Ahab’s Seventy Sons Killed

1Achab had thre score and ten sonnes at Samaria. And Iehu wrote a letter, and sent it to Samaria, vnto the rulers of the cite Iesrael, euen vnto the Elders, & to Achabs tuters, sayenge these wordes: 2Whan this letter commeth vnto you wt whom are youre lordes sonnes, charetes, horses, stronge cities, & ordynaunce, 3loke which is the best and most righteous amonge youre lordes sonnes, & set him vpon his fathers seate, and fighte for youre lordes house. 4Neuertheles they were sore afrayed, and sayde: Beholde, two kynges were not able to stonde before him, how wyl we then endure? 5And they that were ouer the house and ouer the cite, and the Elders and tuters sent vnto Iehu, sayege: We are thy seruauntes, we wyll do all that thou sayest vnto vs: We wil make no man kynge, do thou what pleaseth the. 6Then wrote he the seconde letter vnto them with these wordes: Yf ye be myne, and herken vnto my voyce, then take the heades of the men youre lordes sonnes, and brynge me them tomorow by this tyme vnto Iesrael. The kynges sonnes were thre score men and ten, and ye chefemen of the cite broughte the vp. 7Now whan this letter came they toke the kynges sonnes, and slewe them euen thre score men and ten, and layed their heades in baskettes, and sent them to him vnto Iesrael. 8And whan the messaunger came, & tolde him, and sayde: They haue broughte the heades of the kynges children, he sayde: Laye them vpon two heapes at the dore of the porte tyll tomorow. 9And on the morow whan he wente forth, he stode, and sayde vnto all the people: Are ye righteous? Beholde, I haue made an appoyntmet against my lorde, and slayne him, who hath slayne all these then? 10Vnderstonde ye now therfore, that there is not fallen vpon the earth one worde of the LORDE, which he spake agaynst the house of Achab: and the LORDE hath done, euen as he sayde by his seruaunt Elias. 11So Iehu smote all the remnaunt of the house of Achab at Iesrael, all his greate men, his kynsfolkes, and his prestes, tyll there was not one lefte ouer.

12And he gat him vp, wente his waye, and came to Samaria. By the waye there was a shepherdes house, 13where Iehu founde the brethren of Ochosias kynge of Iuda, and sayde: Whence are ye? They sayde: We are Ochosias brethren, and are goynge downe to salute the kynges children, and the quenes children. 14He sayde: Take them alyue. And they toke them alyue, and slewe them by the welles syde at the shepherdes house, euen two and fortye men, and let not one of them remayne.

15And whan he wente from thence, he foude Ionadab ye sonne of Rechab, which met him, & saluted him. And he sayde vnto him: Is thyne hert righte, as myne hert is with thyne hert? Ionadab sayde: Yee. Yf it be so (sayde he) then geue me thy hande. And he gaue him his hande. And so he caused him to syt besyde him in the charet, 16and saide: Come with me, and se my zele for the LORDE. And they caryed him with him vpon his charet. 17And whan he came to Samaria, he smote all that remayned of Achab at Samaria, tyll he had destroyed him, acordynge to the worde of the LORDE, which he spake vnto Elias.

Jehu Kills the Priests of Baal

18And Iehu gathered all the people together, and saide vnto them: Achab did Baal but litle seruyce, Iehu wyll serue him better. 19Call vnto me now therfore all Baals prophetes, all his seruautes and all his prestes, that there be none wantynge, for I haue a greate sacrifyce to do vnto Baal. Who so euer is myssed, shal not lyue. But Iehu dyd it craftely, that he mighte destroye all the mynisters of Baal. 20And Iehu sayde: Sanctifie ye feast vnto Baal, and proclame it. 21And Iehu sent in to all Israel, and caused all Baals ministers to come, so that there was noma lefte behynde, which came not. And they came into Baals house, so that the house of Baal was full from one corner to another. 22Then sayde he vnto him that had the rule of the vestrye. Brynge forth rayment for all Baals mynisters. And he broughte forth the rayment. 23And Iehu wente in to Baals house with Ionadab the sonne of Rechab, and sayde vnto Baals mynisters: Search and se that there be not here amoge you eny mynyster of the LORDE, but onely Baals mynisters. 24And whan they came in to offer sacrifyces and burntofferynges, Iehu appoynted him foure score men without, & sayde: Yf eny of these men escape whom I delyuer vnder youre handes, then shal the same mans soule be for his soule.

25Now wha he had made an ende of the burntofferynge, Iehu sayde vnto the fotemen and knyghtes: Go in, & smyte euery man, let noman go forth. And they smote the with the edge of the swerde. And the fote men and knightes threw the awaie and wete vnto the cite of Baals house, 26and brought forth the piler in ye house of Baal, and brent it, 27and brake downe Baals pyler with the house of Baal, and made a preuy house therof vnto this daie.

Jehu Repeats Jeroboam’s Sins

28Thus Iehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.

29But Iehu lefte not of from the sinnes of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat (which caused Israel to synne) namely, from the golden calues at Bethel and at Dan. 30And the LORDE sayde vnto Iehu: Because thou hast bene wyllinge to do that which was righte in my sighte, & hast done vnto Achabs house all that was in my hert, therfore shall thy children syt vpon ye seate of Israel vnto the fourth generacion. 31Neuerthelesse Iehu was not diligent to walke in the lawe of the LORDE God of Israel with all his hert: for he lefte not of fro the synnes of Ieroboam which made Israel to synne.

32At the same time beganne the LORDE to be greued at Israel. For Hasael smote them in all the borders of Israel 33from Iordane Eastwarde, and all the londe Gilead of the Gaddites, Rubenites and Manassytes, from Aroer that lyeth on the ryuer by Arnon, and Gilead and Basan.

Jehoahaz Succeeds Jehu in Israel

34What more there is to saye of Iehu, and all that he dyd, and all his power, beholde, it is wryten in the Cronicles of the kynges of Israel. 35And Iehu fell on slepe with his fathers, & they buryed him in Samaria. And Ioahas his sonne was kynge in his steade. 36The tyme that Iehu reigned ouer Israel, is eight and twentye yeares at Samaria.