Elijah took the boy, brought him down from the upper room to the house, and handed him to his mother. Elijah then said, “See, your son is alive!”

So Ahab summoned Obadiah, who supervised the palace. (Now Obadiah was a very loyal follower of the Lord.

Elijah replied, “I have not brought disaster on Israel. But you and your father’s dynasty have, by abandoning the Lord’s commandments and following the Baals.

With the stones he constructed an altar for the Lord. Around the altar he made a trench large enough to contain two seahs of seed.

Say, ‘This is what the king says, “Put this man in prison. Give him only a little bread and water until I safely return.”’”

So the woman did as the prophet said. She and her family went and lived in the land of the Philistines for seven years.

After seven years the woman returned from the land of the Philistines and went to ask the king to give her back her house and field.

He followed in the footsteps of the kings of Israel, just as Ahab’s dynasty had done, for he married Ahab’s daughter. He did evil in the sight of the Lord.

You will destroy the family of your master Ahab. I will get revenge against Jezebel for the shed blood of my servants the prophets and for the shed blood of all the Lord’s servants.

pick the best and most capable of your master’s sons, place him on his father’s throne, and defend your master’s dynasty.”

Then Jehu killed all who were left of Ahab’s family in Jezreel, and all his nobles, close friends, and priests. He left no survivors.

He ordered them, “This is what you must do. One third of the unit that is on duty during the Sabbath will guard the royal palace.

The two units who are off duty on the Sabbath will guard the Lord’s temple and protect the king.

The priest gave to the officers of the units of hundreds King David’s spears and the shields that were kept in the Lord’s temple.

All the people of the land celebrated, for the city had rest now that they had killed Athaliah with the sword in the royal palace.

The priests should receive the silver they need from the treasurers and repair any damage to the temple they discover.”

By the twenty-third year of King Jehoash’s reign the priests had still not repaired the damage to the temple.

The priests agreed not to collect silver from the people and relieved themselves of personal responsibility for the temple repairs.

But they did not repudiate the sinful ways of the family of Jeroboam, who encouraged Israel to sin; they continued in those sins. There was even an Asherah pole standing in Samaria.

You thoroughly defeated Edom and it has gone to your head! Gloat over your success, but stay in your palace. Why bring calamity on yourself? Why bring down yourself and Judah along with you?”