1 En Agab het sewentig seuns gehad in Samar¡a. Toe skryf Jehu 'n brief, en hy stuur dit na Samar¡a aan die owerstes van J¡sreël, die oudstes, en aan die opvoeders van die seuns van Agab, en sê:

2 As hierdie brief dan nou by julle kom, terwyl die seuns van jul heer by julle is, en die strydwaens en die perde by julle is, en 'n versterkte stad en wapens,

3 kyk dan uit na die beste en betroubaarste van die seuns van julle heer, en sit hom op die troon van sy vader en veg vir die huis van julle heer.

4 Maar hulle het vreeslik bang geword en gesê: Kyk, twee konings het nie voor hom standgehou nie; hoe sou ons dan kan standhou?

5 Toe laat die owerste oor die paleis en die owerste oor die stad en die oudstes en die opvoeders aan Jehu d¡t weet: Ons is u dienaars, en alles wat u ons beveel, sal ons doen; ons sal niemand koning maak nie; doen wat goed is in u oë.

6 Daarop het hy vir die tweede maal 'n brief aan hulle geskrywe en gesê: As julle vir my is en my gehoorsaam wil wees, neem dan die hoofde van die manne, die seuns van julle heer, en kom môre omtrent sulke tyd na my in J¡sreël; want die seuns van die koning, sewentig man, was by die grotes van die stad wat hulle grootgemaak het.

7 En toe die brief by hulle kom, het hulle die seuns van die koning geneem en hulle gedood, sewentig man, en hulle hoofde in mandjies gesit en aan hom na J¡sreël gestuur.

8 En toe die boodskapper kom en hom berig bring en sê: Hulle het die hoofde van die koning se seuns gebring, sê hy: Sit hulle in twee hope neer by die ingang van die poort tot môre toe.

9 En in die môre het hy uitgegaan en gaan staan en aan die hele volk gesê: Julle is onskuldig. Kyk, ,k het 'n sameswering gesmee teen my heer en hom vermoor, maar wie het al hierdie manne doodgeslaan?

10 Erken dan dat niks onvervuld bly van die woord van die HERE wat die HERE gespreek het teen die huis van Agab nie -- die HERE het gedoen wat Hy deur die diens van sy kneg El¡a gespreek het.

11 Toe slaan Jehu almal dood van die huis van Agab wat in J¡sreël oor was, en al sy grotes en sy vertroudes en sy priesters, totdat daar niemand van hom oor was wat vrygeraak het nie.

12 En hy het hom gereedgemaak en gegaan en na Samar¡a getrek. Terwyl hy op pad by Bet-Eked van die herders was

13 en Jehu die broers van Ah sia, die koning van Juda, aantref, sê hy: Wie is julle? En hulle antwoord: Ons is die broers van Ah sia, en ons het afgekom om die seuns van die koning en die seuns van die gebiedster te groet.

14 En hy sê: Gryp hulle lewendig! En hulle het hul lewendig gegryp en gedood by die put van Bet-Eked, twee en veertig man; en hy het niemand van hulle laat oorbly nie.

15 En vandaar het hy gegaan en Jonadab, die seun van Regab, gevind wat hom tegemoetkom. En hy groet hom en sê vir hom: Is jou hart reg soos my hart met jou hart is? En Jonadab antwoord: Ja. So ja, gee jou hand, sê Jehu. Toe gee hy sy hand; en hy het hom by hom op die wa laat klim

16 en gesê: Gaan saam met my en aanskou met welgevalle my ywer vir die HERE. En hulle het hom op sy wa laat ry.

17 En toe hy in Samar¡a aankom, het hy almal omgebring wat van Agab in Samar¡a oor was, totdat hy hom verdelg het volgens die woord van die HERE wat Hy tot El¡a gespreek het.

18 En Jehu het die hele volk bymekaar laat kom en vir hulle gesê: Agab het Ba„l 'n bietjie gedien; Jehu sal hom baie dien.

19 Roep dan nou al die profete van Ba„l, al sy dienaars en al sy priesters na my toe; niemand moet gemis word nie, want ek het 'n groot offer aan Ba„l. Elkeen wat gemis word, sal nie leef nie. Maar Jehu het dit met lis gedoen om die dienaars van Ba„l te kan vernietig.

20 Verder sê Jehu: Heilig 'n feestyd vir Baäl; en hulle het dit uitgeroep.

21 Jehu het ook deur die hele Israel gestuur; en al die dienaars van Baäl het gekom -- sodat daar niemand oor was wat nie gekom het nie -- en in die tempel van Ba„l ingegaan, sodat die tempel van Ba„l vol was van end tot end.

22 En hy sê aan die een wat oor die klerekamer was: Bring klere uit vir al die dienaars van Baäl. En hy het vir hulle klere uitgebring.

23 Daarop gaan Jehu saam met Jonadab, die seun van Regab, in die tempel van Baäl in en sê aan die dienaars van Baäl: Ondersoek en kyk of nie miskien van die dienaars van die HERE hier by julle is nie, net die dienaars van Ba„l alleen.

24 En hulle het ingegaan om slagoffers en brandoffers toe te berei; maar Jehu het vir hom buitekant tagtig man opgestel en gesê: Hy wat een van die manne wat ek in julle hande lewer, laat vryraak, sy lewe sal in die plek van die se lewe wees.

25 En toe hy gereed was met die aanbieding van die brandoffer, sê Jehu aan die hardlopers en die adjudante: Kom in, slaan hulle dood, laat niemand uitkom nie! En hulle het hul met die skerpte van die swaard doodgeslaan, en die hardlopers en die adjudante het hulle uitgegooi en na die stadsdeel van die Baälstempel gegaan.

26 En hulle het die pilare van die Ba„lstempel uitgebring en dit verbrand

27 en die klippilaar van Ba„l afgebreek en Ba„l se tempel afgebreek en daar gemakhuisies van gemaak, tot vandag toe.

28 So het Jehu dan Ba„l uit Israel uit verdelg.

29 Maar die sondes van Jerobeam, die seun van Nebat, wat Israel laat sondig het -- daar het Jehu nie van afgewyk nie, van die goue kalwers wat in Bet-el en in Dan was.

30 Toe sê die HERE vir Jehu: Omdat jy goed gehandel het deur te doen wat reg is in my oë -- volgens alles wat in my hart was, aan die huis van Agab gedoen het -- sal jou seuns tot in die vierde geslag op die troon van Israel sit.

31 Maar Jehu het nie sorgvuldig in die wet van die HERE, die God van Israel, met sy hele hart gewandel nie; hy het nie afgewyk van die sondes van Jerobeam wat Israel laat sondig het nie.

32 In die dae het die HERE Israel begin inkort, en H sael het hulle in die hele gebied van Israel verslaan:

33 van die Jordaan af na die ooste toe, die hele land G¡lead, die Gadiete en die Rubeniete en die Manassiete, van Aroër af wat aan die Arnonrivier lê, G¡lead sowel as Basan.

34 En die verdere geskiedenis van Jehu en alles wat hy gedoen het, en al sy magtige dade, is dit nie beskrywe in die Kroniekboek van die konings van Israel nie?

35 En Jehu het ontslaap met sy vaders en is begrawe in Samar¡a, en sy seun Joahas het in sy plek koning geword.

36 En die dae wat Jehu oor Israel in Samar¡a geregeer het, was agt en twintig jaar.

1 Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, unto the rulers of Jezreel, even the elders, and unto them that brought up the sons of Ahab, saying, 2 And now as soon as this letter cometh to you, seeing your master’s sons are with you, and there are with you chariots and horses, a fortified city also, and armor; 3 look ye out the best and meetest of your master’s sons, and set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house. 4 But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, the two kings stood not before him: how then shall we stand? 5 And he that was over the household, and he that was over the city, the elders also, and they that brought up the children, sent to Jehu, saying, We are thy servants, and will do all that thou shalt bid us; we will not make any man king: do thou that which is good in thine eyes. 6 Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, If ye be on my side, and if ye will hearken unto my voice, take ye the heads of the men your master’s sons, and come to me to Jezreel by to-morrow this time. Now the king’s sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who brought them up. 7 And it came to pass, when the letter came to them, that they took the king’s sons, and slew them, even seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them unto him to Jezreel. 8 And there came a messenger, and told him, saying, They have brought the heads of the king’s sons. And he said, Lay ye them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until the morning. 9 And it came to pass in the morning, that he went out, and stood, and said to all the people, Ye are righteous: behold, I conspired against my master, and slew him; but who smote all these? 10 Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of Jehovah, which Jehovah spake concerning the house of Ahab: for Jehovah hath done that which he spake by his servant Elijah. 11 So Jehu smote all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his familiar friends, and his priests, until he left him none remaining.

12 And he arose and departed, and went to Samaria. And as he was at the shearing-house of the shepherds in the way, 13 Jehu met with the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, Who are ye? And they answered, We are the brethren of Ahaziah: and we go down to salute the children of the king and the children of the queen. 14 And he said, Take them alive. And they took them alive, and slew them at the pit of the shearing-house, even two and forty men; neither left he any of them.

15 And when he was departed thence, he lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him; and he saluted him, and said to him, Is thy heart right, as my heart is with thy heart? And Jehonadab answered, It is. If it be, give me thy hand. And he gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot. 16 And he said, Come with me, and see my zeal for Jehovah. So they made him ride in his chariot. 17 And when he came to Samaria, he smote all that remained unto Ahab in Samaria, till he had destroyed him, according to the word of Jehovah, which he spake to Elijah.

18 And Jehu gathered all the people together, and said unto them, Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu will serve him much. 19 Now therefore call unto me all the prophets of Baal, all his worshippers, and all his priests; let none be wanting: for I have a great sacrifice to do to Baal; whosoever shall be wanting, he shall not live. But Jehu did it in subtlety, to the intent that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal. 20 And Jehu said, Sanctify a solemn assembly for Baal. And they proclaimed it. 21 And Jehu sent through all Israel: and all the worshippers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that came not. And they came into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was filled from one end to another. 22 And he said unto him that was over the vestry, Bring forth vestments for all the worshippers of Baal. And he brought them forth vestments. 23 And Jehu went, and Jehonadab the son of Rechab, into the house of Baal; and he said unto the worshippers of Baal, Search, and look that there be here with you none of the servants of Jehovah, but the worshippers of Baal only. 24 And they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt-offerings. Now Jehu had appointed him fourscore men without, and said, If any of the men whom I bring into your hands escape, he that letteth him go, his life shall be for the life of him.

25 And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt-offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, Go in, and slay them; let none come forth. And they smote them with the edge of the sword; and the guard and the captains cast them out, and went to the city of the house of Baal. 26 And they brought forth the pillars that were in the house of Baal, and burned them. 27 And they brake down the pillar of Baal, and brake down the house of Baal, and made it a draught-house, unto this day. 28 Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.

29 Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, wherewith he made Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them, to wit, the golden calves that were in Beth-el, and that were in Dan. 30 And Jehovah said unto Jehu, Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes, and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in my heart, thy sons of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel. 31 But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of Jehovah, the God of Israel, with all his heart: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, wherewith he made Israel to sin.

32 In those days Jehovah began to cut off from Israel: and Hazael smote them in all the borders of Israel; 33 from the Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the valley of the Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan. 34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, and all that he did, and all his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 35 And Jehu slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son reigned in his stead. 36 And the time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty and eight years.