1Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria, to the officials of Jezreel, to the elders, and to the guardians of Ahab's sons. The letters said:
2"As soon as you receive this letter, since your master's sons are with you and you have chariots, horses, a fortified city, and weapons,
3choose the best and fittest of your master's sons, place him on his father's throne, and fight for your master's family."
4But they were extremely afraid and said, "Look, two kings couldn't stand against him! How can we?"
5The palace manager, the city governor, the elders, and those who raised the children sent a message to Jehu, saying, "We are your servants and will do everything you tell us. We will not make anyone king. You do whatever you think is right."
6Then Jehu wrote a second letter to them that said, "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." Now the king's sons, seventy of them, were with the city's important men who were raising them.
7When the letter reached them, they took the king's sons and killed all seventy of them. They put their heads in baskets and sent them to Jehu in Jezreel.
8A messenger came and told him, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons.” He replied, “Pile them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until morning.”
9In the morning, he went out, stood, and said to all the people, “You are innocent. Look, I conspired against my master and killed him, but who killed all these men?”
10“Now understand that nothing Yahweh said about Ahab’s family will fail. Yahweh has done what he promised through his servant Elijah.”
11So Jehu killed everyone who was left of Ahab’s family in Jezreel, including all his important officials, close friends, and priests, until no one was left.
12Then he left and went to Samaria. On the way, he was at the shepherds’ shearing house.
13Jehu met the relatives of Ahaziah, king of Judah, and asked, “Who are you?” They answered, “We are Ahaziah’s relatives. We are going to visit the children of the king and the children of the queen.”
14He said, “Capture them alive!” So they captured them alive and killed them at the pit near the shearing house—forty-two men. He didn’t leave anyone alive.
15After he left there, he met Jehonadab, son of Rechab, who was coming to meet him. He greeted him and said, “Are you as committed to me as I am to you?” Jehonadab replied, “I am.” Jehu said, “If so, give me your hand.” Jehonadab gave him his hand, and Jehu pulled him into his chariot.
16He said, “Come with me and see how passionately I serve Yahweh.” So he made Jehonadab ride in his chariot.
17When he arrived in Samaria, he killed everyone remaining from Ahab’s family in Samaria, destroying them completely, just as Yahweh had told Elijah.
18Jehu gathered all the people and told them, “Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve him much more.”
19“Now call all the prophets of Baal, all his worshipers, and all his priests to me. Make sure no one is missing, because I am holding a great sacrifice for Baal. Anyone who is absent will die.” But Jehu was doing this deceitfully, planning to execute the worshipers of Baal.
20Jehu announced, “Declare a sacred assembly for Baal!” And they announced it.
21Jehu sent messengers throughout all Israel, and all the worshipers of Baal came. Not a single person failed to show up. They entered the temple of Baal, and it was filled from one end to the other.
22He told the person in charge of the robes, “Bring out vestments for all the worshipers of Baal!” So he brought robes out to them.
23Jehu and Jehonadab, son of Rechab, went into the temple of Baal. Then Jehu told the worshipers of Baal, “Look carefully to make sure that none of Yahweh’s servants are here with you, only the worshipers of Baal.”
24Then they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Meanwhile, Jehu had stationed eighty men outside and told them, “If any of the men I bring into your hands escape, the one who lets him go will pay with his own life.”
25As soon as he finished offering the burnt offering, Jehu told the guards and the officers, “Go in and kill them! Don’t let anyone escape.” So they struck them down with their swords. The guards and officers threw out the bodies and went into the inner sanctuary of the temple of Baal.
26They brought out the sacred pillars from the temple of Baal and burned them.
27They tore down the pillar of Baal and demolished the temple of Baal, turning it into a latrine, which it remains to this day.
28So Jehu got rid of Baal worship in Israel.
29However, Jehu did not turn away from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel into—the worship of the golden calves at Bethel and Dan.
30Yahweh said to Jehu, "Because you have done well in carrying out what is right in My eyes, and have done to King Ahab's family everything I intended, your descendants will sit on the throne of Israel for four generations."
31But Jehu was not careful to follow the law of Yahweh, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn away from the sins that Jeroboam had led Israel into.
32In those days, Yahweh began to reduce the size of Israel. Hazael attacked them throughout all the borders of Israel,
33from the Jordan River eastward, all the land of Gilead—the territory of the Gadites, Reubenites, and Manassites—from Aroer, which is by the Arnon Valley, including Gilead and Bashan.
34The rest of Jehu's acts, everything he did, and all his accomplishments, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
35Jehu passed away and was buried in Samaria. His son Jehoahaz became king in his place.
36Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria for twenty-eight years.