2 Kings 10

Jehu Slaughters Ahab's Descendants

1 Now Ahab had seventy sons in p Samaria. So Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria, to the rulers of the city, 1 to the elders, and to q the guardians of the sons 2 of Ahab, saying, 2 "Now then, as soon as this letter comes to you, seeing your master's sons are with you, and there are with you chariots and horses, fortified cities also, and weapons, 3 select the best and fittest of your master's sons and set him on his father's throne and fight for your master's house." 4 But they were exceedingly afraid and said, "Behold, the two kings could not stand before him. How then can we stand?" 5 So he who was over the palace, and he who was over the city, together with the elders and the guardians, sent to Jehu, saying, r "We are your servants, and we will do all that you tell us. We will not make anyone king. Do whatever is good in your eyes." 6 Then he wrote to them a second letter, saying, "If you are on my side, and if you are ready to obey me, take the heads of your master's sons and come to me at Jezreel tomorrow at this time." Now the king's sons, seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, q who were bringing them up. 7 And as soon as the letter came to them, they took the king's sons s and slaughtered them, seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets and sent them to him at Jezreel. 8 When the messenger came and told him, "They have brought the heads of the king's sons," he said, "Lay them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until the morning." 9 Then in the morning, when he went out, he stood and said to all the people, "You are innocent. t It was I who conspired against my master and killed him, but who struck down all these? 10 Know then that there shall u fall to the earth nothing of the word of the Lord, which the Lord spoke concerning the house of Ahab, for the Lord has done v what he said by his servant Elijah." 11 So Jehu struck down all who remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, all his great men and his close friends and his priests, until he left him none remaining.

12 Then he set out and went to Samaria. On the way, when he was at Beth-eked of the Shepherds, 13 Jehu met w the relatives of Ahaziah king of Judah, and he said, "Who are you?" And they answered, "We are the relatives of Ahaziah, and we came down to visit the royal princes and the sons of the queen mother." 14 He said, "Take them alive." And they took them alive and slaughtered them at the pit of Beth-eked, forty-two persons, and he spared none of them.

15 And when he departed from there, he met x Jehonadab the son of y Rechab coming to meet him. And he greeted him and said to him, "Is your heart true to my heart as mine is to yours?" And Jehonadab answered, "It is." Jehu said, 3 "If it is, z give me your hand." So he gave him his hand. And Jehu took him up with him into the chariot. 16 And he said, "Come with me, and see a my zeal for the Lord." So he 4 had him ride in his chariot. 17 And when he came to Samaria, b he struck down all who remained to Ahab in Samaria, till he had wiped them out, according to the word of the Lord v that he spoke to Elijah.

Jehu Strikes Down the Prophets of Baal

18 Then Jehu assembled all the people and said to them, c "Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve him much. 19 Now therefore call to me all the d prophets of Baal, all his worshipers and all his priests. Let none be missing, for I have a great sacrifice to offer to Baal. Whoever is missing shall not live." But Jehu did it with cunning in order to destroy the worshipers of Baal. 20 And Jehu ordered, e "Sanctify f a solemn assembly for Baal." So g they proclaimed it. 21 And Jehu sent throughout all Israel, and all the worshipers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left who did not come. And they entered h the house of Baal, and the house of Baal was filled from one end to the other. 22 He said to him who was in charge of the wardrobe, "Bring out the vestments for all the worshipers of Baal." So he brought out the vestments for them. 23 Then Jehu went into the house of Baal with Jehonadab the son of Rechab, and he said to the worshipers of Baal, "Search, and see that there is no servant of the Lord here among you, but only the worshipers of Baal."

24 Then they 5 went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had stationed eighty men outside and said, "The man who allows any of those whom I give into your hands to escape i shall forfeit his life." 25 So as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, Jehu said to the guard and to the officers, j "Go in and strike them down; let not a man escape." So when they put them to the sword, the guard and the officers cast them out and went into the inner room of the house of Baal, 26 and they brought out the k pillar that was in h the house of Baal and burned it. 27 And they demolished the k pillar of Baal, and demolished the house of Baal, and made it l a latrine to this day.

Jehu Reigns in Israel

28 Thus Jehu wiped out Baal from Israel. 29 But Jehu did not turn aside from m the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, n which he made Israel to sin - that is, the golden calves that were in Bethel and in Dan. 30 And the Lord said to Jehu, "Because you have done well in carrying out what is right in my eyes, and have done to the house of Ahab according to all that was in my heart, o your sons of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel." 31 But Jehu was not careful to walk in the law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart. p He did not turn from the sins of Jeroboam, which he made Israel to sin.

32 In those days the Lord q began to cut off parts of Israel. r Hazael defeated them throughout the territory of Israel: 33 from the Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from s Aroer, which is by the Valley of the Arnon, that is, t Gilead and Bashan. 34 Now the 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? 35 So Jehu slept with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son reigned in his place. 36 The time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.

  1. Cross References
    1 Kings 16:24
    He bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver, and he fortified the hill and called the name of the city that he built Samaria, after the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill.
  2. Cross References
    Esther 2:7
    He was bringing up Hadassah, that is Esther, the daughter of his uncle, for she had neither father nor mother. The young woman had a beautiful figure and was lovely to look at, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter.
  3. Cross References
    Joshua 9:8
    They said to Joshua, "We are your servants." And Joshua said to them, "Who are you? And where do you come from?
    Joshua 9:11
    So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country said to us, 'Take provisions in your hand for the journey and go to meet them and say to them, "We are your servants. Come now, make a covenant with us."
  4. Cross References
    2 Kings 10:1
    Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. So Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria, to the rulers of the city, to the elders, and to the guardians of the sons of Ahab, saying.
  5. Cross References
    1 Kings 21:21
    Behold, I will bring disaster upon you. I will utterly burn you up, and will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel.
  6. Cross References
    2 Kings 9:14
    Thus Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. ( Now Joram with all Israel had been on guard at Ramoth-gilead against Hazael king of Syria.
    2 Kings 9:24
    And Jehu drew his bow with his full strength, and shot Joram between the shoulders, so that the arrow pierced his heart, and he sank in his chariot.
  7. Cross References
    1 Samuel 3:19
    And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground.
  8. Cross References
    1 Kings 21:19
    And you shall say to him, 'Thus says the Lord, "Have you killed and also taken possession?"' And you shall say to him, 'Thus says the Lord : "In the place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick your own blood."'
    1 Kings 21:21
    Behold, I will bring disaster upon you. I will utterly burn you up, and will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel.
    1 Kings 21:29
    "Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; but in his son's days I will bring the disaster upon his house."
  9. Cross References
    2 Kings 8:29
    And King Joram returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds that the Syrians had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.
    2 Kings 9:16
    Then Jehu mounted his chariot and went to Jezreel, for Joram lay there. And Ahaziah king of Judah had come down to visit Joram.
    2 Chronicles 22:8
    And when Jehu was executing judgment on the house of Ahab, he met the princes of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah's brothers, who attended Ahaziah, and he killed them.
  10. Cross References
    Jeremiah 35:6 - 10
    But they answered, "We will drink no wine, for Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, commanded us, 'You shall not drink wine, neither you nor your sons forever.
    Jeremiah 35:14
    The command that Jonadab the son of Rechab gave to his sons, to drink no wine, has been kept, and they drink none to this day, for they have obeyed their father's command. I have spoken to you persistently, but you have not listened to me.
    Jeremiah 35:16
    The sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have kept the command that their father gave them, but this people has not obeyed me.
    Jeremiah 35:18
    But to the house of the Rechabites Jeremiah said, "Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Because you have obeyed the command of Jonadab your father and kept all his precepts and done all that he commanded you.
  11. Cross References
    1 Chronicles 2:55
    The clans also of the scribes who lived at Jabez: the Tirathites, the Shimeathites and the Sucathites. These are the Kenites who came from Hammath, the father of the house of Rechab.
  12. Cross References
    Ezra 10:19
    They pledged themselves to put away their wives, and their guilt offering was a ram of the flock for their guilt.
    Ezekiel 17:18
    He despised the oath in breaking the covenant, and behold, he gave his hand and did all these things; he shall not escape.
  13. Cross References
    1 Kings 19:10
    He said, "I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.
  14. Cross References
    2 Kings 9:8
    For the whole house of Ahab shall perish, and I will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel.
    2 Chronicles 22:8
    And when Jehu was executing judgment on the house of Ahab, he met the princes of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah's brothers, who attended Ahaziah, and he killed them.
  15. Cross References
    2 Kings 10:10
    Know then that there shall fall to the earth nothing of the word of the Lord, which the Lord spoke concerning the house of Ahab, for the Lord has done what he said by his servant Elijah.
  16. Cross References
    1 Kings 16:31 - 32
    And as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, he took for his wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal and worshiped him.
  17. Cross References
    1 Kings 18:19
    Now therefore send and gather all Israel to me at Mount Carmel, and the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table.
    1 Kings 22:6
    Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, "Shall I go to battle against Ramoth-gilead, or shall I refrain?" And they said, "Go up, for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.
  18. Cross References
    Joel 1:14
    Consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly. Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord.
  19. Cross References
    Leviticus 23:36
    For seven days you shall present food offerings to the Lord. On the eighth day you shall hold a holy convocation and present a food offering to the Lord. It is a solemn assembly; you shall not do any ordinary work.
  20. Cross References
    Exodus 32:5
    When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made proclamation and said, "Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord.
  21. Cross References
    2 Kings 11:18
    Then all the people of the land went to the house of Baal and tore it down; his altars and his images they broke in pieces, and they killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest posted watchmen over the house of the Lord.
    1 Kings 16:32
    He erected an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he built in Samaria.
  22. Cross References
    1 Kings 20:39
    And as the king passed, he cried to the king and said, "Your servant went out into the midst of the battle, and behold, a soldier turned and brought a man to me and said, 'Guard this man; if by any means he is missing, your life shall be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver.
    1 Kings 20:42
    And he said to him, "Thus says the Lord, 'Because you have let go out of your hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction, therefore your life shall be for his life, and your people for his people.'
  23. Cross References
    1 Kings 18:40
    And Elijah said to them, "Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape." And they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and slaughtered them there.
  24. Cross References
    2 Kings 3:2
    He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, though not like his father and mother, for he put away the pillar of Baal that his father had made.
    1 Kings 14:23
    For they also built for themselves high places and pillars and Asherim on every high hill and under every green tree.
  25. Cross References
    2 Kings 10:21
    And Jehu sent throughout all Israel, and all the worshipers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left who did not come. And they entered the house of Baal, and the house of Baal was filled from one end to the other.
  26. Cross References
    2 Kings 10:26
    And they brought out the pillar that was in the house of Baal and burned it.
  27. Cross References
    Ezra 6:11
    Also I make a decree that if anyone alters this edict, a beam shall be pulled out of his house, and he shall be impaled on it, and his house shall be made a dunghill.
    Daniel 2:5
    The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, "The word from me is firm: if you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you shall be torn limb from limb, and your houses shall be laid in ruins.
    Daniel 3:29
    Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.
  28. Cross References
    1 Kings 12:28 - 31
    So the king took counsel and made two calves of gold. And he said to the people, "You have gone up to Jerusalem long enough. Behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.
  29. Cross References
    1 Kings 14:16
    And he will give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, which he sinned and made Israel to sin.
  30. Cross References
    2 Kings 15:12
    (This was the promise of the Lord that he gave ...
    2 Kings 10:35
    So Jehu slept with his fathers, and they buried...
    2 Kings 13:1
    In the twenty-third year of Joash the son of Ah...
    2 Kings 13:10
    In the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Jud...
    2 Kings 14:23
    In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joa...
    2 Kings 15:8
    In the thirty-eighth year of Azariah king of Ju...
  31. Cross References
    2 Kings 10:29
    But Jehu did not turn aside from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin - that is, the golden calves that were in Bethel and in Dan.
  32. Cross References
    2 Kings 13:25
    Then Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz took again from Ben-hadad the son of Hazael the cities that he had taken from Jehoahaz his father in war. Three times Joash defeated him and recovered the cities of Israel.
    2 Kings 14:25
    He restored the border of Israel from Lebo-hamath as far as the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word of the Lord, the God of Israel, which he spoke by his servant Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet, who was from Gath-hepher.
  33. Cross References
    2 Kings 8:12
    And Hazael said, "Why does my lord weep?" He answered, "Because I know the evil that you will do to the people of Israel. You will set on fire their fortresses, and you will kill their young men with the sword and dash in pieces their little ones and rip open their pregnant women.
    1 Kings 19:17
    And the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha put to death.
  34. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 2:36
    From Aroer, which is on the edge of the Valley of the Arnon, and from the city that is in the valley, as far as Gilead, there was not a city too high for us. The Lord our God gave all into our hands.
  35. Cross References
    Amos 1:3 - 4
    Thus says the Lord : "For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment, because they have threshed Gilead with threshing sledges of iron.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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