Jehu's Purge and Paul's Joy in Chains

1. Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, to the rulers of Jezreel, even the elders, and to those who brought up Ahab’s sons, saying, 2. “Now as soon as this letter comes to you, since your master’s sons are with you, and you have chariots and horses, a fortified city also, and armor, 3. Select the best and fittest of your master’s sons, set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house.” 4. But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, “Behold, the two kings didn’t stand before him! How then shall we stand?” 5. He who was over the household, and he who was over the city, the elders also, and those who raised the children, sent to Jehu, saying, “We are your servants, and will do all that you ask us. We will not make any man king. You do that which is good in your eyes.” 6. Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, “If you are on my side, and if you will listen to my voice, take the heads of the men who are your master’s sons, and come to me to Jezreel by tomorrow this time.” Now the king’s sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who brought them up. 7. When the letter came to them, they took the king’s sons and killed them, even seventy people, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him to Jezreel. 8. A messenger came and told him, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons.” He said, “Lay them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until the morning.” 9. In the morning, he went out, and stood, and said to all the people, “You are righteous. Behold, I conspired against my master and killed him, but who killed all these? 10. Know now that nothing will fall to the earth of Yahweh’s word, which Yahweh spoke concerning Ahab’s house. For Yahweh has done that which he spoke by his servant Elijah.” 11. So Jehu struck all that remained of Ahab’s house in Jezreel, with all his great men, his familiar friends, and his priests, until he left him no one remaining. 12. He arose and departed, and went to Samaria. As he was at the shearing house of the shepherds on the way, 13. Jehu met with the brothers of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, “Who are you?” They answered, “We are the brothers of Ahaziah. We are going down to greet the children of the king and the children of the queen.” 14. He said, “Take them alive!” They took them alive, and killed them at the pit of the shearing house, even forty-two men. He didn’t leave any of them. 15. When he had departed from there, he met Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him. He greeted him, and said to him, “Is your heart right, as my heart is with your heart?” Jehonadab answered, “It is.” “If it is, give me your hand.” He gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot. 16. He said, “Come with me, and see my zeal for Yahweh.” So they made him ride in his chariot. 17. When he came to Samaria, he struck all who remained to Ahab in Samaria, until he had destroyed him, according to Yahweh’s word, which he spoke to Elijah. 18. Jehu gathered all the people together, and said to them, “Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu will serve him much. 19. Now therefore call to me all the prophets of Baal, all of his worshipers, and all of his priests. Let no one be absent; for I have a great sacrifice to Baal. Whoever is absent, he shall not live.” But Jehu did deceptively, intending to destroy the worshipers of Baal. 20. Jehu said, “Sanctify a solemn assembly for Baal!” So they proclaimed it. 21. Jehu sent through all Israel; and all the worshipers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that didn’t come. They came into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was filled from one end to another. 22. He said to him who kept the wardrobe, “Bring out robes for all the worshipers of Baal!” So he brought robes out to them. 23. Jehu went with Jehonadab the son of Rechab into the house of Baal. Then he said to the worshipers of Baal, “Search, and see that none of the servants of Yahweh are here with you, but only the worshipers of Baal.” 24. So they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had appointed for himself eighty men outside, and said, “If any of the men whom I bring into your hands escape, he who lets him go, his life shall be for the life of him.” 25. As soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, “Go in and kill them! Let no one escape.” So they struck them with the edge of the sword. The guard and the captains threw the bodies out, and went to the inner shrine of the house of Baal. 26. They brought out the pillars that were in the house of Baal, and burned them. 27. They broke down the pillar of Baal, and broke down the house of Baal, and made it a latrine, to this day. 28. Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel. 29. However, Jehu didn’t depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin, the golden calves that were in Bethel and that were in Dan. 30. Yahweh said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in executing that which is right in my eyes, and have done to Ahab’s house according to all that was in my heart, your descendants shall sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.” 31. But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of Yahweh, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He didn’t depart from the sins of Jeroboam, with which he made Israel to sin. 32. In those days Yahweh began to cut away parts of Israel; and Hazael struck them in all the borders of Israel; 33. from the Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the valley of the Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan. 34. Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, and all that he did, and all his might, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 35. Jehu slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Samaria. Jehoahaz his son reigned in his place. 36. The time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years. 1. Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal offspring. 2. 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 put them in the bedroom; and they hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not slain. 3. He was with her hidden in Yahweh’s house six years while Athaliah reigned over the land. 4. In the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched the captains over hundreds of the Carites and of the guard, and brought them to him into Yahweh’s house; and he made a covenant with them, and made a covenant with them in Yahweh’s house, and showed them the king’s son. 5. He commanded them, saying, “This is what you must do: a third of you, who come in on the Sabbath, shall be keepers of the watch of the king’s house; 6. a third of you shall be at the gate Sur; and a third of you at the gate behind the guard. So you shall keep the watch of the house, and be a barrier. 7. The two companies of you, even all who go out on the Sabbath, shall keep the watch of Yahweh’s house around the king. 8. You shall surround the king, every man with his weapons in his hand; and he who comes within the ranks, let him be slain. Be with the king when he goes out, and when he comes in.” 9. The captains over hundreds did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded; and they each took his men, those who were to come in on the Sabbath, with those who were to go out on the Sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest. 10. The priest delivered to the captains over hundreds the spears and shields that had been king David’s, which were in Yahweh’s house. 11. The guard stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, along by the altar and the house, around the king. 12. Then he brought out the king’s son, and put the crown on him, and gave him the covenant; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said, “Long live the king!” 13. When Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she came to the people into Yahweh’s house: 14. and she looked, and behold, the king stood by the pillar, as the tradition was, with the captains and the trumpets by the king; and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew trumpets. Then Athaliah tore her clothes, and cried, “Treason! Treason!” 15. Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of hundreds who were set over the army, and said to them, “Bring her out between the ranks. Kill anyone who follows her with the sword.” For the priest said, “Don’t let her be slain in Yahweh’s house.” 16. So they made way for her; and she went by the way of the horses’ entry to the king’s house, and she was slain there. 17. Jehoiada made a covenant between Yahweh and the king and the people, that they should be Yahweh’s people; also between the king and the people. 18. All the people of the land went to the house of Baal, and broke it down; his altars and his images broke they in pieces thoroughly, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. The priest appointed officers over Yahweh’s house. 19. 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 Yahweh’s house, and came by the way of the gate of the guard to the king’s house. He sat on the throne of the kings. 20. So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet. They had slain Athaliah with the sword at the king’s house. 21. Jehoash was seven years old when he began to reign. 1. Jehoash began to reign in the seventh year of Jehu, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah of Beersheba. 2. Jehoash did that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes all his days in which Jehoiada the priest instructed him. 3. However the high places were not taken away. The people still sacrificed and burned incense in the high places. 4. Jehoash said to the priests, “All the money of the holy things that is brought into Yahweh’s house, in current money, the money of the people for whom each man is evaluated, and all the money that it comes into any man’s heart to bring into Yahweh’s house, 5. let the priests take it to them, each man from his donor; and they shall repair the damage to the house, wherever any damage is found.” 6. But it was so, that in the twenty-third year of king Jehoash the priests had not repaired the damage to the house. 7. Then king Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, and for the other priests, and said to them, “Why don’t you repair the damage to the house? Now therefore take no more money from your treasurers, but deliver it for repair of the damage to the house.” 8. The priests consented that they should take no more money from the people, and not repair the damage to the house. 9. But Jehoiada the priest took a chest, and bored a hole in its lid, and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one comes into Yahweh’s house; and the priests who kept the threshold put all the money that was brought into Yahweh’s house into it. 10. When they saw that there was much money in the chest, the king’s scribe and the high priest came up, and they put it in bags and counted the money that was found in Yahweh’s house. 11. They gave the money that was weighed out into the hands of those who did the work, who had the oversight of Yahweh’s house; and they paid it out to the carpenters and the builders, who worked on Yahweh’s house, 12. and to the masons and the stone cutters, and for buying timber and cut stone to repair the damage to Yahweh’s house, and for all that was laid out for the house to repair it. 13. But there were not made for Yahweh’s house cups of silver, snuffers, basins, trumpets, any vessels of gold, or vessels of silver, of the money that was brought into Yahweh’s house; 14. for they gave that to those who did the work, and repaired Yahweh’s house with it. 15. Moreover they didn’t demand an accounting from the men into whose hand they delivered the money to give to those who did the work; for they dealt faithfully. 16. The money for the trespass offerings, and the money for the sin offerings was not brought into Yahweh’s house. It was the priests’. 17. Then Hazael king of Syria went up, and fought against Gath, and took it; and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem. 18. Jehoash king of Judah took all the holy things that Jehoshaphat and Jehoram and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own holy things, and all the gold that was found in the treasures of Yahweh’s house, and of the king’s house, and sent it to Hazael king of Syria; and he went away from Jerusalem. 19. Now the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 20. His servants arose, and made a conspiracy, and struck Joash at the house of Millo, on the way that goes down to Silla. 21. For Jozacar the son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his servants, struck him, and he died; and they buried him with his fathers in David’s city; and Amaziah his son reigned in his place.

1. Paul and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ; To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and servants: 2. Grace to you, and peace from God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3. I thank my God whenever I remember you, 4. always in every request of mine on behalf of you all, making my requests with joy, 5. for your partnership in furtherance of the Good News from the first day until now; 6. being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. 7. It is even right for me to think this way on behalf of all of you, because I have you in my heart, because, both in my bonds and in the defense and confirmation of the Good News, you all are partakers with me of grace. 8. For God is my witness, how I long after all of you in the tender mercies of Christ Jesus. 9. This I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment; 10. so that you may approve the things that are excellent; that you may be sincere and without offense to the day of Christ; 11. being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. 12. Now I desire to have you know, brothers, that the things which happened to me have turned out rather to the progress of the Good News; 13. so that it became evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my bonds are in Christ; 14. and that most of the brothers in the Lord, being confident through my bonds, are more abundantly bold to speak the word of God without fear. 15. Some indeed preach Christ even out of envy and strife, and some also out of good will. 16. The former insincerely preach Christ from selfish ambition, thinking that they add affliction to my chains; 17. but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the Good News. 18. What does it matter? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed. I rejoice in this, yes, and will rejoice. 19. For I know that this will turn out to my salvation, through your prayers and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 20. according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will in no way be disappointed, but with all boldness, as always, now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life, or by death. 21. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22. But if I live on in the flesh, this will bring fruit from my work; yet I don’t know what I will choose. 23. But I am in a dilemma between the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. 24. Yet, to remain in the flesh is more needful for your sake. 25. Having this confidence, I know that I will remain, yes, and remain with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, 26. that your rejoicing may abound in Christ Jesus in me through my presence with you again. 27. Only let your way of life be worthy of the Good News of Christ, that, whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your state, that you stand firm in one spirit, with one soul striving for the faith of the Good News; 28. and in nothing frightened by the adversaries, which is for them a proof of destruction, but to you of salvation, and that from God. 29. Because it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer on his behalf, 30. having the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear is in me. 1. If therefore there is any exhortation in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tender mercies and compassion, 2. make my joy full, by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind; 3. doing nothing through rivalry or through conceit, but in humility, each counting others better than himself; 4. each of you not just looking to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others. 5. Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus, 6. who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7. but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men. 8. And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, yes, the death of the cross. 9. Therefore God also highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name; 10. that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth, 11. and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 12. So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13. For it is God who works in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure. 14. Do all things without murmurings and disputes, 15. that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without defect in the middle of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you are seen as lights in the world, 16. holding up the word of life; that I may have something to boast in the day of Christ, that I didn’t run in vain nor labor in vain. 17. Yes, and if I am poured out on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice, and rejoice with you all. 18. In the same way, you also rejoice, and rejoice with me. 19. But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered up when I know how you are doing. 20. For I have no one else like-minded, who will truly care about you. 21. For they all seek their own, not the things of Jesus Christ. 22. But you know the proof of him, that, as a child serves a father, so he served with me in furtherance of the Good News. 23. Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how it will go with me. 24. But I trust in the Lord that I myself also will come shortly. 25. But I counted it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, fellow soldier, and your apostle and servant of my need; 26. since he longed for you all, and was very troubled, because you had heard that he was sick. 27. For indeed he was sick, nearly to death, but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, that I might not have sorrow on sorrow. 28. I have sent him therefore the more diligently, that, when you see him again, you may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful. 29. Receive him therefore in the Lord with all joy, and hold such in honor, 30. because for the work of Christ he came near to death, risking his life to supply that which was lacking in your service toward me. 1. Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not tiresome, but for you it is safe. 2. Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision. 3. For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh; 4. though I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If any other man thinks that he has confidence in the flesh, I yet more: 5. circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; 6. concerning zeal, persecuting the assembly; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless. 7. However, I consider those things that were gain to me as a loss for Christ. 8. Yes most certainly, and I count all things to be a loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and count them nothing but refuse, that I may gain Christ 9. and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10. that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed to his death; 11. if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12. Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect; but I press on, that I may take hold of that for which also I was taken hold of by Christ Jesus. 13. Brothers, I don’t regard myself as yet having taken hold, but one thing I do. Forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before, 14. I press on toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 15. Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, think this way. If in anything you think otherwise, God will also reveal that to you. 16. Nevertheless, to the extent that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule. Let us be of the same mind. 17. Brothers, be imitators together of me, and note those who walk this way, even as you have us for an example. 18. For many walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, as the enemies of the cross of Christ, 19. whose end is destruction, whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who think about earthly things. 20. For our citizenship is in heaven, from where we also wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; 21. who will change the body of our humiliation to be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working by which he is able even to subject all things to himself. 1. Therefore, my brothers, beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand firm in the Lord, my beloved. 2. I exhort Euodia, and I exhort Syntyche, to think the same way in the Lord. 3. Yes, I beg you also, true partner, help these women, for they labored with me in the Good News, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. 4. Rejoice in the Lord always! Again I will say, “Rejoice!” 5. Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. 6. In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. 7. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus. 8. Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think about these things. 9. The things which you learned, received, heard, and saw in me: do these things, and the God of peace will be with you. 10. But I rejoice in the Lord greatly, that now at length you have revived your thought for me; in which you did indeed take thought, but you lacked opportunity. 11. Not that I speak because of lack, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content in it. 12. I know how to be humbled, and I know also how to abound. In everything and in all things I have learned the secret both to be filled and to be hungry, both to abound and to be in need. 13. I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. 14. However you did well that you shared in my affliction. 15. You yourselves also know, you Philippians, that in the beginning of the Good News, when I departed from Macedonia, no assembly shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you only. 16. For even in Thessalonica you sent once and again to my need. 17. Not that I seek for the gift, but I seek for the fruit that increases to your account. 18. But I have all things, and abound. I am filled, having received from Epaphroditus the things that came from you, a sweet-smelling fragrance, an acceptable and well-pleasing sacrifice to God. 19. My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20. Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever! Amen. 21. Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you. 22. All the saints greet you, especially those who are of Caesar’s household. 23. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

1. My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you; 2. So as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; 3. Yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding; 4. If you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures: 5. then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and find the knowledge of God. 6. For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. 7. He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity; 8. that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints. 9. Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. 10. For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. 11. Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you, 12. to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things; 13. who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness; 14. who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil; 15. who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths: 16. To deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words; 17. who forsakes the friend of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God: 18. for her house leads down to death, her paths to the departed spirits. 19. None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life: 20. that you may walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. 21. For the upright will dwell in the land. The perfect will remain in it. 22. But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it.