2 Kings 10

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 There were seventy of Ahab's sons in Samaria. Jehu sent to Samaria, to the authorities of the city, tothe elders and to the guardians of Ahab's children. He said,	1 Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And so Jehu wrote letters, and he sent to Samaria, to the nobles of the city, and to those greater by birth, and to those who had raised Ahab’s sons, saying:
2 'Now, when this letter reaches you, you have your master's sons with you; you also have chariots andhorses, a fortified city and weapons.	2 “Immediately when you receive these letters, you who have your lord’s sons, and chariots, and horses, and reinforced cities, and weapons,
3 See which of your master's sons is the best and worthiest, put him on his father's throne and fight for your master's dynasty!'	3 choose him who is better and who pleases you from among the sons of your lord, and set him on the throne of his father, and fight for the house of your lord.”
4 They were utterly terrified. 'We have seen how the two kings could not stand up to him,' they said, 'sohow could we?'	4 But they were vehemently afraid, and they said: “Behold, two kings were not able to stand before him. So how will we be able to withstand him?”
5 Consequently the master of the palace, the governor of the city, the elders and the guardians sentword to Jehu, 'We are your servants. We shal do whatever you order us. We shall not proclaim a king; act asyou think best.'	5 Therefore, those who were in charge of the house, and the prefects of the city, and those greater by birth, and those who raised the sons, sent to Jehu, saying: “We are your servants. Whatever you will order, we will do. But we will not appoint a king for ourselves. Do whatever pleases you.”
6 Jehu then wrote them a second letter. He said, 'If you are for me and if you are prepared to acceptorders from me, take the heads of the men of your master's family and come to me at Jezreel by this timetomorrow.' (There were seventy of Ahab's sons being educated there by the leading men of the city.)	6 Then he again wrote letters to them a second time, saying: “If you are mine, and if you obey me, take the heads of the sons of your lord, and come to me at Jezreel at this same hour tomorrow.” Now the sons of the king, being seventy men, were being raised with the nobles of the city.
7 When this letter reached them, they took the king's sons and butchered al seventy of them, put theirheads in baskets and sent them to him at Jezreel.	7 And when the letters had arrived to them, they took the sons of the king, and they killed the seventy men. And they placed their heads in baskets, and they sent these to him at Jezreel.
8 The messenger came and told Jehu, 'They have brought the heads of the king's sons.' 'Leave them intwo heaps at the entrance to the gate until morning,' he replied.	8 Then a messenger arrived and reported to him, saying, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons.” And he responded, “Place them in two piles, beside the entrance of the gate, until morning.”
9 When morning came, he went out and, standing, said to all the people, 'No guilt attaches to you! I didindeed plot against my master and have kil ed him; but what about al these? Who struck them?	9 And when it had become light, he went out. And standing there, he said to all the people: “You are just. If I have conspired against my lord, and if I have killed him, who has struck down all of these?
10 Know, then, that nothing will fail to be fulfil ed of the prophecy uttered by Yahweh against the Houseof Ahab; Yahweh has done what he said through his servant Elijah.'	10 Now therefore, see that none of the words of the Lord has fallen to the ground, which the Lord spoke over the house of Ahab, and that the Lord has done what he spoke by the hand of his servant Elijah.”
11 Jehu then kil ed every member of the House of Ahab surviving in Jezreel, all his leading men, hisclose friends, his priests; he did not leave a single one alive.	11 And so, Jehu struck down all who had remained from the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his nobles and friends and priests, until no remnant of them was left behind.
12 Jehu then set out for Samaria. As he was on his way, at Beth-Eked of the Shepherds,	12 And he rose up and went to Samaria. And when he had arrived at the shepherds’ cabin along the way,
13 he met the brothers of Ahaziah king of Judah. 'Who are you?' he asked. 'We are Ahaziah's brothers,'they replied, 'and we are on our way to pay our respects to the king's sons and the queen mother's sons.'	13 he found the brothers of Ahaziah, the king of Judah, and he said to them, “Who are you?” And they responded, “We are the brothers of Ahaziah, and we are going down to greet the sons of the king, and the sons of the queen.”
14 'Take them alive,' he said. They took them alive, and he slaughtered them at the storage-wel of Beth-Eked, forty-two of them; he did not spare a single one.	14 And he said, “Take them alive.” And when they had taken them alive, they cut their throats at the cistern beside the cabin, forty-two men. And he did not leave any of them behind.
15 Leaving there, he came on Jehonadab son of Rechab who was on his way to meet him. He greetedhim and said, 'Is your heart true to mine, as my heart is to yours?' Jehonadab replied, 'Yes.' 'If so,' Jehu said,'give me your hand.' Jehonadab gave him his hand, and Jehu took him up beside him in his chariot.	15 And when he had gone away from there, he found Jehonadab, the son of Rechab, coming to meet him, and he blessed him. And he said to him, “Is your heart upright, just as my heart is with your heart?” And Jehonadab said, “It is.” Then he said, “If it is, then give me your hand.” He gave his hand to him. And so he lifted him up to himself in the chariot.
16 'Come with me,' he said, 'and witness my zeal for Yahweh,' and took him along in his chariot.	16 And he said to him, “Come with me, and see my zeal for the Lord.” And he gave him a place in his chariot.
17 When he entered Samaria, he kil ed al the survivors of Ahab's family there; he destroyed it, asYahweh had told Elijah it would happen.	17 And he led him into Samaria. And he struck down all who were left behind of Ahab in Samaria, even to the last one, in accord with the word of the Lord, which he spoke through Elijah.
18 Then Jehu assembled al the people. 'Ahab did Baal some smal service,' he said, 'but Jehu wil dohim a great one.	18 Then Jehu gathered together the entire people. And he said to them: “Ahab worshipped Baal a little, but I will worship him even more.
19 Now cal me al the prophets of Baal and al his priests. Not one is to be absent: I have a greatsacrifice to offer to Baal. If anyone is absent, he wil forfeit his life.' This was a trick on Jehu's part to destroy thedevotees of Baal.	19 Now therefore, summon to me all the prophets of Baal, and all his servants, and all his priests. Let no one be permitted not to come, for great is the sacrifice from me to Baal. Whoever will fail to come, he shall not live.” Now Jehu was doing this treacherously, so that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal.
20 'Summon a sacred assembly for Baal,' he commanded; and they summoned it.	20 And he said: “Sanctify a day of solemnity for Baal.” And he summoned
21 Jehu sent messengers throughout Israel, and all the devotees of Baal arrived, not a man was left whodid not attend. They crowded into the temple of Baal until it was full from wal to wall.	21 and sent into all the borders of Israel. And all the servants of Baal came. There was left behind not even one who did not arrive. And they entered into the temple of Baal. And the house of Baal was filled, all the way from end to end.
22 Jehu then said to the keeper of the wardrobe, 'Bring out vestments for al the devotees of Baal'; hebrought out the vestments for them.	22 And he said to those who were over the vestments, “Bring forth vestments for all the servants of Baal.” And they brought forth vestments for them.
23 Jehu then went into the temple of Baal with Jehonadab son of Rechab and said to Baal's devotees,'Make quite sure that there are no devotees of Yahweh in here with you, but only devotees of Baal.'	23 And Jehu, upon entering the temple of Baal with Jehonadab, the son of Rechab, said to the worshippers of Baal, “Inquire and see that there is no one with you from the servants of the Lord, but only from the servants of Baal.”
24 He then proceeded to present sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had stationed eighty of hismen outside, having said, 'Whoever lets one of the people go whom I am now putting within your clutches, wilpay for it with his life.'	24 Then they entered, so that they might offer victims and holocausts. But Jehu had prepared for himself eighty men outside. And he had said to them, “If anyone escapes from among these men, whom I have led into your hands, your life will take the place of his life.”
25 When he had finished making the burnt offering, he gave the order to the guards and equerries, 'Goin, strike them down! Let no one out!' The guards and equerries went in, putting everyone to the sword al theway to the sanctuary of Baal's temple.	25 Then it happened that, when the holocaust had been completed, Jehu ordered his soldiers and officers, saying: “Enter and strike them down. Let no one escape.” And the soldiers and officers struck them down with the edge of the sword, and they cast them out. And they went into the city of the temple of Baal,
26 They took the sacred pole out of Baal's temple and burned it.	26 and they took away the statue from the shine of Baal, and they burned it up
27 They demolished Baal's image and demolished Baal's temple too, making it into a latrine, which it stilis today.	27 and crushed it. They also tore down the temple of Baal, and they made it into a latrine, even to this day.
28 Thus Jehu rid Israel of Baal.	28 And thus did Jehu wipe away Baal from Israel.
29 Even so, Jehu did not give up the sins into which Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel, the goldencalves of Bethel and Dan.	29 Yet truly, he did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin. Neither did he forsake the golden calves, which were in Bethel and Dan.
30 Yahweh said to Jehu, 'Since you have done wel in carrying out what pleases me, and have doneeverything I required to be done to the House of Ahab, your sons wil occupy the throne of Israel down to thefourth generation.'	30 Then the Lord said to Jehu: “Since you have diligently carried out what was right and pleasing in my eyes, and since you have accomplished, against the house of Ahab, all that was in my heart, your sons shall sit upon the throne of Israel, even to the fourth generation.”
31 Jehu, however, did not faithful y and wholeheartedly fol ow the law of Yahweh, God of Israel; he didnot give up the sins into which Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel.	31 But Jehu did not take care, so that he might walk in the law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart. For he did not withdraw from the sins of Jeroboam, who had caused Israel to sin.
32 At that time Yahweh began to whittle Israel down, and Hazael defeated the Israelites throughout theterritory east of the Jordan:	32 In those days, the Lord began to be weary of Israel. And Hazael struck them throughout all the parts of Israel,
33 the whole territory of Gilead -- of the Gadites, the Reubenites and the Manassehites -- from Aroer onthe River Arnon: Gilead and Bashan.	33 from the Jordan opposite the eastern region, in all the land of Gilead, and Gad, and Reuben, and Manasseh, from Aroer, which is above the torrent Arnon, in both Gilead and Bashan.
34 The rest of the history of Jehu, his entire career, al his prowess, is this not recorded in the Book ofthe Annals of the Kings of Israel?	34 But the rest of the words of Jehu, and all that he did, and his strength, have these not been written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Israel?
35 Then he fel asleep with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria; his son Jehoahaz succeeded him.	35 And Jehu slept with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz, his son, reigned in his place.
36 Jehu's reign over Israel in Samaria lasted twenty-eight years.	36 Now the days during which Jehu reigned over Israel, in Samaria, were twenty-eight years.