3look ye out the best and meetest of your master`s sons, and set him on his father`s throne, and fight for your master`s house.
4But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, the two kings stood not before him: how then shall we stand?
5And he that was over the household, and he that was over the city, the elders also, and they that brought up [the children], sent to Jehu, saying, We are thy servants, and will do all that thou shalt bid us; we will not make any man king: do thou that which is good in thine eyes.
6Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, If ye be on my side, and if ye will hearken unto my voice, take ye the heads of the men your master`s sons, and come to me to Jezreel by to-morrow this time. Now the king`s sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who brought them up.
7And it came to pass, when the letter came to them, that they took the king`s sons, and slew them, even seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them unto him to Jezreel.
8And there came a messenger, and told him, saying, They have brought the heads of the king`s sons. And he said, Lay ye them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until the morning.
9And it came to pass in the morning, that he went out, and stood, and said to all the people, Ye are righteous: behold, I conspired against my master, and slew him; but who smote all these?
