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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>2 Kings 10 NLT</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/2_kings/10.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/2_kings/10-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">NLT</a> > 2 Kings 10</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../2_kings/9.htm" title="2 Kings 9">◄</a> 2 Kings 10 <a href="../2_kings/11.htm" title="2 Kings 11">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">New Living Translation</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/nlt/esv/2_kings/10.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Chapters"> Par ▾ </a></td></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><p class="hdg">Jehu Kills Ahab’s Family</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/10-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>Ahab had seventy sons living in the city of Samaria. So Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria, to the elders and officials of the city,<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">a</span></a> and to the guardians of King Ahab’s sons. He said, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/10-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>“The king’s sons are with you, and you have at your disposal chariots, horses, a fortified city, and weapons. As soon as you receive this letter, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/10-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>select the best qualified of your master’s sons to be your king, and prepare to fight for Ahab’s dynasty.”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/10-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>But they were paralyzed with fear and said, “We’ve seen that two kings couldn’t stand against this man! What can we do?”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/10-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>So the palace and city administrators, together with the elders and the guardians of the king’s sons, sent this message to Jehu: “We are your servants and will do anything you tell us. We will not make anyone king; do whatever you think is best.”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/10-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>Jehu responded with a second letter: “If you are on my side and are going to obey me, bring the heads of your master’s sons to me at Jezreel by this time tomorrow.” Now the seventy sons of the king were being cared for by the leaders of Samaria, where they had been raised since childhood. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/10-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>When the letter arrived, the leaders killed all seventy of the king’s sons. They placed their heads in baskets and presented them to Jehu at Jezreel.</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/10-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>A messenger went to Jehu and said, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons.”</p><p class="reg">So Jehu ordered, “Pile them in two heaps at the entrance of the city gate, and leave them there until morning.”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/10-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>In the morning he went out and spoke to the crowd that had gathered around them. “You are not to blame,” he told them. “I am the one who conspired against my master and killed him. But who killed all these? <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/10-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>You can be sure that the message of the LORD that was spoken concerning Ahab’s family will not fail. The LORD declared through his servant Elijah that this would happen.” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/10-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>Then Jehu killed all who were left of Ahab’s relatives living in Jezreel and all his important officials, his personal friends, and his priests. So Ahab was left without a single survivor.</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/10-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>Then Jehu set out for Samaria. Along the way, while he was at Beth-eked of the Shepherds, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/10-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>he met some relatives of King Ahaziah of Judah. “Who are you?” he asked them.</p><p class="reg">And they replied, “We are relatives of King Ahaziah. We are going to visit the sons of King Ahab and the sons of the queen mother.”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/10-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>“Take them alive!” Jehu shouted to his men. And they captured all forty-two of them and killed them at the well of Beth-eked. None of them escaped.</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/10-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>When Jehu left there, he met Jehonadab son of Recab, who was coming to meet him. After they had greeted each other, Jehu said to him, “Are you as loyal to me as I am to you?”</p><p class="reg">“Yes, I am,” Jehonadab replied.</p><p class="reg">“If you are,” Jehu said, “then give me your hand.” So Jehonadab put out his hand, and Jehu helped him into the chariot. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/10-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>Then Jehu said, “Now come with me, and see how devoted I am to the LORD.” So Jehonadab rode along with him.</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/10-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>When Jehu arrived in Samaria, he killed everyone who was left there from Ahab’s family, just as the LORD had promised through Elijah.</p><p class="hdg">Jehu Kills the Priests of Baal</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/10-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>Then Jehu called a meeting of all the people of the city and said to them, “Ahab’s worship of Baal was nothing compared to the way I will worship him! <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/10-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>Therefore, summon all the prophets and worshipers of Baal, and call together all his priests. See to it that every one of them comes, for I am going to offer a great sacrifice to Baal. Anyone who fails to come will be put to death.” But Jehu’s cunning plan was to destroy all the worshipers of Baal.</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/10-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>Then Jehu ordered, “Prepare a solemn assembly to worship Baal!” So they did. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/10-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>He sent messengers throughout all Israel summoning those who worshiped Baal. They all came—not a single one remained behind—and they filled the temple of Baal from one end to the other. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/10-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>And Jehu instructed the keeper of the wardrobe, “Be sure that every worshiper of Baal wears one of these robes.” So robes were given to them.</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/10-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>Then Jehu went into the temple of Baal with Jehonadab son of Recab. Jehu said to the worshipers of Baal, “Make sure no one who worships the LORD is here—only those who worship Baal.” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/10-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>So they were all inside the temple to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had stationed eighty of his men outside the building and had warned them, “If you let anyone escape, you will pay for it with your own life.”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/10-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span>As soon as Jehu had finished sacrificing the burnt offering, he commanded his guards and officers, “Go in and kill all of them. Don’t let a single one escape!” So they killed them all with their swords, and the guards and officers dragged their bodies outside.<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">b</span></a> Then Jehu’s men went into the innermost fortress<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">c</span></a> of the temple of Baal. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/10-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span>They dragged out the sacred pillar<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">d</span></a> used in the worship of Baal and burned it. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/10-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span>They smashed the sacred pillar and wrecked the temple of Baal, converting it into a public toilet, as it remains to this day.</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/10-28.htm"><b>28</b></a></span>In this way, Jehu destroyed every trace of Baal worship from Israel. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/10-29.htm"><b>29</b></a></span>He did not, however, destroy the gold calves at Bethel and Dan, with which Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to sin.</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/10-30.htm"><b>30</b></a></span>Nonetheless the LORD said to Jehu, “You have done well in following my instructions to destroy the family of Ahab. Therefore, your descendants will be kings of Israel down to the fourth generation.” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/10-31.htm"><b>31</b></a></span>But Jehu did not obey the Law of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He refused to turn from the sins that Jeroboam had led Israel to commit.</p><p class="hdg">The Death of Jehu</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/10-32.htm"><b>32</b></a></span>At about that time the LORD began to cut down the size of Israel’s territory. King Hazael conquered several sections of the country <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/10-33.htm"><b>33</b></a></span>east of the Jordan River, including all of Gilead, Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh. He conquered the area from the town of Aroer by the Arnon Gorge to as far north as Gilead and Bashan.</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/10-34.htm"><b>34</b></a></span>The rest of the events in Jehu’s reign—everything he did and all his achievements—are recorded in <span class="it">The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.</span></p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/10-35.htm"><b>35</b></a></span>When Jehu died, he was buried in Samaria. Then his son Jehoahaz became the next king. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_kings/10-36.htm"><b>36</b></a></span>In all, Jehu reigned over Israel from Samaria for twenty-eight years.</p><A name="footnotes"></a><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><span class="mainfootnotes"><span class="mainfootnoteshdg">Footnotes:</span><br><span class="fn">a</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">10:1 </span><span class="ft">As in some Greek manuscripts and Latin Vulgate (see also 10:6); Hebrew reads </span><span class="it">of Jezreel.</span><br><span class="fn">b</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">10:25a </span><span class="ft">Or </span><span class="it">and they left their bodies lying there;</span><span class="ft"> or </span><span class="it">and they threw them out into the outermost court.</span><br><span class="fn">c</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">10:25b </span><span class="ft">Hebrew </span><span class="it">city.</span><br><span class="fn">d</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">10:26 </span><span class="ft">As in Greek and Syriac versions and Latin Vulgate; Hebrew reads </span><span class="it">sacred pillars.</span><br></span></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center"><em>Holy Bible</em>, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. 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