Immerse: Kingdoms Full Volume - Flipbook - Page 253
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SAMUEL–KINGS
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living in Jezreel and all his important officials, his personal friends, and his
priests. So Ahab was left without a single survivor.
Then Jehu set out for Samaria. Along the way, while he was at Beth-eked
of the Shepherds, he met some relatives of King Ahaziah of Judah. “Who
are you?” he asked them.
And they replied, “We are relatives of King Ahaziah. We are going to visit
the sons of King Ahab and the sons of the queen mother.”
“Take them alive!” Jehu shouted to his men. And they captured all
forty-two of them and killed them at the well of Beth-eked. None of them
escaped.
When Jehu left there, he met Jehonadab son of Recab, who was coming
to meet him. After they had greeted each other, Jehu said to him, “Are you
as loyal to me as I am to you?”
“Yes, I am,” Jehonadab replied.
“If you are,” Jehu said, “then give me your hand.” So Jehonadab put out
his hand, and Jehu helped him into the chario t. Then Jehu said, “Now
come with me, and see how devoted I am to the Lord.” So Jehonadab
rode along with him.
When Jehu arrived in Samaria, he killed everyone who was left there
from Ahab’s family, just as the Lord had promised through Elijah.
Then Jehu called a meeting of all the people of the city and said to them,
“Ahab’s worship of Baal was nothing compared to the way I will worship
him! Therefore, summon all the prophets and worshipers of Baal, and call
together all his priests. See to it that every one of them comes, for I am
going to offer a great sacrifice to Baal. Anyone who fails to come will be
put to death.” But Jehu’s cunning plan was to destroy all the worshipers
of Baal.
Then Jehu ordered, “Prepare a solemn assembly to worship Baal!” So
they did. He sent messengers throughout all Israel summoning those who
worshiped Baal. They all came—not a single one remained behind—and
they filled the temple of Baal from one end to the other. And Jehu instructed the keeper of the wardrobe, “Be sure that every worshiper of Baal
wears one of these robes.” So robes were given to them.
Then Jehu went into the temple of Baal with Jehonadab son of Recab.
Jehu said to the worshipers of Baal, “Make sure no one who worships the
Lord is here—only those who worship Baal.” So they were all inside the
temple to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had stationed
eighty of his men outside the building and had warned them, “If you let
anyone escape, you will pay for it with your own life.”
As soon as Jehu had finished sacrificing the burnt offering, he commanded his guards and officers, “Go in and kill all of them. Don’t let a