2 Kings 10 – Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

The Heads of Ahab’s Sons Sent to Jehu

1 Now Ahab ^H256 had seventy ^H7657 sons ^H1121 in Samaria ^H8111. And Jehu ^H3058 wrote ^H3789 letters ^H5612 and sent ^H7971 them to Samaria ^H8111, to the rulers ^H8269 of Jezreel ^H3157, the elders ^H2205, and to the guardians ^H539 of the children of Ahab ^H256, saying ^H559,

2 “So now ^H6258, when this ^H2088 letter ^H5612 comes ^H935 to you, [fn]since your master’s ^H113 sons ^H1121 are with you, [fn]as well as the chariots ^H7393 and horses ^H5483 and a fortified ^H4013 city ^H5892 and the weapons ^H5402, 3 look ^H7200 for the best ^H2896 and [fn]fittest ^H3477 of your master’s ^H113 sons ^H1121, and set ^H7760 him on his father’s ^H1 throne ^H3678, and fight ^H3898 for your master’s ^H113 house ^H1004.” 4 But they feared ^H3372 exceedingly ^H3966 greatly ^H3966 and said ^H559, “Behold ^H2009, the two ^H8147 kings ^H4428 did not stand ^H5975 before ^H6440 him; how ^H349 then can we stand ^H5975?” 5 And the one who ^H834 was over ^H5921 the household ^H1004, and he who ^H834 was over ^H5921 the city ^H5892, the elders ^H2205, and the guardians ^H539 of the children, sent ^H7971 word to Jehu ^H3058, saying ^H559, “We are your servants ^H5650, all ^H3605 that you say ^H559 to us we will do ^H6213, we will not make ^H4427 any ^H376 man ^H376 king ^H4427; do ^H6213 what ^H2896 is ^H2896 good ^H2896 in your sight ^H5869.” 6 Then he wrote ^H3789 a letter ^H5612 to them a second ^H8145 time ^H8145 saying ^H559, “If ^H518 you are on my side, and you will listen ^H8085 to my voice ^H6963, take ^H3947 the heads ^H7218 of the men ^H376, your master’s ^H113 sons ^H1121, and come ^H935 to me about ^H935 this time ^H6256 tomorrow ^H4279 at Jezreel ^H3157.” Now the king’s ^H4428 sons ^H1121, seventy ^H7657 persons ^H376, were with the great ^H1419 men ^H1419 of the city ^H5892, who were rearing ^H1431 them. 7 Now it happened that when the letter ^H5612 came ^H935 to them, they took ^H3947 the king’s ^H4428 sons ^H1121 and slaughtered ^H7819 them, seventy ^H7657 persons ^H376, and put ^H7760 their heads ^H7218 in baskets ^H1731, and sent ^H7971 them to him at Jezreel ^H3157. 8 Then the messenger ^H4397 came ^H935 and told ^H5046 him, saying ^H559, “They have brought ^H935 the heads ^H7218 of the king’s ^H4428 sons ^H1121.” So he said ^H559, “Put ^H7760 them in two ^H8147 heaps ^H6652 at the entrance ^H6607 of the gate ^H8179 until ^H5704 morning ^H1242.” 9 Now it happened in the morning ^H1242 that he went ^H3318 out ^H3318 and stood ^H5975 and said ^H559 to all ^H3605 the people ^H5971, “You are righteous ^H6662; behold ^H2009, I conspired ^H7194 against ^H5921 my master ^H113 and killed ^H2026 him, but who ^H4310 struck ^H5221 down ^H5221 all ^H3605 these ^H428? 10 Know ^H3045 then ^H645 that nothing ^H3808 from the word ^H1697 of Yahweh ^H3068, which ^H834 Yahweh ^H3068 spoke ^H1696 concerning ^H5921 the house ^H1004 of Ahab ^H256, shall fall ^H5307 to the earth ^H776. Indeed, Yahweh ^H3068 has done ^H6213 what ^H834 He spoke ^H1696 by the hand ^H3027 of His servant ^H5650 Elijah ^H452.” 11 So Jehu ^H3058 struck ^H5221 down ^H5221 all ^H3605 who remained ^H7604 of the house ^H1004 of Ahab ^H256 in Jezreel ^H3157, and all ^H3605 his great ^H1419 men ^H1419 and his acquaintances ^H3045 and his priests ^H3548, until ^H5704 [fn]there was no ^H1115 survivor ^H8300 remaining ^H7604 for him.

12 Then he arose ^H6965 and came ^H935 out ^H6965 and went ^H1980 to Samaria ^H8111. On the way ^H1870, while he was at [fn]Beth-eked ^H1044 of the shepherds ^H7462, 13 Jehu ^H3058 found ^H4672 the [fn]relatives ^H251 of Ahaziah ^H274 king ^H4428 of Judah ^H3063 and said ^H559, “Who ^H4310 are you?” And they said ^H559, “We are the [fn]relatives ^H251 of Ahaziah ^H274; and we have come ^H3381 down ^H3381 [fn]to greet ^H7965 the sons ^H1121 of the king ^H4428 and the sons ^H1121 of the queen ^H1377 mother ^H1377.” 14 Then he said ^H559, “Take ^H8610 them alive ^H2416.” So they took ^H8610 them alive ^H2416 and slaughtered ^H7819 them at the pit ^H953 of Beth-eked ^H1044, forty-two ^H705 H8147 men ^H376; and he left ^H7604 none ^H3808 H376 of them.

15 Then he went ^H1980 from there ^H8033 and found ^H4672 Jehonadab ^H3082 the son ^H1121 of Rechab ^H7394 coming to meet ^H7122 him; and he [fn]blessed ^H1288 him and said ^H559 to him, “Is your heart ^H3824 right ^H3477, as my heart ^H3824 is with your heart ^H3824?” And Jehonadab ^H3082 [fn]answered ^H559, “It is.” Jehu said, “If it is, give ^H5414 me your hand ^H3027.” And he gave ^H5414 him his hand ^H3027, and he took ^H5927 him up ^H5927 to him into the chariot ^H4818. 16 Then he said ^H559, “Come ^H1980 with me and see ^H7200 my zeal ^H7068 for Yahweh ^H3068.” So [fn]he made him ride ^H7392 in his chariot ^H7393. 17 And he came ^H935 to Samaria ^H8111 and struck ^H5221 down ^H5221 all ^H3605 who were left ^H7604 to Ahab ^H256 in Samaria ^H8111, until ^H5704 he had destroyed ^H8045 him, according to the word ^H1697 of Yahweh ^H3068 which ^H834 He spoke ^H1696 to Elijah ^H452.

Jehu Destroys the Slaves of Baal

18 Then Jehu ^H3058 gathered ^H6908 all ^H3605 the people ^H5971 and said ^H559 to them, “Ahab ^H256 served ^H5647 Baal ^H1168 a little ^H4592; Jehu ^H3058 will serve ^H5647 him much ^H7235.

19 So now ^H6258, summon ^H7121 to me all ^H3605 the prophets ^H5030 of Baal ^H1168, all ^H3605 his slaves ^H5647 and all ^H3605 his priests ^H3548; let no ^H408 one ^H376 be ^H6485 missing ^H6485, for I have a great ^H1419 sacrifice ^H2077 for Baal ^H1168; whoever ^H3605 H834 is missing ^H6485 shall not live ^H2421.” But Jehu ^H3058 did ^H6213 it in [fn]cunning ^H6122, so ^H4616 that he might cause ^H6 the slaves ^H5647 of Baal ^H1168 to perish ^H6. 20 And Jehu ^H3058 said ^H559, “Sanctify ^H6942 a solemn ^H6116 assembly ^H6116 for Baal ^H1168.” And they summoned ^H7121 them. 21 Then Jehu ^H3058 sent ^H7971 [fn]throughout ^H3605 Israel ^H3478, and all ^H3605 the slaves ^H5647 of Baal ^H1168 came ^H935, so that there was not a man ^H376 left ^H7604 who ^H834 did not come ^H935. So they came ^H935 into the house ^H1004 of Baal ^H1168, and the house ^H1004 of Baal ^H1168 was filled ^H4390 from one ^H6310 end ^H6310 to the other ^H6310. 22 Then he said ^H559 to the one who ^H834 was [fn]in ^H5921 charge ^H5921 of the wardrobe ^H4458, “Bring ^H3318 out ^H3318 garments ^H3830 for all ^H3605 the slaves ^H5647 of Baal ^H1168.” So he brought ^H3318 out ^H3318 garments ^H4403 for them. 23 And Jehu ^H3058 came ^H935 into the house ^H1004 of Baal ^H1168 with Jehonadab ^H3082 the son ^H1121 of Rechab ^H7394; and he said ^H559 to the slaves ^H5647 of Baal ^H1168, “Search ^H2664 and see ^H7200 lest ^H6435 there ^H3426 be ^H3426 here ^H6311 with you any of the slaves ^H5650 of Yahweh ^H3068, but only ^H905 the slaves ^H5647 of Baal ^H1168.” 24 Then they came ^H935 in ^H935 to offer ^H6213 sacrifices ^H2077 and burnt ^H5930 offerings ^H5930.

Now Jehu ^H3058 had placed ^H7760 for himself eighty ^H8084 men ^H376 outside ^H2351, and he had said ^H559, “The one ^H376 who ^H834 permits any of ^H4480 the men ^H376 whom ^H834 I cause to come ^H935 into your hands ^H3027 to escape ^H4422, [fn]shall give up his life ^H5315 in exchange ^H8478.”

25 Now it happened ^H1961 that as soon as he had finished ^H3615 offering ^H6213 the burnt ^H5930 offering ^H5930, Jehu ^H3058 said ^H559 to the [fn]guard ^H7323 and to the royal ^H7991 officers ^H7991, “Come ^H935 in ^H935, strike ^H5221 them down ^H5221; let none ^H376 H408 come ^H3318 out ^H3318.” And they struck ^H5221 them down ^H5221 with the edge ^H6310 of the sword ^H2719; and the [fn]guard ^H7323 and the royal ^H7991 officers ^H7991 threw ^H7993 them out ^H7993 and went ^H1980 to the [fn]inner ^H5892 room ^H5892 of the house ^H1004 of Baal ^H1168. 26 And they brought ^H3318 out ^H3318 the sacred pillars ^H4676 of the house ^H1004 of Baal ^H1168 and burned ^H8313 them. 27 They also broke ^H5422 down ^H5422 the sacred pillar ^H4676 of Baal ^H1168 and broke ^H5422 down ^H5422 the house ^H1004 of Baal ^H1168 and made ^H7760 it a latrine ^H4280 to this day ^H3117.

28 Thus Jehu ^H3058 destroyed ^H8045 Baal ^H1168 out of Israel ^H3478. 29 However ^H7534, as for the sins ^H2399 of Jeroboam ^H3379 the son ^H1121 of Nebat ^H5028, which ^H834 he made Israel ^H3478 sin ^H2398, from these Jehu ^H3058 did not depart ^H5493, even the golden ^H2091 calves ^H5695 that were at Bethel ^H1008 and that were at Dan ^H1835. 30 And Yahweh ^H3068 said ^H559 to Jehu ^H3058, “Because ^H3282 H834 you have done ^H2895 well ^H2895 in doing ^H6213 what ^H3477 is ^H3477 right ^H3477 in My eyes ^H5869, and have done ^H6213 to the house ^H1004 of Ahab ^H256 according to all ^H3605 that was in My heart ^H3824, your sons ^H1121 of the fourth ^H7243 generation shall sit ^H3427 on the throne ^H3678 of Israel ^H3478.” 31 But Jehu ^H3058 [fn]was ^H8104 not careful ^H8104 to walk ^H1980 in the law ^H8451 of Yahweh ^H3068, the God ^H430 of Israel ^H3478, with all ^H3605 his heart ^H3824; he did not depart ^H5493 from the sins ^H2403 of Jeroboam ^H3379, which ^H834 he made Israel ^H3478 sin ^H2398.

32 In those ^H1992 days ^H3117 Yahweh ^H3068 began ^H2490 to cut ^H7096 off ^H7096 portions [fn]from Israel ^H3478; and Hazael ^H2371 struck ^H5221 them throughout ^H3605 the territory ^H1366 of Israel ^H3478: 33 from the Jordan ^H3383 to the east toward the sunrise ^H4217 H8121, all ^H3605 the land ^H776 of Gilead ^H1568, the Gadites ^H1425 and the Reubenites ^H7206 and the Manassites ^H4520, from Aroer ^H6177, which ^H834 is by the valley ^H5158 of the Arnon ^H769, even Gilead ^H1568 and Bashan ^H1316.

Jehoahaz Reigns over Israel

34 Now the rest ^H3499 of the acts ^H1697 of Jehu ^H3058 and all ^H3605 that he did ^H6213 and all ^H3605 his might ^H1369, are they not written ^H3789 in the Book ^H5612 of the Chronicles ^H1697 H3117 of the Kings ^H4428 of Israel ^H3478? 35 And Jehu ^H3058 slept ^H7901 with his fathers ^H1, and they buried ^H6912 him in Samaria ^H8111. And Jehoahaz ^H3059 his son ^H1121 became ^H4427 king ^H4427 in ^H8478 his place ^H8478. 36 Now the [fn]time ^H3117 which ^H834 Jehu ^H3058 reigned ^H4427 over ^H5921 Israel ^H3478 in Samaria ^H8111 was twenty-eight ^H6242 H8083 years ^H8141.