New King James Version

Christian Standard Bible

1Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote and sent letters to Samaria, to the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to those who reared Ahab’s sons, saying:

1Since Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria, Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria to the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to the guardians of Ahab's sons, saying:

2Now as soon as this letter comes to you, since your master’s sons are with you, and you have chariots and horses, a fortified city also, and weapons,

2Your master's sons are with you, and you have chariots, horses, a fortified city, and weaponry, so when this letter arrives

3choose the best qualified of your master’s sons, set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house.

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

4But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, “Look, two kings could not stand up to him; how then can we stand?”

4However, they were terrified and reasoned, "Look, two kings couldn't stand against him; how can we?"

5And he who was in charge of the house, and he who was in charge of the city, the elders also, and those who reared the sons, sent to Jehu, saying, “We are your servants, we will do all you tell us; but we will not make anyone king. Do what is good in your sight.”

5So the overseer of the palace, 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 tell us. We will not make anyone king. Do whatever you think is right."

6Then he wrote a second letter to them, saying: If you are for me and will obey my voice, take the heads of the men, your master’s sons, and come to me at Jezreel by this time tomorrow. Now the king’s sons, seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who were rearing them.

6Then Jehu wrote them a second letter, saying: If you are on my side, and if you will obey me, bring me the heads of your master's sons at this time tomorrow at Jezreel. All seventy of the king's sons were being cared for by the city's prominent men.

7So it was, when the letter came to them, that they took the king’s sons and slaughtered seventy persons, put their heads in baskets and sent them to him at Jezreel.

7When the letter came to them, they took the king's sons and slaughtered all seventy, put their heads in baskets, and sent them to Jehu at Jezreel.

8Then a messenger came and told him, saying, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons.” And he said, “Lay them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until morning.”

8When the messenger came and told him, "They have brought the heads of the king's sons," the king said, "Pile them in two heaps at the entrance of the city gate until morning."

9So it was, in the morning, that he went out and stood, and said to all the people, “You are righteous. Indeed I conspired against my master and killed him; but who killed all these?

9The next morning when he went out and stood at the gate, he said to all the people, "You are innocent. It was I who conspired against my master and killed him. But who struck down all these?

10Know now that nothing shall fall to the earth of the word of the LORD which the LORD spoke concerning the house of Ahab; for the LORD has done what He spoke by His servant Elijah.”

10Know, then, that not a word the LORD spoke against the house of Ahab will fail, for the LORD has done what he promised through his servant Elijah."

11So Jehu killed all who remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men and his close acquaintances and his priests, until he left him none remaining.

11So Jehu killed all who remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel--all his great men, close friends, and priests--leaving him no survivors.

12And he arose and departed and went to Samaria. On the way, at Beth Eked of the Shepherds,

12Then he set out and went to Samaria. On the way, while he was at Beth-eked of the Shepherds,

13Jehu met with the brothers of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, “Who are you?” So they answered, “We are the brothers of Ahaziah; we have come down to greet the sons of the king and the sons of the queen mother.”

13Jehu met the relatives of King Ahaziah of Judah and asked, "Who are you?" They answered, "We're Ahaziah's relatives. We've come down to greet the king's sons and the queen mother's sons."

14And he said, “Take them alive!” So they took them alive, and killed them at the well of Beth Eked, forty-two men; and he left none of them.

14Then Jehu ordered, "Take them alive." So they took them alive and then slaughtered them at the pit of Beth-eked--forty-two men. He didn't spare any of them.

15Now when he departed from there, he met Jehonadab the son of Rechab, coming to meet him; and he greeted him and said to him, “Is your heart right, as my heart is toward your heart?” And Jehonadab answered, “It is.” Jehu said, “If it is, give me your hand.” So he gave him his hand, and he took him up to him into the chariot.

15When he left there, he found Jehonadab son of Rechab coming to meet him. He greeted him and then asked, "Is your heart one with mine?" "It is," Jehonadab replied. Jehu said, "If it is, give me your hand." So he gave him his hand, and Jehu pulled him up into the chariot with him.

16Then he said, “Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD.” So they had him ride in his chariot.

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

17And when he came to Samaria, he killed all who remained to Ahab in Samaria, till he had destroyed them, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke to Elijah.

17When Jehu came to Samaria, he struck down all who remained from the house of Ahab in Samaria until he had annihilated his house, according to the word of the LORD spoken to Elijah.

18Then Jehu gathered all the people together, and said to them, “Ahab served Baal a little, Jehu will serve him much.

18Then Jehu brought all the people together and said to them, "Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve him a lot.

19Now therefore, call to me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests. Let no one be missing, for I have a great sacrifice for Baal. Whoever is missing shall not live.” But Jehu acted deceptively, with the intent of destroying the worshipers of Baal.

19Now, therefore, summon to me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests. None must be missing, for I have a great sacrifice for Baal. Whoever is missing will not live." However, Jehu was acting deceptively in order to destroy the servants of Baal.

20And Jehu said, “Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal.” So they proclaimed it.

20Jehu commanded, "Consecrate a solemn assembly for Baal." So they called one.

21Then Jehu sent throughout all Israel; and all the worshipers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left who did not come. So they came into the temple of Baal, and the temple of Baal was full from one end to the other.

21Then Jehu sent messengers throughout all Israel, and all the servants of Baal came; no one failed to come. They entered the temple of Baal, and it was filled from one end to the other.

22And he said to the one in charge of the wardrobe, “Bring out vestments for all the worshipers of Baal.” So he brought out vestments for them.

22Then he said to the custodian of the wardrobe, "Bring out the garments for all the servants of Baal." So he brought out their garments.

23Then Jehu and Jehonadab the son of Rechab went into the temple of Baal, and said to the worshipers of Baal, “Search and see that no servants of the LORD are here with you, but only the worshipers of Baal.”

23Then Jehu and Jehonadab son of Rechab entered the temple of Baal, and Jehu said to the servants of Baal, "Look carefully to see that there are no servants of the LORD here among you--only servants of Baal."

24So they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had appointed for himself eighty men on the outside, and had said, “If any of the men whom I have brought into your hands escapes, whoever lets him escape, it shall be his life for the life of the other.”

24Then they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had stationed eighty men outside, and he warned them, "Whoever allows any of the men I am placing in your hands to escape will forfeit his life for theirs."

25Now it happened, 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 kill them; let no one come out!” And they killed them with the edge of the sword; then the guards and the officers threw them out, and went into the inner room of the temple of Baal.

25When he finished offering the burnt offering, Jehu said to the guards and officers, "Go in and kill them. Don't let anyone out." So they struck them down with the sword. Then the guards and officers threw the bodies out and went into the inner room of the temple of Baal.

26And they brought the sacred pillars out of the temple of Baal and burned them.

26They brought out the pillar of the temple of Baal and burned it,

27Then they broke down the sacred pillar of Baal, and tore down the temple of Baal and made it a refuse dump to this day.

27and they tore down the pillar of Baal. Then they tore down the temple of Baal and made it a latrine--which it still is today.

28Thus Jehu destroyed Baal from Israel.

28Jehu eliminated Baal worship from Israel,

29However Jehu did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin, that is, from the golden calves that were at Bethel and Dan.

29but he did not turn away from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit--worshiping the gold calves that were in Bethel and Dan.

30And the LORD said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in doing what is right in My sight, and have done to the house of Ahab all that was in My heart, your sons shall sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.”

30Nevertheless, 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."

31But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart; for he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam, who had made Israel sin.

31Yet Jehu was not careful to follow the instruction of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart. He did not turn from the sins that Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit.

32In those days the LORD began to cut off parts of Israel; and Hazael conquered them in all the territory of Israel

32In those days the LORD began to reduce the size of Israel. Hazael defeated the Israelites throughout their territory

33from the Jordan eastward: all the land of Gilead—Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh—from Aroer, which is by the River Arnon, including Gilead and Bashan.

33from the Jordan eastward: the whole land of Gilead--the Gadites, the Reubenites, and the Manassites--from Aroer which is by the Arnon Valley through Gilead to Bashan.

34Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, all that he did, and all his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

34The rest of the events of Jehu's reign, along with all his accomplishments and all his might, are written in the Historical Record of Israel's Kings.

35So Jehu rested with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria. Then Jehoahaz his son reigned in his place.

35Jehu rested with his fathers and was buried in Samaria. His son Jehoahaz became king in his place.

36And the period that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.

36The length of Jehu's reign over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.