2 Kings 10

Execution of Ahab's Sons 2 Kings 10:7–11

⁷Verse 7. When the letter came to them, they took the king’s sons and killed them, even seventy people, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him to Jezreel. ⁸Verse 8. A 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.” ⁹Verse 9. In the morning, he went out, and stood, and said to all the people, “You are righteous. Behold, I conspired against my master and killed him, but who killed all these? ¹⁰Verse 10. Know now that nothing will fall to the earth of Yahweh’s word, which Yahweh spoke concerning Ahab’s house. For Yahweh has done that which he spoke by his servant Elijah.”

¹¹Verse 11. So Jehu struck all that remained of Ahab’s house in Jezreel, with all his great men, his familiar friends, and his priests, until he left him no one remaining.

Jehu's Encounter with Ahaziah's Brothers 2 Kings 10:12–15

¹²Verse 12. He arose and departed, and went to Samaria. As he was at the shearing house of the shepherds on the way,¹³Verse 13. Jehu met with the brothers of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, “Who are you?”They answered, “We are the brothers of Ahaziah. We are going down to greet the children of the king and the children of the queen.”¹⁴Verse 14. He said, “Take them alive!”They took them alive, and killed them at the pit of the shearing house, even forty-two men. He didn’t leave any of them.¹⁵Verse 15. When he had departed from there, he met Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him. He greeted him, and said to him, “Is your heart right, as my heart is with your heart?”Jehonadab answered, “It is.”“If it is, give me your hand.” He gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot.

Deception of Baal Worshipers 2 Kings 10:16–24

¹⁶Verse 16. He said, “Come with me, and see my zeal for Yahweh.” So they made him ride in his chariot. ¹⁷Verse 17. When he came to Samaria, he struck all who remained to Ahab in Samaria, until he had destroyed him, according to Yahweh’s word, which he spoke to Elijah. ¹⁸Verse 18. Jehu gathered all the people together, and said to them, “Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu will serve him much. ¹⁹Verse 19. Now therefore call to me all the prophets of Baal, all of his worshipers, and all of his priests. Let no one be absent; for I have a great sacrifice to Baal. Whoever is absent, he shall not live.” But Jehu did deceptively, intending to destroy the worshipers of Baal.

²⁰Verse 20. Jehu said, “Sanctify a solemn assembly for Baal!” So they proclaimed it. ²¹Verse 21. Jehu sent through all Israel; and all the worshipers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that didn’t come. They came into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was filled from one end to another. ²²Verse 22. He said to him who kept the wardrobe, “Bring out robes for all the worshipers of Baal!” So he brought robes out to them. ²³Verse 23. Jehu went with Jehonadab the son of Rechab into the house of Baal. Then he said to the worshipers of Baal, “Search, and see that none of the servants of Yahweh are here with you, but only the worshipers of Baal.”

²⁴Verse 24. So they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had appointed for himself eighty men outside, and said, “If any of the men whom I bring into your hands escape, he who lets him go, his life shall be for the life of him.”

Destruction of Baal Worship 2 Kings 10:25–28

²⁵Verse 25. As soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, “Go in and kill them! Let no one escape.” So they struck them with the edge of the sword. The guard and the captains threw the bodies out, and went to the inner shrine of the house of Baal. ²⁶Verse 26. They brought out the pillars that were in the house of Baal, and burned them. ²⁷Verse 27. They broke down the pillar of Baal, and broke down the house of Baal, and made it a latrine, to this day. ²⁸Verse 28. Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.

Jehu's Continued Idolatry 2 Kings 10:29–33

²⁹Verse 29. However, Jehu didn’t depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin, the golden calves that were in Bethel and that were in Dan. ³⁰Verse 30. Yahweh said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in executing that which is right in my eyes, and have done to Ahab’s house according to all that was in my heart, your descendants shall sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.” ³¹Verse 31. But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of Yahweh, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He didn’t depart from the sins of Jeroboam, with which he made Israel to sin.

³²Verse 32. In those days Yahweh began to cut away parts of Israel; and Hazael struck them in all the borders of Israel; ³³Verse 33. from the Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the valley of the Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan.

Jehu's Reign and Legacy 2 Kings 10:34–36

³⁴Verse 34. Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, and all that he did, and all his might, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? ³⁵Verse 35. Jehu slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Samaria. Jehoahaz his son reigned in his place. ³⁶Verse 36. The time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.