Then Jehu wrote a second letter to these leaders. Jehu said, “If you support me and obey me, then cut off the heads of Ahab’s sons. And bring them to me at Jezreel about this time tomorrow.
The man that took care of Ahab’s house, the man that controlled the city, the elders, and the people who raised {Ahab’s children} sent a message to Jehu. “We are your servants. We will do anything you tell us. We will not make any man king. Do what you think is good.”
When the leaders of the city received the letter, they took the king’s sons and killed all 70 of them. Then the leaders put the heads of the king’s sons in baskets. They sent the baskets to Jehu at Jezreel.
In the morning, Jehu went out and stood before the people. He said to the people, “You are innocent. Look, I made plans against my master. I killed him. But who killed all these sons of Ahab? You killed them!
But you say,\par ‘God punishes a child\par for his father’s sins.’\par No! Let God punish the evil person himself.\par Then that evil person will know\par he is being punished for his own sins!\par
The Lord said to Moses, “Get all the leaders of these people. Then kill them so that all the people can see. [311] Lay their bodies before the Lord. Then the Lord will not show his anger against all the people of Israel.”
Don’t worship or serve idols of any kind. Why? Because I am the Lord your God. I hate for my people to worship other gods. [26] People who sin against me become my enemies. And I will punish those people. And I will punish their children, their grandchildren, and even their great-grandchildren.