2 Kings 10 : 1 (NCV)
Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria to the officers and older leaders of Jezreel and to the guardians of the sons of Ahab. Jehu said,
2 Kings 10 : 2 (NCV)
"You have your master's sons with you, and you have chariots, horses, a city with strong walls, and weapons. When you get this letter,
2 Kings 10 : 3 (NCV)
choose the best and most worthy person among your master's sons, and make him king. Then fight for your master's family."
2 Kings 10 : 4 (NCV)
But the officers and leaders of Jezreel were frightened. They said, "Two kings could not stand up to Jehu, so how can we?"
2 Kings 10 : 5 (NCV)
The palace manager, the city governor, the leaders, and the guardians sent a message to Jehu. "We are your servants," they said. "We will do everything you tell us to do. We won't make any man king, so do whatever you think is best."
2 Kings 10 : 6 (NCV)
Then Jehu wrote a second letter, saying, "If you are on my side and will obey me, cut off the heads of your master's sons and come to me at Jezreel tomorrow about this time." Now the seventy sons of the king's family were with the leading men of the city who were their guardians.
2 Kings 10 : 7 (NCV)
When the leaders received the letter, they took the king's sons and killed all seventy of them. They put their heads in baskets and sent them to Jehu at Jezreel.
2 Kings 10 : 8 (NCV)
The messenger came to Jehu and told him, "They have brought the heads of the king's sons." Then Jehu said, "Lay the heads in two piles at the city gate until morning."
2 Kings 10 : 9 (NCV)
In the morning, Jehu went out and stood before the people and said to them, "You are innocent. Look, I made plans against my master and killed him. But who killed all these?
2 Kings 10 : 10 (NCV)
You should know that everything the Lord said about Ahab's family will come true. The Lord has spoken through his servant Elijah, and the Lord has done what he said."
2 Kings 10 : 11 (NCV)
So Jehu killed everyone of Ahab's family in Jezreel who was still alive. He also killed all Ahab's leading men, close friends, and priests. No one who had helped Ahab was left alive.
2 Kings 10 : 12 (NCV)
Then Jehu left and went to Samaria by way of the road to Beth Eked of the Shepherds.
2 Kings 10 : 13 (NCV)
There Jehu met some relatives of Ahaziah king of Judah. Jehu asked, "Who are you?" They answered, "We are relatives of Ahaziah. We have come down to get revenge for the families of the king and the king's mother."
2 Kings 10 : 14 (NCV)
Then Jehu said, "Take them alive!" So they captured Ahaziah's relatives alive and killed them at the well near Beth Eked -- forty-two of them. Jehu did not leave anyone alive.
2 Kings 10 : 15 (NCV)
After Jehu left there, he met Jehonadab son of Recab, who was also on his way to meet Jehu. Jehu greeted him and said, "Are you as good a friend to me as I am to you?" Jehonadab answered, "Yes, I am." Jehu said, "If you are, then give me your hand." So Jehonadab gave him his hand, and Jehu pulled him into the chariot.
2 Kings 10 : 16 (NCV)
"Come with me," Jehu said. "You can see how strong my feelings are for the Lord." So Jehu had Jehonadab ride in his chariot.
2 Kings 10 : 17 (NCV)
When Jehu came to Samaria, he killed all of Ahab's family in Samaria. He destroyed all those who were left, just as the Lord had told Elijah it would happen.
2 Kings 10 : 18 (NCV)
Then Jehu gathered all the people together and said to them, "Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve Baal much.
2 Kings 10 : 19 (NCV)
Now call for me all Baal's prophets and priests and all the people who worship Baal. Don't let anyone miss this meeting, because I have a great sacrifice for Baal. Anyone who is not there will not live." But Jehu was tricking them so he could destroy the worshipers of Baal.
2 Kings 10 : 20 (NCV)
He said, "Prepare a holy meeting for Baal." So they announced the meeting.
2 Kings 10 : 21 (NCV)
Then Jehu sent word through all Israel, and all the worshipers of Baal came; not one stayed home. They came into the temple of Baal, and the temple was filled from one side to the other.
2 Kings 10 : 22 (NCV)
Jehu said to the man who kept the robes, "Bring out robes for all the worshipers of Baal." After he brought out robes for them,
2 Kings 10 : 23 (NCV)
Jehu and Jehonadab son of Recab went into the temple of Baal. Jehu said to the worshipers of Baal, "Look around, and make sure there are no servants of the Lord with you. Be sure there are only worshipers of Baal."
2 Kings 10 : 24 (NCV)
Then the worshipers of Baal went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Jehu had eighty men waiting outside. He had told them, "Don't let anyone escape. If you do, you must pay with your own life."
2 Kings 10 : 25 (NCV)
As soon as Jehu finished offering the burnt offering, he ordered the guards and the captains, "Go in and kill the worshipers of Baal. Don't let anyone come out." So the guards and captains killed the worshipers of Baal with the sword and threw their bodies out. Then they went to the inner rooms of the temple
2 Kings 10 : 26 (NCV)
and brought out the pillars of the temple of Baal and burned them.
2 Kings 10 : 27 (NCV)
They tore down the stone pillar of Baal, as well as the temple of Baal. And they made it into a sewage pit, as it is today.
2 Kings 10 : 28 (NCV)
So Jehu destroyed Baal worship in Israel,
2 Kings 10 : 29 (NCV)
but he did not stop doing the sins Jeroboam son of Nebat had done. Jeroboam had led Israel to sin by worshiping the golden calves in Bethel and Dan.
2 Kings 10 : 30 (NCV)
The Lord said to Jehu, "You have done well in obeying what I said was right. You have done to the family of Ahab as I wanted. Because of this, your descendants as far as your great-great-grandchildren will be kings of Israel."
2 Kings 10 : 31 (NCV)
But Jehu was not careful to follow the teachings of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not stop doing the same sins Jeroboam had done, by which he had led Israel to sin.
2 Kings 10 : 32 (NCV)
At that time the Lord began to make Israel smaller. Hazael defeated the Israelites in all the land of Israel,
2 Kings 10 : 33 (NCV)
taking all the land of the Jordan known as the land of Gilead. (It was the region of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh.) He took land from Aroer by the Arnon Ravine through Gilead to Bashan.
2 Kings 10 : 34 (NCV)
The other things Jehu did -- everything he did and all his victories -- are recorded in the book of the history of the kings of Israel.
2 Kings 10 : 35 (NCV)
Jehu died and was buried in Samaria, and his son Jehoahaz became king in his place.
2 Kings 10 : 36 (NCV)
Jehu was king over Israel in Samaria for twenty-eight years.
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