2 Kings 10 – New American Standard Bible 2020 (NASB20)

Judgment upon Ahab’s House

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 officials ^H8269 of Jezreel ^H3157, the elders ^H2205, and to the guardians ^H539 of the children of Ahab ^H256, saying ^H559,

2 “And now ^H6258, when this ^H2088 letter ^H5612 comes ^H935 to you, 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 select ^H7200 the best ^H2896 and most ^H3477 capable ^H3477 of your master’s ^H113 sons ^H1121 and seat ^H7760 him on his father’s ^H1 throne ^H3678, and fight ^H3898 for your master’s ^H113 house ^H1004.” 4 But they feared ^H3372 greatly ^H3966 and said ^H559, “Behold ^H2009, the two ^H8147 kings ^H4428 did not stand ^H5975 firm before ^H6440 him; how ^H349 then can we stand ^H5975?” 5 And the one who ^H834 was in ^H5921 charge ^H5921 of ^H5921 the household ^H1004, and the one who ^H834 was in ^H5921 charge ^H5921 of ^H5921 the city ^H5892, and the elders ^H2205, and the guardians ^H539 of the children, sent ^H7971 word to Jehu ^H3058, saying ^H559, “We are your servants ^H5650, and everything ^H3605 that you tell ^H559 us we will do ^H6213. We will not appoint ^H4427 any ^H376 man ^H376 king ^H4427; do ^H6213 what ^H2896 is ^H2896 good ^H2896 in your sight ^H5869.” 6 Then he wrote ^H3789 them a letter ^H5612 a second ^H8145 time ^H8145, saying ^H559, “If ^H518 you are on my side, and 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 at Jezreel ^H3157 about ^H935 this time ^H6256 tomorrow ^H4279.” Now the king’s ^H4428 sons ^H1121, seventy ^H7657 men ^H376, were with the great ^H1419 people ^H1419 of the city ^H5892, who were raising ^H1431 them. 7 When the letter ^H5612 came ^H935 to them, they took ^H3947 the king’s ^H4428 sons ^H1121 and slaughtered ^H7819 them, seventy ^H7657 men ^H376, and put ^H7760 their heads ^H7218 in baskets ^H1731, and sent ^H7971 them to him at Jezreel ^H3157. 8 When the messenger ^H4397 came ^H935 and informed ^H5046 him, saying ^H559, “They have brought ^H935 the heads ^H7218 of the king’s ^H4428 sons ^H1121,” 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 in the morning ^H1242 he went ^H3318 out ^H3318 and stood ^H5975 and said ^H559 to all ^H3605 the people ^H5971, “You are [fn]innocent ^H6662; behold ^H2009, I conspired ^H7194 against ^H5921 my master ^H113 and killed ^H2026 him, but who ^H4310 [fn]killed ^H5221 all ^H3605 these ^H428? 10 Know ^H3045 then ^H645 that nothing ^H3808 of the word ^H1697 of the LORD ^H3068, which ^H834 the LORD ^H3068 spoke ^H1696 concerning ^H5921 the house ^H1004 of Ahab ^H256, shall [fn]fall ^H5307 to the earth ^H776, for the LORD ^H3068 has done ^H6213 what ^H834 He spoke ^H1696 [fn]through ^H3027 His servant ^H5650 Elijah ^H452.” 11 So Jehu ^H3058 [fn]killed ^H5221 all ^H3605 who remained ^H7604 of the house ^H1004 of Ahab ^H256 in Jezreel ^H3157, and all ^H3605 his great ^H1419 men ^H1419, his acquaintances ^H3045, and his priests ^H3548, until ^H5704 he left ^H7604 him without ^H1115 a survivor ^H8300.

12 Then he set ^H6965 out ^H6965 and [fn]went ^H1980 to Samaria ^H8111. On the way ^H1870 while he was at [fn]Beth-eked ^H1044 of the shepherds ^H7462, 13 Jehu ^H3058 [fn]encountered ^H4672 the relatives ^H251 of Ahaziah ^H274 king ^H4428 of Judah ^H3063, and he said ^H559, “Who ^H4310 are you?” And they [fn]answered ^H559, “We are the relatives ^H251 of Ahaziah ^H274; and we have come ^H3381 down ^H3381 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 Now when he had gone ^H1980 from there ^H8033, he [fn]encountered ^H4672 Jehonadab ^H3082 the son ^H1121 of Rechab ^H7394 coming to meet ^H7122 him; and he [fn]greeted ^H1288 him and said ^H559 to him, “Is your heart ^H3824 right ^H3477, just ^H834 as ^H834 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 pulled ^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 the LORD ^H3068.” So [fn]he had him ride ^H7392 in his chariot ^H7393. 17 When he came ^H935 to Samaria ^H8111, he [fn]killed ^H5221 all ^H3605 who remained ^H7604 to Ahab ^H256 in Samaria ^H8111, until ^H5704 he had eliminated ^H8045 [fn]them, in accordance with the word ^H1697 of the LORD ^H3068 which ^H834 He spoke ^H1696 to Elijah ^H452.

Jehu Destroys Baal Worshipers

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 Now ^H6258, summon ^H7121 to me all ^H3605 the prophets ^H5030 of Baal ^H1168, all ^H3605 his worshipers ^H5647 and all ^H3605 his priests ^H3548; let no ^H408 one ^H376 go ^H6485 missing ^H6485, because ^H3588 I have a great ^H1419 sacrifice ^H2077 for Baal ^H1168; whoever ^H3605 H834 is ^H6485 missing ^H6485 shall not live ^H2421.” But Jehu ^H3058 did ^H6213 it in deception ^H6122, in ^H4616 order ^H4616 to ^H4616 eliminate ^H6 the worshipers ^H5647 of Baal ^H1168. 20 And Jehu ^H3058 said ^H559, “Proclaim ^H6942 a holy ^H6942 assembly ^H6116 for Baal ^H1168.” And they proclaimed ^H7121 it. 21 Then Jehu ^H3058 sent ^H7971 word [fn]throughout ^H3605 Israel ^H3478, and all ^H3605 the worshipers ^H5647 of Baal ^H1168 came ^H935, so that there was not a person ^H376 left ^H7604 who ^H834 did not come ^H935. And when they entered ^H935 the house ^H1004 of Baal ^H1168, the house ^H1004 of Baal ^H1168 was filled ^H4390 from one ^H6310 end ^H6310 to the other ^H6310. 22 And he said ^H559 to the one who ^H834 was [fn]in ^H5921 charge ^H5921 of ^H5921 the wardrobe ^H4458, “Bring ^H3318 out ^H3318 garments ^H3830 for all ^H3605 the worshipers ^H5647 of Baal ^H1168.” So he brought ^H3318 out ^H3318 the garments ^H4403 for them. 23 Then Jehu ^H3058 entered ^H935 the house ^H1004 of Baal ^H1168 with Jehonadab ^H3082 the son ^H1121 of Rechab ^H7394; and he said ^H559 to the worshipers ^H5647 of Baal ^H1168, “Search ^H2664 carefully ^H2664 and see ^H7200 to it that ^H6435 there ^H3426 is ^H3426 here ^H6311 with you none ^H6435 of the servants ^H5650 of the LORD ^H3068, but only ^H905 the worshipers ^H5647 of Baal ^H1168.” 24 Then they entered ^H935 to [fn]offer ^H6213 sacrifices ^H2077 and burnt ^H5930 offerings ^H5930.

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

25 Then it came ^H1961 about ^H1961, as soon as he had finished ^H3615 [fn]offering ^H6213 the burnt ^H5930 offering ^H5930, that Jehu ^H3058 said ^H559 to the [fn]guard ^H7323 and to the royal ^H7991 officers ^H7991, “Go ^H935 in ^H935, [fn]kill ^H5221 them; let none ^H376 H408 come ^H3318 out ^H3318.” So they [fn]killed ^H5221 them 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]sanctuary ^H5892 of the house ^H1004 of Baal ^H1168. 26 They brought ^H3318 out ^H3318 the memorial ^H4676 stones ^H4676 of the house ^H1004 of Baal ^H1168 and burned ^H8313 them. 27 They also tore ^H5422 down ^H5422 the memorial ^H4676 stone ^H4676 of Baal ^H1168 and tore ^H5422 down ^H5422 the house ^H1004 of Baal ^H1168, and made ^H7760 it a latrine ^H4280 as it is to this day ^H3117.

28 So Jehu ^H3058 eradicated ^H8045 Baal ^H1168 from Israel ^H3478. 29 However ^H7534, as for the sins ^H2399 of Jeroboam ^H3379 the son ^H1121 of Nebat ^H5028, into which ^H834 he misled ^H2398 Israel ^H3478, from these Jehu ^H3058 did not desist ^H5493, including the golden ^H2091 calves ^H5695 that were at Bethel ^H1008 and at Dan ^H1835. 30 Yet the LORD ^H3068 said ^H559 to Jehu ^H3058, “Because ^H3282 H834 you have done ^H2895 well ^H2895 in performing ^H6213 what ^H3477 is ^H3477 right ^H3477 in My eyes ^H5869, and have done ^H6213 to the house ^H1004 of Ahab ^H256 in accordance with everything ^H3605 that was in My heart ^H3824, your sons ^H1121 to the fourth ^H7243 generation shall sit ^H3427 on the throne ^H3678 of Israel ^H3478.” 31 But Jehu ^H3058 was ^H8104 not careful ^H8104 to walk ^H1980 in the Law ^H8451 of the LORD ^H3068, the God ^H430 of Israel ^H3478, with all ^H3605 his heart ^H3824; he did not desist ^H5493 from the sins ^H2403 of Jeroboam ^H3379, into which ^H834 he misled ^H2398 Israel ^H3478.

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

Jehoahaz Succeeds Jehu

34 Now as for the rest ^H3499 of the acts ^H1697 of Jehu ^H3058 and everything ^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 [fn]lay ^H7901 down ^H7901 with his fathers ^H1, and they buried ^H6912 him in Samaria ^H8111. And his son ^H1121 Jehoahaz ^H3059 became ^H4427 king ^H4427 in ^H8478 his place ^H8478. 36 So the [fn]time ^H3117 which ^H834 Jehu ^H3058 reigned ^H4427 over ^H5921 Israel ^H3478 in Samaria ^H8111 was twenty-eight ^H6242 H8083 years ^H8141.