Jehu Kills All of Ahab's Descendants
1 Ahab still had 70 descendants living in Samaria. So Jehu wrote a letter to each of the important leaders and officials of the town, and to those who supported Ahab. In the letters he wrote:
2 Your town is strong, and you're protected by chariots and an armed cavalry. And I know that King Ahab's descendants live there with you. So as soon as you read this letter, 3 choose the best person for the job and make him the next king. Then be prepared to defend Ahab's family.
4 The officials and leaders read the letters and were very frightened. They said to each other, “Jehu has already killed King Joram and King Ahaziah! We have to do what he says.” 5 The prime minister, the mayor of the city, as well as the other leaders and Ahab's supporters, sent this answer to Jehu, “We are your servants, Your Majesty, and we will do whatever you tell us. But it's not our place to choose someone to be king. You do what you think is best.”
6 Jehu then wrote another letter which said, “If you are on my side and will obey me, then prove it. Bring me the heads of the descendants of Ahab! And be here in Jezreel by this time tomorrow.”
The 70 descendants of King Ahab were living with some of the most important people of the city. 7 And when these people read Jehu's second letter, they called together all 70 of Ahab's descendants. They killed them, put their heads in baskets, and sent them to Jezreel.
8 When Jehu was told what had happened, he said, “Put the heads in two piles at the city gate, and leave them there until morning.”
9 The next morning, Jehu went out and stood where everyone could hear him, and he said, “You people are not guilty of anything. I'm the one who plotted against Joram and had him killed. But who killed all these men? 10 Listen to me. Everything the Lord's servant Elijah promised about Ahab's family will come true.”
11 Then Jehu killed the rest of Ahab's relatives living in Jezreel, as well as his highest officials, his priests, and his closest friends. No one in Ahab's family was left alive in Jezreel.
12-13 Jehu left for Samaria, and along the way, he met some relatives of King Ahaziah of Judah at a place where shepherds meet. He asked, “Who are you?”
“We are relatives of Ahaziah,” they answered. “We're going to visit his family.”
14 “Take them alive!” Jehu said to his officers. So they grabbed them and led them to the well near the shepherds' meeting place, where they killed all 42 of them.
15 As Jehu went on, he saw Jehonadab son of Rechab coming to meet him. Jehu greeted him, then said, “Jehonadab, I'm on your side. Are you on mine?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Then give me your hand,” Jehu answered. He helped Jehonadab into his chariot 16 and said, “Come with me and see how faithful I am to the Lord.”
They rode together in Jehu's chariot 17 to Samaria. Jehu killed everyone there who belonged to Ahab's family, as well as all his officials. Everyone in his family was now dead, just as the Lord had promised Elijah.
Jehu Kills All the Worshipers of Baal
18 Jehu called together the people in Samaria and said:
King Ahab sometimes worshiped Baal, but I will be completely faithful to Baal. 19 I'm going to offer a huge sacrifice to him. So invite his prophets and priests, and be sure everyone who worships him is there. Anyone who doesn't come will be killed.
But this was a trick—Jehu was really planning to kill the worshipers of Baal. 20 He said, “Announce a day of worship for Baal!” After the day had been announced, 21 Jehu sent an invitation to everyone in Israel. All the worshipers of Baal came, and the temple was filled from one end to the other. 22 Jehu told the official in charge of the sacred robes to make sure that everyone had a robe to wear.
23 Jehu and Jehonadab went into the temple, and Jehu said to the crowd, “Look around and make sure that only the worshipers of Baal are here. No one who worships the Lord is allowed in.” 24 Then they began to offer sacrifices to Baal.
Earlier, Jehu had ordered 80 soldiers to wait outside the temple. He had warned them, “I will get all these worshipers here, and if any of you let even one of them escape, you will be killed instead!”
25 As soon as Jehu finished offering the sacrifice, he told the guards and soldiers, “Come in and kill them! Don't let anyone escape.” They slaughtered everyone in the crowd and threw the bodies outside. Then they went back into the temple 26 and carried out the image of Baal. They burned it 27 and broke it into pieces, then they completely destroyed Baal's temple. And since that time, it's been nothing but a public toilet.
28 That's how Jehu stopped the worship of Baal in Israel. 29 But he did not stop the worship of the gold statues of calves at Dan and Bethel that Jeroboam had made for the people to worship.
30 Later the Lord said, “Jehu, you have done right by destroying Ahab's entire family, just as I had planned. So I will make sure that the next four kings of Israel will come from your own family.”
31 But Jehu did not completely obey the commands of the Lord God of Israel. Instead, he kept doing the sinful things that Jeroboam had caused the Israelites to do.
Jehu Dies
32 In those days the Lord began to reduce the size of Israel's territory. King Hazael of Syria defeated the Israelites and took control 33 of the regions of Gilead and Bashan east of the Jordan River and north of the town of Aroer near the Arnon River. This was the land where the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh had once lived.
34 Everything else Jehu did while he was king, including his brave deeds, is written in The History of the Kings of Israel. 35 Jehu died and was buried in Samaria, and his son Jehoahaz became king. 36 Jehu had ruled Israel 28 years from Samaria.
Ahāba nama iznīcināšana
1 Ahābam Samarijā bija septiņdesmit dēli. Jehus rakstīja vēstules un sūtīja tās uz Samariju Jizreēlas virsniekiem, vecajiem un Ahāba dēlu audzinātājiem. 2 Viņš rakstīja: “Tagad, kad jūs saņemat šo vēstuli un jūsu kunga dēli ir pie jums, un jums ir kararati, zirgi, nocietināta pilsēta un ieroči, 3 tad izvēlieties labāko un taisnāko no sava kunga dēliem, sēdiniet to tēva tronī un karojiet par sava kunga namu!” 4 Tad tie jo ļoti izbijās un sacīja: “Redzi, divi ķēniņi nav spējuši stāties tam pretī – kā lai mēs pastāvam?” 5 Pils pārvaldnieks un pilsētas priekšnieks, vecajie un audzinātāji sūtīja Jehum ziņu: “Mēs esam tavi kalpi – mēs darīsim visu, ko tu mums teiksi, bet ķēniņu neiecelsim. Dari, kā tev šķiet labi!” 6 Tad viņš tiem rakstīja otru vēstuli: “Ja jūs esat manā pusē un gribat mani klausīt, tad ņemiet jūsu kunga dēlu galvas un rīt nāciet pie manis uz Jizreēlu.” Pie pilsētas varasvīriem bija septiņdesmit ķēniņa dēli, kurus tie audzināja. 7 Kad viņi saņēma vēstuli, tie nokāva visus septiņdesmit ķēniņa dēlus, ielika to galvas grozos un nosūtīja uz Jizreēlu. 8 Tad vēstnesis nāca un viņam teica: “Tie ir atnesuši ķēniņa dēlu galvas.” Jehus sacīja: “Lieciet tās divās kaudzēs pie vārtiem un atstājiet līdz rītam.” 9 No rīta viņš izgāja ārā, stājās visas tautas priekšā un sacīja: “Jūs esat bez vainas – tas biju es, kurš sacēlās pret savu kungu un viņu nokāva. Bet kas ir nokāvis visus šos? 10 Jūs zināt, ka Kunga vārds nekrīt zemē – ko Kungs par Ahāba namu ir runājis, to Kungs ir darījis, – tā viņš runājis caur savu kalpu Eliju.” 11 Jehus nokāva visus, kas Jizreēlā Ahāba namam bija atlikuši: visus augstmaņus, draugus un priesterus, ka neviens nepalika dzīvs.
12 Tad viņš cēlās, gāja un nonāca Samarijā. Ceļā uz Bēt-Ēked-Roīmu 13 Jehus satika Jūdas ķēniņa Ahazjāhu brāļus un jautāja: “Kas jūs esat?” Tie atbildēja: “Mēs esam Ahazjāhu brāļi un ejam apciemot ķēniņa dēlus un vecās ķēniņienes dēlus.” 14 Viņš sacīja: “Sagrābiet dzīvus!” Tos sagrāba dzīvus un nokāva pie Bēt-Ēkedas akas – četrdesmit divus vīrus, no tiem neatstāja nevienu.
15 Viņš aizgāja no turienes un satika Jehonādābu, Rēhāba dēlu. Viņš gāja tam klāt un sveicināja. Tad viņš jautāja: “Vai tu pret mani esi tikpat godīgs kā es?” Jehonādābs atbildēja: “Jā!” Jehus teica: “Ja tā, tad dod roku.” Viņš deva tam roku, un tas iekāpa pie viņa kararatos. 16 Jehus sacīja: “Nāc man līdzi, un tu redzēsi manu dedzību pret Kungu!” Un tas veda viņu savos kararatos. 17 Nonācis Samarijā, viņš nokāva visus, kas Ahābam Samarijā bija atlikuši, līdz tie bija iznīcināti, kā Kungs to bija sacījis Elijam.
Baala priesteru iznīcināšana
18 Tad Jehus sapulcināja visu tautu un sacīja: “Maz Ahābs kalpoja Baalam – Jehus tam kalpos daudz! 19 Tādēļ aiciniet pie manis visus Baala praviešus, visus viņa kalpus un visus viņa priesterus. Lai visi ir klāt, jo man jānes Baalam liels upuris! Kurš nebūs klāt, tam nedzīvot!” Bet Jehus to darīja ar viltu, lai izdeldētu Baala kalpus. 20 Jehus sacīja: “Sviniet Baalam svētkus!” Un viņi tos izsludināja. 21 Jehus sūtīja ziņu pa visu Israēlu, un sanāca visi Baala kalpi, nebija neviena, kurš nebūtu atnācis. Viņi sagāja Baala namā, un Baala nams bija pilns no viena gala līdz otram. 22 Viņš sacīja tērpu pārzinim: “Nes visiem Baala kalpiem drānas.” Un tas atnesa tiem drānas. 23 Tad Jehus un Jehonādābs, Rēhāba dēls, iegāja Baala namā un sacīja Baala kalpiem: “Meklējiet un skatiet, vai jūsu vidū nav kāds Kunga kalps, lai paliek tikai Baala kalpi!” 24 Un tie gāja upurēt kaujamos un sadedzināmos upurus, bet Jehus nolika ārā astoņdesmit vīrus un sacīja: “Kurš palaidīs kādu no tiem, ko esmu jums nodevis, tā dzīvība būs viņa dzīvības vietā!” 25 Kad beidza upurēt sadedzināmo upuri, Jehus sacīja karaspēka kājniekiem un virsniekiem: “Ejiet, kaujiet tos, lai neviens neaizbēg!” Kājnieki un virsnieki kāva tos ar zobeniem un izmeta ārā, bet pēc tam viņi iegāja Baala tempļa ēkā. 26 Viņi iznesa Baala nama elku stabus un sadedzināja. 27 Viņi sagrāva Baala elku stabus un sagrāva Baala namu, un ierīkoja ateju, kas tur ir līdz šai dienai.
28 Tā Jehus iznīcināja Baalu Israēlā. 29 Bet Jehus nenovērsās no Jārobāma, Nebāta dēla, grēkiem, ar kuriem tas bija licis grēkot Israēlam – no kalpošanas zelta teļiem Bētelē un Dānā. 30 Un Kungs sacīja Jehum: “Tādēļ ka tu darīji labi un paveici to, kas man tīk, – tu darīji Ahāba namam visu, kā es biju vēlējies, – tādēļ tavi dēli četrās paaudzēs sēdēs Israēla tronī!” 31 Bet Jehus nesekoja Kunga, Israēla Dieva, bauslībai no visas sirds – viņš nenovērsās no Jārobāma grēkiem, ar kuriem tas bija licis grēkot Israēlam.
Jehus nāve
32 Tajās dienās Kungs sāka apcirpt Israēla zemi, un Hazaēls kāva Israēlu visās robežās 33 austrumos no Jardānas: visā Gileāda zemē – Gāda, Rūbena un Manases apgabalā; sākot no Aroēras, kas ir Arnonas ielejā, Gileādā un Bāšānā.
34 Pārējie Jehus darbi un viss, ko viņš darīja, un visa viņa varenība – vai tad par to nav rakstīts Israēla ķēniņu Laiku grāmatā? 35 Jehus apgūlās pie tēviem, un viņu apbedīja Samarijā. Pēc tam sāka valdīt viņa dēls Jehoāhāzs. 36 Jehus Samarijā valdīja pār Israēlu divdesmit astoņus gadus.
