10Meanwhile, 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,H256H7657H1121H8111H3058H3789H5612H7971H8111H8269H3157H2205H539H256H559 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),H5612H935H113H1121H7393H5483H4013H5892H5402 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!"H7200H2896H3477H113H1121H7760H1H3678H3898H113H1004 4But they were too terrified, and so they said to one another, "Look! Two previous kings couldn't stand up to Jehu, so how can we?"H3966H3966H3372H559H8147H4428H5975H6440H5975 5So the household overseer, 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."H1004H5892H2205H539H7971H3058H559H5650H6213H559H376H4427H6213H2896H5869 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.H3789H5612H8145H559H8085H6963H3947H7218H582H113H1121H935H3157H4279H6256H4428H1121H7657H376H1419H5892H1431 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.H5612H935H3947H4428H1121H7819H7657H376H7760H7218H1731H7971H3157 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."H935H4397H5046H559H935H7218H4428H1121H559H7760H8147H6652H6607H8179H1242 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?H1242H3318H5975H559H5971H6662H7194H113H2026H5221 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."H3045H645H5307H776H1697H3068H3068H1696H1004H256H3068H6213H1696H3027H5650H452 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.H3058H5221H7604H1004H256H3157H1419H3045H3548H7604H8300 12Then Jehu got up, left the city, and went to Samaria. When he arrived at the shearing house that was located on the way, Jehu 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."H6965H935H3212H8111H7462H1004H1044H1870 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.H559H8610H2416H8610H2416H7819H953H1044H8147H705H376H7604H376 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.H3212H4672H3082H1121H7394H7125H1288H559H3426H3824H3477H3824H3824H3082H559H3426H5414H3027H5414H3027H5927H4818 16He told him, "Come with me and see my enthusiasm for the Lord!" So Jehu had Jehonadab ride in his chariot.H559H3212H7200H7068H3068H7392H7393 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 word of the Lord that he spoke to Elijah.H935H8111H5221H7604H256H8111H8045H1697H3068H1696H452 18Then Jehu assembled all the people and announced to them, "Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve him a lot!H3058H6908H5971H6908H559H256H5647H1168H4592H3058H5647H7235 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.H7121H5030H1168H5647H3548H376H6485H1419H2077H1168H6485H2421H3058H6213H6122H6H5647H1168 20Jehu ordered, "Set aside a solemn assembly for Baal!" And so they proclaimed it.H3058H559H6942H6116H1168H7121 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.H3058H7971H3478H5647H1168H935H376H7604H935H935H1004H1168H1004H1168H4390H6310H6310 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.H559H4458H3318H3830H5647H1168H3318H4403 23Jehu and Rechab's son Jehonadab entered Baal's temple, and Jehu said to the Baal worshipers, "Look around and be sure that no servant of the Lord is here among you, but only worshipers of Baal."H3058H935H3082H1121H7394H1004H1168H559H5647H1168H2664H7200H3426H5650H3068H5647H1168 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."H935H6213H2077H5930H3058H7760H8084H376H2351H559H376H582H935H3027H4422H5315H5315 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,H3615H6213H5930H3058H559H7323H7991H935H5221H376H3318H5221H6310H2719H7323H7991H7993H3212H5892H1004H1168 26from which they brought out the sacred pillars and burned them.H3318H4676H1004H1168H8313 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.H5422H4676H1168H5422H1004H1168H7760H4163H4280H3117 28That's how Jehu eradicated Baal from Israel.H3058H8045H1168H3478 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.H2399H3379H1121H5028H3478H2398H3058H5493H310H2091H5695H1008H1835 30Nevertheless, the Lord said to 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 shall sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation."H3068H559H3058H2895H6213H3477H5869H6213H1004H256H3824H1121H7243H3427H3678H3478 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.H3058H8104H3212H8451H3068H430H3478H3824H5493H2403H3379H3478H2398 32In those days the Lord began to reduce Israel in size: Hazael defeated them throughout the territory of Israel,H3117H3068H2490H7096H3478H7096H2371H5221H1366H3478 33from the Jordan River eastward, all the territory of Gilead, the Gadites, the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer by the Valley of the Arnon, including Gilead and Bashan.3010H3383H4217H8121H776H1568H1425H7206H4520H6177H5158H769H1568H1316 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?H3499H1697H3058H6213H1369H3789H5612H1697H3117H4428H3478 35Then Jehu died, as did his ancestors, and they buried him in Samaria. His son Jehoahaz reigned in his place. 36Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria for 28 years.H3058H7901H1H6912H8111H3059H1121H4427
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