2 Kings

And Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, unto the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to them that brought up Ahab’s children, saying,

1Ahab had seventy sons living in Samaria. Jehu was the new king. He wrote letters and sent them to Samaria. They went to the city leaders, to the older leaders, and to the men who raised Ahab's sons.

2Now as soon as this letter cometh to you, seeing your master’s sons are with you, and there are with you chariots and horses, a fenced city also, and armour;

2The letter said, "Your master's sons are with you. You also have chariots and horses. You have a city with strong walls and plenty of weapons."

3Look even out the best and meetest of your master’s sons, and set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house.

3"So pick the best and most fitting of your master's sons. Put him on his father's throne. Then fight for your master's family."

Note"Meetest" in the KJV means most fitting or most suitable. It has nothing to do with meeting someone.

4But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, two kings stood not before him: how then shall we stand?

4But the men were very afraid. They said, "Two kings could not stand up to Jehu. How can we?"

5And he that was over the house, and he that was over the city, the elders also, and the bringers up 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.

5The man in charge of the palace sent Jehu a message. The man in charge of the city sent one too. So did the older leaders and the men who raised the boys. They said, "We are your servants. We will do whatever you say. We will not make anyone king. Do what you think is right."

6Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, If ye be mine, and if ye will hearken unto my voice, take ye the heads of the men your master’s sons, and come to me to Jezreel by to morrow this time. Now the king’s sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, which brought them up.

6Then Jehu wrote them a second letter. It said, "If you are on my side, then obey me. Bring me the heads of your master's sons. Come to me in Jezreel by this time tomorrow." The king's seventy sons were being raised by the leading men of the city.

7And 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 to Jezreel.

7When the letter came, they took the king's sons. They killed all seventy of them. They put their heads in baskets. They sent the baskets to Jehu in Jezreel.

8And 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 entering in of the gate until the morning.

8A messenger came and told Jehu, "They have brought the heads of the king's sons." Jehu said, "Pile them in two heaps at the city gate until morning."

9And it came to pass in the morning, that he went out, and stood, and said to all the people, Ye be righteous: behold, I conspired against my master, and slew him: but who slew all these?

9In the morning Jehu went out and stood before all the people. He said, "You did nothing wrong. I am the one who planned against my master and killed him. But who killed all these?"

10Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the LORD, which the LORD spake concerning the house of Ahab: for the LORD hath done that which he spake by his servant Elijah.

10"So know this. Nothing the LORD said about Ahab's family will fail. The LORD has done what he promised through his servant Elijah." Elijah was a prophet, a man who told people what God said.

11So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his kinsfolks, and his priests, until he left him none remaining.

11So Jehu killed everyone left of Ahab's family in Jezreel. He also killed Ahab's important men, his close friends, and his priests. Not one of them was left.

12And he arose and departed, and came to Samaria. And as he was at the shearing house in the way,

12Then Jehu set out for Samaria. On the way he stopped at the shearing house.

NoteThe shearing house was a place where workers cut the wool off sheep. Its name in Hebrew was Beth-eked.

13Jehu 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.

13There Jehu met some relatives of Ahaziah, the king of Judah. He asked, "Who are you?" They said, "We are Ahaziah's relatives. We came to greet the king's sons and the queen's sons."

14And 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.

14Jehu said, "Take them alive." So his men caught them alive. Then they killed them at the well by the shearing house. There were forty-two men. Not one was left.

15And when he was departed thence, he lighted on 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 he took him up to him into the chariot.

15Jehu left that place. He met Jehonadab son of Rechab, who was coming to meet him. Jehu greeted him and asked, "Is your heart with me, as my heart is with you?" Jehonadab said, "It is." Jehu said, "Then give me your hand." He gave Jehu his hand, and Jehu pulled him up into the chariot.

16And he said, Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD. So they made him ride in his chariot.

16Jehu said, "Come with me. See how hard I work for the LORD." So Jehonadab rode along in his chariot.

17And 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 spake to Elijah.

17When Jehu came to Samaria, he killed everyone from Ahab's family still living there. He wiped them all out. This was just what the LORD had told Elijah would happen.

18And Jehu gathered all the people together, and said unto them, Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu shall serve him much.

18Jehu called all the people together. He said, "Ahab served Baal a little. But Jehu will serve him a lot." Baal was a false god that many people worshipped.

19Now 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 subtilty, to the intent that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal.

19"Now call all of Baal's prophets, all his servants, and all his priests. No one may stay away. I am making a great sacrifice to Baal. Anyone who stays away will be put to death." But Jehu was lying on purpose. He planned to destroy the people who worshipped Baal.

20And Jehu said, Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal. And they proclaimed it.

20Jehu said, "Announce a special gathering to honor Baal." So they announced it.

21And Jehu sent through all Israel: and all the worshippers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that came not. And they came into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was full from one end to another.

21Jehu sent word all through Israel. Every worshipper of Baal came. Not one stayed home. They went into the temple of Baal. It was full from one end to the other.

22And he said unto him that was over the vestry, Bring forth vestments for all the worshippers of Baal. And he brought them forth vestments.

22Jehu spoke to the man who took care of the robes. He said, "Bring out robes for all the worshippers of Baal." So the man brought out robes for them.

23And Jehu went, and Jehonadab the son of Rechab, into the house of Baal, and said unto the worshippers of Baal, Search, and look that there be here with you none of the servants of the LORD, but the worshippers of Baal only.

23Then Jehu and Jehonadab son of Rechab went into the temple of Baal. Jehu said to the worshippers, "Look around. Make sure no servants of the LORD are here. Only worshippers of Baal should be inside."

24And when they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings, Jehu appointed fourscore men without, and said, If any of the men whom I have brought into your hands escape, he that letteth him go, his life shall be for the life of him.

24The worshippers went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Jehu had already placed eighty men outside. He told them, "I am handing these men over to you. If even one gets away, you will pay with your own life."

25And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, Go in, and slay them; let none come forth. And they smote them with the edge of the sword; and the guard and the captains cast them out, and went to the city of the house of Baal.

25As soon as the burnt offering was finished, Jehu spoke to the guards and the officers. He said, "Go in and kill them. Do not let anyone out." So they killed them with swords. They threw the bodies outside. Then they went into the inner room of Baal's temple.

26And they brought forth the images out of the house of Baal, and burned them.

26They carried the sacred stone pillar out of Baal's temple and burned it.

27And they brake down the image of Baal, and brake down the house of Baal, and made it a draught house unto this day.

27They smashed the pillar of Baal. They tore down the temple of Baal. They turned the place into a toilet, and it is still one today.

NoteThe KJV says they made it "a draught house." That means a toilet.

28Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.

28So Jehu got rid of Baal worship in Israel.

29Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them, to wit, the golden calves that were in Bethel, and that were in Dan.

29But Jehu kept doing one wrong thing. Long before, King Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel into sin. He set up gold calves at Bethel and at Dan for people to worship. Jehu did not put a stop to that.

30And the LORD said unto Jehu, Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes, and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart, thy children of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.

30The LORD said to Jehu, "You have done well. You did what is right in my eyes. You did to Ahab's family all that I wanted done. So your sons will sit on Israel's throne for four generations."

31But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin.

31But Jehu was not careful to obey God's teaching with all his heart. He did not stop the sins of Jeroboam, who had led Israel into sin.

32In those days the LORD began to cut Israel short: and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel;

32In those days the LORD began to make Israel smaller. King Hazael beat the Israelites all across their land.

Note"Coasts" in the KJV means borders or land, not places beside the sea.

33From Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the river Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan.

33This land was east of the Jordan River. It was all of Gilead, where the families of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh lived. It went from Aroer by the Arnon Valley through Gilead to Bashan.

34Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, and all that he did, and all his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

34The other things Jehu did, and how strong he was, are all written down. They are in the book called the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.

35And Jehu slept with his fathers: and they buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son reigned in his stead.

35Jehu died, as his fathers had before him. They buried him in Samaria. His son Jehoahaz became king after him.

36And the time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty and eight years.

36Jehu was king over Israel in Samaria for twenty-eight years.