Old/New Testament
Families of Ahab and Ahaziah Killed
10 Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria [C the city, not the region]. Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria—to the officers of the city[a] and elders—and to the guardians of the sons of Ahab. Jehu said, 2 “You have your ·master’s [lord’s] sons with you, and you have chariots, horses, a ·city with strong walls [fortified city], and weapons. When you get this letter, 3 choose the best and most worthy person among your ·master’s [lord’s] sons, and make him king. Then fight for your ·master’s [lord’s] ·family [L house].”
4 But the officers and leaders of Jezreel were ·frightened [utterly terrified]. They said, “Two kings could not ·stand up to [resist] Jehu, so how can we?”
5 The ·palace manager [steward of the house], the city ·governor [administrator], the ·leaders [elders], and the guardians sent a message to Jehu. “We are your servants,” they said. “We will do everything you tell us to do. We won’t make any man king, so do whatever ·you think is best [L is good in your eyes/sight].”
6 Then Jehu wrote a second letter, saying, “If you are on my side and will obey me, cut off the heads of your ·master’s [lord’s] sons and come to me at Jezreel tomorrow about this time.”
Now the seventy sons of the king’s ·family [L house] were with the leading men of the city who were ·their guardians [raising them]. 7 When the leaders received the letter, they took the king’s sons and ·killed [slaughtered] all seventy of them. They put their heads in baskets and sent them to Jehu at Jezreel. 8 The messenger came to Jehu and told him, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons.”
Then Jehu said, “·Lay [Pile] the heads in two ·piles [heaps] at the city gate until morning.”
9 In the morning, Jehu went out and stood before the people and said to them, “You are innocent. Look, I ·made plans [conspired; plotted] against my ·master [lord] and killed him. But who killed all these [C Jehu might have been blaming the Samaritan officials, or perhaps was implying that God ordered the killing]? 10 You should know that ·everything [L nothing] the Lord said about Ahab’s ·family [L house] will ·come true [L fall to the ground/earth]. The Lord ·has spoken [spoke his word] through his servant Elijah, and the Lord has done what he said.” 11 So Jehu killed everyone of Ahab’s ·family [L house] in Jezreel who was still alive. He also killed all Ahab’s ·leading men [important officials], ·close [personal] friends, and priests. ·No one who had helped Ahab was left alive [He left no one to survive him].
The Killing of Ahaziah’s Relatives(A)
12 Then Jehu left and went to Samaria by way of the road to Beth Eked of the Shepherds. 13 There Jehu met some relatives of Ahaziah king of Judah. Jehu asked, “Who are you?”
They answered, “We are relatives of Ahaziah. We have come down to ·get revenge for [or greet; visit] the families of the king and the king’s mother.”
14 Then Jehu said, “Take them alive!” So they captured Ahaziah’s relatives alive and killed them at the ·well [pit] near Beth Eked—forty-two of them. Jehu ·did not leave anyone alive [spared no one].
15 After Jehu left there, he met Jehonadab son of Recab [Jer. 35], who was also on his way to meet Jehu. Jehu greeted him and said, “·Are you as good a friend to me as I am to you [Are you as loyal to me as I am to you; L Is your heart right, as my heart is with your heart]?”
Jehonadab answered, “·Yes, I am [L It is].”
Jehu said, “If you are, then give me your hand.” So Jehonadab gave him his hand, and Jehu pulled him into the chariot. 16 “Come with me,” Jehu said. “You can see ·how strong my feelings are [my zeal/devotion] for the Lord.” So Jehu had Jehonadab ride in his chariot.
17 When Jehu came to Samaria, he killed all of Ahab’s ·family [L house] in Samaria. He destroyed all those who were left, ·just as the Lord had told Elijah it would happen [L in accordance with the word of the Lord spoken to Elijah].
Baal Worshipers Killed
18 Then Jehu gathered all the people together and said to them, “Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve Baal ·much [greatly]. 19 Now ·call for me [summon; assemble] all Baal’s prophets and priests and all the people who ·worship [serve] Baal. Don’t let anyone miss this meeting, because I have a great sacrifice for Baal. Anyone who is not there will not live.” But Jehu was ·tricking them [deceiving them; L acting cunningly] so he could destroy ·the worshipers of [those who served] Baal. 20 He said, “Prepare a ·holy [sacred; solemn] meeting for Baal.” So they ·announced [proclaimed] the meeting. 21 Then Jehu sent word through all Israel, and all ·the worshipers of [who served] Baal came; not one stayed ·home [behind]. They came into the ·temple [L house] of Baal, and the ·temple [L house] was filled from one side to the other.
22 Jehu said to the man who kept the robes, “Bring out ·robes [garments; vestments] for all ·the worshipers of [those who serve] Baal.” After he brought out ·robes [garments; vestments] for them, 23 Jehu and Jehonadab son of Recab went into the ·temple [L house] of Baal. Jehu said to ·the worshipers of [those who served] Baal, “Look around, and make sure there are no servants of the Lord with you. Be sure there are only ·worshipers of [those who serve] Baal.” 24 Then they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings.
Jehu had eighty men waiting outside. He had told them, “·Don’t let anyone escape. If you do, you [The one who allows any of these men who I have put in your hands to escape] must ·pay with [exchange] your own life.”
25 As soon as Jehu finished offering the burnt offering, he ordered the guards and the ·captains [officers], “Go in and kill ·the worshipers of [those who serve] Baal. Don’t let anyone ·come out [escape].” So the guards and ·captains [officers] killed ·the worshipers of [those who served] Baal with the sword and threw their bodies out. Then they went to the inner rooms of the ·temple [L house of Baal] 26 and brought out the ·pillars [sacred poles/stone; C used in worship] of the ·temple [L house] of Baal and burned them. 27 They ·tore down [smashed] the stone pillar of Baal, as well as the ·temple [L house] of Baal. And they made it into a ·sewage pit [public toilet; latrine], as it is today.
28 So Jehu destroyed Baal worship in Israel, 29 but he did not ·stop doing [turn/depart from] the sins Jeroboam son of Nebat had done. Jeroboam had led Israel to sin by worshiping the golden calves at Bethel and Dan.
30 The Lord said to Jehu, “You have done well in ·obeying what I said was right [L doing what was right in my eyes/sight]. You have done to the ·family [L house] of Ahab ·as I wanted [L all that was in my heart/mind]. Because of this, your ·descendants as far as your great-great-grandchildren [sons to the fourth generation] will ·be kings [L sit on the throne] of Israel.” 31 But Jehu was not careful to follow the ·teachings [law; L torah] of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not ·stop doing [turn/depart from] the same sins Jeroboam had done, by which he had led Israel to sin.
32 At that time the Lord began to ·make Israel smaller [cut/trim off parts of Israel]. Hazael defeated the Israelites ·in all the land [throughout the territory] of Israel, 33 taking all the land east of the Jordan known as the land of Gilead. (It was the region of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh.) He took land from Aroer by the Arnon Ravine through Gilead to Bashan.
34 The other things Jehu did—everything he did and all his ·victories [achievements; power]—·are [L are they not…?] recorded in the book of the ·history [chronicles; annals; 1:18] of the kings of Israel. 35 Jehu ·died [L lay down/T slept with his fathers/ancestors] and was buried in Samaria, and his son Jehoahaz became king in his place. 36 Jehu ·was king [reigned] over Israel in Samaria for twenty-eight years.
Athaliah and Joash(B)
11 When Ahaziah’s mother, Athaliah, ·saw [learned] that her son was dead, she ·killed [destroyed] all the royal ·family [offspring; C in order to claim power herself; she was a granddaughter of Omri, king of Israel; 8:26]. 2 But Jehosheba, King Jehoram’s daughter and Ahaziah’s sister, took Joash [C about a year old], Ahaziah’s son [C Joash was also known as Jehoash]. She stole him away from among the other sons of the king who were about to be murdered. She put Joash and his nurse in a bedroom to hide him from Athaliah, so he was not ·killed [murdered]. 3 He hid with her in the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord for six years. During that time Athaliah ·ruled [reigned over] the land.
4 In the seventh year Jehoiada sent for the ·commanders [captains] of groups of a hundred men, as well as the Carites [C mercenaries, probably a palace guard like the Kerethites and the Pelethites; 2 Sam. 8:18; 20:23]. He brought them together in the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord and ·made [L cut] an ·agreement [covenant; treaty] with them. There, in the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord, he ·made them promise loyalty [put them under oath], and then he showed them the king’s son. 5 He commanded them, “This is what you must do. A third of you who go on duty on the Sabbath will guard the king’s ·palace [L house]. 6 A third of you will be at the Sur Gate, and another third will be at the gate behind the guard. This way you will guard the ·Temple [L house]. 7 The two groups who go off duty on the Sabbath must ·protect [stand guard/watch over] the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord for the king. 8 ·All of you must stand around [Surround] the king, with weapons in hand. Kill anyone who ·comes near [tries to break your ranks]. Stay ·close to [with] the king when he goes out and when he comes in.”
9 The ·commanders [captains] over a hundred men ·obeyed [did] everything Jehoiada the priest had commanded. Each one took his men who came on duty on the Sabbath and those who went off duty on the Sabbath, and they came to Jehoiada the priest. 10 He gave the commanders the spears and shields that had belonged to King David and that were kept in the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord.
Joash Becomes King
11 Then each guard took his place with his weapons in his hand. ·There were guards [They stretched] from the ·south [L right] side of the ·Temple [L house] to the ·north [L left] side. They stood by the altar and the ·Temple [L house] and around the king. 12 Jehoiada brought out the king’s son and put the crown on him and gave him a copy of the ·agreement [covenant; testimony]. They ·appointed him king and poured olive oil on [anointed] him. Then they clapped their hands and ·said [shouted], “Long live the king!”
13 When Athaliah heard the noise of the guards and the people, she went to them at the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. 14 She looked, and there was the king, standing by the pillar [C a symbol of authority], as the custom was. The ·officers [commanders; captains] and trumpeters were standing beside him, and all the people of the land were ·very happy [rejoicing] and were blowing trumpets. Then Athaliah tore her clothes [C a sign of mourning or distress] and screamed, “·Traitors! Traitors! [Treason! Treason!]”
15 Jehoiada the priest gave orders to the ·commanders [captains] of a hundred men, who led the army. He said, “·Surround her with soldiers [Take her out under guard; L Bring her out between the ranks] and kill with a sword anyone who follows her.” For he had said, “Don’t put Athaliah to death in the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord.” 16 So they ·caught [seized] her ·when she came [and took her] to the horses’ entrance near the ·palace [L king’s house]. There she was put to death.
17 Then Jehoiada ·made [L cut] an ·agreement [covenant; treaty] between the Lord and the king and the people that they would be the Lord’s people. He also made an ·agreement [covenant; treaty] between the king and the people. 18 All the people of the land went to the ·temple [L house] of Baal and tore it down, smashing the altars and idols. They also killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, in front of the altars.
Then Jehoiada the priest ·placed [stationed; posted] guards at the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. 19 He took with him the ·commanders [captains] of a hundred men and the ·Carites [C mercenaries; v. 4], the royal bodyguards, as well as the guards and all the people of the land. Together they ·took [brought; escorted] the king out of the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord and went into the ·palace [king’s house] through the gate of the guards. Then the king sat on the ·royal throne [throne of the kings]. 20 So all the people of the land ·were very happy [rejoiced], and Jerusalem ·had peace [was quiet/calm], because Athaliah had been put to death with the sword at the ·palace [L king’s house].
21 Joash was seven years old when he became king.
Joash’s Reign(C)
12 Joash became king of Judah in Jehu’s seventh year as king of Israel, and he ·ruled [reigned] for forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah, and she was from Beersheba. 2 Joash did ·what the Lord said was right [L right in the sight of the Lord] as long as Jehoiada the priest ·taught [instructed] him. 3 But the ·places where gods were worshiped [L high places; C worship sites that became associated with pagan worship or inappropriate worship of God] were not removed; the people still made sacrifices and burned incense there.
Joash Repairsthe Temple
4 Joash said to the priests, “Take all the money brought as offerings to the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. This includes the money each person ·owes in taxes [is assessed] and the money ·each person promises [from personal vows] or ·brings freely [money brought voluntarily] to the Lord. 5 Each priest will take the money from ·the people he serves [donors; or acquaintances; or the treasurers]. Then the priests must ·repair [restore] any damage they find in the ·Temple [L house].”
6 But by the twenty-third year Joash was king, the priests still had not ·repaired [restored] the ·Temple [L house]. 7 So King Joash called for Jehoiada the priest and the other priests and said to them, “Why aren’t you ·repairing the damage of [restoring] the ·Temple [L house]? Don’t take any more money from ·the people you serve [donors; or acquaintances; or the treasurers], but hand over the money for the ·repair [restoration] of the ·Temple [L house].” 8 The priests agreed not to take any more money from the people and not to ·repair [restore] the ·Temple [L house] themselves.
9 Jehoiada the priest took a box and made a hole in the ·top of it [lid]. Then he put it by the altar, on the right side as the people came into the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. The priests guarding the ·doorway [entrance; threshold] put all the money brought to the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord into the box.
10 Each time the priests saw that the box was full of money, the king’s royal secretary and the high priest came. They counted the money that had been brought to the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord, and they put it into bags. 11 Next they weighed the money and gave it to the people in charge of the work on the ·Temple [L house]. With it they paid the carpenters and the builders who worked on the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord, 12 as well as the ·bricklayers [masons] and stonecutters. They also used the money to buy timber and cut stone to ·repair the damage of [restore] the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. It paid for ·everything [anything else that was used].
13 The money brought into the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord was not used to make silver cups, ·wick trimmers [snuffers], bowls, trumpets, or gold or silver vessels. 14 They paid the money to the workers, who used it to ·repair [restore] the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. 15 They did not ·demand to know how the money was spent [require an accounting], because the workers were honest. 16 The money from the ·penalty [guilt] offerings and sin offerings was not brought into the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord, because it belonged to the priests.
Joash Saves Jerusalem(D)
17 About this time Hazael king of Aram attacked Gath and captured it. Then he ·went [L set his face] to attack Jerusalem. 18 Joash king of Judah took all the ·holy things [sacred objects; votive gifts] ·given [dedicated] by his ·ancestors [fathers], the kings of Judah—Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, and Ahaziah. He also took his own ·holy things [sacred objects; votive gifts] as well as the gold that was found in the treasuries of the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord and the gold from the ·palace [L king’s house]. Joash sent all this treasure to Hazael king of Aram, who ·turned away [withdrew] from Jerusalem.
19 Everything else Joash did ·is [L is it not…?] written in the book of the ·history [chronicles; annals; 1:18] of the kings of Judah. 20 His officers ·made plans [conspired; plotted] against him and ·killed [assassinated] him at Beth Millo on the road down to Silla. 21 The officers who ·killed [assassinated] him were Jozabad son of Shimeath and Jehozabad son of Shomer. Joash was buried with his ·ancestors [fathers] in the City of David [C Jerusalem], and Amaziah, his son, became king in his place.
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him. John said, “Look, the Lamb of God [C lambs were used for sacrifice; Gen. 22:8], who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the One I was talking about [1:15] when I said, ‘A man will come after me, but he is greater than I am, because he ·was living [existed] before me.’ 31 Even I did not ·know [recognize] who he was, although I came baptizing with water so that ·the people of Israel would know who he is [he might be revealed to Israel].”
The First Followers of Jesus
35 The next day John [C the Baptist; 1:6] was [standing] there again with two of his ·followers [disciples]. 36 When he saw Jesus walking by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God [see 1:29]!”
37 The two ·followers [disciples] heard John say this, so they followed Jesus. 38 When Jesus turned and saw them following him, he asked, “What are you looking for?”
They said, “Rabbi, where are you staying?” (“Rabbi” means “Teacher.”)
39 He answered, “Come and see.” So the two men went with Jesus and saw where he was staying and stayed there with him that day. It was about ·four o’clock in the afternoon [L the tenth hour; C hours were counted from dawn, about 6 AM].
40 One of the two men who followed Jesus after they heard John speak about him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and say to him, “We have found the Messiah.” (“Messiah” means “Christ.”) [C Both Hebrew Mashiach (Messiah) and Greek Christos (Christ) mean “Anointed One.”]
42 Then Andrew took Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas.” (“Cephas” means “Peter.”) [C Both Aramaic Cephas and Greek Petros mean “rock.”]
43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee [C a region about 50 miles north of Jerusalem]. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me [C as a disciple].”
44 Philip was from the town of Bethsaida [C a town just to the north of the Sea of Galilee], where Andrew and Peter lived. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the man that Moses wrote about in the law, and the prophets also wrote about him. [C The law and the prophets refer to the OT Scriptures.] He is Jesus, the son of Joseph, from Nazareth [C a village a few miles southwest of the Sea of Galilee].”
46 But Nathanael said to Philip, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” [C This is because of its insignificance and lack of mention in the OT.]
Philip answered, “Come and see.”
47 As Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said, “Here is truly an Israelite. There is ·nothing false [no deceit; no guile] in him.”
48 Nathanael asked, “How do you know me?”
Jesus answered, “I saw you when you were under the fig tree, before Philip ·told you about me [L called you].”
49 Then Nathanael said to Jesus, “Teacher [L Rabbi], you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.”
50 Jesus said to Nathanael, “Do you believe simply because I told you I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than that.” 51 And Jesus said to them, “·I tell you the truth [L Truly, truly I say to you], you will all see heaven open and ‘angels of God going up and coming down’ [C a reference to Jacob’s dream in Gen. 28:12] on the Son of Man [C a title for the Messiah; Dan. 7:13–14].”
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