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.
1 Un Ahabam bija Samarijā septiņdesmit dēli, un Jehus rakstīja vēstules un sūtīja tās Jezreēlas virsniekiem Samarijā, vecajiem un Ahaba dēlu audzinātājiem, sacīdams: 2 "Un kad jums tagad pienāks šī vēstule un ja tobrīd jūsu kunga dēli ir pie jums un jums ir arī rati un zirgi, nocietinātas pilsētas un bruņas, 3 tad izvēlieties pašu labāko un taisnīgāko no sava kunga dēliem un sēdiniet viņu viņa tēva tronī, un karojiet par sava kunga namu!" 4 Bet tie bija ļoti izbijušies un sacīja: "Redzi, viņa priekšā nav pastāvējuši divi ķēniņi; kā tad lai mēs pastāvam?" 5 Un tas, kurš bija pār ķēniņa pili, pilsētas pārzinis, vecaji un audzinātāji sūtīja Jehum vēstījumu: "Mēs esam tavi kalpi, un mēs visu tā darīsim, kā tu mums liksi, bet mēs nevienu necelsim par ķēniņu; dari to, kas labpatīk tavām acīm!" 6 Tad Jehus rakstīja viņiem otru vēstuli, kurā bija sacīts: "Ja jūs nostājaties manā pusē un gribat klausīt manai balsij, tad ņemiet šo vīru, sava kunga dēlu, galvas un ierodieties pie manis rītdien ap šo laiku Jezreēlā." Pavisam ķēniņa dēlu bija septiņdesmit, kas bija nodoti pilsētas lielkungiem, kuri tos audzināja. 7 Un notika, kad šī vēstule atnāca pie viņiem, tad tie ņēma ķēniņa dēlus un noslepkavoja visus septiņdesmit; tie ielika viņu galvas grozos un nosūtīja viņam uz Jezreēlu. 8 Kad vēstnesis atnāca un viņam paziņoja, ka tie ir atnesuši ķēniņa dēlu galvas, tad viņš pavēlēja: "Lieciet tās divās grēdās pie vārtu ieejas, līdz rītam!" 9 Bet nākamā rītā, kad viņš izgāja ārā, tad viņš tur nostājās un sacīja visai tautai: "Jūs esat taisni! Jo redziet, es esmu tas, kas sacēlies pret savu kungu un viņu nogalinājis, bet kurš ir šos visus noslepkavojis? 10 Tāpēc atzīstiet, ka nekas no Tā Kunga vārda nekrīt zemē, ko Tas Kungs ir runājis par Ahaba namu, jo Tas Kungs ir darījis to, ko Viņš ir runājis caur Savu kalpu Eliju." 11 Pēc tam Jehus lika visus, kas bija vēl atlikušies Jezreēlā no Ahaba nama, nogalināt, - gan visus viņa vadoņus, gan viņa paziņas, gan viņa priesterus, līdz kamēr neviens vairs nepalika pāri. 12 Un Jehus cēlās un gāja un nonāca Samarijā. Kad tas ceļā nonāca Bet-Eked-Haroimā, 13 tad viņš sastapa Jūdas ķēniņa Ahasjas brāļus, un viņš tiem jautāja: "Kas jūs tādi esat?" Un viņi atbildēja: "Mēs esam Ahasjas brāļi, un mēs esam nākuši lūkot, kā klājas ķēniņa dēliem un mūsu pavēlnieces dēliem." 14 Tad viņš deva pavēli: "Sagrābiet viņus dzīvus!" Un tie viņus sagrāba dzīvus un tos noslepkavoja pie Bet-Ekedas akas, četrdesmit divus vīrus, un nevienu no tiem neatstāja dzīvu. 15 Kad viņš no turienes aizgāja, tad viņš sastapa Jonadabu, Rehaba dēlu, kurš nāca pretī un sveicināja, bet viņš tam jautāja: "Vai tava sirds ir taisna pret manu sirdi kā mana sirds pret tavu sirdi?" Kad Jonadabs atbildēja: "Tā ir!" - tad Jehus sacīja: "Ja tas tā patiesi ir, tad dod man savu roku!" Un tas deva viņam savu roku, un Jehus lika viņam iekāpt pie sevis ratos. 16 Un viņš sacīja: "Nāc kopā ar mani un raugies, cik es karsti degu par To Kungu!" Un tā viņi abi brauca Jehus kara ratos. 17 Un, kad viņš nonāca Samarijā, tad viņš apkāva visus, kas vēl bija Ahabam atlikušies Samarijā, tiekāms viņš tos izdeldēja no zemes, kā Tā Kunga vārds bija ar Elijas muti sacījis. 18 Un Jehus sapulcināja itin visu tautu un tiem sacīja: "Ahabs Baalam ir kalpojis mazliet, bet Jehus tam kalpos daudz vairāk. 19 Un tāpēc tagad saaiciniet visus Baala praviešus un visus viņa kalpus, un visus viņa priesterus pie manis, lai neviens neatraujas, jo man ir jāupurē Baalam liels kaujamais upuris; tas, kurš iztrūks, nepaliks dzīvs!" Bet Jehus to darīja ar viltību, lai Baala kalpus izdeldētu. 20 Tad Jehus pavēlēja: "Sasauciet svētku sapulci Baalam!" Un tie to sasauca. 21 Tad Jehus izsūtīja vēstnešus pa visu Israēlu, un visi Baala kalpi ieradās, un neiztrūka neviena, kas nebūtu nācis; un tie devās Baala namā, un Baala nams bija stāvgrūdām pilns no viena gala līdz otram. 22 Tad viņš sacīja tam, kas bija pārzinis pār drēbju noliktavu: "Izsniedz drēbes un apģērb visus Baala kalpus!" Kad viņš drēbes bija izsniedzis, 23 tad Jehus un Jonadabs, Rekaba dēls, gāja Baala templī, un viņš sacīja Baala kalpiem: "Iztaujājiet un raugiet, lai šeit kopā ar jums nebūtu it neviena no Tā Kunga kalpiem, bet lai Baala kalpi vien te būtu!" 24 Kad viņi nāca, lai sagatavotu kaujamos upurus un dedzināmos upurus, tad Jehus novietoja ārā astoņdesmit vīrus, kuriem viņš sacīja: "Tas vīrs, kas ļaus no tiem vīriem, kurus es nododu jūsu rokās, kaut vienam vienīgam izbēgt, - tā dzīvība lai ir izbēgušā dzīvības vietā!" 25 Un notika, kad dedzināmais upuris bija pabeigts, tad Jehus pavēlēja sargiem un virsniekiem: "Ejiet un kaujiet tos; neviens lai neizbēg!" Un tie tos nokāva ar zobena asmeni, un sargi un virsnieki izsvieda tos ārā un ielauzās Baala namā, 26 un iznesa no Baala nama elku stabus, un tos sadedzināja. 27 Un viņi sadragāja Baalam celto tēlu, noplēsa Baala templi un no tā iztaisīja atejas bedri, kas ir līdz šai dienai. 28 Tā Jehus iznīcināja kalpošanu Baalam Israēla vidū. 29 Tikai no Jerobeāma, Nebata dēla, grēkiem, kas bija Israēlu pavedinājis grēkot, Jehus nenovērsās, proti, no zelta teļu dievināšanas, kuri bija uzstatīti Bētelē un Danā. 30 Un Tas Kungs sacīja Jehum: "Tāpēc, ka tev ir bijis labs prāts visu darīt, kas Man patīk, jo tu esi visu to darījis, kas bija Manā sirdī, pie Ahaba nama, tavi pēcnācēji līdz ceturtam augumam sēdēs Israēla tronī!" 31 Bet Jehus necentās staigāt Tā Kunga, Israēla Dieva, bauslībā ar visu savu sirdsprātu, jo viņš neatstājās no Jerobeāma grēku darbiem, ar kuriem tas pavedināja Israēlu grēkot. 32 Tanī laikā Tas Kungs sāka mazināt Israēlu, jo Hazaēls viņus kāva visās Israēla robežās 33 no Jordānas austrumu virzienā, visu Gileāda zemi, gadiešus, rūbeniešus un manasiešus, no Aroēras, kas pie Arnonas upes, un arī Gileādu un Basanu. 34 Un, kas vēl stāstāms par Jehu un visi tie darbi, ko viņš bija darījis, un visi viņa varoņdarbi, - tas viss rakstīts Israēla ķēniņu Laiku grāmatā. 35 Kad Jehus gūlās pie saviem tēviem, tad viņu apglabāja Samarijā, un Joahass, viņa dēls, kļuva ķēniņš viņa vietā. 36 Bet laiks, cik ilgi Jehus valdīja pār Israēlu Samarijā, bija divdesmit astoņi gadi.
