Then he wrote a second time to them, saying: If ye be on my side, and if ye will hearken unto my voice, take ye the heads of the men your master's sons, and come to me by to-morrow this time. Now the king's sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city who brought them up. And it came to pass, when the letter came to them, that they took the king's sons and slew them, even seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him in Jezreel. And there came a messenger and told him, saying: They have brought the heads of the king's sons. And he said: Lay ye them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until the morning. And it came to pass in the morning, that he went out and stood, and said to all the people: Ye are righteous. Behold, I conspired against my master, and slew him; but who smote all these? Know now that there shall fall to the earth nothing of the word of Yahweh, which Yahweh spake concerning the house of Ahab; for Yahweh hath done that which He spake by His servant Elijah.

So Jehu smote all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men and his familiar friends, and his priests, until there was left him none remaining.

And he arose and departed, and went to Samaria. And as he was at the shearing-house of the shepherds in the way, Jehu met the brethren of Ahaziah, king of Judah, and said: Who are ye? And they answered: We are the brethren of Ahaziah; and we go down to salute the children of the king and of the queen. And he said: Take them alive. And they took them alive, and slew them at the pit of the shearing-house, even two and forty men; neither left he any of them.

And when he was departed thence, he lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab; and he saluted him, and said to him: Is thy heart right, as my heart is with thy heart? And Jehonadab answered: It is. If it be, said he, give me thy hand. And he gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot. And he said: Come with me, and see my zeal for Yahweh. So he made him ride in his chariot. And when he came to Samaria, he smote all that remained unto Ahab in Samaria, till he had destroyed him, according unto the word of Yahweh which He spake to Elijah.

And Jehu gathered all the people together, and said unto them: Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve him much. Now therefore, call unto me all the prophets of Baal, all his worshippers and all his priests; let none be wanting; for I have a great sacrifice to make to Baal; whosoever shall be wanting, he shall not live. But Jehu did it in subtlety, to the intent that he might destroy the worshipers of Baal.

And Jehu said: Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal. And they proclaimed it. And Jehu sent through all Israel, and all the worshipers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that came not. And they came into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was filled from one end to the other. And he said to him that was over the vestry: Bring forth vestments for all the worshippers of Baal. And he brought them forth vestments. And Jehu went, and Jehonadab the son of Rechab, into the house of Baal; and he said unto the worshippers of Baal: Search, and look that there be here with you none of the servants of Yahweh; but the worshipers of Baal only. And they went in to offer sacrifice and burnt-offerings. Now Jehu had appointed him fourscore men without, and said: If any of the men whom I bring into your hands escape, his life shall be for the life of him.

And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt-offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains: Go in and slay them; let none come forth. And they smote them with the edge of the sword; and the guard and the captains cast them out, and went to the city of the house of Baal. And they brought forth the pillars that were in the house of Baal, and burned them. And they broke down the pillar of Baal, and broke down the house of Baal and made it a draught-house unto this day.

Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel. Howbeit, from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, wherewith he made Israel to sin,—from them Jehu departed not, the golden calves that were in Beth-el and that were in Dan. But Yahweh said unto Jehu: Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in Mine eyes, and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in My heart, thy sons of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.

In those days Yahweh began to cut Israel short; and Hazael smote them in all the borders of Israel; from the Jordan eastward, and all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer which is by the valley of Arnon,-even Gilead and Bashan. And Jehu slept with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria; and Jehoahaz his son reigned in his stead.

And the anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel, and He delivered them into the hand of Hazael, king of Aram, and into the hand of Ben-Hadad his son continually. And Jehoahaz besought Yahweh, and Yahweh hearkened unto him; for He saw the oppression of Israel, how that the king of Aram oppressed them. And Yahweh gave Israel a deliverer, so that they went out from under the hand of the Aramæans; and the Israelites dwelt in their tents, as aforetime. Neither was there left to Jehoahaz of the people but fifty horsemen and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen; for the king of Aram destroyed them, and made them as the dust in threshing. And Jehoahaz slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Samaria, and Joash his son reigned in his stead. Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he was to die; and Joash, the king of Israel, came down to him, and wept over him, and said: My father, my father! the chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof! And Elisha said unto him: Take bow and arrows; and he took unto him bow and arrows. And he said unto the king of Israel: Put thy hand upon the bow; and he put his hand upon it. And Elisha laid his hands upon the king's hands. And he said: Open the window outward; and he opened it. Then Elisha said: Shoot; and he shot. And he said: Yahweh's arrow of victory, even the arrow of victory against Aram; for thou shalt smite the Aramæans in Aphek, till thou have consumed them. And he said: Take the arrows; and he took them. And he said unto the king of Israel: Smite upon the ground; and he smote thrice and stayed. And the man of God was wroth with him, and cried: Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Aram till thou hadst consumed it; whereas now, thou will smite Aram but thrice.

And Elisha died, and they buried him. Now the bands of the Moabites used to invade the land at the coming in of the year. And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that behold, they spied a band; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha; and as soon as the man touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood upon his feet.

1 Apparently, a popular expression of grief for the loss of a man of distinguished power. It may have been the figure on which was based the tradition of the ascension of Elijah.

Now Hazael, king of Aram, had oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz. But Yahweh was gracious unto them, and had compassion upon them, and had respect unto them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and would not destroy them; neither hath He cast them from His presence until now. So Hazael, king of Aram, died; and Ben-Hadad, his son, reigned in his stead. And Jehoash,' the son of Jehoahaz, took again out of the hand of Ben-Hadad, the son of Hazael, the cities which he had taken out of the hand of Jehoahaz, his father, by war. Three times did Joash smite him, and recover the cities of Israel.

XVIII

HOW JEHOASH CAME TO THE THRONE IN JUDAH

Athaliah, daughter of Ahab and queen-mother in Judah, tries to destroy all the rest of David's line; but Jehoash, her youngest grandson is saved. Judah endures her rule six years; then the high-priest proclaims Jehoash king, and Athaliah is slain. He rules well; but to save his people from war pays tribute to Hazael, king of Aram. His successor Amaziah, declares war against Jehoash, his contemporary in Israel, but is overpowered and Jerusalem is taken. His people revolt, and put his son Azariah (Uzziah) on the throne. At the same time, Jeroboam II, the last great king of Israel, is ruling. (2 Ki. 11, 1-20; xii, 1-19, 21-22; xiv, 2, 5-14, 16-17, 19-21, 23, 25-27.)

Now when Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal. But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king's sons who were slain, even him and his nurse, and hid him in her bedchamber from Athaliah, so that he was not slain. And he was with her, hid in the House of Yahweh for six years. And Athaliah reigned over the land.

Now in the seventh year, Jehoiada sent and fetched the captains over hundreds of the Carites and of the Guards, and brought them into the house of Yahweh; and he made a covenant with them, and took an oath of them in the House of Yahweh, and he showed them the king's son. And he commanded them, saying: This is the thing that ye shall do; a third part of you, that come in on the sabbath and that keep the watch of the king's house, (now another third part was at the gate Sur, and another third part at the gate behind the guard), they shall keep the watch of the house and be a barrier. And the other two parts of you, even of all that go forth on the sabbath, shall keep the watch of the House of Yahweh about the king. And ye shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapon in his hand; and he that cometh within the ranks, let him be slain; and be ye with the king, when he goeth out and when he cometh in.

And the captains over hundreds did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded; and they took every man his men, those that were to come in on the sabbath with those that were to go out on the sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest. And the priest delivered to the captains over hundreds king David's spears and shields that were in the house of Yahweh. And the guard stood, every man with his 1 The names Joash and Joram are frequently given also as Jehoash and Jehoram.

weapon in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, along by the altar and the house.

Then he brought out the king's son and put upon him the crown, and gave him the testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said: Long live the king!

Now when Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and the people, she came to the people into the House of Yahweh. And she looked, and behold! the king stood by a pillar, as the manner was, and the captains and the trumpeters by the king; and all the people of the land were rejoicing, and they blew with trumpets. And Athaliah rent her clothes, and cried Treason, treason! And Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of hundreds, the officers of the host, and said unto them: Have her forth between the ranks; and him that followeth her, kill with the sword. For the priest had said: Let her not be slain in the House of Yahweh. And they laid hands on her; and she went by the way by which the horses came into the king's house; and there she was slain. And Jehoiada made a covenant between Yahweh and the king and the people, that they should be Yahweh's people; between the king also and the people. And all the people of the land went to the house of Baal, and brake it down; his altars and his images brake they in pieces thoroughly, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest appointed officers over the House of Yahweh. And he took the captains over hundreds, and the Carites, and the guard, and all the people of the land; and they brought down the king from the House of Yahweh, and came by the way of the gate of the guard to the king's house. And he sat on the throne of the kings. And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet; and they slew Athaliah by the sword by the king's house.

Jehoash was seven years old when he began to reign. And Jehoash did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh all his days that Jehoiada the priest instructed him. And Jehoash said to the priests: All the money of the dedicated things which is brought to the House of Yahweh in current money; the money for which each man is rated, and all the money that cometh into any man's heart to bring into the House of Yahweh, let the priests take it to them, every man from him who bestoweth it upon him; and they shall repair the breaches of the house, wheresoever any breach shall be found. But it was so, that in the three and twentieth year of king Jehoash the priests had not repaired the breaches of the house. Then king Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest and for the other priests, and said unto them: Why repair ye not the breaches of the house? Now therefore, receive ye no more money of your acquaintance, but deliver it for the breaches of the house. And the priests consented to receive no more money of the people, neither repair the breaches of the house.

Then Jehoiada the priest took a chest and bored a hole in the lid of it, and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one cometh into the House of Yahweh; and the priests that kept the door put therein all the money brought into the house of Yahweh. And it was so, that, when they saw there was much money in the chest, the king's scribe and the high priest came up, and they counted and put up in bags the money that was found in the house of Yahweh. And they gave the money that was weighed out into the hands of them that had the oversight of the house of Yahweh; and they paid it out to the carpenters and builders and wrought upon the House of Yahweh, and to masons and hewers of stone, and for buying timber and hewn stone

to repair the breaches of the House of Yahweh, and for all that was laid out for the house to repair it. Howbeit, there were not made for the House of Yahweh bowls of silver, snuffers, basins, trumpets, any vessels of gold or vessels of silver, out of the money that was brought into the House of Yahweh; but they gave that to the workmen, and repaired therewith the House of Yahweh. Moreover, they reckoned not with the men into whose hand they delivered the money to give to them that did the work, for they dealt faithfully. The trespassmoney and sin-money was not brought into the house of Yahweh; it was the priests'.

Then Hazael, king of Aram, went up and fought against Gath, and took it; and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem. And Jehoash, king of Judah, took all the hallowed things that Jehoshaphat and Jehoram and Ahaziah his fathers, kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own hallowed things, and all the gold that was found in the treasures of the House of Yahweh, and in the king's house, and sent it to Hazael, king of Aram; and he went away from Jerusalem.

Then his servants arose and made a conspiracy and slew Joash in the house of Millo, that goeth down to Silla. For Jozachar the son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad, the son of Shomer, his servants, smote him; and he died. And they buried him with his fathers in the city of David; and Amaziah his son reigned in his stead. He was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And it came to pass, as soon as the kingdom was confirmed in his hand, that he slew his servants who had slain the king his father; but the children of the murderers he slew not (according to the law of Moses wherein Yahweh commanded, saying: The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children be put to death for the fathers; but every man shall be put to death for his own sins.) He slew of Edom in the valley of Salt ten thousand, and took Sela by war, and called the name of it Joktheel.

1

Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, king of Israel, saying: Come, let us look one another in the face. And Jehoash, king of Israel, sent to Amaziah, king of Judah, saying: The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying: Give thy daughter to my son to wife; and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trod down the thistle. Thou hast indeed smitten Edom and thine heart hath lifted thee up. Glory therein, and stay at home. For why shouldest thou meddle to thy hurt, that thou shouldest fall, thou and Judah with thee?

But Amaziah would not hear. Therefore Jehoash, king of Israel, went up; and he and Amaziah looked one another in the face at BethShemesh, which belongeth to Judah. And Judah was put to the worse before Israel; and they fled every man to their tents.

And Jehoash, king of Israel, took Amaziah, king of Judah, at BethShemesh, and came to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim unto the corner gate, four hundred cubits.' And he took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in the House of Yahweh and the treasures that were in the king's house, and hostages also, and returned to Samaria. And Joash slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; and Jeroboam, his son, reigned in his stead.

1 The words in parenthesis are probably a late addition. The custom of the day forbade the alleging of such a reason, however humane the individual might have been.

2 This conquest may account somewhat for the Chronicler's disregard of Jeroboam II. while giving high honor to his father.