Worthy.Bible » Parallel » 2 Kings » Chapter 10 » Verse 1-36

2 Kings 10:1-36 King James Version (KJV)

1 And Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, unto the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to them that brought up Ahab's children, saying,

2 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, a fenced city also, and armor;

3 Look even 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, two kings stood not 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 the bringers up of the children, sent to Jehu, saying, We are thy servants, and will do all that thou shalt bid us; we will not make any 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 mine, 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, which brought them up.

7 And it came to pass, when the letter came to them, that they took the king's sons, and slew seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent him them 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 entering in 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 be righteous: behold, I conspired against my master, and slew him: but who slew all these?

10 Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the LORD, which the LORD spake concerning the house of Ahab: for the LORD hath done that which he spake by his servant Elijah.

11 So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his kinsfolk, and his priests, until he left him none remaining.

12 And he arose and departed, and came to Samaria. And as he was at the shearing house in the way,

13 Jehu 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.

14 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.

15 And when he was departed thence, he lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab 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. If it be, give me thine hand. And he gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot.

16 And he said, Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD. So they made him ride in his chariot.

17 And 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.

18 And Jehu gathered all the people together, and said unto them, Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu shall serve him much.

19 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. But Jehu did it in subtilty, to the intent that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal.

20 And Jehu said, Proclaim 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 full 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 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 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.

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 images out of the house of Baal, and burned them.

27 And they brake down the image of Baal, and brake 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, who made Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them, to wit, the golden calves that were in Bethel, and that were in Dan.

30 And 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.

31 But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin.

32 In those days the LORD began to cut Israel short: and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel;

33 From Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the river Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan.

34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, and all that he did, and all his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

35 And Jehu slept with his fathers: and they buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son reigned in his stead.

36 And the time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty and eight years.


2 Kings 10:1-36 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

1 And Ahab H256 had seventy H7657 sons H1121 in Samaria. H8111 And Jehu H3058 wrote H3789 letters, H5612 and sent H7971 to Samaria, H8111 unto the rulers H8269 of Jezreel, H3157 to the elders, H2205 and to them that brought up H539 Ahab's H256 children, saying, H559

2 Now as soon as this letter H5612 cometh H935 to you, seeing your master's H113 sons H1121 are with you, and there are with you chariots H7393 and horses, H5483 a fenced H4013 city H5892 also, and armour; H5402

3 Look even out H7200 the best H2896 and meetest H3477 of your master's H113 sons, H1121 and set H7760 him on his father's H1 throne, H3678 and fight H3898 for your master's H113 house. H1004

4 But they were exceedingly H3966 H3966 afraid, H3372 and said, H559 Behold, two H8147 kings H4428 stood H5975 not before H6440 him: how then shall we stand? H5975

5 And he that was over the house, H1004 and he that was over the city, H5892 the elders H2205 also, and the bringers up H539 of the children, sent H7971 to Jehu, H3058 saying, H559 We are thy servants, H5650 and will do H6213 all that thou shalt bid H559 us; we will not make any H376 king: H4427 do H6213 thou that which is good H2896 in thine eyes. H5869

6 Then he wrote H3789 a letter H5612 the second time H8145 to them, saying, H559 If ye be mine, and if ye will hearken H8085 unto my voice, H6963 take H3947 ye the heads H7218 of the men H582 your master's H113 sons, H1121 and come H935 to me to Jezreel H3157 by to morrow H4279 this time. H6256 Now the king's H4428 sons, H1121 being seventy H7657 persons, H376 were with the great men H1419 of the city, H5892 which brought them up. H1431

7 And it came to pass, when the letter H5612 came H935 to them, that they took H3947 the king's H4428 sons, H1121 and slew H7819 seventy H7657 persons, H376 and put H7760 their heads H7218 in baskets, H1731 and sent H7971 him them to Jezreel. H3157

8 And there came H935 a messenger, H4397 and told H5046 him, saying, H559 They have brought H935 the heads H7218 of the king's H4428 sons. H1121 And he said, H559 Lay H7760 ye them in two H8147 heaps H6652 at the entering in H6607 of the gate H8179 until the morning. H1242

9 And it came to pass in the morning, H1242 that he went out, H3318 and stood, H5975 and said H559 to all the people, H5971 Ye be righteous: H6662 behold, I conspired H7194 against my master, H113 and slew H2026 him: but who slew H5221 all these?

10 Know H3045 now H645 that there shall fall H5307 unto the earth H776 nothing of the word H1697 of the LORD, H3068 which the LORD H3068 spake H1696 concerning the house H1004 of Ahab: H256 for the LORD H3068 hath done H6213 that which he spake H1696 by H3027 his servant H5650 Elijah. H452

11 So Jehu H3058 slew H5221 all that remained H7604 of the house H1004 of Ahab H256 in Jezreel, H3157 and all his great men, H1419 and his kinsfolks, H3045 and his priests, H3548 until he left H7604 him none remaining. H8300

12 And he arose H6965 and departed, H935 and came H3212 to Samaria. H8111 And as he was at the shearing H7462 house H1004 H1044 in the way, H1870

13 Jehu H3058 met H4672 with the brethren H251 of Ahaziah H274 king H4428 of Judah, H3063 and said, H559 Who are ye? And they answered, H559 We are the brethren H251 of Ahaziah; H274 and we go down H3381 to salute H7965 the children H1121 of the king H4428 and the children H1121 of the queen. H1377

14 And he said, H559 Take H8610 them alive. H2416 And they took H8610 them alive, H2416 and slew H7819 them at the pit H953 of the shearing house, H1044 even two H8147 and forty H705 men; H376 neither left H7604 he any H376 of them.

15 And when he was departed H3212 thence, he lighted H4672 on Jehonadab H3082 the son H1121 of Rechab H7394 coming to meet H7125 him: and he saluted H1288 him, and said H559 to him, Is H3426 thine heart H3824 right, H3477 as my heart H3824 is with thy heart? H3824 And Jehonadab H3082 answered, H559 It is. H3426 If it be, give H5414 me thine hand. H3027 And he gave H5414 him his hand; H3027 and he took him up H5927 to him into the chariot. H4818

16 And he said, H559 Come H3212 with me, and see H7200 my zeal H7068 for the LORD. H3068 So they made him ride H7392 in his chariot. H7393

17 And when he came H935 to Samaria, H8111 he slew H5221 all that remained H7604 unto Ahab H256 in Samaria, H8111 till he had destroyed H8045 him, according to the saying H1697 of the LORD, H3068 which he spake H1696 to Elijah. H452

18 And Jehu H3058 gathered H6908 all the people H5971 together, H6908 and said H559 unto them, Ahab H256 served H5647 Baal H1168 a little; H4592 but Jehu H3058 shall serve H5647 him much. H7235

19 Now therefore call H7121 unto me all the prophets H5030 of Baal, H1168 all his servants, H5647 and all his priests; H3548 let none H376 be wanting: H6485 for I have a great H1419 sacrifice H2077 to do to Baal; H1168 whosoever shall be wanting, H6485 he shall not live. H2421 But Jehu H3058 did H6213 it in subtilty, H6122 to the intent that he might destroy H6 the worshippers H5647 of Baal. H1168

20 And Jehu H3058 said, H559 Proclaim H6942 a solemn assembly H6116 for Baal. H1168 And they proclaimed H7121 it.

21 And Jehu H3058 sent H7971 through all Israel: H3478 and all the worshippers H5647 of Baal H1168 came, H935 so that there was not a man H376 left H7604 that came H935 not. And they came H935 into the house H1004 of Baal; H1168 and the house H1004 of Baal H1168 was full H4390 from one end H6310 to another. H6310

22 And he said H559 unto him that was over the vestry, H4458 Bring forth H3318 vestments H3830 for all the worshippers H5647 of Baal. H1168 And he brought them forth H3318 vestments. H4403

23 And Jehu H3058 went, H935 and Jehonadab H3082 the son H1121 of Rechab, H7394 into the house H1004 of Baal, H1168 and said H559 unto the worshippers H5647 of Baal, H1168 Search, H2664 and look H7200 that there be H3426 here with you none of the servants H5650 of the LORD, H3068 but the worshippers H5647 of Baal H1168 only.

24 And when they went in H935 to offer H6213 sacrifices H2077 and burnt offerings, H5930 Jehu H3058 appointed H7760 fourscore H8084 men H376 without, H2351 and said, H559 If any H376 of the men H582 whom I have brought H935 into your hands H3027 escape, H4422 he that letteth him go, his life H5315 shall be for the life H5315 of him.

25 And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end H3615 of offering H6213 the burnt offering, H5930 that Jehu H3058 said H559 to the guard H7323 and to the captains, H7991 Go in, H935 and slay H5221 them; let none H376 come forth. H3318 And they smote H5221 them with the edge H6310 of the sword; H2719 and the guard H7323 and the captains H7991 cast them out, H7993 and went H3212 to the city H5892 of the house H1004 of Baal. H1168

26 And they brought forth H3318 the images H4676 out of the house H1004 of Baal, H1168 and burned H8313 them.

27 And they brake down H5422 the image H4676 of Baal, H1168 and brake down H5422 the house H1004 of Baal, H1168 and made H7760 it a draught house H4163 H4280 unto this day. H3117

28 Thus Jehu H3058 destroyed H8045 Baal H1168 out of Israel. H3478

29 Howbeit from the sins H2399 of Jeroboam H3379 the son H1121 of Nebat, H5028 who made Israel H3478 to sin, H2398 Jehu H3058 departed H5493 not from after H310 them, to wit, the golden H2091 calves H5695 that were in Bethel, H1008 and that were in Dan. H1835

30 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Jehu, H3058 Because thou hast done well H2895 in executing H6213 that which is right H3477 in mine eyes, H5869 and hast done H6213 unto the house H1004 of Ahab H256 according to all that was in mine heart, H3824 thy children H1121 of the fourth H7243 generation shall sit H3427 on the throne H3678 of Israel. H3478

31 But Jehu H3058 took no heed H8104 to walk H3212 in the law H8451 of the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel H3478 with all his heart: H3824 for he departed H5493 not from the sins H2403 of Jeroboam, H3379 which made Israel H3478 to sin. H2398

32 In those days H3117 the LORD H3068 began H2490 to cut H7096 Israel H3478 short: H7096 and Hazael H2371 smote H5221 them in all the coasts H1366 of Israel; H3478

33 From Jordan H3383 eastward, H4217 H8121 all the land H776 of Gilead, H1568 the Gadites, H1425 and the Reubenites, H7206 and the Manassites, H4520 from Aroer, H6177 which is by the river H5158 Arnon, H769 even Gilead H1568 and Bashan. H1316

34 Now the rest H3499 of the acts H1697 of Jehu, H3058 and all that he did, H6213 and all his might, H1369 are they not written H3789 in the book H5612 of the chronicles H1697 H3117 of the kings H4428 of Israel? H3478

35 And Jehu H3058 slept H7901 with his fathers: H1 and they buried H6912 him in Samaria. H8111 And Jehoahaz H3059 his son H1121 reigned H4427 in his stead.

36 And the time H3117 that Jehu H3058 reigned H4427 over Israel H3478 in Samaria H8111 was twenty H6242 and eight H8083 years. H8141


2 Kings 10:1-36 American Standard (ASV)

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, a fortified city also, and armor;

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 Jehovah, which Jehovah spake concerning the house of Ahab: for Jehovah hath done that which he spake 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 he left him none remaining.

12 And he arose and departed, and went to Samaria. And as he was at the shearing-house of the shepherds in the way,

13 Jehu 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.

14 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.

15 And when he was departed thence, he lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him; and he saluted him, and said to him, Is thy heart right, as my heart is with thy heart? And Jehonadab answered, It is. If it be, give me thy hand. And he gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot.

16 And he said, Come with me, and see my zeal for Jehovah. So they made him ride in his chariot.

17 And when he came to Samaria, he smote all that remained unto Ahab in Samaria, till he had destroyed him, according to the word of Jehovah, which he spake to Elijah.

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 Jehovah, 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, `he that letteth him go', 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 brake down the pillar of Baal, and brake 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, `to wit', the golden calves that were in Beth-el, and that were in Dan.

30 And Jehovah 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 my heart, thy sons of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.

31 But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of Jehovah, the God of Israel, with all his heart: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, wherewith he made Israel to sin.

32 In those days Jehovah began to cut off from Israel: and Hazael smote them in all the borders of Israel;

33 from the Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the valley of the Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan.

34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, and all that he did, and all his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

35 And Jehu slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son reigned in his stead.

36 And the time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty and eight years.


2 Kings 10:1-36 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 And Ahab hath seventy sons in Samaria, and Jehu writeth letters, and sendeth to Samaria, unto the heads of Jezreel, the elders, and unto the supporters of Ahab, saying,

2 `And now, at the coming in of this letter unto you, and with you `are' sons of your lord, and with you `are' the chariots and the horses, and a fenced city, and the armour,

3 and ye have seen the best and the uprightest of the sons of your lord, and have set `him' on the throne of his father, and fight ye for the house of your lord.'

4 And they fear very greatly, and say, `Lo, the two kings have not stood before him, and how do we stand -- we?'

5 And he who `is' over the house, and he who `is' over the city, and the elders, and the supporters, send unto Jehu, saying, `Thy servants we `are', and all that thou sayest unto us we do; we do not make any one king -- that which `is' good in thine eyes do.'

6 And he writeth unto them a letter a second time, saying, `If ye `are' for me, and to my voice are hearkening, take the heads of the men -- the sons of your lord, and come unto me about this time to-morrow, to Jezreel;' and the sons of the king `are' seventy men, with the great ones of the city those bringing them up.

7 And it cometh to pass, at the coming in of the letter unto them, that they take the sons of the king, and slaughter seventy men, and put their heads in baskets, and send unto him to Jezreel,

8 and the messenger cometh in, and declareth to him, saying, `They have brought in the heads of the sons of the king,' and he saith, `Make them two heaps at the opening of the gate till the morning.'

9 And it cometh to pass in the morning, that he goeth out, and standeth, and saith unto all the people, `Righteous are ye; lo, I have conspired against my lord, and slay him -- and who smote all these?

10 Know ye now, that nothing doth fall of the word of Jehovah to the earth that Jehovah spake against the house of Ahab, and Jehovah hath done that which He spake by the hand of His servant Elijah.'

11 And Jehu smiteth all those left to the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his acquaintances, and his priests, till he hath not left to him a remnant.

12 And he riseth, and cometh in and goeth to Samaria; he `is' at the shepherds' shearing-house in the way,

13 and Jehu hath found the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah, and saith, `Who `are' ye?' and they say, `Brethren of Ahaziah we `are', and we go down to salute the sons of the king, and the sons of the mistress.'

14 And he saith, `Catch them alive;' and they catch them alive, and slaughter them at the pit of the shearing-house, forty and two men, and he hath not left a man of them.

15 And he goeth thence, and findeth Jehonadab son of Rechab -- to meet him, and blesseth him, and saith unto him, `Is thy heart right, as my heart `is' with thy heart?' and Jehonadab saith, `It is;' -- `Then it is; give thy hand;' and he giveth his hand, and he causeth him to come up into him into the chariot,

16 and saith, `Come with me, and look on my zeal for Jehovah;' and they cause him to ride in his chariot.

17 And he cometh in to Samaria, and smiteth all those left to Ahab in Samaria, till his destroying him, according to the word of Jehovah that He spake unto Elisha.

18 And Jehu gathereth the whole of the people, and saith unto them, `Ahab served Baal a little -- Jehu doth serve him much:

19 and now, all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests, call ye unto me; let not a man be lacking, for a great sacrifice I have for Baal; every one who is lacking -- he doth not live;' and Jehu hath done `it' in subtilty, in order to destroy the servants of Baal.

20 And Jehu saith, `Sanctify a restraint for Baal;' and they proclaim `it'.

21 And Jehu sendeth into all Israel, and all the servants of Baal come in, and there hath not been left a man who hath not come in; and they come in to the house of Baal, and the house of Baal is full -- mouth to mouth.

22 And he saith to him who `is' over the wardrobe, `Bring out clothing to all servants of Baal;' and he bringeth out to them the clothing.

23 And Jehu goeth in, and Jehonadab son of Rechab, to the house of Baal, and saith to the servants of Baal, `Search and see, lest there be here with you of the servants of Jehovah -- but, the servants of Baal by themselves.'

24 And they come in to make sacrifices and burnt-offerings, and Jehu hath set for himself in an out-place eighty men, and saith, `The man who letteth escape `any' of the men whom I am bringing in unto your hand -- his soul for his soul.'

25 And it cometh to pass at his finishing to make the burnt-offering, that Jehu saith to the runners, and to the captains, `Go in, smite them, let none come out;' and they smite them by the mouth of the sword, and the runners and the captains cast `them' out; and they go unto the city, to the house of Baal,

26 and bring out the standing-pillars of the house of Baal, and burn them,

27 and break down the standing-pillar of Baal, and break down the house of Baal, and appoint it for a draught-house unto this day.

28 And Jehu destroyeth Baal out of Israel,

29 only -- the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, that he caused Israel to sin, Jehu hath not turned aside from after them -- the calves of gold that `are' at Beth-El, and in Dan.

30 And Jehovah saith unto Jehu, `Because that thou hast done well, to do that which `is' right in Mine eyes -- according to all that `is' in My heart thou hast done to the house of Ahab -- the sons of the fourth `generation' do sit for thee on the throne of Israel.'

31 And Jehu hath not taken heed to walk in the law of Jehovah, God of Israel, with all his heart, he hath not turned aside from the sins of Jeroboam, that he caused Israel to sin.

32 In those days hath Jehovah begun to cut off `some' in Israel, and Hazael smiteth them in all the border of Israel,

33 from the Jordan, at the sun-rising, the whole land of Gilead, of the Gadite, and the Reubenite, and the Manassahite (from Aroer, that `is' by the brook Arnon), even Gilead and Bashan.

34 And the rest of the matters of Jehu, and all that he did, and all his might, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel?

35 And Jehu lieth with his fathers, and they bury him in Samaria, and reign doth Jehoahaz his son in his stead.

36 And the days that Jehu hath reigned over Israel `are' twenty and eight years, in Samaria.


2 Kings 10:1-36 Darby English Bible (DARBY)

1 Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, to the princes of Jizreel, to the elders, and to Ahab's guardians, saying,

2 And now, when this letter comes to you, seeing your master's sons are with you, and there are with you chariots, and horses, and a fortified city, and armour,

3 look out the best and worthiest of your master's sons, and set him on his father's throne, and fight for your master's house.

4 And they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, the two kings stood not before him; and how shall we stand?

5 And he that was over the house, and he that was over the city, and the elders, and the guardians sent to Jehu, saying, We are thy servants, and will do all that thou shalt bid us; we will not make any one king; do what is good in thy sight.

6 And he wrote a letter the second time to them saying, If ye are mine, and will hearken to my voice, take the heads of the men your master's sons, and come to me to Jizreel to-morrow at this time. Now the king's sons, 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 slaughtered seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him to Jizreel.

8 And a messenger came and told him saying, They have brought the heads of the king's sons. And he said, Lay 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 he stood, and said to all the people, Ye are righteous! behold, I conspired against my master and killed him; but who smote all these?

10 Know now that nothing shall fall to the earth of the word of Jehovah, which Jehovah spoke concerning the house of Ahab; for Jehovah has done that which he said through his servant Elijah.

11 And Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jizreel, and all his great men, and his acquaintances, and his priests, until he left him none remaining.

12 And he rose up and departed, and came to Samaria. And as he was at the shepherds' meeting-place on the way,

13 Jehu found the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, Who are ye? And they said, We are the brethren of Ahaziah; and have come down to salute the children of the king, and the children of the queen.

14 And he said, Take them alive! And they took them alive, and slew them at the well of the meeting-place, forty-two men; and he left not one of them remaining.

15 And he departed thence, and found Jehonadab the son of Rechab [coming] to meet him; and he greeted him, and said to him, Is thy heart right, as my heart is with thy heart? And Jehonadab said, It is. -- If it be, give [me] thy hand. -- And he gave [him] his hand; and [Jehu] took him up to him into the chariot,

16 and said, Come with me, and see my zeal for Jehovah. So they made him ride in his chariot.

17 And he came to Samaria, and smote all that remained to Ahab in Samaria, until he had destroyed him, according to the word of Jehovah which he spoke to Elijah.

18 And Jehu gathered all the people together, and said to them, Ahab served Baal a little: Jehu will serve him much.

19 And now call 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; whoever shall be wanting shall not live. But Jehu did it in subtilty, in order that he might bring destruction upon the servants of Baal.

20 And Jehu said, Hallow a solemn assembly for Baal. And they proclaimed [it].

21 And Jehu sent into all Israel; and all the servants of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that came not: and they entered into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was full from one end to the other.

22 And he said to him that was over the wardrobe, Bring forth vestments for all the servants of Baal. And he brought them forth vestments.

23 And Jehu and Jehonadab the son of Rechab entered into the house of Baal, and said to the servants of Baal, Search, and see that there be here with you none of the servants of Jehovah, but the servants of Baal only.

24 And they entered in to offer sacrifices and burnt-offerings. Now Jehu appointed eighty men without, and said, He that allows any of the men to escape that I have brought into your hands, his life shall be for the life of him.

25 And it came to pass as soon as they had ended offering up the burnt-offering, that Jehu said to the couriers and to the captains, Go in, slay them; let none come forth. And they smote them with the edge of the sword; and the couriers and the captains cast [them] there. And they went to the city of the house of Baal,

26 and brought forth the columns out of the house of Baal, and burned them;

27 and they broke down the column of Baal, and broke down the house of Baal, and made it a draught-house to this day.

28 Thus Jehu extirpated Baal out of Israel.

29 Only, the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, from them Jehu departed not: [from] the golden calves that were in Bethel, and that were in Dan.

30 And Jehovah said to Jehu, Because thou hast executed well that which is right in my sight, [and] hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in my heart, thy children of the fourth [generation] shall sit on the throne of Israel.

31 But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of Jehovah the God of Israel with all his heart; he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, who made Israel to sin.

32 In those days Jehovah began to cut Israel short; and Hazael smote them in all the borders of Israel;

33 from the Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the river Arnon, both Gilead and Bashan.

34 And the rest of the acts of Jehu, and all that he did, and all his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

35 And Jehu slept with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria: and Jehoahaz his son reigned in his stead.

36 Now the time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.


2 Kings 10:1-36 World English Bible (WEB)

1 Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, to the rulers of Jezreel, even the elders, and to those who brought up [the sons of] Ahab, saying,

2 Now as soon as this letter comes to you, seeing your master's sons are with you, and there are with you chariots and horses, a fortified city also, and armor;

3 look you out the best and meet 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 didn't stand before him: how then shall we stand?

5 He who was over the household, and he who was over the city, the elders also, and those who brought up [the children], sent to Jehu, saying, We are your servants, and will do all that you shall bid us; we will not make any man king: you do that which is good in your eyes.

6 Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, If you be on my side, and if you will listen to my voice, take the heads of the men your master's sons, and come to me to Jezreel by tomorrow this time. Now the king's sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who brought them up.

7 It happened, when the letter came to them, that they took the king's sons, and killed them, even seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him to Jezreel.

8 There came a messenger, and told him, saying, They have brought the heads of the king's sons. He said, Lay you them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until the morning.

9 It happened in the morning, that he went out, and stood, and said to all the people, You are righteous: behold, I conspired against my master, and killed him; but who struck all these?

10 Know now that there shall fall to the earth nothing of the word of Yahweh, which Yahweh spoke concerning the house of Ahab: for Yahweh has done that which he spoke by his servant Elijah.

11 So Jehu struck all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his familiar friends, and his priests, until he left him none remaining.

12 He arose and departed, and went to Samaria. As he was at the shearing-house of the shepherds in the way,

13 Jehu met with the brothers of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, Who are you? They answered, We are the brothers of Ahaziah: and we go down to Greet the children of the king and the children of the queen.

14 He said, Take them alive. They took them alive, and killed them at the pit of the shearing-house, even two and forty men; neither left he any of them.

15 When he was departed there, he lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him; and he greeted him, and said to him, Is your heart right, as my heart is with your heart? Jehonadab answered, It is. If it be, give me your hand. He gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot.

16 He said, Come with me, and see my zeal for Yahweh. So they made him ride in his chariot.

17 When he came to Samaria, he struck all who remained to Ahab in Samaria, until he had destroyed him, according to the word of Yahweh, which he spoke to Elijah.

18 Jehu gathered all the people together, and said to them, Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu will serve him much.

19 Now therefore call to 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; whoever 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 Jehu said, Sanctify a solemn assembly for Baal. They proclaimed it.

21 Jehu sent through all Israel: and all the worshippers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that didn't come. They came into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was filled from one end to another.

22 He said to him who was over the vestry, Bring forth vestments for all the worshippers of Baal. He brought them forth vestments.

23 Jehu went, and Jehonadab the son of Rechab, into the house of Baal; and he said to the worshippers of Baal, Search, and look that there be here with you none of the servants of Yahweh, but the worshippers of Baal only.

24 They went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had appointed him eighty men outside, and said, If any of the men whom I bring into your hands escape, [he who lets him go], his life shall be for the life of him.

25 It happened, 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 kill them; let none come forth. They struck 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 They brought forth the pillars that were in the house of Baal, and burned them.

27 They broke down the pillar of Baal, and broke down the house of Baal, and made it a latrine, to this day.

28 Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.

29 However from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin, Jehu didn't depart from after them, [to wit], the golden calves that were in Bethel, and that were in Dan.

30 Yahweh said to Jehu, Because you have done well in executing that which is right in my eyes, [and] have done to the house of Ahab according to all that was in my heart, your sons of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.

31 But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of Yahweh, the God of Israel, with all his heart: he didn't depart from the sins of Jeroboam, with which he made Israel to sin.

32 In those days Yahweh began to cut off from Israel: and Hazael struck them in all the borders of Israel;

33 from the Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the valley of the Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan.

34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, and all that he did, and all his might, aren't they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

35 Jehu slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Samaria. Jehoahaz his son reigned in his place.

36 The time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.


2 Kings 10:1-36 Bible in Basic English (BBE)

1 Now there were in Samaria seventy of Ahab's sons. And Jehu sent letters to Samaria, to the rulers of the town, and to the responsible men, and to those who had the care of the sons of Ahab, saying,

2 Straight away, when you get this letter, seeing that your master's sons are with you, and that you have carriages and horses and a walled town and arms;

3 Take the best and most upright of your master's sons, and make him king in his father's place, and put up a fight for your master's family.

4 But they were full of fear, and said, The two kings have gone down before him: how may we keep our place?

5 So the controller of the king's house, with the ruler of the town, and the responsible men, and those who had the care of Ahab's sons, sent to Jehu, saying, We are your servants and will do all your orders; we will not make any man king; do whatever seems best to you.

6 Then he sent them a second letter, saying, If you are on my side, and if you will do my orders, come to me at Jezreel by this time tomorrow, with the heads of your master's sons. Now the king's seventy sons were with the great men of the town, who had the care of them.

7 And when the letter came to them, they took the king's sons and put them to death, all the seventy, and put their heads in baskets and sent them to him at Jezreel.

8 And a man came and said to him, They have come with the heads of the king's sons. And he said, Put them down in two masses at the doorway of the town till the morning.

9 And in the morning he went out and, stopping, said to all the people there, You are upright men: it is true that I made designs against my master, and put him to death; but who is responsible for the death of all these?

10 You may be certain that nothing which the Lord has said about the family of Ahab will be without effect; for the Lord has done what he said by his servant Elijah.

11 So Jehu put to death all the rest of the seed of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his relations and his near friends and his priests, till there were no more of them.

12 Then he got up and came to Samaria. And he was at the meeting-place of the keepers of sheep, by the way,

13 When he came across the brothers of Ahaziah, king of Judah, and said, Who are you? And they said, We are the brothers of Ahaziah, king of Judah; we are going down to see the children of the king and of the queen.

14 And he said, Take them living. So they took them living, and put them to death in the water-hole of Beth-eked; of the forty-two men he put every one to death;

15 And when he had gone away from there, he came across Jehonadab, the son of Rechab: and he said good-day to him, and said to him, Is your heart true to mine, as mine is to yours? And Jehonadab in answer said, It is; and Jehu said, If it is, give me your hand. And he gave him his hand, and he made him come up into his carriage.

16 And he said, Come with me and see how I am on fire for the Lord's cause. So he made him go with him in his carriage.

17 And when he came to Samaria, he put to death all those of Ahab's family who were still in Samaria, till there were no more of them, as the Lord had said to Elijah.

18 Then Jehu got all the people together and said to them, Ahab was Baal's servant in a small way, but Jehu will be his servant on a great scale.

19 Now send for all the prophets of Baal and all his servants and all his priests, to come to me; let no one keep away: for I have a great offering to make to Baal; anyone who is not present, will be put to death. This Jehu did with deceit, his purpose being the destruction of the servants of Baal.

20 And Jehu said, Let there be a special holy meeting for the worship of Baal. So a public statement was made.

21 And Jehu sent out through all Israel; and all the servants of Baal came, not one kept away. And they came into the house of Baal, so that it was full from end to end.

22 And Jehu said to him who kept the robes, Get out robes for all the servants of Baal. So he got out robes for them.

23 And Jehu, with Jehonadab, the son of Rechab, went into the house of Baal; and he said to the servants of Baal, Make a search with care, to see that no servant of the Lord is with you, but only servants of Baal.

24 Then they went in to make offerings and burned offerings. Now Jehu had put eighty men outside, and said to them, If any man whom I give into your hands gets away, the life of him who lets him go will be the price of his life.

25 Then when the burned offering was ended, straight away Jehu said to the armed men and the captains, Go in and put them to death; let not one come out. So they put them to the sword; and, pulling the images to the earth, they went into the holy place of the house of Baal.

26 And they took out the image of Asherah from the house of Baal, and had it burned.

27 The altar of Baal was pulled down and the house of Baal was broken up and made an unclean place, as it is to this day.

28 So Jehu put an end to the worship of Baal in Israel.

29 But Jehu did not keep himself from all the sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, and the evil he made Israel do; the gold oxen were still in Beth-el and in Dan.

30 And the Lord said to Jehu, Because you have done well in doing what is right in my eyes and effecting all my purpose for the family of Ahab, your sons will be kings of Israel to the fourth generation.

31 But Jehu did not take care to keep the law of the Lord with all his heart: he did not keep himself from the sin which Jeroboam did and made Israel do.

32 In those days the Lord was angry first with Israel; and Hazael made attacks on all the land of Israel,

33 East of Jordan, in all the land of Gilead, the Gadites and the Reubenites and the Manassites, from Aroer by the valley of the Arnon, all Gilead and Bashan.

34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, and all he did, and his great power, are they not recorded in the book of the history of the kings of Israel?

35 And Jehu went to rest with his fathers, and was put into the earth in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son became king in his place.

36 And the time of Jehu's rule over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on 2 Kings 10

Commentary on 2 Kings 10 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary


Verses 1-3

Extermination of the Seventy Sons of Ahab in Samaria. - 2 Kings 10:1-3. As Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria ( בּנים in the wider sense, viz., sons, including grandsons see at 2 Kings 10:13, as is evident from the fact that אמנים , foster-fathers, are mentioned, whereas Ahab had been dead fourteen years, and therefore his youngest sons could not have had foster-fathers any longer), Jehu sent a letter to the elders of the city and to the foster-fathers of the princes, to the effect that they were to place one of the sons of their lord upon the throne. There is something very strange in the words הזּקנים יזרעאל אל־שׂרי , “to the princes of Jezreel, the old men,” partly on account of the name Jezreel, and partly on account of the combination of הזּקנים with שׂרי . If we compare 2 Kings 10:5, it is evident that הזּקנים cannot be the adjective to יז שׂרי , but denotes the elders of the city, so that the preposition אל has dropped out before הזקנים . יזרעאל שׂרי , the princes or principal men of Jezreel, might certainly be the chief court-officials of the royal house of Ahab, since Ahab frequently resided in Jezreel. But against this supposition there is not only the circumstance that we cannot discover any reason why the court-officials living in Samaria should be called princes of Jezreel, but also 2 Kings 10:5, where, instead of the princes of Jezreel, the governor of the city and the governor of the castle are mentioned. Consequently there is an error of the text in יזרעאל , which ought to read אל העיר , though it is older than the ancient versions, since the Chaldee has the reading יזרעאל , and no doubt the Alexandrian translator read the same, as the Septuagint has sometimes τῆς πόλεως , like the Vulgate, and sometimes Σαμαρείας , both unquestionably from mere conjecture. The “princes of the city” are, according to 2 Kings 10:5, the prefect of the palace and the captain of the city; the זקנים , “elders,” the magistrates of Samaria; and אחאב אמנים , the foster-fathers and tutors appointed by Ahab for his sons and grandsons. אחאב is governed freely by האמנים . In 2 Kings 10:2 the words from ואתּכם to הנּשׁק form an explanatory circumstantial clause: “since the sons of your lord are with you, and with you the war-chariots and horses, and a fortified city and arms,” i.e., since you have everything in your hands, - the royal princes and also the power to make one of them king. It is perfectly evident from the words, “the sons of your lord,” i.e., of king Joram, that the seventy sons of Ahab included grandsons also. This challenge of Jehu was only a ruse , by which he hoped to discover the feelings of the leading men of the capital of the kingdom, because he could not venture, without being well assured of them, to proceed to Samaria to exterminate the remaining members of the royal family of Ahab who were living there. על נלחם , to fight concerning, i.e., for a person, as in Judges 9:17.


Verse 4-5

This ruse had the desired result. The recipients of the letter were in great fear, and said, Two kings could not stand before him, how shall we? and sent messengers to announce their submission, and to say that they were willing to carry out his commands, and had no desire to appoint a king.


Verse 6-7

Jehu then wrote them a second letter, to say that if they would hearken to his voice, they were to send to him on the morrow at this time, to Jezreel, the heads of the sons of their lord; which they willingly did, slaying the seventy men, and sending him their heads in baskets. אד בּני אנשׁי ראשׁי , “the heads of the men of sons of your lord,” i.e., of the male descendants of Ahab, in which אנשׁי may be explained from the fact that בּני־אדניכם has the meaning “royal princes” (see the similar case in Judges 19:22). In order to bring out still more clearly the magnitude of Jehu's demand, the number of the victims required is repeated in the circumstantial clause, “and there were seventy men of the king's sons with ( את ) the great men of the city, who had brought them up.”


Verses 8-10

When the heads were brought, Jehu had them piled up in two heaps before the city-gate, and spoke the next morning to the assembled people in front of them: “Ye are righteous. Behold I have conspired against my lord, and have slain him, but who has slain all these?” Jehu did not tell the people that the king's sons had been slain by his command, but spake as if this had been done without his interfering by a higher decree, that he might thereby justify his conspiracy in the eyes of the people, and make them believe what he says still further in 2 Kings 10:10 : “See then that of the word of the Lord nothing falls to the ground (i.e., remains unfulfilled) which Jehovah has spoken concerning the house of Ahab; and Jehovah has done what He spake through His servant Elijah.”


Verse 11

The effect of these words was, that the people looked quietly on when he proceeded to slay all the rest of the house of Ahab, i.e., all the more distant relatives in Jezreel, and “all his great men,” i.e., the superior officers of the fallen dynasty, and “all his acquaintances,” i.e., friends and adherents, and “all his priests,” probably court priest, such as the heathen kings had; not secular counsellors or nearest servants (Thenius), a meaning which כּהנים never has, not even in 2 Samuel 8:18 and 1 Kings 4:5.


Verses 12-14

Extermination of the Brothers of Ahaziah of Judah and of the Other Members of Ahab's Dynasty. - 2 Kings 10:12. Jehu then set out to Samaria; and on the way, at the binding-house of the shepherds, he met with the brethren of Ahaziah, who were about to visit their royal relations, and when he learned who they were, had them all seized, viz., forty-two men, and put to death at the cistern of the binding-house. ויּלך ויּבא , “he came and went,” appears pleonastic; the words are not to be transposed, however, as Böttcher and Thenius propose after the Syriac, but ויּלך is added, because Jehu did not go at once to Samaria, but did what follows on the way. By transposing the words, the slaying of the relations of Ahaziah would be transferred to Samaria, in contradiction to 2 Kings 10:15. - The words from וגו בּית הוּא onwards, and from ויהוּא to יהוּדה מלך , are two circumstantial clauses, in which the subject יהוּא is added in the second clause for the sake of greater clearness: “when he was at the binding-house of the shepherds on the road, and Jehu (there) met with the brethren of Ahaziah, he said...” הרעים בּית־עקד ( Βαιθακάθ , lxx) is explained by Rashi, after the Chaldee רעיּא כנישׁת בית , as signifying locus conventus pastorum , the meeting-place of the shepherds; and Gesenius adopts the same view. But the rest of the earlier translators for the most part adopt the rendering, locus ligationis pastorum , from עקד , to bind, and think of a house ubi pastores ligabant oves quando eas tondebant . In any case it was a house, or perhaps more correctly a place, where the shepherds were in the habit of meeting, and that on the road from Jezreel to Samaria; according to Eusebius on the Onom. s.v. Βαιθακάθ , a place fifteen Roman miles from Legio (Lejun, Megiddo), in the great plain of Jezreel: a statement which may be correct with the exception of the small number of miles, but which does not apply to the present village of Beit Kad to the east of Jenin (Rob. Pal. iii. p. 157), with which, according to Thenius, it exactly coincides. עחזיהוּ אחי , for which we have אח אחי בּני , Ahaziah's brothers' sons, in 2 Chronicles 22:8, were not the actual brothers of Ahaziah, since they had been carried off by the Arabians and put to death before he ascended the throne (2 Chronicles 21:17), but partly step-brothers, i.e., sons of Joram by his concubines, and partly Ahaziah's nephews and cousins. לשׁלום , ad salutandum , i.e., to inquire how they were, or to visit the sons of the king (Joram) and of the queen-mother, i.e., Jezebel, therefore Joram's brothers. In 2 Chronicles 22:1 they are both included among the “sons” of Ahab.


Verses 15-17

As Jehu proceeded on his way, he met with Jehonadab the son of Rechab, and having saluted him, inquired, “Is they heart true as my heart towards thy heart?” and on his replying ישׁ , “it is (honourable or true),” he bade him come up into the chariot, saying וישׁ , “if it is (so), give me thy hand;” whereupon he said still further, “Come with me and see my zeal for Jehovah,” and then drove with him to Samaria, and there exterminated all that remained of Ahab's family. Jehonadab the son of Rechab was the tribe-father of the Rechabites (Jeremiah 35:6). The rule which the latter laid down for his sons and descendants for all time, was to lead a simple nomad life, namely, to dwell in tents, follow no agricultural pursuits, and abstain from wine; which rule they observed so sacredly, that the prophet Jeremiah held them up as models before his own contemporaries, who broke the law of God in the most shameless manner, and was able to announce to the Rechabites that they would be exempted from the Chaldaean judgment for their faithful observance of their father's precept (Jer 35). Rechab, from whom the descendants of Jehonadab derived their tribe-name, was the son of Hammath, and belonged to the tribe of the Kenites (1 Chronicles 2:55), to which Hobab the father-in-law of Moses also belonged (Numbers 10:29); so that the Rechabites were probably descendants of Hobab, since the Kenites the sons of Hobab had gone with the Israelites from the Arabian desert to Canaan, and had there carried on their nomad life (Judges 1:16; Judges 4:11; 1 Samuel 15:6; see Witsii Miscell. ss. ii. p. 223ff.). This Jehonadab was therefore a man distinguished for the strictness of his life, and Jehu appears to have received him in this friendly manner on account of the great distinction in which he was held, not only in his own tribe, but also in Israel generally, that he might exalt himself in the eyes of the people through his friendship.

(Note: According to C. a Lapide, Jehu took him up into his chariot “ that he might establish his authority with the Samaritans, and secure a name for integrity by having Jehonadab as his ally, a man whom all held to be both an upright and holy man, that in this way he might the more easily carry out the slaughter of the Baalites, which he was planning, without any one daring to resist him. ” )

- In את־לבבך הישׁ , “is with regard to thy heart honourable or upright?” את is used to subordinate the noun to the clause, in the sense of quoad (see Ewald, §277, a.). לאחאב כּל־הנּשׁארים , “all that remained to Ahab,” i.e., all the remaining members of Ahab's house.


Verses 18-20

Extermination of the Prophets and Priests of Baal and of the Baal-Worship. - 2 Kings 10:28. Under the pretence of wishing to serve Baal even more than Ahab had done, Jehu appointed a great sacrificial festival for this idol, and had all the worshippers of Baal throughout all the land summoned to attend it; he then placed eighty of his guards around the temple of Baal in which they were assembled, and after the sacrifice was offered, had the priests and worshippers of Baal cut down by them with the sword. Objectively considered, the slaying of the worshippers of Baal was in accordance with the law, and, according to the theocratical principle, was perfectly right; but the subjective motives which impelled Jehu, apart from the artifice, were thoroughly selfish, as Seb. Schmidt has correctly observed. For since the priests and prophets of Baal throughout the Israelitish kingdom were bound up with the dynasty of Ahab, with all their interests and with their whole existence, they might be very dangerous to Jehu, if on any political grounds he should happen not to promote their objects, whereas by their extermination he might hope to draw to his side the whole of the very numerous supporters of the Jehovah-worship, which had formerly been legally established in Israel, and thereby establish his throne more firmly. The very fact that Jehu allowed the calf-worship to continue, is a proof that he simply used religion as the means of securing his own ends (2 Kings 10:29). עצרה קדּשׁוּ (2 Kings 10:20), “sanctify a festal assembly,” i.e., proclaim in the land a festal assembly for Baal (compare Isaiah 1:13; and for עצרה = עצרת , see at Leviticus 23:36). ויּקראוּ , and they proclaimed, sc. the festal meeting.


Verse 21

The temple of Baal was filled לפה פּה , “from one edge (end) to the other.” פּה in this sense is not to be derived from פּאה , a corner (Cler., Ges.), but signifies mouth, or the upper rim of a vessel. Metaphora sumta a vasibus humore aliquo plenis: Vatabl.


Verse 22

על־המּלתּחה אשׁר is the keeper of the wardrobe (Arab. praefectus vestium ), for the ἁπ. λεγ. מלתּחה signifies vestiarium (Ges. Thes. p. 764). The reference is not to the wardrobe of the king's palace, out of which Jehu had every one who took part in the feast supplied with a festal dress or new caftan (Deres., Then., etc.), but the wardrobe of the temple of Baal, since the priests of Baal had their own sacred dresses like the priests of almost all religions (as Silius has expressly shown in his Ital. iii. 24-27, of the priests of the Gadetanic Hercules). These dresses were only worn at the time of worship, and were kept in a wardrobe in the temple.


Verse 23-24

Jehu then came with Jehonadab to the temple, and commanded the worshippers of Baal to be carefully examined, that there might not be one of the worshippers of Jehovah with (among) them. When the priests of Baal were preparing to offer sacrifice, Jehu had eighty men of his guards stationed before the temple, and laid this injunction upon them: “Whoever lets one of the men escape whom I bring into your hands (we must read ימלּט instead of ימּלט ), his life shall answer for his (the escaped man's) life. נפשׁו תּחת נפשׁו , as in 1 Kings 20:39.


Verse 25

כּכלּתו : when he (the sacrificing priest, not Jehu) had finished the burnt-offering (the singular suffix ו may also be taken as indefinite, when one had finished, vid., Ewald, §294, b .), Jehu commanded the runners and aides-de-camp: Come and smite them (the worshippers of Baal), without one coming out (escaping); whereupon they smote them with the edge of the sword, i.e., slew them unsparingly. ויּשׁליכוּ : and the runners and aides-de-camp threw (those who had been slain) away, and went into the citadel of the temple of Baal. בּית־הבּעל עיר cannot be the city of the temple of Baal, i.e., that part of the city in which the temple of Baal stood, for the runners were already in the court of the temple of Baal; but it is no doubt the temple-citadel, the true temple-house ( עיר from עוּר , locus circumseptus ) - templum Baalis magnifice exstructum instar arcis alicujus (Seb. Schm.).


Verse 26

They then fetched the columns ( מצּבת ) out of the temple and burned them (the suffix in ישׂרפוּה refers to the plural מצּבת taken as an abstract noun, as in 2 Kings 3:3; cf. Ewald, §317, a .). They then broke in pieces the הבּעל מצּבת , column of Baal, i.e., the real image of Baal, probably a conical stone dedicated to Baal, whereas the מצּבת , which were burned, were wooden columns as πάρεδροι or σύμβοομοι of Baal (see Movers, Phöniz . i. p. 674).


Verse 27

Lastly, they destroyed the temple itself and made it למחראות , privies, for which the Masoretes have substituted the euphemistic מוצאות , sinks, as a mark of the greatest insult, many examples of which are to be met with among Oriental tribes (vid., Ezra 6:11; Daniel 2:5, and Haevernick in loc .). - Thus Jehu exterminated Baal from Israel. This remark in 2 Kings 10:28 forms the introduction to the history of Jehu's reign, with which the last epoch in the history of the ten tribes begins.


Verse 28-29

Jehu exterminated the worship of Baal from Israel; but the sins of Jeroboam, the golden calves at Bethel and Dan, that is to say, the idolatrous worship of Jehovah, he allowed to remain. “The golden calves, etc.:” this is a supplementary and explanatory apposition to “the sins of Jeroboam.”


Verse 30-31

Jehu is promised the possession of the throne to the fourth generation of his sons for having exterminated the godless royal house of Ahab (vid., 2 Kings 15:12). The divine sentence, “because thou hast acted well to do right in mine eyes. (because thou) hast done as it was in my heart to the house of Ahab,” refers to the deed as such, and not to the subjective motives by which Jehu had been actuated. For it is obvious that it had not sprung from pure zeal for the honour of the Lord, from the limitation added in 2 Kings 10:31 : “but Jehu did not take heed to walk in the law of Jehovah with all his heart, and did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam.”


Verse 32-33

Therefore (this link of connection follows from the actual fact, though it is not distinctly mentioned in the text) Hazael had now to inflict chastisement upon faithless Israel. In Jehu's days Jehovah began “to cut off in Israel,” i.e., to rend away certain portions from the kingdom. “Hazael smote them (the Israelites) on the whole of the border of Israel,” i.e., of the kingdom, “from Jordan to the sun-rising (i.e., on the eastern side of the Jordan), the whole of the land of Gilead ( כּל־ארץ את is dependent upon יכּה which must be supplied from יכּם ), namely, the territory of the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and Half-Manasseh, from Aroer on the brook Arnon (now Araayr, a ruin on the northern border of the Mojeb (Arnon) valley; see at Numbers 32:34), the southern border of the Israelitish land to the east of the Jordan (Deuteronomy 2:36; Deuteronomy 3:12), both Gilead and Bashan,” the two countries into which Gilead in the broader sense was divided (see at Deuteronomy 3:8-17). - These conquests took place during the twenty-eight years' reign of Jehu, since Hazael began to reign before Jehu, viz., while Joram was king, and had already fought successfully against the Israelites at Ramoth in Joram's reign (2 Kings 8:28-29), but not in the later part of Jehu's reign, as Thenius supposes.


Verses 34-36

Conclusion of the history of Jehu's reign. The length of his reign is not given till the end in this instance (2 Kings 10:36), contrary to the usual custom in our books, because his ascent of the throne is not expressly mentioned in what precedes; but the general character of his reign is given in immediate connection with the account of his anointing and of the extermination of Ahab's dynasty.