, and if you will obey me, then bring the heads of your master’s sons to me at Jezreel by this time tomorrow.” Now the sons of the king, seventy in all, were being brought up by the leading men of the city.
7 UEB So when the letter came to them, they took the king's sons and killed them, seventy persons, put their heads in baskets, and sent them to Jehu in Jezreel. BSB BSB: And when the letter arrived, they took the sons of the king and slaughtered all seventy of them. They put their heads in baskets and sent them to Jehu at Jezreel.
8 UEB A messenger came to Jehu, saying, "They have brought the heads of the king's sons." So he said, "Put them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until the morning." BSB BSB: When the messenger arrived, he told Jehu, “They have brought the heads of the sons of the king.” And Jehu ordered, “Pile them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until morning.”
9 UEB In the morning Jehu went out and stood, and said to all the people, "You are innocent. See, I plotted against my master and killed him, but who killed all these? BSB BSB: The next morning, Jehu went out and stood before all the people and said, “You are innocent. It was I who conspired against my master and killed him. But who killed all these?
10 UEB Now you should certainly realize that no part of Yahweh's word, the word that he spoke concerning the family of Ahab, will fall to the ground, for Yahweh has done what he spoke about through his servant Elijah." BSB BSB: Know, then, that not a word the LORD has spoken against the house of Ahab will fail, for the LORD has done what He promised through His servant Elijah.”
11 UEB So Jehu killed all who remained in the family of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his important men, his close friends, and his priests, until none of them remained. BSB BSB: So Jehu killed everyone in Jezreel who remained of the house of Ahab, as well as all his great men and close friends and priests, leaving him without a single survivor.
12 UEB Then Jehu arose and left; he went to Samaria. As he was arriving at Beth Eked of the shepherd, BSB BSB: Then Jehu set out toward Samaria. At Beth-eked of the Shepherds,
13 UEB he met brothers of Ahaziah king of Judah. Jehu said to them, "Who are you?" They answered, "We are brothers of Ahaziah, and we are going down to greet the children of the king and the children of Queen Jezebel." BSB BSB: Jehu met some relatives of Ahaziah king of Judah and asked, “Who are you?” “We are relatives of Ahaziah,” they answered, “and we have come down to greet the sons of the king and of the queen mother.”
14 UEB Jehu said to his own men, "Take them alive." So they took them alive and killed them at the well of Beth Eked, all forty-two men. He did not leave any of them alive. BSB BSB: Then Jehu ordered, “Take them alive.” So his men took them alive, then slaughtered them at the well of Beth-eked—forty-two men. He spared none of them.
15 UEB When Jehu had left there, he met Jehonadab son of Recab coming to meet him. Jehu greeted him and said to him, "Is your heart with me, as my heart is with yours?" Jehonadab answered, "It is." Jehu said, "If it is, give me your hand." So he gave Jehu his hand, and Jehu took Jehonadab up with him into the chariot. BSB BSB: When he left there, he found Jehonadab son of Rechab, who was coming to meet him. Jehu greeted him and asked, “Is your heart as true to mine as my heart is to yours?” “It is!” Jehonadab replied. “If it is,” said Jehu, “give me your hand.” So he gave him his hand, and Jehu helped him into his chariot,
16 UEB Jehu said, "Come with me and see my zeal for Yahweh." So he had Jonadab ride along with him in his chariot. BSB BSB: saying, “Come with me and see my zeal for the LORD!” So he had him ride in his chariot.
17 UEB When he came to Samaria, Jehu killed all who remained from Ahab's descendants in Samaria, until he had destroyed Ahab's royal line, just as was told them before by the word of Yahweh, which he had spoken to Elijah. BSB BSB: When Jehu came to Samaria, he struck down everyone belonging to Ahab who remained there, until he had destroyed them, according to the word that the LORD had spoken to Elijah.
Jehu Kills the Priests of Baal 18 UEB Then Jehu gathered all the people together and said to them, "Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve him much. BSB BSB: Then Jehu brought all the people together and said, “Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve him a lot.
19 UEB Now therefore call to me all the prophets of Baal, all his worshipers, and all his priests. Let no one be left out, for I have a great sacrifice to offer to Baal. Whoever does not come will not live." But Jehu did this deceitfully, with the intent to kill the worshipers of Baal. BSB BSB: Now, therefore, summon to me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests. See that no one is missing, for I have a great sacrifice for Baal. Whoever is missing will not live.” But Jehu was acting deceptively in order to destroy the servants of Baal.
20 UEB Jehu said, "Set a time to have an assembly for Baal." So they announced it. BSB BSB: And Jehu commanded, “Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal.” So they announced it.
21 UEB Then Jehu sent throughout all Israel and all the worshipers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left who did not come. They came into the temple of Baal, and it was filled from one end to another. BSB BSB: Then Jehu sent word throughout Israel, and all the servants of Baal came; there was not a man who failed to show. They entered the temple of Baal, and it was filled from end to end.
22 UEB Jehu said to the man who kept the priest's wardrobe, "Bring out robes for all the worshipers of Baal." So the man brought out robes to them. BSB BSB: And Jehu said to the keeper of the wardrobe, “Bring out garments for all the servants of Baal.” So he brought out garments for them.
23 UEB So Jehu went with Jehonadab son of Recab into the house of Baal, and he said to the worshipers of Baal, "Search and make sure that there is no one here with you from the servants of Yahweh, but the worshipers of Baal alone." BSB BSB: Next, Jehu and Jehonadab son of Rechab entered the temple of Baal, and Jehu said to the servants of Baal, “Look around to see that there are no servants of the LORD here among you—only servants of Baal.”
24 UEB Then they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had chosen eighty men who were standing outside, and he told them, "If any of the men whom I bring into your hands escapes, whoever lets that man escape, his life will be taken for the life of the one who escaped." BSB BSB: And they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had stationed eighty men outside and warned them, “If anyone allows one of the men I am delivering into your hands to escape, he will forfeit his life for theirs.”
25 UEB So then as soon as Jehu finished offering the burnt offering, he said to the guard and to the captains, "Go in and kill them. Let no one come out." So they killed them with the edge of the sword, and the guard and the captains threw them out and went into the inner room of the house of Baal. BSB BSB: When he had finished making the burnt offering, Jehu said to the guards and officers, “Go in and kill them. Do not let anyone out.” So the guards and officers put them to the sword, threw the bodies out, and went into the inner room of the temple of Baal.
26 UEB They dragged out the stone pillars that were in the house of Baal, and they burned them. BSB BSB: They brought out the sacred pillar of the temple of Baal and burned it.
Jehu Repeats Jeroboam’s Sins 28 UEB That is how Jehu destroyed Baal worship from Israel. BSB BSB: Thus Jehu eradicated Baal from Israel,
29 UEB But Jehu did not leave the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, by which he made Israel sin—that is, the worship of the golden calves in Bethel and Dan. BSB BSB: but he did not turn away from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit—the worship of the golden calves at Bethel and Dan.
30 UEB So Yahweh said to Jehu, "Because you have done well in executing what was right in my eyes, and have done to the house of Ahab according to all that was in my heart, your descendants will sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation." BSB BSB: Nevertheless, the LORD said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in carrying out what is right in My sight and have done to the house of Ahab all that was in My heart, four generations of your sons will sit on the throne of Israel.”
31 UEB But Jehu took no care to walk in the law of Yahweh, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam, by which he made Israel sin. BSB BSB: Yet Jehu was not careful to follow the instruction of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn away from the sins that Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit.
33 UEB 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, through Gilead to Bashan. BSB BSB: from the Jordan eastward through all the land of Gilead (the region of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh), and from Aroer by the Arnon Valley through Gilead to Bashan.
Jehoahaz Succeeds Jehu in Israel 34 UEB As for the other matters concerning Jehu, and all that he did, and all his power, are they not written in the book of the events of the kings of Israel? BSB BSB: As for the rest of the acts of Jehu, along with all his accomplishments and all his might, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?
35 UEB Jehu slept with his ancestors, and they buried him in Samaria. Then Jehoahaz his son became king in his place. BSB BSB: And Jehu rested with his fathers and was buried in Samaria, and his son Jehoahaz reigned in his place.
36 UEB The time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years. BSB BSB: So the duration of Jehu’s reign over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.