Last Action Hero

(4) So the young man, even the young man the prophet, went to Ramoth-gilead. (5) And when he came, behold, the captains of the host were sitting; and he said: ‘I have an errand to thee, O captain.’ And Jehu said: ‘Unto which of us all?’ And he said: ‘To thee, O captain.’

(6) And he arose, and went into the house; and he poured the oil on his head, and said unto him: ‘Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel: I have anointed thee king over the people of the LORD, even over Israel.

(7) And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may avenge the blood of My servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD, at the hand of Jezebel. (8) For the whole house of Ahab shall perish; and I will cut off from Ahab every man-child, and him that is shut up and him that is left at large in Israel.

(9) And I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasa the son of Ahijah. (10) And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her.’ And he opened the door, and fled.

(20) And the watchman told, saying: ‘He came even unto them, and cometh not back; and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi; for he driveth furiously.’

(21) And Joram said: ‘Make ready.’ And they made ready his chariot. And Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his chariot, and they went out to meet Jehu, and found him in the portion of Naboth the Jezreelite. (22) And it came to pass, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said: ‘Is it peace, Jehu?’ And he answered: ‘What peace, so long as the harlotries of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?’

(23) And Joram turned his hands, and fled, and said to Ahaziah: ‘There is treachery, O Ahaziah.’ (24) And Jehu drew his bow with his full strength, and smote Joram between his arms, and the arrow went out at his heart, and he sunk down in his chariot.

(31) And as Jehu entered in at the gate, she said: ‘Is it peace, thou Zimri, thy master’s murderer?’ (32) And he lifted up his face to the window, and said: ‘Who is on my side? who?’ And there looked out to him two or three officers. (33) And he said: ‘Throw her down.’ So they threw her down; and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses; and she was trodden under foot. (34) And when he was come in, he did eat and drink; and he said: ‘Look now after this cursed woman, and bury her; for she is a king’s daughter.’

(35) And they went to bury her; but they found no more of her than the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands. (36) Wherefore they came back, and told him. And he said: ‘This is the word of the LORD, which He spoke by His servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying: In the portion of Jezreel shall the dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel; (37) and the carcass of Jezebel shall be as dung upon the face of the field in the portion of Jezreel; so that they shall not say: This is Jezebel.’

(1) Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, unto the rulers of Jezreel, even the elders, and unto them that brought up [the sons of] Ahab, saying:

(2) ’And now as soon as this letter cometh to you, seeing your master’s sons are with you, and there are with you chariots and horses, fortified cities also, and armour; (3) look 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.’

(4) But they were exceedingly afraid, and said: ‘Behold, the two kings stood not before him; how then shall we stand?’ (5) And 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.’

(6) Then 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. (7) And 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. (8) And 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.’

(9) And 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? (10) Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the LORD, which the LORD spoke concerning the house of Ahab; for the LORD hath done that which He spoke by His servant Elijah.’ (11) So Jehu smote all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his familiar friends, and his priests, until there was left him none remaining.

(18) And Jehu gathered all the people together, and said unto them: ‘Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu will serve him much. (19) Now therefore call unto me all the prophets of Baal, all his worshippers, and all his priests, let none be wanting; for I have a great sacrifice to do to Baal; whosoever shall be wanting, he shall not live.’ But Jehu did it in subtlety, to the intent that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal.

(20) And Jehu said: ‘Sanctify a solemn assembly for Baal.’ And they proclaimed it. (21) And Jehu sent through all Israel; and all the worshippers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that came not. And they came into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was filled from one end to another. (22) And he said unto him that was over the vestry: ‘Bring forth vestments for all the worshippers of Baal.’ And he brought them forth vestments. (23) And Jehu went, and Jehonadab the son of Rechab, into the house of Baal; and he said unto the worshippers of Baal: ‘Search, and look that there be here with you none of the servants of the LORD, but the worshippers of Baal only.’

(24) And they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt-offerings. Now Jehu had appointed him fourscore men without, and said: ‘If any of the men whom I bring into your hands escape, his life shall be for the life of him.’ (25) And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt-offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains: ‘Go in, and slay them; let none come forth.’ And they smote them with the edge of the sword; and the guard and the captains cast them out, and went to the city of the house of Baal.

(26) And they brought forth the pillars that were in the house of Baal, and burned them. (27) And they broke down the pillar of Baal, and broke down the house of Baal, and made it a draught-house, unto this day. (28) Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel. (29) Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, wherewith he made Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them, the golden calves that were in Beth-el, and that were in Dan.

(20) Yehudah Ben Teima says: Be strong like the leopard, light like the eagle, quick like the gazelle, and mighty like the lion to perform the will of your Father in Heaven.

May it be Your will, Hashem our God, that You build Your city speedily in our days and give us our share in Your Torah.