18 he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab: for the daughter of Ahab was his wife: and 19 he did evil in the sight of the LORD. Yet the LORD would not destroy Judah for David his servant's sake, as he promised him to give him alway a light, and to his children. 20 In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king 21 over themselves. So Joram went over to Zair, and all the chariots with him: and he rose by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him about, 22 and the captains of the chariots: and the people fled into their tents. 2 Yet Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day. Then Libnah revolted at the same time. 23 And the rest of the acts of Joram, and all that he did, are they not written 24 in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? And Joram slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and 3 Áhaziah his son reigned in his stead. 25 IN THE TWELFTH year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel did 26 Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah begin to reign. Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Athaliah, the daughter of Omri king 27 of Israel. And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did evil in the sight of the LORD, as did the house of Ahab: for he was the son-in-law of the 28 house of Ahab. And he went with Joram the son of Ahab to the war against Hazael king of Syria in Ramoth-gilead; and the Syrians wounded Joram. 29 And king Joram went back to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds 5 which the Syrians had given him at 6 Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was 7 sick. 9 AND Elisha the prophet called one of the children of the prophets, and said unto him, Gird up thy loins, and take this box of oil in thine hand, and go to 2 Ramoth-gilead: and when thou comest thither, look out there Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in, and make him arise up from among 3 his brethren, and carry him to an 8 inner chamber; then take the box of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, Thus saith the LORD, I have anointed thee 4 king over Israel. Then open the door, and flee, and tarry not. So the young man, even the young man the prophet, went to Ramoth-gilead. 5 And when he came, behold, the captains of the host were sitting; and he said, I have an errand to thee, O captain. And Jehu said, Unto which of all us? 6 And he said, To thee, O captain. And he arose, and went into the house; and he poured the oil on his head, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I have anointed thee king over the people of the LORD, even over Israel. 7 And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD, 8 at the hand of Jezebel. For the whole house of Ahab shall perish: and I will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and 9 left in Israel: and I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam 10 the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah: and the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her, And he opened the door, and fled. 11 Then Jehu came forth to the servants of his lord: and one said unto him, Is all well? wherefore came this mad fellow to thee? And he said unto them, Ye 12 know the man, and his communication. And they said, It is false; tell us now. And he said, Thus and thus spake he to me, saying, Thus saith the LORD, I have 13 anointed thee king over Israel. Then they hasted, and took every man his garment, and put it under him on the top of the stairs, and blew with trumpets, 14 saying, Jehu is king! So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. (Now Joram had kept Ramoth-gilead, he and all 15 Israel, because of Hazael king of Syria. But king 10 Joram was returned to be 1 Heb. candle, or, lamp. 2 And so fulfilled, Gen. xxvii. 40. 3 Called, Azariah, 2 Chron. xxii. 6, and Jehoahaz, 2 Chron. xxi. 17, &c. 4 Or, granddaughter; see ver. 18. 5 Heb. wherewith the Syrians 6 Called, Ramoth, ver. 28. 7 Heb. wounded. 8 Heb. chamber in a chamber. 9 Heb. reigneth. 10 Heb. Jehoram. 1 healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him, when he fought with Hazael king of Syria.) So And Jehu said, If it be your minds, then 2 let none go forth nor escape out of 16 the city to go to tell it in Jezreel. So Jehu rode in a chariot, and went to Jezreel; for Joram lay there. And Ahaziah king of Judah was come down to see 17 Joram. And there stood a watchman on the tower in Jezreel, and he spied the company of Jehu as he came, and said, I see a company. And Joram said, 18 Take an horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say, Is it peace? there went one on horseback to meet him, and said, Thus saith the king, Is it peace? And Jehu said, What hast thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me. And the watchman told, saying, The messenger came to them, but he 19 cometh not again. Then he sent out a second on horseback, which came to them, and said, Thus saith the king, Is it peace? And Jehu answered, What 20 hast thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me. And the watchman told, saying, He came even unto them, and cometh not again: and the 3 driving is 21 like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi; for he driveth furiously. And Joram said, 5 Make ready. And his chariot was made ready. And Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his chariot, and they went out against Jehu, and 6 met him in the portion of Naboth the Jezreelite. 22 And it came to pass, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, Is it peace, Jehu? And he answered, What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel 23 and her witchcrafts are so many? And Joram turned his hands, and fled, and 24 said to Ahaziah, There is treachery, O Ahaziah. And Jehu 7 drew a bow with his full strength, and smote Jehoram between his arms, and the arrow went out 25 at his heart, and he 8 sunk down in his chariot. Then said Jehu to Bidkar his captain, Take up, and cast him in the portion of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite for remember how that, when I and thou rode together after Ahab 26 his father, the LORD laid this burden upon him; Surely I have seen yesterday the 9 blood of Naboth, and the blood of his sons, saith the LORD; and I will requite thee in this 10 plat, saith the LORD. Now therefore take and cast him into the plat of ground, according to the word of the LORD. 27 But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the way of the garden house. And Jehu followed after him, and said, Smite him also in the chariot. And they did so at the going up to Gur, which is by Ibleam. And he 28 fled to 11 Megiddo, and died there. And his servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him in his sepulchre with his fathers in the city of David. 29 12 And in the eleventh year of Joram the son of Ahab began Ahaziah to reign over Judah. And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she 15 painted 31 her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a window. And as Jehu entered 32 in at the gate, she said, Had Zimri peace, who slew his master? And he lifted up his face to the window, and said, Who is on my side? who? And there 33 looked out to him two or three 14 eunuchs. And he said, Throw her down. So they threw her down: and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on 34 the horses: and he trode her under foot. And when he was come in, he did eat and drink, and said, Go, see now this cursed woman, and bury her: for she 35 is a king's daughter. And they went to bury her but they found no more of 36 her than the scull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands. Wherefore they came again, and told him. And he said, This is the word of the LORD, which he spake 15 by his servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, In the portion of Jezreel 37 shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel: and the carcase of Jezebel shall be as dung upon the face of the field in the portion of Jezreel; so that they shall not say, This is Jezebel. 10 And Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, unto the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to 16 them that brought 12 Then he began to 13 Heb. put her eyes 16 Heb. nourishers. 2 up Ahab's children, saying, 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 3 fenced city also, and armour; look even out the best and meetest of your master's sons, and set him on his father's throne, and fight for your master's 4 house. But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, two kings stood 5 not before him: how then shall we stand? 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 thy servants, and will do all that thou shalt bid us; we will not make any 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 mine, 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, which brought them 7 up. And it came to pass, when the letter came to them, that they took the king's sons, and slew seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent 8 hin them to Jezreel. 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 9 heaps at the entering in of the gate until the morning. And it came to pass in the morning, that he went out, and stood, and said to all the people, Ye be righteous behold, I conspired against my master, and slew him but who 10 slew all these? Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the LORD, which the LORD spake concerning the house of Ahab for 11 the LORD hath done that which he spake by his servant Elijah. So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his kinsfolks, 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 13 shearing house in the way, 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 6 to salute the children of the king and the 14 children of the queen. 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 7 lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him and he 8 saluted him, and said to him, Is thine heart right, as my heart is with thy heart? And Jehonadab answered, It is. If it be, give me thine hand. And he gave him his hand; and he took him up 16 to him into the chariot. 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 unto Ahab in Samaria, till he had destroyed him, according to the saying of the LORD, which 18 he spake to Elijah. And Jehu gathered all the people together, and said unto 19 them, Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu shall serve him much. Now therefore call unto 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; whosoever shall be wanting, he shall not live. But Jehu did it in subtilty, to the intent 20 that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal. And Jehu said, 9 Proclaim a 21 solemn assembly for Baal. And they proclaimed it. 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 22 Baal was 10 full from one end to another. And he said unto him that was over the vestry, Bring forth vestments for all the worshippers of Baal. And he 23 brought them forth vestments. And Jehu went, and Jehonadab the son of Rechab, into the house of Baal, and said unto the worshippers of Baal, Search, and look that there be here with you none of the servants of the LORD, but the 24 worshippers of Baal only. And when they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings, Jehu appointed fourscore men without, and said, If any of the 25 men whom I have brought into your hands escape, he that letteth him go, his life shall be for the life of him. 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 26 Baal. And they brought forth the 2 images out of the house of Baal, and 27 burned them. And they brake down the image of Baal, and brake down the 28 house of Baal, and made it a draught house unto this day. Thus Jehu de29 stroyed Baal out of Israel. Howbeit 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 Beth-el, and that were in Dan. 30 And the LORD 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 mine heart, thy children of the fourth generation shall 31 sit on the throne of Israel. But Jehu 3 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 32 Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin. In those days the LORD began to cut 33 Israel short and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel; from Jordan 5 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 35 they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? And Jehu slept with his fathers: and they buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his 36 son reigned in his stead. And 7 the time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty and eight years. 11 AND when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal. But 9 Jehosheba, the daughter of king 2 Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took 10 Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king's sons which were slain; and they hid him, even him and his 3 nurse, in the bedchamber from Athaliah, so that he was not slain. And he was with her hid in the house of the LORD six years. And Athaliah did reign over 4 the land. And the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched the rulers over hundreds, with the captains and the guard, and brought them to him into the house of the LORD, and made a covenant with them, and took an oath of them in the 5 house of the LORD, and showed them the king's son. And he commanded them, saying, This is the thing that ye shall do; A third part of you that enter 6 in on the sabbath shall even be keepers of the watch of the king's house; and a third part shall be at the gate of Sur; and a third part at the gate behind the guard: so shall ye keep the watch of the house, 11 that it be not broken down. 7 And two 1213 parts of all you that go forth on the sabbath, even they shall keep 8 the watch of the house of the LORD about the king. And ye shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand : and he that cometh within the ranges, let him be slain: and be ye with the king as he goeth out and as he cometh in. 9 And the captains over the hundreds did according to all things that Jehoiada the priest commanded: and they took every man his men that were to come in on the sabbath, with them that should go out on the sabbath, and came to 10 Jehoiada the priest. And to the captains over hundreds did the priest give king 11 David's spears and shields, that were in the temple of the LORD. And the guard stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, round about the king, from the right 14 corner of the temple to the left corner of the temple, along by the altar 12 and the temple. And he brought forth the king's son, and put the crown upon him, and gave him the testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him; 13 and they clapped their hands, and said, 15 God save the king. And when Atha 1 Heb. the mouth. 2 Heb. statues. 3 Heb. observed not. 4 Heb. to cut off the ends of. 6 Or, even to Gilead and Bashan. 11 7 Heb. the days were. 8 Heb seed of the kingdom. 9 2 Chr. xxii. 11, Jehoshabeath. 5 Heb. toward the rising of the sun. 10 Or, Jehoash. Or, from breaking up, 12 Or, companies. 13 Heb. hands. 14 Heb. shoulder. 15 Heb. Let the king live. liah heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she came to the people into 14 the temple of the LORD. And when she looked, behold, the king stood by a pillar, as the manner was, and the princes and the trumpeters by the king, and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew with trumpets: and Athaliah rent 15 her clothes, and cried, Treason! Treason! But Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of the hundreds, the officers of the host, and said unto them, Have her forth without the ranges: and him that followeth her kill with the sword. 16 For the priest had said, Let her not be slain in the house of the LORD. And they laid hands on her; and she went by the way by the which the horses came into the king's house: and there was she slain. 17 1 And Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people, that they should be the LORD's people; between the king also and the 18 people. And all the people of the land went into the house of Baal, and brake it down; his altars and his images brake they in pieces thoroughly, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest appointed officers 19 over the house of the LORD. And he took the rulers over hundreds, and the captains, and the guard, and all the people of the land; and they brought down the king from the house of the LORD, and came by the way of the gate of the 20 guard to the king's house. And he sat on the throne of the kings. And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was in quiet and they slew Athaliah with the sword beside the king's house. 12 21 SEVEN years old was Jehoash when he began to reign. In the seventh year of Jehu Jehoash began to reign; and forty years reigned he in Jerusalem. 2 And his mother's name was Zibiah of Beer-sheba. And Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest 3 instructed him. But the high places were not taken away: the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places. 4 And Jehoash said to the priests, All the money of the 23 dedicated things that is brought into the house of the LORD, even the money of every one that passeth the account, the money that every man is set at, and all the money that 5 cometh into any man's heart to bring into the house of the LORD, let the priests take it to them, every man of his acquaintance: and let them repair the breaches of the house, wheresoever any breach shall be found. 6 But it was so, that in the three and twentieth year of king Jehoash the 7 priests had not repaired the breaches of the house. Then king Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, and the other priests, and said unto them, Why repair ye not the breaches of the house? now therefore receive no more money of your acquaintance, but deliver it for the breaches of the house. 8 And the priests consented to receive no more money of the people, neither to 9 repair the breaches of the house. But Jehoiada the priest took a chest, and bored a hole in the lid of it, and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one cometh into the house of the LORD: and the priests that kept the 7 door put therein all the money that was brought into the house of the LORD. 10 And it was so, when they saw that there was much money in the chest, that the king's scribe and the high priest came up, and they 9 put up in bags, and 11 told the money that was found in the house of the LORD. And they gave the money, being told, into the hands of them that did the work, that had the oversight of the house of the LORD: and they 10 laid it out to the carpenters and 12 builders, that wrought upon the house of the LORD, and to masons, and hewers of stone, and to buy timber and hewed stone to repair the breaches of the house 13 of the LORD, and for all that 11 was laid out for the house to repair it. Howbeit there were not made for the house of the LORD bowls of silver, snuffers, basins, trumpets, any vessels of gold, or vessels of silver, of the money that was brought 14 into the house of the LORD: but they gave that to the workmen, and repaired 15 therewith the house of the LORD. Moreover they reckoned not with the men, into whose hand they delivered the money to be bestowed on workmen : for 16 they dealt faithfully. The trepass money and sin money was not brought into the house of the LORD: it was the priests'. 1 Heb. offices 2 Or, holy things. 3 Heb. holinesses. 4 Heb. the money of the souls 5 Heb. ascendeth upon the 6 Heb. in the twentieth year 7 Heb. threshold. 8 Or, secretary. 9 Heb. bound up. 10 Heb. brought it forth. 11 Heb. went forth. |