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And Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria, unto the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to those who brought up Ahab's children, saying,
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"Now as soon as this letter cometh to you, since your master's sons are with you and there are with you chariots and horses, a fortified city also and armor,
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choose even out the best and most suitable of your master's sons and set him on his father's throne, and fight for your master's house."
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But they were exceedingly afraid and said, "Behold, two kings stood not before him. How then shall we stand?"
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And he that was over the house, and he that was over the city, the elders also, and the guardians of the children, sent to Jehu, saying, "We are thy servants and will do all that thou shalt bid us; we will not make any king. Do thou that which is good in thine eyes."
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Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, "If ye be for me, and if ye will hearken unto my voice, take ye the heads of the men your master's sons and come to me at Jezreel by tomorrow this time." Now the king's sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who brought them up.
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And it came to pass, when the letter came to them, that they took the king's sons and slew seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets and sent him them at Jezreel.
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And there came a messenger and told him, saying, "They have brought the heads of the king's sons." And he said, "Lay ye them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until the morning."
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And it came to pass in the morning that he went out and stood, and said to all the people, "Ye are righteous. Behold, I conspired against my master and slew him, but who slew all these?
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Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the LORD which the LORD spoke concerning the house of Ahab, for the LORD hath done that which He spoke by His servant Elijah."
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So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men and his kinsfolk and his priests, until he left him none remaining.
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And he arose and departed, and came to Samaria. And as he was at the shearing house on the way,
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Jehu met with the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, "Who are ye?" And they answered, "We are the brethren of Ahaziah, and we go down to salute the children of the king and the children of the queen."
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And he said, "Take them alive!" And they took them alive and slew them at the pit of the shearing house, even two and forty men; neither left he any of them.
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And when he had departed from thence, he happened upon Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him; and he saluted him and said to him, "Is thine heart right, as my heart is with thy heart?" And Jehonadab answered, "It is." "If it be, give me thine hand." And he gave him his hand, and Jehu took him up to him into the chariot.
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And he said, "Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD." So they made him ride in his chariot.
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And when he came to Samaria, he slew all that remained unto Ahab in Samaria till he had destroyed him, according to the saying of the LORD which He spoke to Elijah.
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And Jehu gathered all the people together and said unto them, "Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu shall serve him much.
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Now therefore call unto me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests. Let none be wanting, for I have a great sacrifice to do to Baal. Whosoever shall be wanting, he shall not live." But Jehu did it in subtlety, with the intent that he might destroy the worshipers of Baal.
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And Jehu said, "Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal." And they proclaimed it.
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And Jehu sent through all Israel; and all the worshipers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left who came not. And they came into the house of Baal, and the house of Baal was full from one end to another.
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And he said unto him that was over the vestry, "Bring forth vestments for all the worshipers of Baal." And he brought them forth vestments.