But the <sc>Lordsc> was unwilling to destroy Judah. He preserved Judah for the sake of<n id="1" /> his servant David to whom he had promised a perpetual dynasty.<n id="2" />p>

You will destroy the family of your master Ahab.<n id="1" /> I will get revenge against Jezebel for the shed blood of my servants the prophets and for the shed blood of all the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s servants.<n id="2" />

Jehu drove his chariot<n id="1" /> to Jezreel, for Joram was recuperating<n id="2" /> there. (Now King Ahaziah of Judah had come down to visit<n id="3" /> Joram.)p>

<p class="bodytext">When Jehoram saw Jehu, he asked, &#8220;Is everything all right, Jehu?&#8221; He replied, &#8220;How can everything be all right as long as your mother Jezebel promotes idolatry and pagan practices?&#8221;<n id="1" />

Jehu aimed his bow and shot an arrow right between Jehoram&#8217;s shoulders.<n id="1" /> The arrow went through<n id="2" /> his heart and he fell to his knees in his chariot.

<p class="bodytext">Jehu approached Jezreel. When Jezebel heard the news, she put on some eye liner,<n id="1" /> fixed up her hair, and leaned out the window.

He went inside and had a meal.<n id="1" /> Then he said, &#8220;Dispose of this accursed woman&#8217;s corpse. Bury her, for after all, she was a king&#8217;s daughter.&#8221;<n id="2" />

Then Jehu killed all who were left of Ahab&#8217;s family in Jezreel, and all his nobles, close friends, and priests. He left no survivors.p>

He went to Samaria and exterminated all the members of Ahab&#8217;s family who were still alive in Samaria,<n id="1" /> just as the <sc>Lordsc> had announced to Elijah.<n id="2" />p>

He conquered all the land of Gilead, including the territory of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh, extending all the way from the Aroer in the Arnon Valley through Gilead to Bashan.<n id="1" />p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she was determined to destroy the entire royal line.<n id="1" />

The two units who are off duty on the Sabbath will guard the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s temple and protect the king.<n id="1" />

You must surround the king. Each of you must hold his weapon in his hand. Whoever approaches your ranks must be killed. You must accompany the king wherever he goes.&#8221;<n id="1" />p>

The priest gave to the officers of the units of hundreds King David&#8217;s spears and the shields that were kept in the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s temple.

<p class="bodytext">Jehoiada then drew up a covenant between the <sc>Lordsc> and the king and people, stipulating that they should be loyal to the <sc>Lordsc>.<n id="1" />

The priests should receive the silver they need from the treasurers and repair any damage to the temple they discover.&#8221;<n id="1" />p>

<p class="bodytext">By the twenty-third year of King Jehoash&#8217;s reign the priests had still not repaired the damage to the temple.

The priests agreed<n id="1" /> not to collect silver from the people and relieved themselves of personal responsibility for the temple repairs.<n id="2" />p>

He did evil in the sight of<n id="1" /> the <sc>Lordsc>. He continued in<n id="2" /> the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who had encouraged Israel to sin; he did not repudiate those sins.<n id="3" />

But they did not repudiate<n id="1" /> the sinful ways of the family<n id="2" /> of Jeroboam, who encouraged Israel to sin; they continued in those sins.<n id="3" /> There was even an Asherah pole<n id="4" /> standing in Samaria.