Drunk With Blood Part 12

Thus saith the LORD G.o.d ... thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master ... The whole house of Ahab shall perish: and I will cut off from Ahab him that p.i.s.seth against the wall ....And I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam ... and Baasha ... And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her. 2 Kings 9.6-10 So although he was off to a good start, having killed Ahab's son, Jehoram (105), Ahab's wife, Jezebel (106), and 70 of Ahab's sons (107), there still might be a few wall-p.i.s.sing family or friends of Ahab left to kill.

The first place that Jehu looked was Ahab's old hometown, Jezreel. He searched the town and found all of Ahab's family, friends, and priests-whoever that was a.s.sociated somehow with Ahab and might also have p.i.s.sed against a wall at one time or another.

And then he killed them all.

So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his kinsfolks, and his priests, until he left him none remaining. 10.11 Then he took his search elsewhere.

The text doesn't say how many of Ahab's family and friends were killed in Jezreel. I'll just say 20.

109. Jehu killed Ahaziah's family 2 Kings 10.14 Number Killed: 42 Ahaziah's family After Jehu killed what remained of Ahab's family in Jezreel (108), he went to Samaria and met with the family of Ahaziah (of Judah).

He arose and departed, and came to Samaria. And ... met with the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, Who are ye? And they answered, We are the brethren of Ahaziah; and we go down to salute the children of the king and the children of the queen. 2 Kings 10.12-13 It was a short, productive meeting. Jehu had only one action item: kill all the attendees.

And he said, Take them alive. And they took them alive, and slew them at the pit of the shearing house, even two and forty men; neither left he any of them. 10.14 That's all that 2 Kings says about it. But the killing is also covered in 2 Chronicles.

The destruction of Ahaziah was of G.o.d by coming to Joram: for when he was come, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nims.h.i.+, whom the LORD had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab. And it came to pa.s.s, that, when Jehu was executing judgment upon the house of Ahab, and found the princes of Judah, and the sons of the brethren of Ahaziah, that ministered to Ahaziah, he slew them. And he sought Ahaziah: and they caught him, (for he was hid in Samaria,) and brought him to Jehu: and when they had slain him. 2 Chronicles 22.7-9 So we know that the killing of Ahaziah's 42 relatives was "of G.o.d"-which means that G.o.d approved of these killings.

110. Jehu and his partner show their zeal for the Lord by killing the rest of Ahab's family 2 Kings 10.17 Estimated Number Killed: 20 The rest of Ahab's family After meeting with Ahaziah's family (and killing them all), Jehu got into his chariot and drove away furiously toward Samaria. On his way he ran across and old friend, Jehonadab.

Jehu asked Jehonadab, "Is your heart as true to mine as mine is to yours?" And Jehonadab said, "It is." (They were really good friends.) When he was departed thence, he lighted on Jehonadab ... coming to meet him: and he saluted him, and said to him, Is thine heart right, as my heart is with thy heart? And Jehonadab answered, It is. 2 Kings 10.15a Then Jehu said, "If it is, give me your hand." (This is getting so romantic!) If it be, give me thine hand. 10.15b So Jehu reached out his hand and took Jehonadab into the chariot.

And he gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot. 10.15c When Jehonadab and Jehu were finally together, Jehu said, "Come with me, and see my zeal for the Lord."

He said, Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD. 10.16 Then the two men, whose hearts were true to each other, rode off into the sunset toward Samaria.

When they arrived in Samaria, they slaughtered the rest of Ahab's family, "according to the saying of the LORD, which he spake to Elijah."

When he came to Samaria, he slew all that remained unto Ahab in Samaria, till he had destroyed him, according to the saying of the LORD, which he spake to Elijah. 10.17 And by so doing, the true-hearted partners expressed their zeal for the Lord.

The Bible doesn't say how many were killed, so I just guessed 20.

111. Jehu a.s.sembles the followers of Baal and then slaughters them all 2 Kings 10.25 Estimated Number Killed: 1,000 Followers of Baal After Jehu finished killing Ahab's family in Samaria (110), he called an a.s.sembly to wors.h.i.+p Baal.

Jehu gathered all the people together, and said unto them, Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu shall serve him much. 2 Kings 10.18 Jehu said that he would lead the sacrifice to Baal and any follower of Baal that did not come would be killed.

Now therefore call unto me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, 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. 10.19a But he was lying, of course. He a.s.sembled the followers of Baal, not to wors.h.i.+p Baal with them as he said, but to kill them all.

But Jehu did it in subtilty ... that he might destroy the wors.h.i.+ppers of Baal. 10.19b So Jehu called the a.s.sembly.

Jehu said, Proclaim a solemn a.s.sembly for Baal. And they proclaimed it. And Jehu sent through all Israel: and all the wors.h.i.+ppers 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 full from one end to another. 10.20-21 Then he told 80 of his men to kill of the wors.h.i.+pers of Baal, saying he'd kill whoever let any escape.

When they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings, Jehu appointed fourscore men without, and said, If any of the men whom I have brought into your hands escape, he that letteth him go, his life shall be for the life of him. 10.24 When Jehu finished his sacrifice to Baal, he ordered the sacrifice of all of the followers of Baal.

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. 10.25 G.o.d approved of this and all of Jehu's previous ma.s.s murders. He liked them so much, in fact, that Jehu's sons would be kings of Israel for the next four generations.

The LORD said unto Jehu, Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes, and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart, thy children of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel. 10.30 (The Bible doesn't say how many followers of Baal Jehu killed. I'll guess 1000.) 112. The priest of Baal and Queen Athaliah 2 Kings 11.18-20 Number Killed: 2 Mattan the priest of Baal and Athaliah The high priest Jehoiada arranged an agreement between G.o.d, the king, and the people. The king and the people would be G.o.d's people.

Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people, that they should be the LORD's people; between the king also and the people. 2 Kings 11.17 And as G.o.d's people, they would destroy the religious symbols of all other G.o.ds, and kill their priests. So G.o.d's people went into a murderous rampage. They started by killing Mattan, the priest of Baal, at the altar.

All the people of the land went into the house of Baal, and brake it down; his altars and his images brake they in pieces thoroughly, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. 11.18 And finished by killing Queen Athaliah.

And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was in quiet: and they slew Athaliah with the sword beside the king's house. 11.20 113. G.o.d sent lions to eat those that didn't fear him enough 2 Kings 17.25-26 Estimated Number killed: 10 People that didn't fear the Lord G.o.d wants you to fear him. If you don't fear him enough, he'll do something to make you afraid of him. Like send lions to eat you.

They feared not the LORD: therefore the LORD sent lions among them, which slew some of them. 2 Kings 17.25 He also likes you to obey his laws, even if you've never heard of them before. If you are unfamiliar with his laws or don't follow them properly, he'll send lions to eat you.

The nations which ... know not the manner of the G.o.d of the land: therefore he hath sent lions among them, and, behold, they slay them, because they know not the manner of the G.o.d of the land. 17.26 I just thought you should know that.

(The Bible only says that G.o.d's lions killed "some of them." I'll guess that there were 10 that were eaten by lions.) 114. An angel killed 185,000 sleeping soldiers 2 Kings 19.35, Isaiah 37.36 Number killed: 185,000 Sleeping a.s.syrian soldiers Well, the t.i.tle pretty much says it all, since it all happens in a single verse (that is repeated twice in the Bible).

185,000 sleeping a.s.syrian soldiers were killed by an angel of the Lord. And when they woke up the next morning "behold, they were all dead."

The angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the a.s.syrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses. 2 Kings 19.35, Isaiah 37.36 They probably all woke up and said in unison (as is customary in the Bible), "Shucks, I'm dead."

115. G.o.d caused King Sennacherib to be killed by his sons 2 Kings 19.37, Isaiah 37.38 Number Killed: 1 Sennacherib Poor king Hezekiah was upset, so upset, in fact, that he "rent his clothes."

And it came to pa.s.s, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes. 2 Kings 19.1, Isaiah 37.1 You see, Hezekiah had just heard the commanding officer (Rabshakeh) of the a.s.syrian army say that Hezekiah and his people would soon be "eating their own dung and drinking their own p.i.s.s."

But Rabshakeh said unto them, Hath my master sent me to thy master, and to thee, to speak these words? hath he not sent me to the men which sit on the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own p.i.s.s with you? 2 Kings 18.27, Isaiah 36.12 So Hezekiah, who didn't much like eating dung or drinking p.i.s.s, sent a message to Isaiah, asking him what he should do about it. Isaiah told him not to worry. G.o.d would put a spirit (or "a blast" in the KJV) in the king of a.s.syria (Sennacherib) so that he will "hear a rumor" to return to his home in Ninevah. Then G.o.d will cause him to be killed with the sword.

Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, and shall return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land. 2 Kings 19.7, Isaiah 37.7 And that's what happened. Sennacherib returned to Ninevah and was killed by his sons while he was in church praying.

And it came to pa.s.s, as he was wors.h.i.+pping in the house of Nisroch his G.o.d, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword. 2 Kings 19.37, Isaiah 37.38 But then, he was praying to the wrong G.o.d so he deserved it.

116. Josiah killed all the priests of the high places 2 Kings 23.20 Estimated Number Killed:100 Priests of the high places Josiah was the king of religious intolerance. He "put down" the priests that burned incense to the sun, moon, planets, and stars.

He put down the idolatrous priests ... that burned incense unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven. 2 Kings 23.5 He burned the Asherah pole (the "grove" in the KJV) and spread the ashes on the graves of the children.

And he brought out the grove ...and burned it ... and stamped it small to powder, and cast the powder thereof upon the graves of the children of the people. 23.6 He destroyed the houses of the temple h.o.m.os.e.xuals.

He brake down the houses of the sodomites, that were by the house of the LORD, where the women wove hangings for the grove. 23.7 And he executed the priests and burned human bones upon their altars.

He slew all the priests of the high places that were there upon the altars, and burned men's bones upon them 23.20 This was all in accordance with the prophecy of "the man of G.o.d from Judah."

There came a man of G.o.d out of Judah by the word of the LORD ... and he cried against the altar in the word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar thus saith the LORD; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men's bones shall be burnt upon thee. 1 Kings 13.1-2 (The Bible doesn't say how many priests were killed by Josiah. I'll guess 100.) 117. Just another holy war 1 Chronicles 5.20-22 Estimated Number Killed: 50,000 Hagarites First Chronicles gets my vote for the most boring book ever written. Just try reading the first nine chapters some time. If you make it through, reading every word, you're probably the first person who ever has.

But hidden in the list of descendants of Reuben in chapter five, there's another one of G.o.d's killings, one that I'd missed before. I probably lost interest somewhere in the "These are the children of Abihail the son of Huri, the son of Jaroah, the son of Gilead, the son of Michael, the son of Jes.h.i.+shai, the son of Jahdo, the son of Buz..."

So anyway, here's the story. I'm sorry it's so boring.

It all starts with 44,760 sons of Reuben, who were valiant men that could shoot bows and hack things to pieces with swords.

The sons of Reuben, and the Gadites, and half the tribe of Mana.s.seh, of valiant men, men able to bear buckler and sword, and to shoot with bow, and skilful in war, were four and forty thousand seven hundred and threescore, that went out to the war. 1 Chronicles 5.18 All they needed was a war to keep them busy. And they found one.

They made war with the Hagarites, with Jetur, and Nephish, and Nodab. 5.19 While the sons of Reuben were fighting, they cried to G.o.d, so G.o.d decided to be on their side, delivering the Hagarites into their hand.

And the Hagarites were delivered into their hand, and all that were with them: for they cried to G.o.d in the battle, and he was intreated of them; because they put their trust in him. 5:20 And that pretty much did it. Once you have G.o.d on your side in a holy war that is "of G.o.d," killing people is a piece of cake.

For there fell down many slain, because the war was of G.o.d. 5.22 All that was left was to collect the booty.

They took away their cattle; of their camels fifty thousand, and of sheep two hundred and fifty thousand, and of a.s.ses two thousand, and of men an hundred thousand. 5.21 Which is pretty good, as booty goes. 50,000 camels, a quarter million sheep, 2000 a.s.ses, and 100,000 slaves.

But how many were killed in this holy war of G.o.d? It's a shame that G.o.d doesn't tell us, but with 100,000 slaves, I'd think the valiant sons of Reuben must have killed 50,000 or so. What with G.o.d on their side and all.

118. G.o.d killed a half million Israelite soldiers 2 Chronicles 13.15-17 Number Killed: 500,000 Israelite soldiers Sometimes G.o.d has to kill a half million of his favorite people just to make a point of some kind. I'm not sure what the point was in this case, but that's beside the point, whatever it might have been.

Here's what happened.

There was a war between King Abijah of Judah and Jeroboam of Israel. Abijah had 400,000 "chosen men" and Jeroboam had 800,000 "mighty men of valor."

Abijah set the battle in array with an army of valiant men of war, even four hundred thousand chosen men: Jeroboam also set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, being mighty men of valour. 2 Chronicles 13.3 Abijah stood on a hilltop and delivered a long, boring speech to all 1.2 million men. (He had a very loud voice.) Abijah stood up upon mount Zemaraim, which is in mount Ephraim, and said, Hear me, thou Jeroboam, and all Israel; Ought ye not to know that the LORD G.o.d of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David for ever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt?

And, behold, G.o.d himself is with us for our captain, and his priests with sounding trumpets to cry alarm against you. O children of Israel, fight ye not against the LORD G.o.d of your fathers; for ye shall not prosper. 13.4-12 When Abijah was done with his speech, Jeroboam's mighty men attacked from behind.

But Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about behind them: so they were before Judah, and the ambushment was behind them. 13.13 But then the chosen men of Judah cried to G.o.d, blew some trumpets, and shouted all at once.

When Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind: and they cried unto the LORD, and the priests sounded with the trumpets. Then the men of Judah gave a shout. 13.14-15a And then G.o.d got involved, killing 500,000 Israelite soldiers.

As the men of Judah shouted ... G.o.d smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. And the children of Israel fled before Judah: and G.o.d delivered them into their hand. And Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter: so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men. 13.15b-17 But it was all for a good cause. I'm just not sure what the cause was.

119. Jeroboam 2 Chronicles 13.20 Number Killed: 1 Jeroboam After G.o.d killed 500,000 of Israelite soldiers (118), he killed their leader, King Jeroboam.

Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah: and the LORD struck him, and he died. 2 Chronicles 13.20 You see, G.o.d hated Jeroboam. To G.o.d, Jeroboam was the worst person who had ever lived.

Go, tell Jeroboam, Thus saith the LORD .... thou hast ... done evil above all that were before thee. 1 Kings 14.7-9 (Why did G.o.d hate Jeroboam so much? Because after he became king he made two golden calves, put them on altars at Bethel and Dan, and led the people in sacrifices to them. See 1 Kings 12.28) G.o.d had already killed Jeroboam's son (88), and after G.o.d killed Jeroboam, he killed the rest of his family (89).

I'm not sure why. I guess it's all a part of G.o.d's family values.

This killing is a bit out of place chronologically. But I've decided to order G.o.d's killings according to the order that they occur in the Bible. It's hard to be sure of the correct chronology of mythical events.

120. G.o.d killed a million Ethiopians 2 Chronicles 14.12-13 Number Killed: 1,000,000 Ethiopians In the killing before last (118), G.o.d killed 500,000 Israelites. That was pretty impressive. But here, in the next chapter of 2 Chronicles, G.o.d killed a million Ethiopians.

G.o.d got involved in this killing because he liked Asa, the king of Juda, so much. Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord by destroying the temples of other G.o.ds and forbidding their wors.h.i.+p.

Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his G.o.d: For he took away the altars of the strange G.o.ds, and the high places, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves. 2 Chronicles 14.2-3 And he drove h.o.m.os.e.xuals out of the land.

And he took away the sodomites out of the land. 1 Kings 15.12 So when the Ethiopians attacked Judah while Asa was king, you know which side G.o.d was on.

There came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an host of a thousand thousand. 2 Chronicles 14.9 All Asa had to do was ask.

Asa cried unto the LORD his G.o.d, and said, LORD, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our G.o.d; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this mult.i.tude. 14.11 And G.o.d killed all 1,000,000 Ethiopians, apparently all at once, in a single day.

So the LORD smote the Ethiopians ... they were destroyed before the LORD. 14.12-13 It was the largest, single, G.o.d-a.s.sisted slaughter in the Bible. [And according to McEvedy and Jones (p.230), it would have killed five times the entire Ethiopian population at the time.]

121. Friendly Fire: G.o.d forced "a great mult.i.tude" to kill each other 2 Chronicles 20.22-23 Estimated Number Killed: 30,000 Ammonites, Moabites, and Edomites "A great mult.i.tude" of Ammonites, Moabites, and Edomites gathered to attack the kingdom of Judah.

There cometh a great mult.i.tude against thee from beyond the sea ... the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir [the Edomites]. 2 Chronicles 20.2,10 The king of Judah, Jehoshaphat, prays and prays and prays some more, asking G.o.d for help.

And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah ... And said, O LORD G.o.d of our fathers, art not thou G.o.d in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?

And now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir ... invade.

O our G.o.d, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee. 20.5-12 Everyone in Judah heard Jehoshaphat's boring prayer.

All Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their children. 20.13 And then the spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel (the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph) who told the people of Judah not to worry. They didn't even need to fight; G.o.d would fight for them.

Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, came the Spirit of the LORD in the midst of the congregation; And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great mult.i.tude; for the battle is not yours, but G.o.d's. ... Ye shall not need to fight in this battle. 20.14-17 Then Jehoshaphat and the entire population of Judah fell on their faces.

Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the LORD, wors.h.i.+pping the LORD. 20.18 Jehoshaphat appointed singers to praise the beauty of holiness and say, "Praise the Lord."

Jehoshaphat ... appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD. 20.20-21 And G.o.d took care of everything else.

He ambushed the opposing army, forcing the Ammonites and the Moabites to kill the Edomites, and vice versa until "every one helped to destroy another."

When they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten. For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another. 20.22-23 And so when everyone in Judah went up to the watch tower, they saw nothing but dead bodies.

When Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the mult.i.tude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped. 20.24 Then the people of Judah came down from the watch tower and stripped all the booty from the dead bodies. It took them three days, but they got lots of cool stuff, including precious jewels. But there was just too much for them to carry away.

When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much. 20.25 (Since there was "a great mult.i.tude" of Ammonites, Moabites, and Edomites, I estimated 30,000, 10,000 from each tribe.) 122. G.o.d made Jehoram's bowels fall out 2 Chronicles 21.19 Number Killed: 1 Jehoram of Judah Jehoram (of Judah) was not a very nice guy. When he became king he killed all of his brothers along with some Israelite princes.

Now when Jehoram was risen up to the kingdom of his father, he strengthened himself, and slew all his brethren with the sword, and divers also of the princes of Israel. 2 Chronicles 21.4 And then he did something that really p.i.s.sed off G.o.d: he made all the people commit fornication.

Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Judah and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication. 21.11 When the news got to Elijah, he sent Jehoram a letter telling him he was in big trouble with G.o.d. G.o.d will smite his children, wives, and all the people of Judah with a great plague.

Behold, with a great plague will the LORD smite thy people, and thy children, and thy wives. 21.14 And he will smite Jehoram with a disease of his bowels until his bowels fall out.

And thou shalt have great sickness by disease of thy bowels, until thy bowels fall out. 21.15 G.o.d first "stirred up" some people to carry away his sons and wives.

The LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians, that were near the Ethiopians: And they came up into Judah, and brake into it, and carried away his sons also, and his wives ... save Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons. 21.16-17 And then G.o.d smote Jehoram in his bowels with an incurable disease.

After all this the LORD smote him in his bowels with an incurable disease. 21.18 For two years Jehoram suffered from the disease, until his bowels finally fell out.

After the end of two years, his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness: so he died of sore diseases. 21.19 123. G.o.d killed Jehoram's sons 2 Chronicles 22.1 Estimated Number Killed: 3 Jehoram's sons In Elijah's letter to Jehoram, he said that G.o.d would smite his children and his wives with a great plague.

Behold, with a great plague will the LORD smite thy people, and thy children, and thy wives. 2 Chronicles 21.14 From that, I expected G.o.d to send a disease to kill Jehoram's wives, children, and people. But he sent some Arabians instead.

The LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians, that were near the Ethiopians: And they came up into Judah, and brake into it, and carried away all the substance that was found in the king's house, and his sons also, and his wives; so that there was never a son left him, save Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons. 21.16-17 So I figured the Arabians just enslaved Jehoram's wives and sons (Elijah, G.o.d, and the Bible say nothing about the daughters). But then, the next chapter starts with this: The inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son king in his stead: for the band of men that came with the Arabians to the camp had slain all the eldest. 22.1 Which means that the Arabians didn't just take his sons and wives away; they killed them. And since G.o.d was the one who stirred them up in the first place, he deserves credit for killing Jehoram's sons. (The verse doesn't say what happened to the wives, daughters, or the rest of the people of Judah.) How many sons were killed by the Arabians? The text doesn't say, so I'll guess 3.

124. Ahaziah (of Judah) 2 Chronicles 22.6-9 Number Killed: 1 Ahaziah of Judah It's hard to keep track of Bible characters. They often have the same name, live at the same time, do pretty much the same things (do evil in the sight of the Lord), and have the same fate (G.o.d usually kills them). It will drive you nuts if you're not careful.

Take King Ahaziah, for example.

First of all, there were two of them: Ahaziah of Israel and Ahaziah of Judah. They lived at about the same time (9th century BCE), were evil in the sight of the Lord, and they were both (more of less) killed by G.o.d.