1. And Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters and sent to Samaria unto the princes of Jezreel, to the elders, and to those that brought up Ahab’s children, saying,
2. Now as soon as this letter comes to you, unto those who have your master’s sons and who have chariots and horsemen and who have the arms and munitions of the city,
3. see which is the best and most upright of your master’s sons and set him on his father’s throne and fight for your master’s house.
4. But they were exceedingly afraid and said, Behold, two kings could not stand before him; how then shall we stand?
5. And he that was over the house and he that was over the city, the elders also, and those who had brought up the children sent to Jehu, saying, We are thy slaves and will do all that thou shalt bid us; we will not make any king; thou shalt do that which is good in thy eyes.
6. Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, If ye are mine and if ye will hearken unto my voice, take the heads of the male sons of your master and come to me to Jezreel by tomorrow this time. Now the king’s sons, being seventy males, were with the great men of the city, who had brought them up.