Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Then Jehu wrote them a second letter, saying, “If you are on my side and will obey me, take the heads of your master’s sons and come to me in Jezreel by this time tomorrow.” Now the royal princes, seventy of them, were with the leading men of the city, who were rearing them. New Living Translation Jehu responded with a second letter: “If you are on my side and are going to obey me, bring the heads of your master’s sons to me at Jezreel by this time tomorrow.” Now the seventy sons of the king were being cared for by the leaders of Samaria, where they had been raised since childhood. English Standard Version Then he wrote to them a second letter, saying, “If you are on my side, and if you are ready to obey me, take the heads of your master’s sons and come to me at Jezreel tomorrow at this time.” Now the king’s sons, seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who were bringing them up. Berean Standard Bible Then Jehu wrote them a second letter and said: “If you are on my side, and if you will obey me, then bring the heads of your master’s sons to me at Jezreel by this time tomorrow.” Now the sons of the king, seventy in all, were being brought up by the leading men of the city. King James Bible 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. New King James Version Then he wrote a second letter to them, saying: If you are for me and will obey my voice, take the heads of the men, your master’s sons, and come to me at Jezreel by this time tomorrow. Now the king’s sons, seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who were rearing them. New American Standard Bible Then he wrote them a letter a second time, saying, “If you are on my side, and will listen to my voice, take the heads of the men, your master’s sons, and come to me at Jezreel about this time tomorrow.” Now the king’s sons, seventy men, were with the great people of the city, who were raising them. NASB 1995 Then he wrote a letter to them a second time saying, “If you are on my side, and you will listen to my voice, take the heads of the men, your master’s sons, and come to me at Jezreel tomorrow about this time.” Now the king’s sons, seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who were rearing them. NASB 1977 Then he wrote a letter to them a second time saying, “If you are on my side, and you will listen to my voice, take the heads of the men, your master’s sons, and come to me at Jezreel tomorrow about this time.” Now the king’s sons, seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who were rearing them. Legacy Standard Bible Then he wrote a letter to them a second time saying, “If you are on my side, and you will listen to my voice, take the heads of the men, your master’s sons, and come to me about this time tomorrow at Jezreel.” Now the king’s sons, seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who were rearing them. Amplified Bible Then Jehu wrote a second letter to them, saying, “If you are with me and will obey me, take the heads of your master’s sons, and come to me at Jezreel tomorrow about this time.” Now the [dead] king’s sons, seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who were rearing them. Christian Standard Bible Then Jehu wrote them a second letter, saying: If you are on my side, and if you will obey me, bring me the heads of your master’s sons at this time tomorrow at Jezreel. All seventy of the king’s sons were being cared for by the city’s prominent men. Holman Christian Standard Bible Then Jehu wrote them a second letter, saying: If you are on my side, and if you will obey me, bring me the heads of your master’s sons at this time tomorrow at Jezreel. All 70 of the king’s sons were being cared for by the city’s prominent men. American Standard Version 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. Contemporary English Version Jehu then wrote another letter which said, "If you are on my side and will obey me, then prove it. Bring me the heads of the descendants of Ahab! And be here in Jezreel by this time tomorrow." The 70 descendants of King Ahab were living with some of the most important people of the city. English Revised Version 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 tomorrow this time. Now the king's sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, which brought them up. GOD'S WORD® Translation So he wrote them a second letter. It read, "If you are on my side and ready to listen to me, bring the heads of your master's heirs to me in Jezreel about this time tomorrow." The 70 male heirs were staying with the city's most powerful men. These men had raised them. Good News Translation Jehu wrote them another letter: "If you are with me and are ready to follow my orders, bring the heads of King Ahab's descendants to me at Jezreel by this time tomorrow." The seventy descendants of King Ahab were under the care of the leading citizens of Samaria, who were bringing them up. International Standard Version But Jehu wrote them another letter: "If you're loyal to me, and if you intend to obey my commands, then bring the heads of your master's sons and meet me in Jezreel about this time tomorrow." Now the king's sons, totaling 70 men, were living with the leading men of the city, who were their guardians. Majority Standard Bible Then Jehu wrote them a second letter and said: “If you are on my side, and if you will obey me, then bring the heads of your master’s sons to me at Jezreel by this time tomorrow.” Now the sons of the king, seventy in all, were being brought up by the leading men of the city. NET Bible He wrote them a second letter, saying, "If you are really on my side and are willing to obey me, then take the heads of your master's sons and come to me in Jezreel at this time tomorrow." Now the king had seventy sons, and the prominent men of the city were raising them. New Heart English Bible Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, "If you are 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. Webster's Bible Translation Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, if ye are mine, and if ye will hearken to 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. World English Bible Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, “If you are on my side, and if you will listen to my voice, take the heads of the men who are 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. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd he writes a letter to them a second time, saying, “If you [are] for me, and are listening to my voice, take the heads of the men—the sons of your lord, and come to me about this time tomorrow, to Jezreel”; and the sons of the king [are] seventy men, with the great ones of the city—those bringing them up. Young's Literal Translation 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. Smith's Literal Translation And he will write to them a second letter, saying, If ye are for me and ye hear to my voice, take the heads of the men your lord's sons, and come to me according to the time to-morrow, to Jezreel. (And the king's sons seventy men with the great of the city growing up with them.) Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd he wrote letters the second time to them, saying: If you be mine, and will obey me, take the heads of the sons of your master, and come to me to Jezrahel by to morrow this time. Now the king's sons, being seventy men, were brought up with the chief men of the city. Catholic Public Domain Version Then he again wrote letters to them a second time, saying: “If you are mine, and if you obey me, take the heads of the sons of your lord, and come to me at Jezreel at this same hour tomorrow.” Now the sons of the king, being seventy men, were being raised with the nobles of the city. New American Bible So Jehu wrote them a second letter: “If you are on my side and will obey me, bring along the heads of your master’s sons and come to me in Jezreel at this time tomorrow.” (The seventy princes were in the care of prominent men of the city, who were rearing them.) New Revised Standard Version Then he wrote them a second letter, saying, “If you are on my side, and if you are ready to obey me, take the heads of your master’s sons and come to me at Jezreel tomorrow at this time.” Now the king’s sons, seventy persons, were with the leaders of the city, who were charged with their upbringing. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleThen he wrote to them a second letter, saying, If you are mine, and if you will hearken to my voice, then take the heads of your master's sons and bring them to me to Jezreel by this time tomorrow. Now the king's sons were seventy persons, and the nobles of the city brought them up. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And he wrote them a letter a second time and said: “If you are mine and you are listening to my voice, take the heads of the sons of your Master and bring them to me tomorrow at this time to Yizreil.” And the sons of the King were seventy men, and the Princes of the city had been raising them. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Then 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. Brenton Septuagint Translation And Ju wrote them a second letter, saying, If ye are for me, and hearken to my voice, take the heads of the men your master's sons, and bring them to me at this time to-morrow in Jezrael. Now the sons of the king were seventy men; these great men of the city brought them up. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Jehu Slaughters Ahab's Family…5So the palace administrator, the overseer of the city, the elders, and the guardians sent a message to Jehu: “We are your servants, and we will do whatever you say. We will not make anyone king. Do whatever is good in your sight.” 6Then Jehu wrote them a second letter and said: “If you are on my side, and if you will obey me, then bring the heads of your master’s sons to me at Jezreel by this time tomorrow.” Now the sons of the king, seventy in all, were being brought up by the leading men of the city. 7And when the letter arrived, they took the sons of the king and slaughtered all seventy of them. They put their heads in baskets and sent them to Jehu at Jezreel.… Cross References 1 Kings 21:21 This is what the LORD says: ‘I will bring calamity on you and consume your descendants; I will cut off from Ahab every male in Israel, both slave and free. 2 Kings 9:7-10 And you are to strike down the house of your master Ahab, so that I may avenge the blood of My servants the prophets and the blood of all the servants of the LORD shed by the hand of Jezebel. / The whole house of Ahab will perish, and I will cut off from Ahab every male, both slave and free, in Israel. / I will make the house of Ahab like the houses of Jeroboam son of Nebat and Baasha son of Ahijah. ... 1 Kings 14:10 Because of all this, behold, I am bringing disaster on the house of Jeroboam: I will cut off from Jeroboam every male, both slave and free, in Israel; I will burn up the house of Jeroboam as one burns up dung until it is gone! 1 Kings 16:3 So now I will consume Baasha and his house, and I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat: 1 Kings 21:24 Anyone belonging to Ahab who dies in the city will be eaten by dogs, and anyone who dies in the field will be eaten by the birds of the air.” 2 Kings 9:8-9 The whole house of Ahab will perish, and I will cut off from Ahab every male, both slave and free, in Israel. / I will make the house of Ahab like the houses of Jeroboam son of Nebat and Baasha son of Ahijah. 1 Kings 21:29 “Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the calamity during his days, but I will bring it upon his house in the days of his son.” 2 Kings 9:22 When Joram saw Jehu, he asked, “Have you come in peace, Jehu?” “How can there be peace,” he replied, “as long as the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother Jezebel abound?” 1 Kings 15:29 As soon as Baasha became king, he struck down the entire household of Jeroboam. He did not leave to Jeroboam anyone who breathed, but destroyed them all according to the word that the LORD had spoken through His servant Ahijah the Shilonite, 2 Kings 9:30-37 Now when Jehu arrived in Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it. So she painted her eyes, adorned her head, and looked down from a window. / And as Jehu entered the gate, she asked, “Have you come in peace, O Zimri, murderer of your master?” / He looked up at the window and called out, “Who is on my side? Who?” And two or three eunuchs looked down at him. ... 2 Kings 11:1 When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to annihilate all the royal heirs. 2 Kings 9:14-15 Thus Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, conspired against Joram. (Now Joram and all Israel had been defending Ramoth-gilead against Hazael king of Aram, / but King Joram had returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds he had suffered at the hands of the Arameans in the battle against Hazael their king.) So Jehu said, “If you commanders wish to make me king, then do not let anyone escape from the city to go and tell it in Jezreel.” 2 Kings 9:1-3 Now Elisha the prophet summoned one of the sons of the prophets and said to him, “Tuck your cloak under your belt, take this flask of oil, and go to Ramoth-gilead. / When you arrive, look for Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi. Go in, get him away from his companions, and take him to an inner room. / Then take the flask of oil, pour it on his head, and declare, ‘This is what the LORD says: I anoint you king over Israel.’ Then open the door and run. Do not delay!” 2 Kings 9:11-13 When Jehu went out to the servants of his master, they asked, “Is everything all right? Why did this madman come to you?” “You know his kind and their babble,” he replied. / “That is a lie!” they said. “Tell us now!” So Jehu answered, “He talked to me about this and that, saying, ‘This is what the LORD says: I anoint you king over Israel.’” / Quickly, each man took his garment and put it under Jehu on the bare steps. Then they blew the ram’s horn and proclaimed, “Jehu is king!” 2 Kings 9:16-20 Then Jehu got into his chariot and went to Jezreel, because Joram was laid up there. And Ahaziah king of Judah had gone down to see him. / Now the watchman standing on the tower in Jezreel saw Jehu’s troops approaching, and he called out, “I see a company of troops!” “Choose a rider,” Joram commanded. “Send him out to meet them and ask, ‘Have you come in peace?’” / So a horseman rode off to meet Jehu and said, “This is what the king asks: ‘Have you come in peace?’” “What do you know about peace?” Jehu replied. “Fall in behind me.” And the watchman reported, “The messenger reached them, but he is not coming back.” ... Treasury of Scripture Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, If you be mine, and if you will listen to my voice, take you 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. If ye be mine [heb] if ye be for me 2 Kings 9:32 And he lifted up his face to the window, and said, Who is on my side? who? And there looked out to him two or three eunuchs. Matthew 12:30 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. Luke 9:50 And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us. take ye Numbers 25:4 And the LORD said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the LORD against the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel. 1 Kings 21:8-11 So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, dwelling with Naboth… your master's sons Deuteronomy 5:9 Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, Joshua 7:24,25 And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor… Job 21:19 God layeth up his iniquity for his children: he rewardeth him, and he shall know it. which brought them up. Jump to Previous City Great Heads Hearken Jezreel King's Letter Master's Morrow Persons Second Seventy Side Time Tomorrow To-Morrow Voice WroteJump to Next City Great Heads Hearken Jezreel King's Letter Master's Morrow Persons Second Seventy Side Time Tomorrow To-Morrow Voice Wrote2 Kings 10 1. Jehu, by his letters, causes seventy of Ahab's sons to be beheaded8. He excuses the fact by the prophecy of Elijah 12. At the shearing house he slays forty-two of Ahaziah's brothers 15. He takes Jehonadab into his company 18. By subtilty he destroys all the worshippers of Baal 29. Jehu follows Jeroboam's sins 32. Hazael oppresses Israel 34. Jehoahaz succeeds Jehu So Jehu wrote them a second letter Jehu, the newly anointed king of Israel, is a central figure in this narrative. The act of writing a "second letter" indicates a persistent and strategic approach to consolidating his power. In the ancient Near Eastern context, letters were a formal means of communication, often carrying significant weight. Jehu's use of written communication underscores his authority and determination to fulfill his divine mandate to eradicate the house of Ahab, as previously prophesied by Elijah (1 Kings 21:21-24). and said 'If you are on my side and will obey me then bring the heads of your master’s sons and come to me in Jezreel by this time tomorrow Now the king’s sons, seventy in all were being brought up by the leading men of the city Take ye the heads.--Jehu knew his men. The cool cynicism of his savage order is worthy of a Sulla or a Marius. The heads of the men your master's sons.--Literally, the heads of the men of the sons of your master Some MSS., the Syriac, Arabic, and Vulg., as well as the MSS. mentioned by Origen, omit the word men. Thenius thinks that this word is used to indicate that only male descendants of Ahab were to be put to death (?). The Alexandrian LXX. omits sons; and four Hebrew MSS. read instead house. The Authorised Version, however, is a permissible interpretation of the Hebrew. Come.--LXX., bring (them) which is a natural conjecture. To Jezreel.--A journey of more than twenty miles. By to morrow this time.--Jehu is urgent for despatch, because time is all-important. He wishes to convince the people of Jezreel as soon as possible that none of the royal princes were left to claim the crown, and that the nobles of Samaria have joined his cause. Now the king's sons . . . brought them up.--This is a correct translation. According to the Masoretic punctuation, and supposing that the particle 'eth (rendered "with") might here be used merely to introduce the subject, we might render: "Now the king's sons were seventy persons; the great men of the city were bringing them up." But such a usage of 'eth is very doubtful. (Comp. 2Kings 6:5.) The sentence, in any case, is only a parenthetic reminder of what was stated in 2Kings 10:1. The total seventy is, perhaps, not to be taken as exact, seventy being a favourite round number. (See Note on 1Chronicles 1:42.) . . . Verse 6 - Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying; rather, a second time. The reply of the Samaritan authorities gave Jehu an opportunity, of which he was not slow to take advantage. They might have been contented with their negative response, "We will not make any man king;" but they had gone beyond it - they had departed from the line of neutrality, and had placed themselves unreservedly on Jehu's side. "We are thy servants," they had said, "and will do all that thou shalt bid us." It is always rash to promise absolute obedience to a human being. To volunteer such a promise, when it is not even asked, is the height of folly. If ye be mine - as they had said they were, when they called themselves his "slaves" - and if ye will hearken unto my voice - i.e., obey me, do as I require - take ye the heads of the men your master's sons, and come to me to Jezreel. The Samaritan authorities were ordered to bring the heads with them, that they might be seen and counted. In the East generally, the heads of rebels and pretenders, by whatever death they may have died, are cut off, brought to the sovereign, and then exposed in some public place, in order that the public at large may be certified that the men are really dead (comp. 1 Samuel 31:9). By tomorrow this time. As Jezreel was not more than about twenty miles from Samaria, the order could be executed by that time. It necessitated, however, very prompt measures, and gave the authorities but little time for consideration. Now the king's sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, which brought them up (comp. ver. 1).Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Then Jehu wroteוַיִּכְתֹּ֣ב (way·yiḵ·tōḇ) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 3789: To grave, to write them אֲלֵיהֶם֩ (’ă·lê·hem) Preposition | third person masculine plural Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to a second שֵׁנִ֜ית (šê·nîṯ) Number - ordinal feminine singular Strong's 8145: Second (an ordinal number) letter סֵ֨פֶר ׀ (sê·p̄er) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 5612: A missive, document, writing, book and said: לֵאמֹ֗ר (lê·mōr) Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct Strong's 559: To utter, say “If אִם־ (’im-) Conjunction Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not you are on my side, אַתֶּ֜ם (’at·tem) Pronoun - second person masculine plural Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you and if you אַתֶּ֣ם (’at·tem) Pronoun - second person masculine plural Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you will obey me, שֹׁמְעִ֗ים (šō·mə·‘îm) Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently then bring קְחוּ֙ (qə·ḥū) Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural Strong's 3947: To take the heads רָאשֵׁי֙ (rā·šê) Noun - masculine plural construct Strong's 7218: The head of your master’s אֲדֹנֵיכֶ֔ם (’ă·ḏō·nê·ḵem) Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural Strong's 113: Sovereign, controller sons בְנֵֽי־ (ḇə·nê-) Noun - masculine plural construct Strong's 1121: A son to me אֶת־ (’eṯ-) Direct object marker Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case at Jezreel יִזְרְעֶ֑אלָה (yiz·rə·‘e·lāh) Noun - proper - feminine singular | third person feminine singular Strong's 3157: Jezreel -- 'God sows', two Israelites, also two cities in Israel, also a valley in Northern Israel by this time כָּעֵ֥ת (kā·‘êṯ) Preposition-k, Article | Noun - common singular Strong's 6256: Time, now, when tomorrow.” מָחָ֖ר (mā·ḥār) Adverb Strong's 4279: Deferred, the morrow, tomorrow, hereafter Now the king’s הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ (ham·me·leḵ) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 4428: A king sons, וּבְנֵ֤י (ū·ḇə·nê) Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct Strong's 1121: A son seventy שִׁבְעִ֣ים (šiḇ·‘îm) Number - common plural Strong's 7657: Seventy (a cardinal number) in all, אִ֔ישׁ (’îš) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person were being brought up מְגַדְּלִ֥ים (mə·ḡad·də·lîm) Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural Strong's 1431: To grow up, become great by the leading men גְּדֹלֵ֥י (gə·ḏō·lê) Adjective - masculine plural construct Strong's 1419: Great, older, insolent of the city. הָעִ֖יר (hā·‘îr) Article | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 5892: Excitement Links 2 Kings 10:6 NIV2 Kings 10:6 NLT 2 Kings 10:6 ESV 2 Kings 10:6 NASB 2 Kings 10:6 KJV 2 Kings 10:6 BibleApps.com 2 Kings 10:6 Biblia Paralela 2 Kings 10:6 Chinese Bible 2 Kings 10:6 French Bible 2 Kings 10:6 Catholic Bible OT History: 2 Kings 10:6 Then he wrote a letter the second (2Ki iiKi ii ki 2 kg 2kg) |
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