Mar 23 - 2 Kings 9-11
2 Kings
1Now the prophet Elisha called one of the sons of the prophets, and he said to him: "Gird your waist, and take this little bottle of oil in your hand, and go to Ramoth Gilead2And when you arrive in that place, you will see Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi. And upon entering, you shall raise him up from the midst of his brothers, and you shall lead him into an inner room3And taking the little bottle of oil, you shall pour it upon his head, and you shall say: ‘Thus says the Lord: I have anointed you as king over Israel.’ And you shall open the door and flee. And you shall not remain in that place.4Therefore, the young man, a servant of the prophet, went away to Ramoth Gilead5And he entered that place, and behold, the leaders of the army were sitting there, and he said, "I have a word for you, O prince." And Jehu said, "For which one among us all?" And he said, "For you, O prince.6And he rose up and entered into the room. And he poured the oil on his head, and he said: "Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘I have anointed you as king over Israel, the people of the Lord7And you will shall strike down the house of Ahab, your lord. And I will avenge the blood of my servants, the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord, from the hand of Jezebel8And I will destroy the entire house of Ahab. And I will cause to pass away from Ahab, whatever urinates against a wall, and whatever is lame, and whatever is least in Israel9And I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha, the son of Ahijah10Also, the dogs will consume Jezebel, in the field of Jezreel. Neither will there be anyone who may bury her.’ " And then he opened the door, and he fled11Then Jehu went out to the servants of his lord. And they said to him: "Is everything well? Why has this insane man come to you?" And he said to them, "You know the man, and what he said.12But they responded, "That is false; instead, you should tell us." And he said to them, "He said to me these certain things, and he said, ‘Thus says the Lord: I have anointed you as king over Israel.’ 13And so they hurried away. And each one, taking his cloak, placed it under his feet, in the manner of a seat for judgment. And they sounded the trumpet, and they said: "Jehu reigns!14Then Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, conspired against Joram. Now Joram had besieged Ramoth Gilead, he and all of Israel, against Hazael, the king of Syria15And he had returned, so that he might be cured at Jezreel, because of his wounds. For the Syrians had struck him, while he was fighting against Hazael, the king of Syria. And Jehu said, "If it pleases you, let no one depart, fleeing from the city; otherwise he may go and give a report in Jezreel.16And he climbed up and set out for Jezreel, because Joram was sick there, and Ahaziah, the king of Judah, had gone down to visit Joram17And so the watchman, who was standing upon the tower of Jezreel, saw the crowd of Jehu arriving, and he said, "I see a crowd." And Joram said: "Take a chariot, and send to meet them. And those who go should say, ‘Is everything well?’ 18Therefore, he who had climbed into the chariot went away to meet him, and he said, "The king says this: ‘Is everything peaceful?’ " And Jehu said: "What peace is there for you? Pass by and follow me." Also the watchman gave a report, saying, "The messenger went to them, but he did not return.19And then he sent a second chariot of horses. And he went to them, and he said, "The king says this: ‘Is there peace?’ " And Jehu said: "What peace is there for you? Pass by and follow me.20Then the watchman gave a report, saying: "He went all the way to them, but he did not return. But their advance is like the advance of Jehu, the son of Nimshi. For he advances precipitously.21And Joram said, "Yoke the chariot." And they yoked his chariot. And Joram, the king of Israel, and Ahaziah, the king of Judah, departed, each in his chariot. And they went out to meet Jehu. And they met him in the field of Naboth, the Jezreelite22And when Joram had seen Jehu, he said, "Is there peace, Jehu?" And he responded: "What is peace? For still the fornications of your mother, Jezebel, and her many poisons, are thriving.23Then Joram turned his hand, and, fleeing, he said to Ahaziah, "Treachery, Ahaziah!24But Jehu bent his bow with his hand, and he struck Joram between the shoulders. And the arrow went through his heart, and immediately he fell in his chariot25And Jehu said to Bidkar, his commander: "Take and cast him into the field of Naboth, the Jezreelite. For I remember, when you and I, sitting in a chariot, were following Ahab, this man’s father, that the Lord lifted this burden upon him, saying26‘Certainly, I will repay you in this field, says the Lord, for the blood of Naboth, and for the blood of his sons, which I saw yesterday, says the Lord.’ Therefore, take him now, and cast him into the field, in accord with the word of the Lord.27But Ahaziah, the king of Judah, seeing this, fled along the way of the garden house. And Jehu pursued him, and he said, "Strike this one also in his chariot." And they struck him on the ascent to Gur, which is beside Ibleam. But he fled into Megiddo, and he died there28And his servants placed him upon his chariot, and they took him to Jerusalem. And they buried him in the sepulcher with his fathers, in the city of David29In the eleventh year of Joram, the son of Ahab, Ahaziah reigned over Judah30And Jehu went into Jezreel. But Jezebel, hearing of his arrival, painted her eyes with cosmetics, and adorned her head. And she watched through a window31as Jehu was entering through the gate. And she said, "Is it possible for there to be peace for Zimri, who killed his lord?32And Jehu lifted up his face to the window, and he said, "Who is this woman?" And two or three eunuchs bowed down before him33And he said to them, "Throw her down with force." And they threw her forcefully, and the wall was splattered with her blood, and the hoofs of the horses trampled her34And when he had entered, so that he might eat and drink, he said: "Go, and see to that cursed woman, and bury her. For she is the daughter of a king.35But when they had gone, so that they might bury her, they found nothing but the skull, and the feet, and the ends of her hands36And returning, they reported to him. And Jehu said: "It is the word of the Lord, which he spoke through his servant, Elijah the Tishbite, saying: ‘In the field of Jezreel, the dogs will consume the flesh of Jezebel37And the flesh of Jezebel will be like dung upon the face of the earth, in the field of Jezreel, so that those who pass by may say: Is this that same Jezebel?’
1Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And so Jehu wrote letters, and he sent to Samaria, to the nobles of the city, and to those greater by birth, and to those who had raised Ahab’s sons, saying2"Immediately when you receive these letters, you who have your lord’s sons, and chariots, and horses, and reinforced cities, and weapons3choose him who is better and who pleases you from among the sons of your lord, and set him on the throne of his father, and fight for the house of your lord.4But they were vehemently afraid, and they said: "Behold, two kings were not able to stand before him. So how will we be able to withstand him?5Therefore, those who were in charge of the house, and the prefects of the city, and those greater by birth, and those who raised the sons, sent to Jehu, saying: "We are your servants. Whatever you will order, we will do. But we will not appoint a king for ourselves. Do whatever pleases you.6Then he again wrote letters to them a second time, saying: "If you are mine, and if you obey me, take the heads of the sons of your lord, and come to me at Jezreel at this same hour tomorrow." Now the sons of the king, being seventy men, were being raised with the nobles of the city7And when the letters had arrived to them, they took the sons of the king, and they killed the seventy men. And they placed their heads in baskets, and they sent these to him at Jezreel8Then a messenger arrived and reported to him, saying, "They have brought the heads of the king’s sons." And he responded, "Place them in two piles, beside the entrance of the gate, until morning.9And when it had become light, he went out. And standing there, he said to all the people: "You are just. If I have conspired against my lord, and if I have killed him, who has struck down all of these10Now therefore, see that none of the words of the Lord has fallen to the ground, which the Lord spoke over the house of Ahab, and that the Lord has done what he spoke by the hand of his servant Elijah.11And so, Jehu struck down all who had remained from the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his nobles and friends and priests, until no remnant of them was left behind12And he rose up and went to Samaria. And when he had arrived at the shepherds’ cabin along the way13he found the brothers of Ahaziah, the king of Judah, and he said to them, "Who are you?" And they responded, "We are the brothers of Ahaziah, and we are going down to greet the sons of the king, and the sons of the queen.14And he said, "Take them alive." And when they had taken them alive, they cut their throats at the cistern beside the cabin, forty-two men. And he did not leave any of them behind15And when he had gone away from there, he found Jehonadab, the son of Rechab, coming to meet him, and he blessed him. And he said to him, "Is your heart upright, just as my heart is with your heart?" And Jehonadab said, "It is." Then he said, "If it is, then give me your hand." He gave his hand to him. And so he lifted him up to himself in the chariot16And he said to him, "Come with me, and see my zeal for the Lord." And he gave him a place in his chariot17And he led him into Samaria. And he struck down all who were left behind of Ahab in Samaria, even to the last one, in accord with the word of the Lord, which he spoke through Elijah18Then Jehu gathered together the entire people. And he said to them: "Ahab worshipped Baal a little, but I will worship him even more19Now therefore, summon to me all the prophets of Baal, and all his servants, and all his priests. Let no one be permitted not to come, for great is the sacrifice from me to Baal. Whoever will fail to come, he shall not live." Now Jehu was doing this treacherously, so that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal20And he said: "Sanctify a day of solemnity for Baal." And he summone21and sent into all the borders of Israel. And all the servants of Baal came. There was left behind not even one who did not arrive. And they entered into the temple of Baal. And the house of Baal was filled, all the way from end to end22And he said to those who were over the vestments, "Bring forth vestments for all the servants of Baal." And they brought forth vestments for them23And Jehu, upon entering the temple of Baal with Jehonadab, the son of Rechab, said to the worshippers of Baal, "Inquire and see that there is no one with you from the servants of the Lord, but only from the servants of Baal.24Then they entered, so that they might offer victims and holocausts. But Jehu had prepared for himself eighty men outside. And he had said to them, "If anyone escapes from among these men, whom I have led into your hands, your life will take the place of his life.25Then it happened that, when the holocaust had been completed, Jehu ordered his soldiers and officers, saying: "Enter and strike them down. Let no one escape." And the soldiers and officers struck them down with the edge of the sword, and they cast them out. And they went into the city of the temple of Baal26and they took away the statue from the shine of Baal, and they burned it u27and crushed it. They also tore down the temple of Baal, and they made it into a latrine, even to this day28And thus did Jehu wipe away Baal from Israel29Yet truly, he did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin. Neither did he forsake the golden calves, which were in Bethel and Dan30Then the Lord said to Jehu: "Since you have diligently carried out what was right and pleasing in my eyes, and since you have accomplished, against the house of Ahab, all that was in my heart, your sons shall sit upon the throne of Israel, even to the fourth generation.31But Jehu did not take care, so that he might walk in the law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart. For he did not withdraw from the sins of Jeroboam, who had caused Israel to sin32In those days, the Lord began to be weary of Israel. And Hazael struck them throughout all the parts of Israel33from the Jordan opposite the eastern region, in all the land of Gilead, and Gad, and Reuben, and Manasseh, from Aroer, which is above the torrent Arnon, in both Gilead and Bashan34But the rest of the words of Jehu, and all that he did, and his strength, have these not been written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Israel35And Jehu slept with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz, his son, reigned in his place36Now the days during which Jehu reigned over Israel, in Samaria, were twenty-eight years
1Truly, Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, seeing that her son was dead, rose up and put to death all the royal offspring2But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, the sister of Ahaziah, taking Jehoash, the son of Ahaziah, stole him away from the midst of the sons of the king who were being killed, out of the bedroom, with his nurse. And she hid him from the face of Athaliah, so that he would not be killed3And he was with her for six years, hidden in the house of the Lord. But Athaliah reigned over the land4Then, in the seventh year, Jehoiada sent for and took centurions and soldiers, and he brought them to himself in the temple of the Lord. And he formed a pact with them. And taking an oath with them in the house of the Lord, he revealed to them the son of the king5And he commanded them, saying: "This is the word that you must do6Let one third part of you enter on the Sabbath, and keep watch on the house of the king. And let one third part be at the gate of Sur. And let one third part be at the gate behind the dwelling place of the shield bearers. And you shall keep the watch on the house of Mesha7Yet truly, let two parts of you, all who depart on the Sabbath, keep watch over the house of the Lord concerning the king8And you shall surround him, having weapons in your hands. But if anyone will have entered the precinct of the temple, let him be killed. And you shall be with the king, entering and departing.9And the centurions acted in accord with all the things that Jehoiada, the priest, had instructed them. And taking each one of their men who would enter on the Sabbath, with those who would depart on the Sabbath, they went to Jehoiada, the priest10And he gave to them the spears and weapons of king David, which were in the house of the Lord11And they stood, each one having his weapons in his hand, before the right side of the temple, all the way to the left side of the altar and of the shrine, surrounding the king12And he led forth the son of the king. And he placed the diadem on him, and the testimony. And they made him king, and they anointed him. And clapping their hands, they said: "The king lives!13Then Athaliah heard the sound of the people running. And entering to the crowd at the temple of the Lord14she saw the king standing upon a tribunal, according to custom, and the singers and trumpets near him, and all the people of the land rejoicing and sounding the trumpets. And she tore her garments, and she cried out: "Conspiracy! Conspiracy!15But Jehoiada gave orders to the centurions who were over the army, and he said to them: "Lead her away, beyond the precinct of the temple. And whoever will have followed her, let him be struck with the sword." For the priest had said, "Do not allow her to be killed in the temple of the Lord.16And they laid hands on her. And they pushed her through the way by which horses enter, beside the palace. And she was killed there17Then Jehoiada formed a covenant between the Lord, and the king and the people, so that they would be the people of the Lord; and between the king and the people18And all the people of the land entered the temple of Baal, and they tore down his altars, and they thoroughly crushed the statues. Also, they killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, before the altar. And the priest placed guards in the house of the Lord19And he took the centurions, and the legions of the Cherethites and Pelethites, and all the people of the land, and together they led the king from the house of the Lord. And they went by way of the gate of the shield bearers into the palace. And he sat upon the throne of the kings20And all the people of the land rejoiced. And the city was quieted. But Athaliah was slain with the sword at the house of the king21Now Jehoash was seven years old when he had begun to reign