2 Kings 10:1-17 - Jehu Continues Purging The House Of Ahab

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.