The Descendants of Ahab Are Killed
1 There were seventy descendants of King Ahab living in the city of Samaria. Jehu wrote a letter and sent copies to the rulers of the city, to the leading citizens, and to the guardians of Ahab's descendants. The letter read: 2 “You are in charge of the king's descendants, and you have at your disposal chariots, horses, weapons, and fortified cities. So then, as soon as you receive this letter, 3 you are to choose the best qualified of the king's descendants, make him king, and fight to defend him.”
4 The rulers of Samaria were terrified. “How can we oppose Jehu,” they said, “when neither King Joram nor King Ahaziah could?” 5 So the officer in charge of the palace and the official in charge of the city, together with the leading citizens and the guardians, sent this message to Jehu: “We are your servants, and we are ready to do anything you say. But we will not make anyone king; do whatever you think best.”
6 Jehu wrote them another letter: “If you are with me and are ready to follow my orders, bring the heads of King Ahab's descendants to me at Jezreel by this time tomorrow.”
The seventy descendants of King Ahab were under the care of the leading citizens of Samaria, who were bringing them up. 7 When Jehu's letter was received, the leaders of Samaria killed all seventy of Ahab's descendants, put their heads in baskets, and sent them to Jehu at Jezreel.
8 When Jehu was told that the heads of Ahab's descendants had been brought, he ordered them to be piled up in two heaps at the city gate and to be left there until the following morning. 9 In the morning he went out to the gate and said to the people who were there, “I was the one who plotted against King Joram and killed him; you are not responsible for that. But who killed all these? 10 This proves that everything that the Lord said about the descendants of Ahab will come true. The Lord has done what he promised through his prophet Elijah.” 11 Then Jehu put to death all the other relatives of Ahab living in Jezreel, and all his officers, close friends, and priests; not one of them was left alive.
The Relatives of King Ahaziah Are Killed
12 Jehu left Jezreel to go to Samaria. On the way, at a place called “Shepherds' Camp,” 13 he met some relatives of the late King Ahaziah of Judah and asked them, “Who are you?”
“Ahaziah's relatives,” they answered. “We are going to Jezreel to pay our respects to the children of Queen Jezebel and to the rest of the royal family.” 14 Jehu ordered his men, “Take them alive!” They seized them, and he put them to death near a pit there. There were forty-two people in all, and not one of them was left alive.
All Remaining Relatives of Ahab Are Killed
15 Jehu started out again, and on his way he was met by Jonadab son of Rechab. Jehu greeted him and said, “You and I think alike. Will you support me?”
“I will,” Jonadab answered.
“Give me your hand, then,” Jehu replied. They clasped hands, and Jehu helped him up into the chariot, 16 saying, “Come with me and see for yourself how devoted I am to the Lord.” And they rode on together to Samaria. 17 When they arrived there, Jehu killed all of Ahab's relatives, not sparing even one. This is what the Lord had told Elijah would happen.
The Worshipers of Baal Are Killed
18 Jehu called the people of Samaria together and said, “King Ahab served the god Baal a little, but I will serve him much more. 19 Call together all the prophets of Baal, all his worshipers, and all his priests. No one is excused; I am going to offer a great sacrifice to Baal, and whoever is not present will be put to death.” (This was a trick on the part of Jehu by which he meant to kill all the worshipers of Baal.) 20 Then Jehu ordered, “Proclaim a day of worship in honor of Baal!” The proclamation was made, 21 and Jehu sent word throughout all the land of Israel. All who worshiped Baal came; not one of them failed to come. They all went into the temple of Baal, filling it from one end to the other. 22 Then Jehu ordered the priest in charge of the sacred robes to bring the robes out and give them to the worshipers. 23 After that, Jehu himself went into the temple with Jonadab son of Rechab and said to the people there, “Make sure that only worshipers of Baal are present and that no worshiper of the Lord has come in.” 24 Then he and Jonadab went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings to Baal. He had stationed eighty men outside the temple and had instructed them: “You are to kill all these people; anyone who lets one of them escape will pay for it with his life!”
25 As soon as Jehu had presented the offerings, he said to the guards and officers, “Go in and kill them all; don't let anyone escape!” They went in with drawn swords, killed them all, and dragged the bodies outside. Then they went on into the inner sanctuary of the temple, 26 brought out the sacred pillar that was there, and burned it. 27 So they destroyed the sacred pillar and the temple, and turned the temple into a latrine—which it still is today.
28 That was how Jehu wiped out the worship of Baal in Israel. 29 But he imitated the sin of King Jeroboam, who led Israel into the sin of worshiping the gold bull-calves he set up in Bethel and in Dan. 30 The Lord said to Jehu, “You have done to Ahab's descendants everything I wanted you to do. So I promise you that your descendants, down to the fourth generation, will be kings of Israel.” 31 But Jehu did not obey with all his heart the Law of the Lord, the God of Israel; instead, he followed the example of Jeroboam, who led Israel into sin.
The Death of Jehu
32 At that time the Lord began to reduce the size of Israel's territory. King Hazael of Syria conquered all the Israelite territory 33 east of the Jordan, as far south as the town of Aroer on the Arnon River—this included the territories of Gilead and Bashan, where the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and East Manasseh lived.
34 Everything else that Jehu did, including his brave deeds, is recorded in The History of the Kings of Israel. 35 He died and was buried in Samaria, and his son Jehoahaz succeeded him as king. 36 Jehu had ruled in Samaria as king of Israel for twenty-eight years.
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.
