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Jehu Deceives Joram
14 So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. (A)Now Joram [a]with all Israel was [b]guarding Ramoth-gilead against Hazael king of Aram, 15 but (B)King [c]Joram had returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Arameans had struck him with when he fought with Hazael king of Aram. So Jehu said, “If this is your mind, then let no one escape or [d]leave the city to go declare it in Jezreel.” 16 Then Jehu rode in a chariot and went to Jezreel, for Joram was lying there. (C)Ahaziah king of Judah had come down to see Joram.
17 Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel and he saw the [e]company of Jehu as he came, and said, “I see a [f]company.” And Joram said, “Take a horseman and send him to meet them and let him say, ‘Is it peace?’” 18 So a horseman went to meet him and said, “Thus says the king, ‘Is it peace?’” And Jehu said, “(D)What have you to do with peace? Turn behind me.” And the watchman declared saying, “The messenger came to them, but he did not return.” 19 Then he sent out a second horseman. And he came to them and said, “Thus says the king, ‘Is it peace?’” And Jehu [g]answered, “What have you to do with peace? Turn behind me.” 20 And the watchman declared saying, “He came up to them, but he did not return; and (E)the driving is like the driving of (F)Jehu the son of Nimshi, for he drives in madness.”
21 Then [h]Joram said, “[i]Get ready.” And they made his chariot ready. [j](G)Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his chariot, and they went out to meet Jehu and found him in the [k](H)property of Naboth the Jezreelite. 22 Now it happened that when [l]Joram saw Jehu, he said, “Is it peace, Jehu?” And he [m]answered, “What peace, (I)so long as the harlotries of your mother Jezebel and her sorceries are so many?” 23 So [n]Joram [o]turned about and fled and said to Ahaziah, “(J)There is deception, O Ahaziah!” 24 And (K)Jehu [p]drew his bow with his full strength and struck [q]Joram between his arms; and the arrow went [r]through his heart and he crouched down in his chariot. 25 Then Jehu said to Bidkar his officer, “Lift him up and (L)cast him into the [s]property of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite, for I remember when [t]you and I were riding together after Ahab his father, that (M)Yahweh lifted up this (N)oracle against him: 26 ‘Surely (O)I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons,’ says Yahweh, ‘and (P)I will repay you in this [u]property,’ says Yahweh. So now, lift him up and cast him into the [v]property, according to the word of Yahweh.”
Jehu Strikes Down Ahaziah
27 (Q)And Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this and fled by the way of the garden house. And Jehu pursued him and said, “Strike him down too, in the chariot.” So they struck him down at the ascent of Gur, which is at (R)Ibleam. But he fled to Megiddo and died there. 28 (S)Then his servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem and buried him in his grave with his fathers in the city of David.
29 Now in (T)the eleventh year of Joram, the son of Ahab, Ahaziah became king over Judah.
Jezebel Is Eaten by Dogs
30 Then Jehu came to Jezreel, and Jezebel heard of it and (U)she painted her eyes and adorned her head and looked out the window. 31 As Jehu entered the gate, she said, “(V)Is it [w]peace, Zimri, [x]your master’s killer?” 32 Then he lifted up his face to the window and said, “Who is on my side? Who?” And two or three officials looked down at him. 33 And he said, “Throw her down.” So they threw her down, and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall and on the horses, and he trampled her under foot. 34 Then he came in and ate and drank. And he said, “Take care now of (W)this cursed woman and bury her, for (X)she is a king’s daughter.” 35 They went to bury her, but they found nothing more of her than the skull and the feet and the palms of her hands. 36 Therefore they returned and declared it to him. And he said, “This is the word of Yahweh, which He spoke by His servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, ‘(Y)In the [y]property of Jezreel the dogs shall eat the flesh of Jezebel; 37 and (Z)the corpse of Jezebel will be as dung on the face of the field in the [z]property of Jezreel, so they cannot say, “This is Jezebel.”’”
The Heads of Ahab’s Sons Sent to Jehu
10 Now Ahab had seventy sons in (AA)Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria, to the rulers of Jezreel, the elders, and to the guardians of the children of Ahab, saying, 2 “So now, (AB)when this letter comes to you, [aa]since your master’s sons are with you, [ab]as well as the chariots and horses and a fortified city and the weapons, 3 look for the best and [ac]fittest of your master’s sons, and set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house.” 4 But they feared exceedingly greatly and said, “Behold, (AC)the two kings did not stand before him; how then can we stand?” 5 And the one who was over the household, and he who was over the city, the elders, and the guardians of the children, sent word to Jehu, saying, “(AD)We are your servants, all that you say to us we will do, we will not make any man king; do what is good in your sight.” 6 Then he wrote a letter to them a second time saying, “If you are on my side, and you will listen to my voice, take the heads of the men, your master’s sons, and come to me about this time tomorrow at Jezreel.” Now the king’s sons, seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who were rearing them. 7 Now it happened that when the letter came to them, they took the king’s sons and (AE)slaughtered them, seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him at Jezreel. 8 Then the messenger came and told him, saying, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons.” So he said, “Put them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until morning.” 9 Now it happened in the morning that he went out and stood and said to all the people, “You are righteous; behold, (AF)I conspired against my master and killed him, but (AG)who struck down all these? 10 Know then that (AH)nothing from the word of Yahweh, which Yahweh spoke concerning the house of Ahab, shall fall to the earth. Indeed, Yahweh has done (AI)what He spoke by the hand of His servant Elijah.” 11 So Jehu struck down all who remained of the house of Ahab in (AJ)Jezreel, and all his great men and his acquaintances and his priests, until [ad]there was no survivor remaining for him.
12 Then he arose and came out and went to Samaria. On the way, while he was at [ae]Beth-eked of the shepherds, 13 (AK)Jehu found the [af]relatives of Ahaziah king of Judah and said, “Who are you?” And they said, “We are the [ag]relatives of Ahaziah; and we have come down [ah]to greet the sons of the king and the sons of the queen mother.” 14 Then he said, “Take them alive.” So they took them alive and slaughtered them at the pit of Beth-eked, forty-two men; and he left none of them.
15 Then he went from there and found (AL)Jehonadab the son of (AM)Rechab coming to meet him; and he [ai]blessed him and said to him, “Is your heart right, as my heart is with your heart?” And Jehonadab [aj]answered, “It is.” Jehu said, “If it is, (AN)give me your hand.” And he gave him his hand, and he took him up to him into the chariot. 16 Then he said, “Come with me and (AO)see my zeal for Yahweh.” So [ak]he made him ride in his chariot. 17 And he came to Samaria (AP)and struck down all who were left to Ahab in Samaria, until he had destroyed him, (AQ)according to the word of Yahweh which He spoke to Elijah.
Jehu Destroys the Slaves of Baal
18 Then Jehu gathered all the people and said to them, “(AR)Ahab served Baal a little; Jehu will serve him much. 19 So now, (AS)summon to me all the prophets of Baal, all his slaves and all his priests; let no one be missing, for I have a great sacrifice for Baal; whoever is missing shall not live.” But Jehu did it in [al]cunning, so that he might cause the slaves of Baal to perish. 20 And Jehu said, “(AT)Sanctify a solemn assembly for Baal.” And (AU)they summoned them. 21 Then Jehu sent [am]throughout Israel, and all the slaves of Baal came, so that there was not a man left who did not come. So they came into (AV)the house of Baal, and the house of Baal was filled from one end to the other. 22 Then he said to the one who was [an]in charge of the wardrobe, “Bring out garments for all the slaves of Baal.” So he brought out garments for them. 23 And Jehu came into the house of Baal with Jehonadab the son of Rechab; and he said to the slaves of Baal, “Search and see lest there be here with you any of the slaves of Yahweh, but only the slaves of Baal.” 24 Then they came in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings.
Now Jehu had placed for himself eighty men outside, and he had said, “(AW)The one who permits any of the men whom I cause to come into your hands to escape, [ao]shall give up his life in exchange.”
25 Now it happened that as soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, Jehu said to the [ap](AX)guard and to the royal officers, “(AY)Come in, strike them down; let none come out.” And they struck them down with the edge of the sword; and the [aq]guard and the royal officers threw them out and went to the [ar]inner room of the house of Baal. 26 And they brought out the sacred (AZ)pillars of the house of Baal and burned them. 27 They also broke down the sacred pillar of Baal and broke down the house of Baal and (BA)made it a latrine to this day.
28 Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel. 29 However, (BB)as for the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel sin, from these Jehu did not depart, even the (BC)golden calves that were at Bethel and that were at Dan. 30 And Yahweh said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in doing what is right in My eyes, and have done to the house of Ahab according to all that was in My heart, (BD)your sons of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.” 31 But Jehu [as](BE)was not careful to walk in the law of Yahweh, the God of Israel, with all his heart; (BF)he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam, which he made Israel sin.
Paul and Silas in Thessalonica
17 Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to (A)Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 And (B)according to Paul’s custom, he went to them, and for three (C)Sabbaths reasoned with them from (D)the Scriptures, 3 [a]explaining and setting before them that the [b]Christ (E)had to suffer and (F)rise again from the dead, and saying, “(G)This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is that [c]Christ.” 4 (H)And some of them were persuaded and joined (I)Paul and Silas, [d]along with a great multitude of the (J)God-fearing (K)Greeks and not a few of the (L)leading women. 5 But (M)the Jews, becoming jealous, taking along some wicked men from the marketplace, and forming a mob, set the city in an uproar. And attacking the house of (N)Jason, they were seeking to bring them out to the assembly. 6 And when they did not find them, they began (O)dragging Jason and some brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have upset [e](P)the world have come here also; 7 [f]and Jason (Q)has welcomed them, and they all act (R)contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” 8 And they disturbed the crowd and the city authorities who heard these things. 9 And when they had received the bond from (S)Jason and the others, they released them.
In Berea
10 (T)And the brothers immediately sent (U)Paul and Silas away by night to (V)Berea, [g]and when they arrived, they went into (W)the synagogue of the Jews. 11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in (X)Thessalonica, [h]for they received the word with [i]great eagerness, [j]examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. 12 Therefore (Y)many of them believed, along with not a few (Z)prominent Greek (AA)women and men. 13 But when the Jews of (AB)Thessalonica found out that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in (AC)Berea also, they came there as well, shaking up and disturbing the crowds. 14 Then immediately (AD)the brothers sent Paul out to go as far as the sea; and (AE)Silas and (AF)Timothy remained there. 15 Now (AG)those who escorted Paul brought him as far as (AH)Athens; and after receiving a command for (AI)Silas and Timothy to (AJ)come to him as soon as possible, they left.
In Athens
16 Now while Paul was waiting for them at (AK)Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he was observing the city full of idols. 17 So he was reasoning (AL)in the synagogue with the Jews and (AM)the God-fearing Gentiles, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be present. 18 And also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were [k]conversing with him. Some were saying, “What would (AN)this [l]idle babbler wish to say?” Others, “He seems to be a proclaimer of strange deities,”—because he was proclaiming the good news of (AO)Jesus and the resurrection. 19 And they (AP)took him and brought him [m]to the [n](AQ)Areopagus, saying, “May we know what (AR)this new teaching is [o]which you are speaking? 20 For you are bringing some strange things to our ears. So we want to know what these things mean.” 21 (Now all the Athenians and the strangers (AS)visiting there used to spend their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something newer.)
22 So Paul stood in the midst of the [p]Areopagus and said, “Men of (AT)Athens, I observe that you are very (AU)religious in all respects. 23 For while I was passing through and examining the (AV)objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore what (AW)you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. 24 (AX)The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is (AY)Lord of heaven and earth, does not (AZ)dwell in temples made with hands; 25 nor is He served by human hands, (BA)as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; 26 and (BB)He made from one man every nation of mankind to inhabit all the face of the earth, having (BC)determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, 27 that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, (BD)though He is not far from each one of us; 28 for (BE)in Him we live and move and [q]exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His offspring.’ 29 Being then the offspring of God, we (BF)ought not to suppose that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the craft and thought of man. 30 Therefore having (BG)overlooked (BH)the times of ignorance, God is (BI)now commanding men that everyone everywhere should repent, 31 because He has fixed (BJ)a day in which (BK)He will judge [r](BL)the world in righteousness [s]through a Man whom He (BM)determined, having furnished proof to all [t]by (BN)raising Him from the dead.”
32 Now when they heard about (BO)the resurrection of the dead, some began to sneer, but others said, “We shall hear you [u]again concerning this.” 33 In this way, Paul went out of their midst. 34 But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the (BP)Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.
Blessed Be Yahweh, My Rock
Of David.
144 Blessed be Yahweh, (A)my rock,
Who (B)trains my hands for war,
My fingers for battle;
2 My lovingkindness and (C)my fortress,
My (D)stronghold and my deliverer,
My (E)shield and He in whom I take refuge,
Who (F)subdues [a]my people under me.
3 O Yahweh, (G)what is man, that You know him?
Or the son of man, that You think of him?
4 (H)Man is like a breath;
His (I)days are like a passing shadow.
5 O Yahweh, (J)bow Your heavens, and (K)come down;
(L)Touch the mountains, that they may smoke.
6 Flash forth (M)lightning and scatter them;
Send out Your (N)arrows and confuse them.
7 Send forth Your hand (O)from on high;
Set me free and (P)deliver me out of many waters,
Out of the hand of (Q)foreigners
8 Whose mouth (R)speaks worthlessness,
And whose (S)right hand is a right hand of lying.
9 O God, I will sing a (T)new song to You;
Upon a (U)harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You,
10 Who (V)gives salvation to kings,
Who (W)sets David His servant free from the evil sword.
11 Set me free and deliver me out of the hand of the sons of a (X)foreigner,
Whose mouth (Y)speaks worthlessness
And whose (Z)right hand is a right hand of lying.
12 That our sons would be as (AA)grown-up plants in their youth,
And our daughters as (AB)corner pillars [b]fashioned as for a palace;
13 That our (AC)granaries would be full, furnishing every kind of produce,
And our flocks would bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields outside;
14 That our (AD)cattle would [c]bear
Without [d](AE)mishap and without [e](AF)loss,
And without (AG)outcry in our streets!
15 How blessed are the people for whom this is so;
How (AH)blessed are the people for whom God is Yahweh!
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