⁷ You must ·destroy [strike down] the ·family [^Lhouse] of Ahab your ·master [lord]. I will ·punish [have vengeance against] Jezebel for the ·deaths [^Lblood] of my servants the prophets and ·for [^Lfor the blood of] all the Lord’s servants. ⁸ All of Ahab’s ·family [^Lhouse] must die. I will ·destroy [^Lcut off] every ·male [^Lone who urinates against the wall] child in Ahab’s ·family [^Lhouse] in Israel, whether slave or free. ⁹ I will make Ahab’s ·family [^Lhouse] like the ·family [^Lhouse] of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like the ·family [^Lhouse] of Baasha son of Ahijah. ¹⁰ The dogs will ·eat [devour] Jezebel at Jezreel, and no one will bury her.’”

Then the young prophet opened the door and ·ran away [fled].

¹¹ When Jehu went back to his ·master’s [lord’s] officers, one of them said to Jehu, “Is everything all right? Why did this ·crazy man [madman] come to you?”

Jehu answered, “You know ·the [that kind of] man and how he ·talks [babbles].”

¹² They answered, “·That’s not true [Liar]. Tell us.”

Jehu said, “He said to me, ‘This is what the Lord says: I have ·appointed [anointed] you to be king over Israel.’”

¹³ Then the officers hurried, and each man took off his own coat and put it on the stairs for Jehu [^Csignifying submission]. They blew the trumpet and shouted, “Jehu is king!”

Joram and Ahaziah Are Killed^(A)

¹⁴ So Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, ·made plans [conspired; plotted] against Joram. Now Joram and all Israel had been defending Ramoth in Gilead from Hazael king of Aram. ¹⁵ But King Joram had to return to Jezreel to ·heal [recover] from the ·injuries [wounds] the Arameans had given him when he fought against Hazael king of Aram.

Jehu said, “If you ·agree with this [want me to be king], don’t let anyone leave the city to tell the news in Jezreel.” ¹⁶ Then he got into his chariot and set out for Jezreel, where Joram was resting. Ahaziah king of Judah had gone down to see him.

¹⁷ The lookout was standing on the watchtower in Jezreel when he saw Jehu’s troops coming. He said, “I see ·some [a company of] soldiers!”

Joram said, “Take a horseman and send him to meet them. Tell him to ask, ‘·Is all in order [Do you come in peace; ^LIs it peace]?’”

¹⁸ The horseman rode out to meet Jehu, and he said, “This is what the king says: ‘·Is all in order [Do you come in peace; ^LIs it peace]?’”

Jehu said, “·Why bother yourself with order [What is peace to you]? ·Come along [Fall in] behind me.”

The lookout reported, “The messenger reached them, but he is not coming back.”

¹⁹ Then Joram sent out a second horseman. This rider came to Jehu’s group and said, “This is what the king says: ‘·Is all in order [Do you come in peace; ^LIs it peace]?’”

Jehu answered, “·Why bother yourself with order [What is peace to you]? ·Come along [Fall in] behind me.”

²⁰ The lookout reported, “He reached them, but he is not coming back. The man in the chariot is driving like Jehu son of Nimshi. He drives ·as if he were crazy [like a madman/maniac]!”

²¹ Joram said, “Get my chariot ready.” Then the servant got Joram’s chariot ready. Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his own chariot, and met Jehu at the ·property of [plot of ground belonging to] Naboth the Jezreelite [1 Kin. 21:1–19].

²² When Joram saw Jehu, he said, “·Is all in order [Do you come in peace; ^LIs it peace], Jehu?”

Jehu answered, “There will never be any ·order [peace] as long as your mother ·Jezebel worships idols and uses witchcraft [Jezebel’s prostitutions/harlotries and witchcraft/sorceries abound].”

²³ Joram turned the horses to run away and yelled to Ahaziah, “·It’s a trick [Treason; Treachery], Ahaziah!”

²⁴ Then Jehu drew his bow with all his strength and shot Joram between his shoulders. The arrow ·went through [pierced] Joram’s heart, and he ·fell [sank; slumped] down in his chariot.

²⁵ Jehu ordered Bidkar, his chariot officer, “Pick up Joram’s body, and throw it into the field of Naboth the Jezreelite. Remember when you and I rode together ·with [behind] Joram’s father Ahab. The Lord ·made this prophecy [pronounced this oracle; 1 Kin. 19:17, 21:19–29] against him: ²⁶ ‘Yesterday I saw the blood of Naboth and his sons, says the Lord, so I will ·punish [repay] Ahab in his field, says the Lord.’ Take Joram’s body and throw it into the field, ·as the Lord has said [^Lin accordance with the word of the Lord].”

²⁷ When Ahaziah king of Judah saw this, he ·ran away [fled] toward Beth Haggan. Jehu chased him, saying, “Shoot Ahaziah, too!” Ahaziah was wounded in his chariot ·on the way up to [at the Ascent of] Gur near Ibleam. He got as far as Megiddo but died there. ²⁸ Ahaziah’s servants carried his body in a chariot to Jerusalem and buried him with his ·ancestors [fathers] in his tomb in the City of David [^CJerusalem]. ²⁹ (Ahaziah had become king over Judah in the eleventh year Joram son of Ahab was king.)

Death of Jezebel

³⁰ When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard about it. She ·put on her eye makeup [painted her eyes] and ·fixed her hair [adorned her head]. Then she ·looked out [appeared/sat at] the window. ³¹ When Jehu entered the city gate, Jezebel said, “·Have you come in peace [^LIs it peace], ·you Zimri [^LZimri; ^Ca sarcastic reference to a previous king who had assassinated his predecessor; 1 Kin. 16:8–12], you who ·killed [murdered] your ·master [lord]?”

³² Jehu looked up at the window and said, “Who is on my side? Who?” Two or three ·servants [officials] looked ·out the window [down] at Jehu. ³³ He said to them, “Throw her down.” So they threw Jezebel down, and the horses ·ran over [trampled] her. Some of her blood ·splashed [spattered] on the wall and on the horses.

³⁴ Jehu went into the house and ate and drank. Then he said, “Now see about this cursed woman. Bury her, because she is a king’s daughter.”

³⁵ The men went to bury Jezebel, but they found only her skull, feet, and the palms of her hands. ³⁶ When they came back and told Jehu, he said, “The ·Lord [word of the Lord] said this through his servant Elijah the Tishbite: ‘The dogs will eat Jezebel’s flesh at Jezreel [1 Kin. 21:23; 2 Kin. 9:7–10]. ³⁷ Her body will be like ·manure [dung] on the field in the land at Jezreel. No one will be able to say that this is Jezebel.’”

Families of Ahab and Ahaziah Killed

10 Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria [^Cthe city, not the region]. Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria—to the officers of the city^[a] and elders—and to the guardians of the sons of Ahab. Jehu said, ² “You have your ·master’s [lord’s] sons with you, and you have chariots, horses, a ·city with strong walls [fortified city], and weapons. When you get this letter, ³ choose the best and most worthy person among your ·master’s [lord’s] sons, and make him king. Then fight for your ·master’s [lord’s] ·family [^Lhouse].”

⁴ But the officers and leaders of Jezreel were ·frightened [utterly terrified]. They said, “Two kings could not ·stand up to [resist] Jehu, so how can we?”

⁵ The ·palace manager [steward of the house], the city ·governor [administrator], the ·leaders [elders], 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 [^Lis good in your eyes/sight].”

⁶ 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 [lord’s] sons and come to me at Jezreel tomorrow about this time.”

Now the seventy sons of the king’s ·family [^Lhouse] were with the leading men of the city who were ·their guardians [raising them]. ⁷ When the leaders received the letter, they took the king’s sons and ·killed [slaughtered] all seventy of them. They put their heads in baskets and sent them to Jehu at Jezreel. ⁸ The messenger came to Jehu and told him, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons.”

Then Jehu said, “·Lay [Pile] the heads in two ·piles [heaps] at the city gate until morning.”

⁹ In the morning, Jehu went out and stood before the people and said to them, “You are innocent. Look, I ·made plans [conspired; plotted] against my ·master [lord] and killed him. But who killed all these [^CJehu might have been blaming the Samaritan officials, or perhaps was implying that God ordered the killing]? ¹⁰ You should know that ·everything [^Lnothing] the Lord said about Ahab’s ·family [^Lhouse] will ·come true [^Lfall to the ground/earth]. The Lord ·has spoken [spoke his word] through his servant Elijah, and the Lord has done what he said.” ¹¹ So Jehu killed everyone of Ahab’s ·family [^Lhouse] in Jezreel who was still alive. He also killed all Ahab’s ·leading men [important officials], ·close [personal] friends, and priests. ·No one who had helped Ahab was left alive [He left no one to survive him].

The Killing of Ahaziah’s Relatives^(B)

¹² Then Jehu left and went to Samaria by way of the road to Beth Eked of the Shepherds. ¹³ 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 [or greet; visit] the families of the king and the king’s mother.”

¹⁴ Then Jehu said, “Take them alive!” So they captured Ahaziah’s relatives alive and killed them at the ·well [pit] near Beth Eked—forty-two of them. Jehu ·did not leave anyone alive [spared no one].

¹⁵ After Jehu left there, he met Jehonadab son of Recab [Jer. 35], 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 [Are you as loyal to me as I am to you; ^LIs your heart right, as my heart is with your heart]?”

Jehonadab answered, “·Yes, I am [^LIt is].”

Jehu said, “If you are, then give me your hand.” So Jehonadab gave him his hand, and Jehu pulled him into the chariot. ¹⁶ “Come with me,” Jehu said. “You can see ·how strong my feelings are [my zeal/devotion] for the Lord.” So Jehu had Jehonadab ride in his chariot.

¹⁷ When Jehu came to Samaria, he killed all of Ahab’s ·family [^Lhouse] in Samaria. He destroyed all those who were left, ·just as the Lord had told Elijah it would happen [^Lin accordance with the word of the Lord spoken to Elijah].

Baal Worshipers Killed

¹⁸ Then Jehu gathered all the people together and said to them, “Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve Baal ·much [greatly]. ¹⁹ Now ·call for me [summon; assemble] all Baal’s prophets and priests and all the people who ·worship [serve] 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 [deceiving them; ^Lacting cunningly] so he could destroy ·the worshipers of [those who served] Baal. ²⁰ He said, “Prepare a ·holy [sacred; solemn] meeting for Baal.” So they ·announced [proclaimed] the meeting. ²¹ Then Jehu sent word through all Israel, and all ·the worshipers of [who served] Baal came; not one stayed ·home [behind]. They came into the ·temple [^Lhouse] of Baal, and the ·temple [^Lhouse] was filled from one side to the other.

²² Jehu said to the man who kept the robes, “Bring out ·robes [garments; vestments] for all ·the worshipers of [those who serve] Baal.” After he brought out ·robes [garments; vestments] for them, ²³ Jehu and Jehonadab son of Recab went into the ·temple [^Lhouse] of Baal. Jehu said to ·the worshipers of [those who served] Baal, “Look around, and make sure there are no servants of the Lord with you. Be sure there are only ·worshipers of [those who serve] Baal.” ²⁴ Then they 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 [The one who allows any of these men who I have put in your hands to escape] must ·pay with [exchange] your own life.”

²⁵ As soon as Jehu finished offering the burnt offering, he ordered the guards and the ·captains [officers], “Go in and kill ·the worshipers of [those who serve] Baal. Don’t let anyone ·come out [escape].” So the guards and ·captains [officers] killed ·the worshipers of [those who served] Baal with the sword and threw their bodies out. Then they went to the inner rooms of the ·temple [^Lhouse of Baal] ²⁶ and brought out the ·pillars [sacred poles/stone; ^Cused in worship] of the ·temple [^Lhouse] of Baal and burned them. ²⁷ They ·tore down [smashed] the stone pillar of Baal, as well as the ·temple [^Lhouse] of Baal. And they made it into a ·sewage pit [public toilet; latrine], as it is today.

²⁸ So Jehu destroyed Baal worship in Israel,