2 Kings 10:1-17

Judgment upon Ahab's House

1 Now Ahab had seventy sons in 1Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria, to the rulers of Jezreel, the elders, and to the guardians of the children of Ahab, saying,
2 "Now, 2when this letter comes to you, since your master's sons are with you, as well as the chariots and horses and a fortified city and the 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 feared greatly and said, "Behold, 3the two kings did not stand before him; how then can we stand?"
5 And the one who was over the household, and he who was over the city, the elders, and the guardians of the children, sent word to Jehu, saying, "4We are your servants, all that you say to us we will do, we will not make any man king; do what is good in your sight."
6 Then he wrote a letter to them a second time saying, "If you are on my side, and you will listen to my voice, take the heads of the men, your master's sons, and come to me at Jezreel tomorrow about this time." Now the king's sons, seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who were rearing them.
7 When the letter came to them, they took the king's sons and 5slaughtered them, seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him at Jezreel.
8 When the messenger came and told him, saying, "They have brought the heads of the king's sons," he said, "Put them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until morning."
9 Now in the morning he went out and stood and said to all the people, "You are innocent; behold, 6I conspired against my master and killed him, but 7who killed all these?
10 "Know then that 8there 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 9what He spoke through His servant Elijah."
11 So Jehu killed all who remained of the house of Ahab in 10Jezreel, and all his great men and his acquaintances and his priests, until he left him without a survivor.
12 Then he arose and departed and went to Samaria. On the way while he was at Beth-eked of the shepherds,
13 11Jehu met the relatives of Ahaziah king of Judah and said, "Who are you?" And they answered, "We are the relatives of Ahaziah; and we have come down to greet the sons of the king and the sons of the queen mother."
14 He said, "Take them alive." So they took them alive and killed them at the pit of Beth-eked, forty-two * men; and he left none * of them.
15 Now when he had departed from there, he met 12Jehonadab the son of 13Rechab coming to meet him; and he greeted him and said to him, "Is your heart right, as my heart is with your heart?" And Jehonadab answered, "It is." Jehu said, "If it is, 14give me your hand." And he gave him his hand, and he took him up to him into the chariot.
16 He said, "Come with me and 15see my zeal for the LORD." So he made him ride in his chariot.
17 When he came to Samaria, 16he killed all who remained to Ahab in Samaria, until he had destroyed him, 17according to the word of the LORD which He spoke to Elijah.

Cross References 17

  • 1. 1 Kings 16:24-29
  • 2. 2 Kings 5:6
  • 3. 2 Kings 9:24, 27
  • 4. Joshua 9:8, 11; 1 Kings 20:4, 32; 2 Kings 18:14
  • 5. Judges 9:5; 2 Kings 11:1
  • 6. 2 Kings 9:14-24
  • 7. 2 Kings 10:6
  • 8. 2 Kings 9:7-10
  • 9. 1 Kings 21:19-29
  • 10. Hosea 1:4
  • 11. 2 Kings 8:24, 29; 2 Chronicles 21:17; 2 Chronicles 22:8
  • 12. Jeremiah 35:6-19
  • 13. 1 Chronicles 2:55
  • 14. Ezra 10:19; Ezekiel 17:18
  • 15. 1 Kings 19:10
  • 16. 2 Kings 9:8
  • 17. 2 Kings 10:10

Footnotes 17

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