1Now Ahab had seventy sons living in Samaria. Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria — to the officials of Jezreel, the elders, and to the guardians of Ahab's children. He said:
2As soon as this letter reaches you, since you have your master's sons with you and you have chariots, horses, a fortified city, and weapons,
3choose the best and most capable of your master's sons and set him on his father's throne. Then fight for your master's house.'
4But they were terrified and said, 'Two kings could not stand up against him — how can we?'
5So the official in charge of the palace, the city governor, the elders, and the guardians sent this message to Jehu: 'We are your servants and we will do whatever you say. We will not crown anyone as king. Do whatever you think is best.'
6Then Jehu wrote them a second letter: 'If you are on my side and will obey me, take the heads of your master's sons and come to me in Jezreel by this time tomorrow.' The king's seventy sons were in the care of the city's prominent men, who were raising them.
7When the letter arrived, they took the king's seventy sons and slaughtered all of them. They put the heads in baskets and sent them to Jehu in Jezreel.
8When the messenger arrived, he told Jehu, 'They have brought the heads of the king's sons.' He said, 'Put them in two piles at the entrance of the city gate until morning.'
9The next morning Jehu went out and stood before all the people and said, 'You are innocent. It was I who conspired against my master and killed him, but who killed all these?'
10Know then that nothing the LORD spoke against the house of Ahab will fail. The LORD has done what he announced through his servant Elijah.
11So Jehu killed everyone in Jezreel who was left from the house of Ahab, as well as all his chief men, his close friends, and his priests, leaving him no survivor.
12Jehu then set out for Samaria. On the way, when he was at Beth-eked of the Shepherds,
13he came across some relatives of Ahaziah king of Judah and asked, 'Who are you?' They answered, 'We are relatives of Ahaziah. We have come down to greet the families of the king and of the queen mother.'
14Take them alive!' Jehu ordered. So they took them alive and slaughtered them at the well of Beth-eked — forty-two of them. Jehu left no survivor.
15When he left there, Jehu came upon Jehonadab son of Rekab, who was coming to meet him. Jehu greeted him and asked, 'Are you as loyal to me as I am to you?' Jehonadab answered, 'I am.' Jehu said, 'If so, give me your hand.' Jehonadab gave him his hand, and Jehu helped him up into his chariot.
16Jehu said, 'Come with me and see my zeal for the LORD.' So he drove him along in his chariot.
17When Jehu arrived in Samaria, he killed all who were left of Ahab's family in Samaria, destroying it completely, in accordance with the word of the LORD spoken to Elijah.
18Then Jehu brought all the people together and said to them, 'Ahab served Baal a little. Jehu will serve him much more.'
19Now summon all the prophets of Baal, all his worshipers, and all his priests. See that no one is missing — because I have a great sacrifice to offer Baal. Anyone who is missing will not live.' But Jehu was acting deceptively in order to destroy the worshipers of Baal.
20Jehu said, 'Call an assembly in honor of Baal.' So they proclaimed it.
21Then Jehu sent word throughout all Israel, and all the worshipers of Baal came — not one stayed away. They crowded into the temple of Baal until it was full from one end to the other.
22Jehu said to the man in charge of the wardrobe, 'Bring out robes for all the worshipers of Baal.' So he brought out their robes.
23Then Jehu and Jehonadab son of Rekab went into the temple of Baal. Jehu told the worshipers of Baal, 'Look around and make sure there are no servants of the LORD here with you — only Baal's worshipers.'
24So they went in to make sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had stationed eighty men outside and warned them, 'If any of the men I am placing in your hands escapes, it will be your life for his life.'
25As soon as Jehu had finished making the burnt offering, he ordered the guards and officers, 'Go in and kill them — let no one escape.' So they cut them down with the sword. The guards and officers threw the bodies out and then went into the inner sanctuary of the temple of Baal.
26They brought the sacred stone out of the temple of Baal and burned it.
27They demolished the sacred stone of Baal and tore down the temple of Baal, and people have used that site as a latrine to this day.
28So Jehu destroyed Baal worship in Israel.
29However, Jehu did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had led Israel into sin — he continued worshiping the golden calves at Bethel and Dan.
30The LORD said to Jehu, 'Because you have done well in accomplishing what is right in my eyes and have done to the house of Ahab all that I had in mind, your sons to the fourth generation will sit on the throne of Israel.'
31Yet Jehu was not careful to keep the law of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam, which he had caused Israel to commit.
32In those days the LORD began to reduce the size of Israel. Hazael overpowered the Israelites throughout their territory
33east of the Jordan in all the land of Gilead — the region of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh — from Aroer by the Arnon Gorge through Gilead to Bashan.
34The rest of the events of Jehu's reign, all his achievements, and all his military campaigns are recorded in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel.
35Jehu died and was buried in Samaria. His son Jehoahaz became king after him.
36The time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.