Study Desk

Now, Ahab, had seventy sons in Samaria, - so Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, unto the rulers of Jezreel - the elders, and unto them who had been foster-parents for Ahab, saying:

Now, therefore, when this letter cometh in unto you, there being, with you, the sons of your lord, - and, with you, the chariots and the homes, and a fortified city, and the armour,

ye shall look out the goodliest and fittest of the sons of your lord, and set on the throne of his father, and ye shall do battle for the house of your lord.

Then feared they very greatly, and said, Lo! two kings, stood not before him; how then, should, we, stand?

So he that was over the house, and he that was over the city, and the elders, and the foster-parents sent unto Jehu, saying - Thy servants, we are! and, all that thou shalt say unto us, will we do, - we will make no man king, whatsoever is good in thine own eyes, do!

Then wrote he unto them a second letter, saying - If, mine, ye are, and, unto my voice, ye intend to hearken, take ye the heads of the men who are sons of your lord, and come in unto me about this time to-morrow, in Jezreel. Now, the sons of the king, seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who had been bringing them up.

And it came to pass, when the letter reached them, that they took the sons of the king, and slew them, seventy persons, - and put their heads in baskets, and sent unto him to Jezreel.

And there came in a messenger and told him, saying, They have brought in the heads of the sons of the king. And he said - Lay ye them in two heaps, at the entrance of the gate, until the morning.

And it came to pass, in the morning, that he went out and took his stand, and said unto all the people, Righteous, are, ye! Lo! I, conspired against my lord, and slew him, but, who, smote, all these?

Know ye, then, that there shall fall nought of the word of Yahweh, to the ground, which Yahweh spake concerning the house of Ahab, - but, Yahweh, hath done that which he spake through his servant Elijah.

Then Jehu smote all that were left remaining unto the house of Ahab, in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his acquaintances and his priests, - until there was not left remaining to him, a survivor.