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.
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.
