1 Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria - unto the elders that were lords of Jezreel, and to them that nursed up Ahab's children - saying, "Now at the coming of these letters to you,
2 ye have with you your master's sons, and ye have with you chariots and horses, and a strong city and harness.
3 Therefore choose the best, and him that most pleaseth you of your master's sons, and put him on his father's seat, and fight for your lord's house."
4 And they were accordingly afraid, and said, "See, two kings were not able to stand before him: how shall we then stand?"
5 And the governor of the king's house and of the city and of the elders and the nurses sent to Jehu, saying, "We are thy servants and will do all that thou shalt bid us. We will make no man king: but do thou what seemeth good in thine eyes."
6 Then he wrote another letter to them saying, "If ye be mine and will obey my voice, then take the heads of your master's sons and come to me to Jezreel, by tomorrow this time." And the king's sons were seventy persons with the great men of the city which nourished them.
7 And when the letter came to them, they took the king's children and slew them in number, seventy persons, and put their heads in coffins and sent them to him to Jezreel.
8 And there came a messenger and told him, saying, "They have brought the heads of the king's sons." And he said, "Let them put them on two heaps in the entering of the gate, till it be day."
9 And in the morning he went out and stood and said to all the folk, "Ye be righteous: for see, I conspired against my master and slew him: But who slew these?
10 Consider now how there is nothing of the LORD's word fallen to the earth, which he spake against the house of Ahab: for the LORD hath done that he spake to his servant Elijah."
11 And so Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab, in Jezreel, and all that were great with him, and his companions and his priests, until he had left him nought remaining.
12 And he arose and departed and went to Samaria. And as Jehu was come even to the house where the shepherds bind their sheep by the highway side,
13 he met with the brethren of Ahaziah, king of Judah, and said "What are ye?" And they said, "The brethren of Ahaziah are we, and go to salute the children of the king and of the queen."
14 And he said, "Take them alive." And they took them alive, and slew them at the well beside the house where the shepherds bind their sheep, in number forty two persons; that he left none of them.
15 And when he was departed thence he met with Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming against him. And Jehu saluted him and said to him, "Is thine heart right, as mine heart is with thine?" And Jehonadab said, "Yea, that it is." "If it be, then give me thine hand." And he gave his hand, and the other took him up to him into the chariot,
16 and said, "Go with me and see the zeal I have to the LORD," and made him ride with him in his chariot.
17 And when he came to Samaria, he slew all that remained unto Ahab in Samaria, till he had wiped him out, according to the saying of the LORD which he spake to Elijah.
18 After that, Jehu gathered all the people together and said to them, "Ahab served Baal a little: but Jehu shall serve him a good.
19 Now, therefore, call unto me all the Prophets of Baal and all his servants and all his priests that none be lacking. For I have a great sacrifice to do to Baal: and if any be missed, he shall not live." But Jehu did it for a subtlety, to destroy the servants of Baal.
20 Wherefore Jehu said, "Appoint a solemn feast for Baal." And they proclaimed it.
21 Then Jehu sent throughout all Israel. And all the servants of Baal came, that there was not a man left behind that came not. And when they were come into the temple of Baal, the temple was full from one end to another.
22 Then he said to the keeper of the vestry, bring forth garments for the servants of Baal. And he brought them out garments.
23 And Jehu went with Jehonadab son of Rechab into the house of Baal: and said to the servants of Baal, "Search and look that there be none here with you of the servants of the LORD, but the servants of Baal only."
24 And they went in, to offer sacrifice and burnt offerings. But Jehu appointed him four score men without, and said, "If any of the men that I shall bring unto your hands escape, he that letteth him go shall die for him."
25 And as soon as he had made an end of offering of burnt sacrifice, he said to them of the guard and to the lords, "Go in and slay them, let none come out." And they smote them with the edge of the sword. And the guard and the lords cast them out, and went unto the city of the house of Baal,
26 and fetched out the image out of the house of Baal and burnt it.
27 And they brake the image of Baal, and brake the house of Baal, and made a privy house thereof, unto this day.
28 And so Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.
29 But from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat which made Israel sin with the golden calves in Bethel and Dan, Jehu departed not.
30 Then the LORD said to Jehu, "Because thou hast lustily done that pleaseth me, and hast done to the house of Ahab all that was in mine heart, therefore shall thy children in the fourth generation sit on the seat of Israel."
31 But Jehu cared not 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 sin.
32 In those days the LORD began to cut Israel short, for Hazael slew them in all the coasts of Israel,
33 from Jordan Eastward: even all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, the Reubenites and the Manassites, from Aroer upon the river of Arnon, with Gilead and Bashan.
34 The rest of the acts of Jehu, and all he did, and all his power, are written in the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.
35 And when Jehu was laid to rest with his fathers, they buried him in Samaria, and Jehoahaz his son reigned in his stead.
36 And the time that Jehu reigned upon Israel in Samaria, was twenty eight years.