2 Kings

2 Kings 10 ©

1 Jehu by his letters causeth Ahab's seventy sons to be slain in Samaria. 8 He excuseth the fact by the prophecy of Elijah, and destroyeth all Ahab's kindred and friends in Jezreel. 12 In his way to Samaria he slayeth two and forty of Ahaziah's brethren. 15 He taketh Jehonadab in the chariot with him, and destroyeth all that remained unto Ahab in Samaria. 18 By subtilty he slayeth at once all Baal's worshippers, and breaketh down his images and house. 29 Jehu followeth the sins of Jeroboam, but for having executed God's judgments on Ahab's house, is promised the continuance of the kingdom in his family to the fourth generation. 32 Hazael smiteth Israel. 34 Jehu dieth; his son Jehoahaz succeedeth him.

1

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

a 1Ki. 21.21.
b 1Ki. 16.24.
c De. 16.18. 1Ki. 21.8-14.
2

Now das 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;

d ch. 5.6. Ec. 9.10. Jn. 13.27.
3

Look even out ethe best and *meetest of your master's sons, and set him on his father's throne, and fight for your master's house.

e De. 17.14,15. 1Sa. 11.15. 2Sa. 2.8,9. 1Ki. 2.24.
4

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

f ch. 9.24,27. Lu. 14.31.
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, gWe 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.

g 1Ki. 20.4. Jos. 9.8,11,24,25. ch. 18.14. Je. 38.17. Ec. 10.4.
6

Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, If ye be 2mine, and if ye will hearken unto my voice, take ye hthe 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.

h Ex. 20.5. Jos. 7.24. Re. 2.23. Is. 14.20,21. 1Ki. 21.21. Je. 48.10. Job 18.17,19; 20.27; 21.19.
7

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

i Re. 2.23. Mat. 14.8,11. v.6.
8

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

j De. 22.15. Ps. 9.15,16; 50.21,22.
9

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

k 1Sa. 25.22. 1Ki. 21.21. Pr. 21.3. ch. 9.14,24.
10

Know now lthat 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 3by his servant Elijah.

l Zec. 1.6. 1Sa. 3.19; 15.29. ch. 9.7,8. 1Ki. 21.21-29.
11

So Jehu slew mall that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his 4kinsfolks, and nhis priests, until he left him none remaining.

m 1Ki. 21.21-24. ch. 9.7-10.
n 1Ki. 18.17. Ca. 2.15.
12

¶And he arose and departed, and came to Samaria. And as he was at the 5shearing house in the way,

13

Jehu met owith 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 6to salute the children of the king and the children of the pqueen.

o Ge. 13.8. 2Ch. 22.8; 21.17. ch. 8.29; 9.16.
p 1Ki. 11.19.
14

And he said, qTake 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.

q v.6,10,11. 2Ch. 22.8. Ps. 50.21,22. Pr. 13.20,21.
15

¶And when he was departed thence, he 7lighted on rJehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him: and he 8saluted him, and said to him, sIs 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.

r 1Ch. 2.55. Je. 35.6.
s 1Ch. 12.17,18. Ga. 2.9; 4.12.
16

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

t 1Ki. 19.17. ch. 9.7-9. Pr. 27.2. Mat. 6.2. Ro. 10.2,3.
17

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

u ch. 9.8.
v 1Ki. 21.21. Mal. 4.1,3. 2Ch. 22.8. v.6,11.
18

¶And Jehu gathered all the people together, and said unto them, wAhab served Baal a little; but Jehu shall serve him much.

w 1Ki. 16.31,32. Job 13.7. Ro. 3.8. Phi. 4.8.
19

Now therefore call unto me all xthe 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 yin *subtilty, to the intent that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal.

x 1Ki. 18.19; 22.6. ch. 3.13. v.21.
y 2Co. 12.16; 4.2. Mat. 10.16.
20

And Jehu said, 9Proclaim a zsolemn assembly for Baal. And they proclaimed it.

z Le. 23.36.
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 athey came into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was 10full from one end to another.

a Joel 3.2,11,12. Re. 16.16. v.19. 1Ki. 16.32. ch. 11.18.
22

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

b Ex. 28.2. 2Co. 11.14,15.
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.

24

And when they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings, Jehu appointed fourscore men *without, and said, If cany 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.

c 1Ki. 20.39,40,42.
25

And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the dguard and to the captains, Go in, and eslay them; let none come forth. And they smote them with 11the edge of the sword; and the guard and the captains cast them out, and went to the city of the house of Baal.

d 1Sa. 22.17. ch. 11.4,6.
e Eze. 9.5,6. 1Ki. 18.40.
26

And they brought forth the 12images out of the house of Baal, and burned them.

27

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

f 1Ki. 16.31,32. De. 7.5,25. Ezr. 6.11. Da. 2.5; 3.29. Le. 26.30.
28

Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.

29

¶Howbeit from gthe sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, hwho made Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them, *to wit, the golden calves that were in Beth-el, and that were in Dan.

g Mar. 6.20; 12.34. Ho. 1.4; 13.1,2. 1Ki. 12.28,29. ch. 3.3; 13.2,11; 14.24; 15.9,18,24. v.31.
h 1Ki. 14.16.
30

And the LORD said unto Jehu, iBecause 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 jfourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.

i Nu. 25.11-13. 1Ki. 21.29. ch. 9.7. Mat. 6.2; 10.42.
j v.35. ch. 13.10; 14.23; 15.8,12.
31

But Jehu 13took no kheed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart: for he ldeparted not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin.

k Pr. 4.23. Ps. 39.1. Ec. 5.1.
l 1Ki. 12.28-33; 15.26,30; 16.19,26. ch. 3.3. v.29.
32

¶In those days the LORD mbegan 14to cut Israel short: and Hazael smote them in all the *coasts of Israel;

m ch. 8.12; 13.25; 14.25. v.33.
33

From Jordan 15eastward, all nthe land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, ofrom Aroer, which is by the river Arnon, 16even Gilead and Bashan.

n Nu. 32. De. 3.12-17. Jos. 13.9-12.
o De. 2.36.
34

Now pthe 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?

p 1Ki. 11.41,43; 14.19,20,29,31; 15.23,24,31; 16.5,6,15,27,28; 22.45,50. ch. 12.19; 13.8,9,12,13.
35

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

36

And 17the time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty and eight years.