1Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. Jehu wrote scrolls and sent them from Samaria to the rulers of Jezreel, the elders, and the guardians of Ahab, saying,2Now when this scroll reaches you, the sons of your lord are with you, together with the chariots, the horses, the fortified city, and the weapons.3Select the pleasant and the upright among the sons of your lord, place him on the throne of his father, and fight for the house of your lord.4They were very much afraid and said, "Behold, two kings could not stand before him; how then can we stand?"5The officials over the house, the elders, and the guardians sent word to Jehu, saying, "We are your servants, and we will do everything you tell us; we will not make anyone king. Do what seems good in your eyes."6He wrote them a second scroll, saying, "If you are on my side and will obey me, take the heads of the sons of your lord and come to me tomorrow at this time in Jezreel. The seventy sons of the king were with the great men of the city who were raising them."7When the scroll reached them, they took the sons of the king and slaughtered the seventy men; they placed their heads in pots and sent them to him in Jezreel.8The messenger came and reported to him, "They have brought the heads of the sons of the king." He said, "Place 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 righteous. Behold, I conspired against my lord and killed him, but who struck down all these?"10Know then that no word of the LORD will fall to the ground that the LORD spoke against the house of Ahab; the LORD has done what he declared by the hand of his servant Elijah.11Jehu struck down everyone remaining of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, together with all his great men, his acquaintances, and his priests, so that he left him no survivor.12And he arose and came and went to Samaria. He was at Beth-eked of the Shepherds on the way.13Jehu met the brothers of Ahaziah king of Judah and said, "Who are you?" They answered, "We are the brothers of Ahaziah; we have come down to greet the sons of the king and the sons of the queen."14He said, "Seize them alive." They seized them alive and slaughtered them at the pit of Beth-eked, forty-two men; he did not leave a single man among them.15He continued from there and met Jonadab son of Rechab coming to meet him. Jehu greeted him and said to him, "Is your heart upright with mine as my heart is with yours?" Jonadab said, "It is, it is." Give me your hand. He gave his hand, and Jehu brought him up into the chariot with him.16He said, "Come with me and see my zeal for the LORD." They made him ride in his chariot.17He came to Samaria and struck down everyone remaining of Ahab in Samaria until he had destroyed him according to the word of the LORD that he spoke to Elijah.