Jehu

15And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria:

The LORD said to him, "Go back the way you came. Go to the desert near Damascus. When you get there, pour oil on Hazael's head to make him king of Syria.

16And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.

Also pour oil on Jehu son of Nimshi to make him king of Israel. And pour oil on Elisha son of Shaphat, from the town of Abelmeholah, to be a prophet in your place.

17And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.

Anyone who gets away from Hazael's sword, Jehu will kill. Anyone who gets away from Jehu's sword, Elisha will kill.

18Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.

But I have kept seven thousand people in Israel for myself. They have never bowed down to the god Baal. They have never kissed his statue."

1And Elisha the prophet called one of the children of the prophets, and said unto him, Gird up thy loins, and take this box of oil in thine hand, and go to Ramothgilead:

Elisha was a prophet, someone who told people what God said. He called one of the young men training to be prophets. Elisha said, "Tuck your robe into your belt so you can run. Take this small jar of oil. Go to the town of Ramoth-gilead."

2And when thou comest thither, look out there Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in, and make him arise up from among his brethren, and carry him to an inner chamber;

"When you get there, look for Jehu. He is the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi. Go in and get him away from the other men. Take him into a back room by himself."

3Then take the box of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, Thus saith the LORD, I have anointed thee king over Israel. Then open the door, and flee, and tarry not.

"Then pour the oil from the jar on his head. Pouring oil on someone's head showed that God had chosen him. Say, 'This is what the LORD says: I have chosen you to be king over Israel.' Then open the door and run. Do not wait!"

4So the young man, even the young man the prophet, went to Ramothgilead.

So the young prophet went to Ramoth-gilead.

5And when he came, behold, the captains of the host were sitting; and he said, I have an errand to thee, O captain. And Jehu said, Unto which of all us? And he said, To thee, O captain.

When he got there, the army commanders were sitting together. He said, "I have a message for you, commander." Jehu asked, "For which one of us?" The young man said, "For you, commander."

6And he arose, and went into the house; and he poured the oil on his head, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I have anointed thee king over the people of the LORD, even over Israel.

So Jehu got up and went into the house. The young prophet poured the oil on Jehu's head. He said, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I have chosen you to be king over my people Israel."

7And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD, at the hand of Jezebel.

"You must strike down the family of Ahab, your master. Ahab's wife Jezebel had God's prophets killed. She had many of the LORD's servants killed too. Now God will pay her back for their deaths."

8For the whole house of Ahab shall perish: and I will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel:

"Ahab's whole family will die. Every male in his family in Israel will be cut off. That includes servants and free men alike."

9And I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah:

"I will do to Ahab's family what I did to two other families. Jeroboam son of Nebat and Baasha son of Ahijah were kings before. Their families were wiped out too."

10And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her. And he opened the door, and fled.

"Dogs will eat Jezebel's body on the land at Jezreel. No one will bury her." Then the young prophet opened the door and ran away.

11Then Jehu came forth to the servants of his lord: and one said unto him, Is all well? wherefore came this mad fellow to thee? And he said unto them, Ye know the man, and his communication.

Jehu went back out to the other officers. One of them asked, "Is everything all right? Why did that crazy man come to you?" Jehu said, "You know men like him. You know the way they talk."

12And they said, It is false; tell us now. And he said, Thus and thus spake he to me, saying, Thus saith the LORD, I have anointed thee king over Israel.

They said, "That is not true! Tell us what he said!" So Jehu answered, "He told me this and that. He said the LORD has chosen me to be king over Israel."

13Then they hasted, and took every man his garment, and put it under him on the top of the stairs, and blew with trumpets, saying, Jehu is king.

The men moved fast. Each one took off his coat. They spread the coats on the bare steps under Jehu. Then they blew a ram's horn and shouted, "Jehu is king!"

14So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. (Now Joram had kept Ramothgilead, he and all Israel, because of Hazael king of Syria.

So Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, made a secret plan against King Joram. Joram and all Israel's army had been guarding Ramoth-gilead. They were holding it against Hazael, the king of Aram.

15But king Joram was returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him, when he fought with Hazael king of Syria.) And Jehu said, If it be your minds, then let none go forth nor escape out of the city to go to tell it in Jezreel.

But King Joram had gone back to Jezreel to get well. Soldiers from Aram had wounded him in the fight against their king Hazael. Jehu said, "If you really want me as king, let no one leave this city. No one must go and warn Jezreel."

16So Jehu rode in a chariot, and went to Jezreel; for Joram lay there. And Ahaziah king of Judah was come down to see Joram.

Then Jehu got into his chariot and rode to Jezreel. Joram was lying sick there. Ahaziah, the king of Judah, had come to visit him.

17And there stood a watchman on the tower in Jezreel, and he spied the company of Jehu as he came, and said, I see a company. And Joram said, Take an horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say, Is it peace?

A watchman stood on the tower in Jezreel. He saw Jehu and his men coming and called out, "I see a group of soldiers!" Joram said, "Send a rider out to meet them. Have him ask if they come in peace."

18So there went one on horseback to meet him, and said, Thus saith the king, Is it peace? And Jehu said, What hast thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me. And the watchman told, saying, The messenger came to them, but he cometh not again.

So a man rode out on a horse to meet Jehu. He said, "The king asks, do you come in peace?" Jehu answered, "What do you know about peace? Get in line behind me." The watchman called out, "The messenger reached them, but he is not coming back."

19Then he sent out a second on horseback, which came to them, and said, Thus saith the king, Is it peace? And Jehu answered, What hast thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me.

So the king sent out a second rider. He said, "The king asks, do you come in peace?" Jehu answered again, "What do you know about peace? Get in line behind me."

20And the watchman told, saying, He came even unto them, and cometh not again: and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi; for he driveth furiously.

The watchman called out again. "He reached them, but he is not coming back either. The driver drives like Jehu son of Nimshi. He drives like a wild man."

21And Joram said, Make ready. And his chariot was made ready. And Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his chariot, and they went out against Jehu, and met him in the portion of Naboth the Jezreelite.

Joram shouted, "Get my chariot ready!" So they got it ready. Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah rode out. Each man rode in his own chariot. They met Jehu on the land that had belonged to Naboth of Jezreel.

22And it came to pass, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, Is it peace, Jehu? And he answered, What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?

When Joram saw Jehu, he asked, "Do you come in peace, Jehu?" Jehu answered, "How can there be peace? Your mother Jezebel worships false gods. She uses magic, and she does it again and again."

23And Joram turned his hands, and fled, and said to Ahaziah, There is treachery, O Ahaziah.

Joram turned his chariot around and fled. He shouted to Ahaziah, "It is a trap, Ahaziah!"

24And Jehu drew a bow with his full strength, and smote Jehoram between his arms, and the arrow went out at his heart, and he sunk down in his chariot.

Jehu pulled his bow back with all his strength. He shot Joram between the shoulders. The arrow went through his heart. Joram slumped down in his chariot.

25Then said Jehu to Bidkar his captain, Take up, and cast him in the portion of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite: for remember how that, when I and thou rode together after Ahab his father, the LORD laid this burden upon him;

Jehu said to Bidkar, his officer, "Pick him up. Throw him on Naboth's field. Remember when you and I rode behind his father Ahab? The LORD spoke these hard words against Ahab that day."

26Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth, and the blood of his sons, saith the LORD; and I will requite thee in this plat, saith the LORD. Now therefore take and cast him into the plat of ground, according to the word of the LORD.

"The LORD said, 'I saw the blood of Naboth and his sons. I will pay you back on this very piece of land.' So do what the LORD said. Pick Joram up and throw him on that land."

27But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the way of the garden house. And Jehu followed after him, and said, Smite him also in the chariot. And they did so at the going up to Gur, which is by Ibleam. And he fled to Megiddo, and died there.

King Ahaziah of Judah saw this and fled up the road toward the garden house. Jehu chased him and shouted, "Shoot him too!" They shot him in his chariot on the hill of Gur, near Ibleam. He got as far as Megiddo and died there.

28And his servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him in his sepulchre with his fathers in the city of David.

His servants carried his body by chariot to Jerusalem. They buried him in his own tomb, with the family who came before him. This was in the City of David.

29And in the eleventh year of Joram the son of Ahab began Ahaziah to reign over Judah.

Ahaziah had become king over Judah in the eleventh year that Joram son of Ahab ruled.

30And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a window.

Jehu came to Jezreel, and Jezebel heard about it. She painted around her eyes and fixed her hair. Then she looked down from a window.

31And as Jehu entered in at the gate, she said, Had Zimri peace, who slew his master?

Jehu came in through the gate. Jezebel called down, "Do you come in peace, Zimri?" Zimri was a man long before who had killed his own king.

32And he lifted up his face to the window, and said, Who is on my side? who? And there looked out to him two or three eunuchs.

Jehu looked up at the window and called out, "Who is on my side? Who?" Two or three palace servants looked down at him.

33And he said, Throw her down. So they threw her down: and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses: and he trode her under foot.

Jehu shouted, "Throw her down!" So they threw her down. Her blood splashed on the wall and on the horses. The horses trampled her.

34And when he was come in, he did eat and drink, and said, Go, see now this cursed woman, and bury her: for she is a king’s daughter.

Then Jehu went inside and ate and drank. He said, "Go and take care of that cursed woman. Bury her, because she was a king's daughter."

35And they went to bury her: but they found no more of her than the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands.

But when they went out to bury her, they found almost nothing. Only her skull, her feet, and the palms of her hands were left.

36Wherefore they came again, and told him. And he said, This is the word of the LORD, which he spake by his servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, In the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel:

They came back and told Jehu. He said, "This is what the LORD said. He spoke it through his servant Elijah from Tishbe. Dogs will eat Jezebel's body on the land at Jezreel."

37And the carcase of Jezebel shall be as dung upon the face of the field in the portion of Jezreel; so that they shall not say, This is Jezebel.

"Her body will lie in that field like waste on the ground. No one will be able to say, 'This was Jezebel.'"

1And 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,

Ahab 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;

The 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.

"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."

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

But 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.

The 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.

Then 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.

When 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.

A 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?

In 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.

"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.

So 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,

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

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.

There 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.

Jehu 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.

Jehu 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.

Jehu 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.

When 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.

Jehu 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.

"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.

Jehu 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.

Jehu 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.

Jehu 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.

Then 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.

The 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.

As 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.

They 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.

They 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.

28Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.

So Jehu got rid of Baal worship in Israel.