| International Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Meanwhile, Ahab had 70 sons who lived in Samaria. So Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria—to the rulers of Jezreel, the elders, and the guardians of Ahab's children. He told them, | 1Since Ahab had 70 sons in Samaria, Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria to the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to the guardians of Ahab's sons, saying: |
| 2"As soon as you receive this letter (since your master's children are with you, you have chariots and horses there with you, and you are protected by a walled city and weaponry), | 2When this letter arrives, since your master's sons are with you and you have chariots, horses, a fortified city, and weaponry, |
| 3select the best and most qualified of your master's sons, set him in place on his father's throne, and fight for your master's dynasty!" | 3select the most qualified of your master's sons, set him on his father's throne, and fight for your master's house. |
| 4But they were too terrified, and so they told one another, "Look! Two previous kings couldn't stand up to Jehu, so how can we?" | 4However, they were terrified and reasoned, "Look, two kings couldn't stand against him; how can we?" |
| 5So the household overseer and the city supervisor, along with the elders and the children's guardians, sent word to Jehu, telling him, "We will serve you and do everything you ask. We won't set up a king, so do what you want to do." | 5So the overseer of the palace, the overseer of the city, the elders, and the guardians sent a message to Jehu: "We are your servants, and we will do whatever you tell us. We will not make anyone king. Do whatever you think is right." |
| 6But Jehu wrote them another letter: "If you're loyal to me, and if you intend to obey my commands, then bring the heads of your master's sons and meet me in Jezreel about this time tomorrow." Now the king's sons, totaling 70 men, were living with the leading men of the city, who were their guardians. | 6Then Jehu wrote them a second letter, saying: If you are on my side, and if you will obey me, bring me the heads of your master's sons at this time tomorrow at Jezreel. All 70 of the king's sons were being cared for by the city's prominent men. |
| 7When the letter from Jehu arrived, the city leaders arrested the king's sons, slaughtered all 70 of them, put their heads in baskets, and sent them to Jehu at Jezreel. | 7When the letter came to them, they took the king's sons and slaughtered all 70, put their heads in baskets, and sent them to Jehu at Jezreel. |
| 8When the messenger arrived to report to the king, he said, "They have brought the heads of the king's sons." Jehu replied, "Put them in two piles at the entrance of the city gate until morning." | 8When the messenger came and told him, "They have brought the heads of the king's sons," the king said, "Pile them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until morning." |
| 9The next morning, Jehu went out, stood still, and announced to all the people: "Are you righteous? I conspired against my master and killed him, but who slaughtered all of these? | 9The next morning when he went out and stood at the gate, he said to all the people, "You are innocent. It was I who conspired against my master and killed him. But who struck down all these? |
| 10Keep this in mind—not a single statement by the LORD will fail to come about that he spoke concerning Ahab's dynasty, because the LORD has accomplished what he predicted by his servant Elijah." | 10Know, then, that not a word the LORD spoke against the house of Ahab will fail, for the LORD has done what He promised through His servant Elijah." |
| 11So Jehu executed all those who remained from Ahab's dynasty in Jezreel, including all of Ahab's men, his friends, and his priests, until there remained not even one survivor. | 11So Jehu killed all who remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel--all his great men, close friends, and priests--leaving him no survivors. |
| 12Then Jehu got up, left the city, and went to Samaria. When he arrived at the shearing house that was located on the way, | 12Then he set out and went on his way to Samaria. On the way, while he was at Beth-eked of the Shepherds, |
| 13Jehu met up with the relatives of king Ahaziah of Judah. He asked them, "Who are you?" They answered, "We're Ahaziah's relatives, and we've come down to greet the king's sons and the sons of the queen mother." | 13Jehu met the relatives of Ahaziah king of Judah and asked, "Who are you?" They answered, "We're Ahaziah's relatives. We've come down to greet the king's sons and the queen mother's sons." |
| 14Jehu ordered, "Take them alive!" So Jehu's soldiers captured them and executed all 42 of them near the pit at the shearing house. He left none of them alive. | 14Then Jehu ordered, "Take them alive." So they took them alive and then slaughtered them at the pit of Beth-eked--42 men. He didn't spare any of them. |
| 15After he left there, he encountered Rechab's son Jehonadab. After he greeted him, Jehu asked him, "Is your heart right, as my heart is with yours?" "It is," Jehonadab answered. "If it is," Jehu replied, "Put out your hand." So Jehonadab stuck out his hand, and Jehu took him up to stand in his chariot. | 15When he left there, he found Jehonadab son of Rechab coming to meet him. He greeted him and then asked, "Is your heart one with mine?"" It is," Jehonadab replied. Jehu said, "If it is, give me your hand." So he gave him his hand, and Jehu pulled him up into the chariot with him. |
| 16He told him, "Come with me and see my enthusiasm for the LORD!" So Jehu had Jehonadab ride in his chariot. | 16Then he said, "Come with me and see my zeal for the LORD!" So he let him ride with him in his chariot. |
| 17When Jehu arrived in Samaria, he executed everyone who remained of Ahab's household in Samaria, until he had utterly destroyed Ahab in accordance with the message from the LORD that he spoke to Elijah. | 17When Jehu came to Samaria, he struck down all who remained from the house of Ahab in Samaria until he had annihilated his house, according to the word of the LORD spoken to Elijah. |
| 18Then Jehu assembled all the people and announced to them, "Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve him a lot! | 18Then Jehu brought all the people together and said to them, "Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve him a lot. |
| 19Therefore summon all of Baal's prophets to me, including all his worshipers and all his priests. Don't leave even one out, because I've prepared a great sacrifice for Baal. Whoever doesn't show up doesn't live!" But Jehu did this deceptively, intending to destroy Baal's worshippers. | 19Now, therefore, summon to me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests. None must be missing, for I have a great sacrifice for Baal. Whoever is missing will not live." However, Jehu was acting deceptively in order to destroy the servants of Baal. |
| 20Jehu ordered, "Set aside a solemn assembly for Baal!" And so they proclaimed it. | 20Jehu commanded, "Consecrate a solemn assembly for Baal." So they called one. |
| 21Jehu sent the proclamation throughout Israel, and all the Baal worshipers came. There wasn't a single man left who failed to come. When they entered Baal's temple, it was filled from one end to the other. | 21Then Jehu sent messengers throughout all Israel, and all the servants of Baal came; there was not a man left who did not come. They entered the temple of Baal, and it was filled from one end to the other. |
| 22Then Jehu ordered the one in charge of the wardrobe, "Bring out garments for all of the worshipers of Baal." So he brought out garments for them. | 22Then he said to the custodian of the wardrobe, "Bring out the garments for all the servants of Baal." So he brought out their garments. |
| 23Jehu and Rechab's son Jehonadab entered Baal's temple, and Jehu told the Baal worshipers, "Look around and be sure that no servant of the LORD is here among you, but only worshipers of Baal." | 23Then Jehu and Jehonadab son of Rechab entered the temple of Baal, and Jehu said to the servants of Baal, "Look carefully to see that there are no servants of the LORD here among you--only servants of Baal." |
| 24Then they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Meanwhile, Jehu had stationed 80 men outside, ordering them, "If any of these men whom I've brought into your control escape, the one who allows it will forfeit his life." | 24Then they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had stationed 80 men outside, and he warned them, "Whoever allows any of the men I am delivering into your hands to escape will forfeit his life for theirs." |
| 25As soon as he had completed the burnt offering, Jehu ordered the guards and the officers, "Go in and execute them. Don't let even one man escape." So they executed them with swords, and the guards and the officers threw the bodies out and proceeded into the inner room of Baal's temple, | 25When he finished offering the burnt offering, Jehu said to the guards and officers, "Go in and kill them. Don't let anyone out." So they struck them down with the sword. Then the guards and officers threw the bodies out and went into the inner room of the temple of Baal. |
| 26from which they brought out the sacred pillars and burned them. | 26They brought out the pillars of the temple of Baal and burned them |
| 27They also cut down the pillar to Baal, tore apart Baal's temple, and turned it into a latrine—and it remains that way today. | 27and tore down the pillar of Baal. Then they tore down the temple of Baal and made it a latrine--which it is to this day. |
| 28That's how Jehu eradicated Baal from Israel. | 28Jehu eliminated Baal worship from Israel, |
| 29Even so, Jehu never abandoned the sins of Nebat's son Jeroboam, who caused Israel to sin, regarding the golden calves that were at Bethel and Dan. | 29but he did not turn away from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit--worshiping the gold calves that were in Bethel and Dan. |
| 30Nevertheless, the LORD told Jehu, "Because you have done well in carrying out what I saw as the right thing to do by completing everything I had in mind regarding Ahab's dynasty, your sons will sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation." | 30Nevertheless, the LORD said to Jehu, "Because you have done well in carrying out what is right in My sight and have done to the house of Ahab all that was in My heart, four generations of your sons will sit on the throne of Israel." |
| 31But Jehu did not remain careful to walk in the instruction of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart. He never abandoned the sins of Jeroboam that had caused Israel to sin. | 31Yet Jehu was not careful to follow the instruction of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart. He did not turn from the sins that Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit. |
| 32In those days, the LORD began to reduce Israel in size: Hazael defeated them throughout the territory of Israel, | 32In those days the LORD began to reduce the size of Israel. Hazael defeated the Israelites throughout their territory: |
| 33from the Jordan River eastward, all the territory of Gilead, the descendants of Gad, the descendants of Reuben, and the descendants of Manasseh, from Aroer by the Valley of the Arnon, including Gilead and Bashan. | 33from the Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead--the Gadites, the Reubenites, and the Manassites--from Aroer which is by the Arnon Valley through Gilead to Bashan. |
| 34Now as to the rest of Jehu's activities, including his valiant deeds, they are recorded in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel, are they not? | 34Now the rest of the events of Jehu's reign, along with all his accomplishments and all his might, are written in the Historical Record of Israel's Kings. |
| 35Then Jehu died, as did his ancestors, and they buried him in Samaria. His son Jehoahaz reigned in his place. | 35Jehu rested with his fathers and was buried in Samaria. His son Jehoahaz became king in his place. |
| 36Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria for 28 years. | 36The length of Jehu's reign over Israel in Samaria was 28 years. |
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