וּלְאַחְאָב שִׁבְעִים בָּנִים בְּשֹׁמְרוֹן וַיִּכְתֹּב יֵהוּא סְפָרִים וַיִּשְׁלַח שֹׁמְרוֹן אֶל־שָׂרֵי יִזְרְעֶאל הַזְּקֵנִים 10:1 וְאֶל־הָאֹמְנִים אַחְאָב לֵאמֹר׃
1Kin. 10:1 Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters and sent to Samaria, to the governors of Jezreel, the elders, and the nurses of Ahab saying,
וְעַתָּה כְּבֹא הַסֵּפֶר הַזֶּה אֲלֵיכֶם וְאִתְּכֶם בְּנֵי אֲדֹנֵיכֶם וְאִתְּכֶם הָרֶכֶב וְהַסּוּסִים וְעִיר מִבְצָר וְהַנָּשֶׁק׃ 10:2
1Kin. 10:2 “And now when this letter comes to you, as the sons of your master are with you, and chariots and horses are with you, and the city is fortified, and there is armor,
וּרְאִיתֶם הַטּוֹב וְהַיָּשָׁר מִבְּנֵי אֲדֹנֵיכֶם וְשַׂמְתֶּם עַל־כִּסֵּא אָבִיו וְהִלָּחֲמוּ עַל־בֵּית אֲדֹנֵיכֶם׃ 10:3
1Kin. 10:3 then you look on the best and most righteous from the sons of your master and set on the throne of his father and they will fight for the house of your master.”
וַיִּרְאוּ מְאֹד מְאֹד וַיֹּאמְרוּ הִנֵּה שְׁנֵי הַמְּלָכִים לֹא עָמְדוּ לְפָנָיו וְאֵיךְ נַעֲמֹד אֲנָחְנוּ׃ 10:4
1Kin. 10:4 But they were very greatly afraid and said, “Behold, two of the kings did not stand before him. Then how will we stand?”
וַיִּשְׁלַח אֲשֶׁר־עַל־הַבַּיִת וַאֲשֶׁר עַל־הָעִיר וְהַזְּקֵנִים וְהָאֹמְנִים אֶל־יֵהוּא לֵאמֹר עֲבָדֶיךָ אֲנַחְנוּ וְכֹל 10:5 אֲשֶׁר־תֹּאמַר אֵלֵינוּ נַעֲשֶׂה לֹא־נַמְלִיךְ אִישׁ הַטּוֹב בְּעֵינֶיךָ עֲשֵׂה׃
1Kin. 10:5 Then who was over the house sent, and who was over the city, and the elders, and the nurses, to Jehu, saying, “We are your servants, and all that you say to us we will do. We will not make any man a king. Do what is good in your eyes.”
The word I translate as nurses is translated elsewhere as guardians or bringers up (of the children of Ahab). Either nurses or bringers up is the appropriate translation. I presume that at least some of the children were still young. I may be wrong, though. See the next verse.
וַיִּכְתֹּב אֲלֵיהֶם סֵפֶר שֵׁנִית לֵאמֹר אִם־לִי אַתֶּם וּלְקֹלִי אַתֶּם שֹׁמְעִים קְחוּ אֶת־רָאשֵׁי אַנְשֵׁי 10:6 בְנֵי־אֲדֹנֵיכֶם וּבֹאוּ אֵלַי כָּעֵת מָחָר יִזְרְעֶאלָה וּבְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ שִׁבְעִים אִישׁ אֶת־גְּדֹלֵי הָעִיר מְגַדְּלִים אוֹתָם׃
1Kin. 10:6 So he wrote a second letter to them saying, “If you are for me, and you will be listening to my voice, take the heads of the men, the sons of your master, and come to me about this time tomorrow to Jezreel.” Now the sons of the king, seventy men, were with the great men of the city, who brought them up.
וַיְהִי כְּבֹא הַסֵּפֶר אֲלֵיהֶם וַיִּקְחוּ אֶת־בְּנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיִּשְׁחֲטוּ שִׁבְעִים אִישׁ וַיָּשִׂימוּ אֶת־רָאשֵׁיהֶם בַּדּוּדִים 10:7 וַיִּשְׁלְחוּ אֵלָיו יִזְרְעֶאלָה׃
1Kin. 10:7 And it was when the letter came to them, that they took the sons of the king and slew the seventy men, and they put their heads into baskets and sent to him to Jezreel.
וַיָּבֹא הַמַּלְאָךְ וַיַּגֶּד־לוֹ לֵאמֹר הֵבִיאוּ רָאשֵׁי בְנֵי־הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיֹּאמֶר שִׂימוּ אֹתָם שְׁנֵי צִבֻּרִים פֶּתַח הַשַּׁעַר 10:8 עַד־הַבֹּקֶר׃
1Kin. 10:8 And the messenger came and reported to him saying, “They have brought the heads of the sons of the king.” And he said, “Make two stacks with them at the entrance of the gate until the morning.”
וַיְהִי בַבֹּקֶר וַיֵּצֵא וַיַּעֲמֹד וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־כָּל־הָעָם צַדִּקִים אַתֶּם הִנֵּה אֲנִי קָשַׁרְתִּי עַל־אֲדֹנִי וָאֶהְרְגֵהוּ וּמִי 10:9 הִכָּה אֶת־כָּל־אֵלֶּה׃
1Kin. 10:9 And it happened in the morning that he went out and stood and said to all the people, “Righteous are you. Behold, I conspired against my master and slew him. But who slew all these?”
דְּעוּ אֵפוֹא כִּי לֹא יִפֹּל מִדְּבַר יְהוָה אַרְצָה אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּר יְהוָה עַל־בֵּית אַחְאָב וַיהוָה עָשָׂה אֵת אֲשֶׁר 10:10 דִּבֶּר בְּיַד עַבְדּוֹ אֵלִיָּהוּ׃
1Kin. 10:10 “Know now that nothing shall be lost from the word of the Lord to the earth that the Lord spoke against the house of Ahab, as the Lord has done that which He spoke by the hand of His servant, Elijah.”
וַיַּךְ יֵהוּא אֵת כָּל־הַנִּשְׁאָרִים לְבֵית־אַחְאָב בְּיִזְרְעֶאל וְכָל־גְּדֹלָיו וּמְיֻדָּעָיו וְכֹהֲנָיו עַד־בִּלְתִּי 10:11 הִשְׁאִיר־לוֹ שָׂרִיד׃
1Kin. 10:11 Then Jehu smote all the remaining of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his close friends, and his priests, until no more remnant of him was left.
וַיָּקָם וַיָּבֹא וַיֵּלֶךְ שֹׁמְרוֹן הוּא בֵּית־עֵקֶד הָרֹעִים בַּדָּרֶךְ׃ 10:12
1Kin. 10:12 And he arose and departed. As he went to Samaria, he was at the shearing house of the shepherds on the way,
וְיֵהוּא מָצָא אֶת־אֲחֵי אֲחַזְיָהוּ מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה וַיֹּאמֶר מִי אַתֶּם וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֲחֵי אֲחַזְיָהוּ אֲנַחְנוּ וַנֵּרֶד 10:13 לִשְׁלוֹם בְּנֵי־הַמֶּלֶךְ וּבְנֵי הַגְּבִירָה׃
1Kin. 10:13 and Jehu met the brethren of Ahaziah, king of Judah, and he said, “Who are you?” And they answered, “We are brethren of Ahaziah, and we go down to salute the children of the king and the children of the queen.”
וַיֹּאמֶר תִּפְשׂוּם חַיִּים וַיִּתְפְּשׂוּם חַיִּים וַיִּשְׁחָטוּם אֶל־בּוֹר בֵּית־עֵקֶד אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁנַיִם אִישׁ 10:14 וְלֹא־הִשְׁאִיר אִישׁ מֵהֶם׃
1Kin. 10:14 And he said, “Take them alive.” And they took them alive, and they slew them at the pit of the shearing house, forty-two men, and he did not leave any from them.
וַיֵּלֶךְ מִשָּׁם וַיִּמְצָא אֶת־יְהוֹנָדָב בֶּן־רֵכָב לִקְרָאתוֹ וַיְבָרְכֵהוּ וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו הֲיֵשׁ אֶת־לְבָבְךָ יָשָׁר כַּאֲשֶׁר 10:15 לְבָבִי עִם־לְבָבֶךָ וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוֹנָדָב יֵשׁ וָיֵשׁ תְּנָה אֶת־יָדֶךָ וַיִּתֵּן יָדוֹ וַיַּעֲלֵהוּ אֵלָיו אֶל־הַמֶּרְכָּבָה׃
1Kin. 10:15 Then he departed from there and found Jehonadab son of Rechab to meet him, and he saluted him and said to him, “Is there uprightness with your heart? Is there with your heart as my heart?” And Jehonadab said, “It is, and it is.” “Give your hand.” And he gave his hand. Then he called him up to him to the chariot.
A minor point: There is some question about how the conversation between Jehu and Jehonadab went, as to who is saying what. I differ from other translators in that I assume that Jehonadab is offering answers to each question that Jehu asks. Is his heart upright and is it as Jehu’s heart. Other translators assume that Jehonadab answers both questions in the first two words, It is, and Jehu speaks after that. The translation of the part of the verse in question then becomes something like “’It is’ ‘If it is, give your hand.’” Jehonadab speaks the first, and Jehu speaks the rest. The concern I have for this translation is that there is no “if” in the Hebrew.
וַיֹּאמֶר לְכָה אִתִּי וּרְאֵה בְּקִנְאָתִי לַיהוָה וַיַּרְכִּבוּ אֹתוֹ בְּרִכְבּוֹ׃ 10:16
1Kin. 10:16 And he said, “Come with me and look upon my zeal for the Lord.” And they had him ride in his chariot.
וַיָּבֹא שֹׁמְרוֹן וַיַּךְ אֶת־כָּל־הַנִּשְׁאָרִים לְאַחְאָב בְּשֹׁמְרוֹן עַד־הִשְׁמִידוֹ כִּדְבַר יְהוָה אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר 10:17 אֶל־אֵלִיָּהוּ׃
1Kin. 10:17 And he came to Samaria, and he smote all who remained to Ahab in Samaria until he had destroyed him, as had been the word of the Lord that He spoke to Elijah.
וַיִּקְבֹּץ יֵהוּא אֶת־כָּל־הָעָם וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם אַחְאָב עָבַד אֶת־הַבַּעַל מְעָט יֵהוּא יַעַבְדֶנּוּ הַרְבֵּה׃ 10:18
1Kin. 10:18 And Jehu gathered together all the people and said to them, “Ahab served Baal a little; Jehu will serve him a lot.”
וְעַתָּה כָל־נְבִיאֵי הַבַּעַל כָּל־עֹבְדָיו וְכָל־כֹּהֲנָיו קִרְאוּ אֵלַי אִישׁ אַל־יִפָּקֵד כִּי זֶבַח גָּדוֹל לִי לַבַּעַל כֹּל 10:19 אֲשֶׁר־יִפָּקֵד לֹא יִחְיֶה וְיֵהוּא עָשָׂה בְעָקְבָּה לְמַעַן הַאֲבִיד אֶת־עֹבְדֵי הַבָּעַל׃
1Kin. 10:19 “So now call to me all the prophets of Baal, all his worshippers, and all his priests. Let no one be missing, for I have a great sacrifice for Baal. Anyone who will be missing shall not live.” But Jehu acted with subtlety so as to destroy the servants of Baal.
וַיֹּאמֶר יֵהוּא קַדְּשׁוּ עֲצָרָה לַבַּעַל וַיִּקְרָאוּ׃ 10:20
1Kin. 10:20 And Jehu said, “Sanctify a solemn assembly for Baal.” And they proclaimed.
וַיִּשְׁלַח יֵהוּא בְּכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיָּבֹאוּ כָּל־עֹבְדֵי הַבַּעַל וְלֹא־נִשְׁאַר אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר לֹא־בָא וַיָּבֹאוּ בֵּית הַבַּעַל 10:21 וַיִּמָּלֵא בֵית־הַבַּעַל פֶּה לָפֶה׃
1Kin. 10:21 And Jehu sent throughout Israel, and all the servants of Baal came so there was no one missing who had not come. And they came to the house of Baal, so the house of Baal was filled end to end.
וַיֹּאמֶר לַאֲשֶׁר עַל־הַמֶּלְתָּחָה הוֹצֵא לְבוּשׁ לְכֹל עֹבְדֵי הַבָּעַל וַיֹּצֵא לָהֶם הַמַּלְבּוּשׁ׃ 10:22
1Kin. 10:22 And he said to who was over the vestry, “Bring out vestments for all the worshippers of Baal.” And he brought vestments forth to them.
וַיָּבֹא יֵהוּא וִיהוֹנָדָב בֶּן־רֵכָב בֵּית הַבָּעַל וַיֹּאמֶר לְעֹבְדֵי הַבַּעַל חַפְּשׂוּ וּרְאוּ פֶּן־יֶשׁ־פֹּה עִמָּכֶם 10:23 מֵעַבְדֵי יְהוָה כִּי אִם־עֹבְדֵי הַבַּעַל לְבַדָּם׃
1Kin. 10:23 And Jehu came in with Jehonadab son of Rechab to the house of Baal and said to the worshippers of Baal, “Search and look that there not be here with you any worshippers of the Lord, but only worshippers of Baal by themselves.”
וַיָּבֹאוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת זְבָחִים וְעֹלוֹת וְיֵהוּא שָׂם־לוֹ בַחוּץ שְׁמֹנִים אִישׁ וַיֹּאמֶר הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר־יִמָּלֵט 10:24 מִן־הָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי מֵבִיא עַל־יְדֵיכֶם נַפְשׁוֹ תַּחַת נַפְשׁוֹ׃
1Kin. 10:24 Then they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had set eighty men for himself on the outside, and he said, “The one who lets escape any from the men who I am bringing to your hand, his life shall be in place of his life.”
וַיְהִי כְּכַלֹּתוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת הָעֹלָה וַיֹּאמֶר יֵהוּא לָרָצִים וְלַשָּׁלִשִׁים בֹּאוּ הַכּוּם אִישׁ אַל־יֵצֵא וַיַּכּוּם 10:25
לְפִי־חָרֶב וַיַּשְׁלִכוּ הָרָצִים וְהַשָּׁלִשִׁים וַיֵּלְכוּ עַד־עִיר בֵּית־הַבָּעַל׃
1Kin. 10:25 And it happened on his completion of offering the burnt offering that Jehu said to the footmen and to the captains, “Go in, slay them. Let not a man come out.” So the footmen and the captains smote them by the edge of the sword and cast out. Then they went up to the city of the house of Baal.
וַיֹּצִאוּ אֶת־מַצְּבוֹת בֵּית־הַבַּעַל וַיִּשְׂרְפוּהָ׃ 10:26
1Kin. 10:26 And they brought out the pillars of the house of Baal and burned each of them.
וַיִּתְּצוּ אֵת מַצְּבַת הַבָּעַל וַיִּתְּצוּ אֶת־בֵּית הַבַּעַל וַיְשִׂמֻהוּ (לְמַחַרָאוֹת) [לְמוֹצָאוֹת] עַד־הַיּוֹם׃ 10:27
1Kin. 10:27 And they broke down the idol of Baal. Then they broke down the house of Baal and made it for privies, until today.
Another minor point: The sages deemed the word in parentheses to be an error, and the word substituted in the brackets to be correct. Yet both translate to the same words, water closets, privies, toilets. The word in the brackets is also translated elsewhere as draught-house (singular, although both the words are plural). This is a house for refuse. You decide what is acceptable to you.
וַיַּשְׁמֵד יֵהוּא אֶת־הַבַּעַל מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל׃ 10:28
1Kin. 10:28 So Jehu destroyed Baal from Israel.
רַק חֲטָאֵי יָרָבְעָם בֶּן־נְבָט אֲשֶׁר הֶחֱטִיא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא־סָר יֵהוּא מֵאַחֲרֵיהֶם עֶגְלֵי הַזָּהָב אֲשֶׁר 10:29 בֵּית־אֵל וַאֲשֶׁר בְּדָן׃
1Kin. 10:29 However, the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat that he made Israel to sin, Jehu did not turn away from being after them, the calves of gold that were in Beth-el and that were in Dan.
וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל־יֵהוּא יַעַן אֲשֶׁר־הֱטִיבֹתָ לַעֲשׂוֹת הַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינַי כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר בִּלְבָבִי עָשִׂיתָ לְבֵית 10:30 אַחְאָב בְּנֵי רְבִעִים יֵשְׁבוּ לְךָ עַל־כִּסֵּא יִשְׂרָאֵל׃
1Kin. 10:30 And the Lord said to Jehu, “For the reason that you have done well to do what is right in My ‘eyes,’ you did to the house of Ahab according to all that is in My ‘heart,’ the sons of your fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.”
וְיֵהוּא לֹא שָׁמַר לָלֶכֶת בְּתוֹרַת־יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּכָל־לְבָבוֹ לֹא סָר מֵעַל חַטֹּאות יָרָבְעָם אֲשֶׁר 10:31 הֶחֱטִיא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל׃
1Kin. 10:31 Still Jehu did not watch to walk in the Torah of the Lord, God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn from the sins of Jeroboam that he made Israel to sin.
בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם הֵחֵל יְהוָה לְקַצּוֹת בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וַיַּכֵּם חֲזָאֵל בְּכָל־גְּבוּל יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ 10:32
1Kin. 10:32 In those days the Lord began to scrape away in Israel, and Hazael smote them throughout the territory of Israel,
מִן־הַיַּרְדֵּן מִזְרַח הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ אֵת כָּל־אֶרֶץ הַגִּלְעָד הַגָּדִי וְהָרֻאובֵנִי וְהַמְנַשִּׁי מֵעֲרֹעֵר אֲשֶׁר עַל־נַחַל 10:33
אַרְנֹן וְהַגִּלְעָד וְהַבָּשָׁן׃
1Kin. 10:33 from the Jordan toward the rising of the sun, all the land of Gilead, of the Gadites, and of the Reubenites, and of the Manassites, from the Aroer (which is by the valley of Arnon), and Gilead and Bashan.
וְיֶתֶר דִּבְרֵי יֵהוּא וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה וְכָל־גְּבוּרָתוֹ הֲלוֹא־הֵם כְּתוּבִים עַל־סֵפֶר דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים לְמַלְכֵי 10:34 יִשְׂרָאֵל׃
1Kin. 10:34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehu and all that he accomplished and all his might, are they not written on the scroll of the chronicles of the days of the kings of Israel?
וַיִּשְׁכַּב יֵהוּא עִם־אֲבֹתָיו וַיִּקְבְּרוּ אֹתוֹ בְּשֹׁמְרוֹן וַיִּמְלֹךְ יְהוֹאָחָז בְּנוֹ תַּחְתָּיו׃ 10:35
1Kin. 10:35 And Jehu slept with his fathers and they buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz, his son, became king in his place.
וְהַיָּמִים אֲשֶׁר מָלַךְ יֵהוּא עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁמֹנֶה־שָׁנָה בְּשֹׁמְרוֹן׃ 10:36
1Kin. 10:36 And the days that Jehu was king over Israel in Samaria were twenty-eight years.
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