2 Kings 10 (NET)

2 Kings 10:1¹Ahab had seventy sons living in Samaria. So Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria to the leading officials of Jezreel and to the guardians of Ahab’s dynasty. This is what the letters said,Copy LinkCopy VerseKJV+Strong’s

2 Kings 10:2²“You have with you the sons of your master, chariots and horses, a fortified city, and weapons. So when this letter arrives,Copy LinkCopy VerseKJV+Strong’s

2 Kings 10:3³pick the best and most capable of your master’s sons, place him on his father’s throne, and defend your master’s dynasty.”Copy LinkCopy VerseKJV+Strong’s

2 Kings 10:4⁴They were absolutely terrified and said, “Look, two kings could not stop him! How can we?”Copy LinkCopy VerseKJV+Strong’s

2 Kings 10:5⁵So the palace supervisor, the city commissioner, the leaders, and the guardians sent this message to Jehu, “We are your subjects! Whatever you say, we will do. We will not make anyone king. Do what you consider proper.”Copy LinkCopy VerseKJV+Strong’s

2 Kings 10:6⁶He wrote them a second letter, saying, “If you are really on my side and are willing to obey me, then take the heads of your master’s sons and come to me in Jezreel at this time tomorrow.” Now the king had seventy sons, and the prominent men of the city were raising them.Copy LinkCopy VerseKJV+Strong’s

2 Kings 10:7⁷When they received the letter, they seized the king’s sons and executed all seventy of them. They put their heads in baskets and sent them to him in Jezreel.Copy LinkCopy VerseKJV+Strong’s

2 Kings 10:8⁸The messenger came and told Jehu, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons.” Jehu said, “Stack them in two piles at the entrance of the city gate until morning.”Copy LinkCopy VerseKJV+Strong’s

2 Kings 10:9⁹In the morning he went out and stood there. Then he said to all the people, “You are innocent. I conspired against my master and killed him. But who struck down all of these men?Copy LinkCopy VerseKJV+Strong’s

2 Kings 10:10¹⁰Therefore take note that not one of the Lord’ s words which he pronounced against Ahab’s dynasty will fail to materialize. The Lord has done what he announced through his servant Elijah.”Copy LinkCopy VerseKJV+Strong’s

2 Kings 10:11¹¹Then Jehu killed all who were left of Ahab’s family in Jezreel, and all his nobles, close friends, and priests. He left no survivors.Copy LinkCopy VerseKJV+Strong’s

2 Kings 10:12¹²Jehu then left there and set out for Samaria. While he was traveling through Beth Eked of the Shepherds,Copy LinkCopy VerseKJV+Strong’s

2 Kings 10:13¹³Jehu encountered the relatives of King Ahaziah of Judah. He asked, “Who are you?” They replied, “We are Ahaziah’s relatives. We have come down to see how the king’s sons and the queen mother’s sons are doing.”Copy LinkCopy VerseKJV+Strong’s

2 Kings 10:14¹⁴He said, “Capture them alive!” So they captured them alive and then executed all forty-two of them by the cistern at Beth Eked. He left no survivors.Copy LinkCopy VerseKJV+Strong’s

2 Kings 10:15¹⁵When he left there, he met Jehonadab son of Rekab who had been looking for him. Jehu greeted him and asked, “Are you as committed to me as I am to you?” Jehonadab answered, “I am!” Jehu replied, “If so, give me your hand.” So he offered his hand and Jehu pulled him up into the chariot.Copy LinkCopy VerseKJV+Strong’s

2 Kings 10:16¹⁶Jehu said, “Come with me and see how zealous I am for the Lord ’s cause.” So he took him along in his chariot.Copy LinkCopy VerseKJV+Strong’s

2 Kings 10:17¹⁷He went to Samaria and killed each of Ahab’s remaining family members who were in Samaria until he destroyed them, in keeping with the Lord’ s message which he had announced to Elijah.Copy LinkCopy VerseKJV+Strong’s

2 Kings 10:18¹⁸Jehu assembled all the people and said to them, “Ahab worshiped Baal a little; Jehu will worship him with great devotion.Copy LinkCopy VerseKJV+Strong’s

2 Kings 10:19¹⁹So now, bring to me all the prophets of Baal, as well as all his servants and priests. None of them must be absent, for I am offering a great sacrifice to Baal. Any of them who fails to appear will lose his life.” But Jehu was tricking them so he could destroy the servants of Baal.Copy LinkCopy VerseKJV+Strong’s

2 Kings 10:20²⁰Then Jehu ordered, “Make arrangements for a celebration for Baal.” So they announced it.Copy LinkCopy VerseKJV+Strong’s

2 Kings 10:21²¹Jehu sent invitations throughout Israel, and all the servants of Baal came; not one was absent. They arrived at the temple of Baal and filled it up from end to end.Copy LinkCopy VerseKJV+Strong’s

2 Kings 10:22²²Jehu ordered the one who was in charge of the wardrobe, “Bring out robes for all the servants of Baal.” So he brought out robes for them.Copy LinkCopy VerseKJV+Strong’s

2 Kings 10:23²³Then Jehu and Jehonadab son of Rekab went to the temple of Baal. Jehu said to the servants of Baal, “Make sure there are no servants of the Lord here with you; there must be only servants of Baal.”Copy LinkCopy VerseKJV+Strong’s

2 Kings 10:24²⁴They went inside to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had stationed eighty men outside. He had told them, “If any of the men inside gets away, you will pay with your lives!”Copy LinkCopy VerseKJV+Strong’s

2 Kings 10:25²⁵When he finished offering the burnt sacrifice, Jehu ordered the royal guard and officers, “Come in and strike them down! Don’t let any escape!” So the royal guard and officers struck them down with the sword and left their bodies lying there. Then they entered the inner sanctuary of the temple of Baal.Copy LinkCopy VerseKJV+Strong’s

2 Kings 10:26²⁶They hauled out the sacred pillar of the temple of Baal and burned it.Copy LinkCopy VerseKJV+Strong’s

2 Kings 10:27²⁷They demolished the sacred pillar of Baal and the temple of Baal; it is used as a latrine to this very day.Copy LinkCopy VerseKJV+Strong’s

2 Kings 10:28²⁸So Jehu eradicated Baal worship from Israel.Copy LinkCopy VerseKJV+Strong’s

2 Kings 10:29²⁹However, Jehu did not repudiate the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had encouraged Israel to commit; the golden calves remained in Bethel and Dan.Copy LinkCopy VerseKJV+Strong’s

2 Kings 10:30³⁰The Lord said to Jehu, “You have done well. You have accomplished my will and carried out my wishes with regard to Ahab’s dynasty. Therefore four generations of your descendants will rule over Israel.”Copy LinkCopy VerseKJV+Strong’s

2 Kings 10:31³¹But Jehu did not carefully and wholeheartedly obey the law of the Lord God of Israel. He did not repudiate the sins which Jeroboam had encouraged Israel to commit.Copy LinkCopy VerseKJV+Strong’s

2 Kings 10:32³²In those days the Lord began to reduce the size of Israel’s territory. Hazael attacked their eastern border.Copy LinkCopy VerseKJV+Strong’s

2 Kings 10:33³³He conquered all the land of Gilead, including the territory of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh, extending all the way from the Aroer in the Arnon Valley through Gilead to Bashan.Copy LinkCopy VerseKJV+Strong’s

2 Kings 10:34³⁴The rest of the events of Jehu’s reign, including all his accomplishments and successes, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel.Copy LinkCopy VerseKJV+Strong’s

2 Kings 10:35³⁵Jehu passed away and was buried in Samaria. His son Jehoahaz replaced him as king.Copy LinkCopy VerseKJV+Strong’s

2 Kings 10:36³⁶Jehu reigned over Israel for twenty-eight years in Samaria.Copy LinkCopy VerseKJV+Strong’s