The Descendants of Ahab Are Killed
1 There were seventy descendants of King Ahab living in the city of Samaria. Jehu wrote a letter and sent copies to the rulers of the city, to the leading citizens, and to the guardians of Ahab's descendants. The letter read: 2 “You are in charge of the king's descendants, and you have at your disposal chariots, horses, weapons, and fortified cities. So then, as soon as you receive this letter, 3 you are to choose the best qualified of the king's descendants, make him king, and fight to defend him.”
4 The rulers of Samaria were terrified. “How can we oppose Jehu,” they said, “when neither King Joram nor King Ahaziah could?” 5 So the officer in charge of the palace and the official in charge of the city, together with the leading citizens and the guardians, sent this message to Jehu: “We are your servants, and we are ready to do anything you say. But we will not make anyone king; do whatever you think best.”
6 Jehu wrote them another letter: “If you are with me and are ready to follow my orders, bring the heads of King Ahab's descendants to me at Jezreel by this time tomorrow.”
The seventy descendants of King Ahab were under the care of the leading citizens of Samaria, who were bringing them up. 7 When Jehu's letter was received, the leaders of Samaria killed all seventy of Ahab's descendants, put their heads in baskets, and sent them to Jehu at Jezreel.
8 When Jehu was told that the heads of Ahab's descendants had been brought, he ordered them to be piled up in two heaps at the city gate and to be left there until the following morning. 9 In the morning he went out to the gate and said to the people who were there, “I was the one who plotted against King Joram and killed him; you are not responsible for that. But who killed all these? 10 This proves that everything that the Lord said about the descendants of Ahab will come true. The Lord has done what he promised through his prophet Elijah.” 11 Then Jehu put to death all the other relatives of Ahab living in Jezreel, and all his officers, close friends, and priests; not one of them was left alive.
The Relatives of King Ahaziah Are Killed
12 Jehu left Jezreel to go to Samaria. On the way, at a place called “Shepherds' Camp,” 13 he met some relatives of the late King Ahaziah of Judah and asked them, “Who are you?”
“Ahaziah's relatives,” they answered. “We are going to Jezreel to pay our respects to the children of Queen Jezebel and to the rest of the royal family.” 14 Jehu ordered his men, “Take them alive!” They seized them, and he put them to death near a pit there. There were forty-two people in all, and not one of them was left alive.
All Remaining Relatives of Ahab Are Killed
15 Jehu started out again, and on his way he was met by Jonadab son of Rechab. Jehu greeted him and said, “You and I think alike. Will you support me?”
“I will,” Jonadab answered.
“Give me your hand, then,” Jehu replied. They clasped hands, and Jehu helped him up into the chariot, 16 saying, “Come with me and see for yourself how devoted I am to the Lord.” And they rode on together to Samaria. 17 When they arrived there, Jehu killed all of Ahab's relatives, not sparing even one. This is what the Lord had told Elijah would happen.
The Worshipers of Baal Are Killed
18 Jehu called the people of Samaria together and said, “King Ahab served the god Baal a little, but I will serve him much more. 19 Call together all the prophets of Baal, all his worshipers, and all his priests. No one is excused; I am going to offer a great sacrifice to Baal, and whoever is not present will be put to death.” (This was a trick on the part of Jehu by which he meant to kill all the worshipers of Baal.) 20 Then Jehu ordered, “Proclaim a day of worship in honor of Baal!” The proclamation was made, 21 and Jehu sent word throughout all the land of Israel. All who worshiped Baal came; not one of them failed to come. They all went into the temple of Baal, filling it from one end to the other. 22 Then Jehu ordered the priest in charge of the sacred robes to bring the robes out and give them to the worshipers. 23 After that, Jehu himself went into the temple with Jonadab son of Rechab and said to the people there, “Make sure that only worshipers of Baal are present and that no worshiper of the Lord has come in.” 24 Then he and Jonadab went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings to Baal. He had stationed eighty men outside the temple and had instructed them: “You are to kill all these people; anyone who lets one of them escape will pay for it with his life!”
25 As soon as Jehu had presented the offerings, he said to the guards and officers, “Go in and kill them all; don't let anyone escape!” They went in with drawn swords, killed them all, and dragged the bodies outside. Then they went on into the inner sanctuary of the temple, 26 brought out the sacred pillar that was there, and burned it. 27 So they destroyed the sacred pillar and the temple, and turned the temple into a latrine—which it still is today.
28 That was how Jehu wiped out the worship of Baal in Israel. 29 But he imitated the sin of King Jeroboam, who led Israel into the sin of worshiping the gold bull-calves he set up in Bethel and in Dan. 30 The Lord said to Jehu, “You have done to Ahab's descendants everything I wanted you to do. So I promise you that your descendants, down to the fourth generation, will be kings of Israel.” 31 But Jehu did not obey with all his heart the Law of the Lord, the God of Israel; instead, he followed the example of Jeroboam, who led Israel into sin.
The Death of Jehu
32 At that time the Lord began to reduce the size of Israel's territory. King Hazael of Syria conquered all the Israelite territory 33 east of the Jordan, as far south as the town of Aroer on the Arnon River—this included the territories of Gilead and Bashan, where the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and East Manasseh lived.
34 Everything else that Jehu did, including his brave deeds, is recorded in The History of the Kings of Israel. 35 He died and was buried in Samaria, and his son Jehoahaz succeeded him as king. 36 Jehu had ruled in Samaria as king of Israel for twenty-eight years.
مقتل بـيت أخاب
1 وكانَ لأخابَ سَبعونَ ابنا في السَّامِرةِ. فكتَبَ ياهو إلى حُكَّامِ المدينةِ وأعيانِها، وإلى مُتَعَهِّدي تربـيةِ أبناءِ أخابَ وأحفادِهِ يقولُ: 2 «عِندَكُمُ الآنَ بَنو سيِّدِكُم والمَراكِبُ والخَيلُ والمُدُنُ المُحَصَّنَةُ والسِّلاحُ، 3 فانتَخِبوا عِندَ وصولِ رِسالتي هذِهِ الأفضَلَ والأصلَحَ مِنهُم وأجلِسوهُ على عرشِ أبـيه، واستَعِدُّوا لِلقِتالِ دِفاعا عَنْ بَيتِ أخابَ». 4 فاسْتَولى علَيهِم الخوفُ وقالوا: «مَلِكانِ لم يَصمُدا أمامَهُ، فكيفَ نحنُ؟» 5 فأرسَلوا وكيلَ القصرِ وحاكِمَ المدينةِ والشُّيوخَ والمُرَبِّينَ إلى ياهو يقولونَ: «نحنُ عبـيدُكَ، وكُلُّ ما تَأْمُرُنا بهِ نعمَلُهُ. لا نُقيمُ أحدا مَلِكا، وما تراهُ حسَنا فاعمَلْهُ». 6 فكتَبَ إليهِم ثانيةً يقولُ: «إنْ كُنتُم لي ومِنَ المُطيعينَ لأمري، فاقْطَعوا رُؤوسَ بَني مَلِكِكُم واحمِلوها إليَّ في مِثلِ هذِهِ السَّاعةِ مِنْ غدٍ إلى يَزرَعيلَ». وكانَ بَنو المَلِكِ سَبعينَ رَجُلا عِندَ أعيانِ المدينةِ الّذينَ رَبَّوهُم. 7 فلمَّا وصَلَت رِسالةُ ياهو إليهِم أخذوا بَني المَلِكِ السَّبعينَ وذبَحوهُم ووضَعوا رُؤُوسَهُم في سِلالٍ وأرسَلوها إليهِ في يَزرَعيلَ 8 فجاءَ الرَّسولُ إليهِ وقالَ: «جاؤوا بِرُؤوسِ بَني المَلِكِ أخابَ». فقالَ: «إجعَلوها كومَتَينِ عِندَ مَدخَلِ المدينةِ إلى الصَّباحِ». 9 فلمَّا جاءَ الصَّباحُ خرَجَ الشَّعبُ وقالَ: «أنتُم أبرياءُ، أنا الّذي ثارَ على المَلِكِ يورامَ وقتلَهُ، لكِنْ مَنِ الّذي قتَلَ هؤلاءِ 10 فاعلَموا الآنَ أنْ لا شَيءَ مِنْ كلامِ الرّبِّ على بَيتِ أخابَ إلاَّ ويَصيرُ. وهوَ إنَّما فعَلَ ما تكَلَّمَ بهِ على لِسانِ عَبدِهِ إيليَّا». 11 ثُمَّ قتَلَ ياهو جميعَ الباقينَ مِنْ بَيتِ أخابَ في يَزرَعيلَ وجميعَ رِجالِهِ ومَعارِفَهُ وكهنَتَهُ، ولم يُبقِ مِنهُم أحدا.
مقتل أنسباء أخزيا وأخاب
12 ثُمَّ ذهَبَ ياهو إلى السَّامِرةِ. فلمَّا وصَلَ إلى مكانٍِ يُدعى مَحلَّةِ الرُّعاةِ، 13 صادَفَ جماعةً مِنْ أنسباءِ أخَزْيا مَلِكِ يَهوذا، فسألَهُم: «مَنْ أنتُم؟» فأجابوا «نحنُ مِنْ أنسباءِ أخَزْيا، جِئْنا لِنُسَلِّمَ على بَني المَلِكِ يورامَ وبَني المَلِكَةِ إيزابَلَ». 14 فقالَ ياهو لِرِجالِهِ: «إقبِضوا علَيهِم» فقبَضوا علَيهِم وذبَحوهُم على حافَّةِ بِئرٍ هُناكَ، وكانوا اثنَينِ وأربَعينَ رَجُلا.
15 وسارَ ياهو مِنْ هُناكَ، فلَقيَ يَهونادابَ بنَ ركابٍ قادِما لاستِقبالِهِ، فبادَرَهُ ياهو بِالسَّلامِ وسألَهُ: «هل أنتَ مُخلِصٌ لي إخلاصي لكَ؟» فأجابَهُ: «نعم». فقالَ ياهو: «هاتِ يَدَكَ». فناوَلَهُ يَدَهُ. فأصعَدَهُ على مَركبتِهِ 16 وقالَ لَه: «تَعالَ معي وتُشاهِدُ تَعَلُّقي الشَّديدَ بِالرّبِّ». وأركبَهُ معَهُ في مَركبتِهِ. 17 وجاءَ السَّامِرةَ، فقتَلَ جميعَ مَنْ بَقيَ لأخابَ هُناكَ وأبادَهُم، كما قالَ الرّبُّ لإيليَّا.
مقتل عباد البعل
18 ثُمَّ جمَعَ ياهو الشَّعبَ وقالَ لهُم: «عبَدَ أخابُ البَعلَ قليلا، لكِنْ ياهو سيَعبُدُهُ كثيرا. 19 فادعوا إليَّ جميعَ أنبـياءِ البَعلِ وعُبَّادِهِ وكهَنتِهِ، دونَ أنْ يتَخَلَّفَ مِنهُم أحدٌ، لأنَّ لي ذبـيحةً عظيمةً لِلبَعلِ، وكُلُّ مَنْ يتَخَلَّفُ يُقتَلُ». وكانَ ذلِكَ مكيدةً مِنْ ياهو لِـيُهلِكَ عُبَّادَ البَعلِ. 20 ثُمَّ قالَ ياهو: «نادوا بِاجتِماعٍ مُقَدَّسٍ لِلبَعلِ». فنادوا بهِ. 21 وأذاعَ ياهو النِّداءَ في كُلِّ أرضِ إِسرائيلَ فأقبلَ جميعُ العُبَّادِ ودخلوا بَيتَ البَعلِ، فامتَلأَ بِهِم. 22 فقالَ ياهو لِلقَيِّمِ على ثِـيابِ العِبادةِ: «أخرِجْ ملابِسَ لِجميعِ عُبَّادِ البَعلِ»، ففَعلَ. 23 ودخَلَ ياهو معَ يهونادابَ بنِ رَكابٍ إلى بَيتِ البَعلِ وقالَ لِلعُبَّادِ: «أُنظُروا إنْ كانَ أحدٌ مِنْ عِبادِ الرّبِّ بَينكُم هُنا فهُنا لا يجوزُ أنْ يكونَ إلاَّ عُبَّادُ البَعلِ». 24 ثُمَّ دخَلَ ليُقَدِّمَ ذبائِـحَ ومُحرَقاتٍ، وبَعدَ أنْ أقامَ لَه خارِجا ثَمانينَ رَجُلا، قالَ لهُم: «إذا نجا أحدٌ مِنْ هؤُلاءِ الّذينَ جِئتُ بِهِم إلى هُنا تُؤْخَذُ أنفُسُكُم بَدَلا مِنهُ». 25 ثُمَّ دخَلَ لِـيُقَدِّمَ ذبائِـحَ ومُحرَقاتٍ فلمَّا فرَغَ مِنْ تَقديمِ المُحرَقةِ، قالَ لِلحرَسِ والضُبَّاطِ: «أُدخُلوا واقتُلوهُم ولا تَدَعوا أحدا يَفلِتُ». فضَرَبوهُم بِـحَدِّ السَّيفِ وطَرَحوهُم خارجا، ثُمَّ دخَلوا إلى مِحرابِ بَيتِ البَعلِ 26 وأخرَجوا التَّماثيلَ وأحرَقوها. 27 وكسَّروا تِمثالَ البَعلِ، وهدَموا بَيتَهُ وجعَلوهُ مَزبَلَةً إلى هذا اليومِ.
28 وهكذا قضى ياهو على عِبادةِ البَعلِ مِنْ إِسرائيلَ، 29 إلاَّ أنَّهُ ما حادَ عَنْ خطايا يَرُبعامَ بنِ نَباطَ الّذي جعَلَ شعبَ إِسرائيلَ يَخطَأُ، فأبقى على عِجْلَي الذَّهَبِ اللَّذينِ في بَيتَ إيلَ وفي دانَ. 30 فقالَ الرّبُّ لِـياهو: «عَمِلتَ ما هوَ قويمٌ في نظَري فأحسَنتَ، وكُلُّ ما نَوَيتُهُ في قلبـي فعَلْتَهُ بِبَيتِ أخابَ، لِذلِكَ سَيجلِسُ مِنْ بَنيكَ إلى الجيلِ الرَّابِـعِ على عرشِ إِسرائيلَ». 31 ولم يَتَمَسَّكْ ياهو بِشريعةِ الرّبِّ إلهِ إِسرائيلَ بِكُلِّ قلبِهِ، ولم يَحِدْ عَنْ خَطايا يَرُبعامَ الّذي جعَلَ شعبَ إِسرائيلَ يَخطَأُ.
موت ياهو
32 وفي تِلكَ الأيّامِ بدأَ الرّبُّ يَقتَطِعُ مِنْ أرضِ إِسرائيلَ، فاحتَلَّ حَزائيلُ مَلِكُ آرامَ جميعَ المَناطِقِ 33 شرقيَّ الأردُنِّ إلى مدينةِ عَروعيرَ ونهرِ أرنونَ جَنوبا، ومِنها جميعُ أراضي جلعادَ وباشانَ الّتي سكنَها بَنو جادَ ورَأوبـينَ ومنَسَّى. 34 وما بَقيَ مِنْ أخبارِ ياهو وأعمالِهِ وبَسالتِهِ مُدَوَّنٌ في سِفْرِ أخبارِ الأيّامِ لِمُلوكِ إِسرائيلَ. 35 وماتَ ياهو ودُفِنَ معَ آبائِهِ في السَّامِرةِ، وملَكَ يَهوأحازَ ابنُهُ مكانَهُ. 36 وكانَت أيّامُ مُلْكِهِ بِالسَّامِرةِ ثَمانيَ وعشرينَ سنَةً.
