2 Kings 10 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. So Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria — to the officials of Jezreel, to the elders, and to those who raised Ahab's sons — saying,

"When this letter reaches you — since your master's sons are with you, and you have chariots, horses, a fortified city, and weapons —

pick the best and most capable of your master's sons, set him on his father's throne, and fight for your master's house."

But they were absolutely terrified and said, "Two kings couldn't stand against him — how can we?"

So the palace manager, the city governor, the elders, and the guardians sent word to Jehu: "We are your servants. We will do whatever you tell us. We will not make anyone king. Do what you see as right."

Then he 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 at Jezreel by this time tomorrow." Now the seventy royal sons were being raised by the leading men of the city.

When the letter arrived, they took the king's sons and slaughtered all seventy of them, put their heads in baskets, and sent them to Jehu at Jezreel.

A messenger came and told him, "They have brought the heads of the king's sons." He said, "Pile them in two heaps at the entrance of the city gate until morning."

In the morning, he went out and stood before all the people and said, "You are not guilty. Yes, I conspired against my master and killed him — but who struck down all of these?

Know this: nothing that Yahweh has spoken against the house of Ahab will fail to come true. Yahweh has done exactly what he promised through his servant Elijah."

Then Jehu struck down everyone left of Ahab's house in Jezreel — all his important officials, close friends, and priests — until there was no one left alive.

Then he set out for Samaria. On the way, at Beth-eked of the Shepherds,

Jehu encountered the relatives of Ahaziah king of Judah and asked, "Who are you?" They said, "We are relatives of Ahaziah, and we came down to greet the king's family and the queen mother's family."

"Take them alive!" he ordered. They took them alive and slaughtered them at the pit of Beth-eked — forty-two men. He did not spare a single one.

When he left there, he met Jehonadab son of Rechab coming to meet him. He greeted him and said, "Is your heart aligned with mine, as my heart is with yours?" Jehonadab answered, "It is." "Then give me your hand," Jehu said. He gave him his hand, and Jehu pulled him up into the chariot.

He said, "Come with me and see my passion for Yahweh." And he had him ride in his chariot.

When he arrived in Samaria, he struck down everyone who remained of Ahab's family there, until he had completely wiped them out — just as Yahweh had told Elijah.

Then Jehu gathered all the people and told them, "Ahab served Baal a little — Jehu will serve him a lot.

Now summon all the prophets of Baal, all his worshippers, and all his priests to me. No one may be absent, because I have a great sacrifice for Baal. Anyone who doesn't show up will not live." But Jehu was acting with deception in order to destroy the worshippers of Baal.

Jehu ordered, "Announce a sacred assembly for Baal." So they proclaimed it.

Jehu sent word throughout all of Israel, and all the worshippers of Baal came — not a single one stayed behind. They filled the temple of Baal from wall to wall.

He told the keeper of the wardrobe, "Bring out robes for all the worshippers of Baal." So he brought out robes for them.

Then Jehu and Jehonadab son of Rechab entered the temple of Baal and said to the worshippers, "Search carefully and make sure there are no servants of Yahweh here with you — only worshippers of Baal."

They went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had stationed eighty men outside and warned them, "If any of the men I'm handing over to you escapes, it will be your life for his."

As soon as the burnt offering was finished, Jehu ordered the guards and officers, "Go in and kill them. Don't let a single one escape." So the guards and officers cut them down with the sword, threw the bodies out, and went into the inner room of the temple of Baal.

They dragged out the sacred pillar of the temple of Baal and burned it.

They demolished the sacred pillar of Baal, then tore down the temple of Baal and turned it into a latrine — which it remains to this day.

So Jehu wiped out Baal worship from Israel.

However, Jehu did not turn away from the failures of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had led Israel into failure — the golden calves at Bethel and Dan.

Yahweh said to Jehu, "Because you have done well in carrying out what is right in my eyes, and have done to the house of Ahab everything that was in my heart, four generations of your descendants will sit on the throne of Israel."

But Jehu was not careful to follow the instruction of Yahweh, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn away from the failures of Jeroboam, who had led Israel into failure.

In those days, Yahweh began to reduce the territory of Israel. Hazael defeated them throughout their borders —

from the Jordan eastward: all the land of Gilead — the territory of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh — from Aroer by the Arnon Valley, including Gilead and Bashan.

As for the rest of Jehu's accomplishments — everything he did and all his power — aren't they written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

Jehu rested with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria. His son Jehoahaz became king in his place.

The total time Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.