1 Achando-se em Samaria setenta filhos de Acabe, Jeú escreveu cartas e as enviou a Samaria, aos chefes da cidade, aos anciãos e aos tutores dos filhos de Acabe, dizendo: 2 Logo, em chegando a vós outros esta carta (pois estão convosco os filhos de vosso senhor, como também os carros, os cavalos, a cidade fortalecida e as armas), 3 escolhei o melhor e mais capaz dos filhos de vosso senhor, ponde-o sobre o trono de seu pai e pelejai pela casa de vosso senhor. 4 Porém eles temeram muitíssimo e disseram: Dois reis não puderam resistir a ele; como, pois, poderemos nós fazê-lo? 5 Então, o responsável pelo palácio, e o responsável pela cidade, e os anciãos, e os tutores mandaram dizer a Jeú: Teus servos somos e tudo quanto nos ordenares faremos; a ninguém constituiremos rei; faze o que bem te parecer. 6 Então, lhes escreveu outra carta, dizendo: Se estiverdes do meu lado e quiserdes obedecer-me, tomai as cabeças dos homens, filhos de vosso senhor, e amanhã a estas horas vinde a mim a Jezreel. Ora, os filhos do rei, que eram setenta, estavam com os grandes da cidade, que os criavam. 7 Chegada a eles a carta, tomaram os filhos do rei, e os mataram, setenta pessoas, e puseram as suas cabeças nuns cestos, e lhas mandaram a Jezreel. 8 Veio um mensageiro e lhe disse: Trouxeram as cabeças dos filhos do rei. Ele disse: Ponde-as em dois montões à entrada da porta, até pela manhã. 9 Saindo ele pela manhã, parou e disse a todo o povo: Vós estais sem culpa; eis que eu conspirei contra o meu senhor e o matei; mas quem feriu todos estes? 10 Sabei, pois, agora, que, da palavra do Senhor, pronunciada contra a casa de Acabe, nada cairá em terra, porque o Senhor fez o que falou por intermédio do seu servo Elias. 11 Jeú feriu também todos os restantes da casa de Acabe em Jezreel, como também todos os seus grandes, os seus conhecidos e os seus sacerdotes, até que nem um sequer lhe deixou ficar de resto.

12 Então, se dispôs, partiu e foi a Samaria. E, estando no caminho, em Bete-Equede dos Pastores, 13 encontrou Jeú parentes de Acazias, rei de Judá, e perguntou: Quem sois vós? Eles responderam: Parentes de Acazias; voltamos de saudar os filhos do rei e os da rainha-mãe. 14 Então, disse Jeú: Apanhai-os vivos. Eles os apanharam vivos e os mataram junto ao poço de Bete-Equede, quarenta e dois homens; e a nenhum deles deixou de resto.

15 Tendo partido dali, encontrou a Jonadabe, filho de Recabe, que lhe vinha ao encontro; Jeú saudou-o e lhe perguntou: Tens tu sincero o coração para comigo, como o meu o é para contigo? Respondeu Jonadabe: Tenho. Então, se tens, dá-me a mão. Jonadabe deu-lhe a mão; e Jeú fê-lo subir consigo ao carro 16 e lhe disse: Vem comigo e verás o meu zelo para com o Senhor. E, assim, Jeú o levou no seu carro. 17 Tendo Jeú chegado a Samaria, feriu todos os que ali ficaram de Acabe, até destruí-los, segundo a palavra que o Senhor dissera a Elias.

18 Ajuntou Jeú a todo o povo e lhe disse: Acabe serviu pouco a Baal; Jeú, porém, muito o servirá. 19 Pelo que chamai-me, agora, todos os profetas de Baal, todos os seus servidores e todos os seus sacerdotes; não falte nenhum, porque tenho grande sacrifício a oferecer a Baal; todo aquele que faltar não viverá. Porém Jeú fazia isto com astúcia, para destruir os servidores de Baal. 20 Disse mais Jeú: Consagrai uma assembleia solene a Baal; e a proclamaram. 21 Também Jeú enviou mensageiros por todo o Israel; vieram todos os adoradores de Baal, e nenhum homem deles ficou que não viesse. Entraram na casa de Baal, que se encheu de uma extremidade à outra. 22 Então, disse Jeú ao vestiário: Tira as vestimentas para todos os adoradores de Baal. E o fez. 23 Entrou Jeú com Jonadabe, filho de Recabe, na casa de Baal e disse aos adoradores de Baal: Examinai e vede bem não esteja aqui entre vós algum dos servos do Senhor, mas somente os adoradores de Baal.

24 E, entrando eles a oferecerem sacrifícios e holocaustos, Jeú preparou da parte de fora oitenta homens e disse-lhes: Se escapar algum dos homens que eu entregar em vossas mãos, a vida daquele que o deixar escapar responderá pela vida dele. 25 Sucedeu que, acabado o oferecimento do holocausto, ordenou Jeú aos da sua guarda e aos capitães: Entrai, feri-os, que nenhum escape. Feriram-nos a fio de espada; e os da guarda e os capitães os lançaram fora, e penetraram no mais interior da casa de Baal, 26 e tiraram as colunas que estavam na casa de Baal, e as queimaram. 27 Também quebraram a própria coluna de Baal, e derribaram a casa de Baal, e a transformaram em latrinas até ao dia de hoje.

28 Assim, Jeú exterminou de Israel a Baal. 29 Porém não se apartou Jeú de seguir os pecados de Jeroboão, filho de Nebate, que fez pecar a Israel, a saber, dos bezerros de ouro que estavam em Betel e em Dã. 30 Pelo que disse o Senhor a Jeú: Porquanto bem executaste o que é reto perante mim e fizeste à casa de Acabe segundo tudo quanto era do meu propósito, teus filhos até à quarta geração se assentarão no trono de Israel. 31 Mas Jeú não teve cuidado de andar de todo o seu coração na lei do Senhor, Deus de Israel, nem se apartou dos pecados que Jeroboão fez pecar a Israel.

32 Naqueles dias, começou o Senhor a diminuir os limites de Israel, que foi ferido por Hazael em todas as suas fronteiras, 33 desde o Jordão para o nascente do sol, toda a terra de Gileade, os gaditas, os rubenitas e os manassitas, desde Aroer, que está junto ao vale de Arnom, a saber, Gileade e Basã.

34 Ora, os mais atos de Jeú, e tudo quanto fez, e todo o seu poder, porventura, não estão escritos no Livro da História dos Reis de Israel? 35 Descansou Jeú com seus pais, e o sepultaram em Samaria; e Jeoacaz, seu filho, reinou em seu lugar. 36 Os dias que Jeú reinou sobre Israel em Samaria foram vinte e oito anos.

1 And Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, to the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to them that brought up Ahab' children, saying,

2 Now as soon as this letter comes to you, seeing your master' sons are with you, and there are with you chariots and horses, a fenced city also, and armor;

3 Look even out the best and meet of your master' sons, and set him on his father' throne, and fight for your master' house.

4 But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, two kings stood not before him: how then shall we stand?

5 And he that was over the house, and he that was over the city, the elders also, and the bringers up of the children, sent to Jehu, saying, We are your servants, and will do all that you shall bid us; we will not make any king: do you that which is good in your eyes.

6 Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, If you be mine, and if you will listen to my voice, take you the heads of the men your master' sons, and come to me to Jezreel by to morrow this time. Now the king' sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, which brought them up.

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

8 And there came a messenger, and told him, saying, They have brought the heads of the king' sons. And he said, Lay you them in two heaps at the entering in 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, You be righteous: behold, I conspired against my master, and slew him: but who slew all these?

10 Know now that there shall fall to the earth nothing of the word of the LORD, which the LORD spoke concerning the house of Ahab: for the LORD has done that which he spoke by his servant Elijah.

11 So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his kinfolks, and his priests, until he left him none remaining.

12 And he arose and departed, and came to Samaria. And as he was at the shearing house in the way,

13 Jehu met with the brothers of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, Who are you? And they answered, We are the brothers 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 there, he lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him: and he saluted him, and said to him, Is your heart right, as my heart is with your heart? And Jehonadab answered, It is. If it be, give me your 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 the LORD. So they made him ride in his chariot.

17 And when he came to Samaria, he slew all that remained to Ahab in Samaria, till he had destroyed him, according to the saying of the LORD, which he spoke to Elijah.

18 And Jehu gathered all the people together, and said to them, Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu shall serve him much.

19 Now therefore call to me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests; let none be wanting: for I have a great sacrifice to do to Baal; whoever 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, Proclaim 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 full from one end to another.

22 And he said to 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 said to the worshippers of Baal, Search, and look that there be here with you none of the servants of the LORD, but the worshippers of Baal only.

24 And when they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings, Jehu appointed fourscore men without, and said, If any of the men whom I have brought into your hands escape, he that lets 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 images out of the house of Baal, and burned them.

27 And they broke down the image of Baal, and broke down the house of Baal, and made it a draught house to this day.

28 Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.

29 However, from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them, to wit, the golden calves that were in Bethel, and that were in Dan.

30 And the LORD said to Jehu, Because you have done well in executing that which is right in my eyes, and have done to the house of Ahab according to all that was in my heart, your children of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.

31 But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin.

32 In those days the LORD began to cut Israel short: and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel;

33 From Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the river 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.