2 Kings 10:7
New International Version
When the letter arrived, these men took the princes and slaughtered all seventy of them. They put their heads in baskets and sent them to Jehu in Jezreel.

New Living Translation
When the letter arrived, the leaders killed all seventy of the king’s sons. They placed their heads in baskets and presented them to Jehu at Jezreel.

English Standard Version
And as soon as the letter came to them, they took the king’s sons and slaughtered them, seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets and sent them to him at Jezreel.

Berean Standard Bible
And 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.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
So it was, when the letter came to them, that they took the king’s sons and slaughtered seventy persons, put their heads in baskets and sent them to him at Jezreel.

New American Standard Bible
When the letter came to them, they took the king’s sons and slaughtered them, seventy men, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him at Jezreel.

NASB 1995
When the letter came to them, they took the king’s sons and slaughtered them, seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him at Jezreel.

NASB 1977
And it came about when the letter came to them, that they took the king’s sons, and slaughtered them, seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him at Jezreel.

Legacy Standard Bible
Now it happened that when the letter came to them, they took the king’s sons and slaughtered them, seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him at Jezreel.

Amplified Bible
When the letter came to them, they took the king’s sons and slaughtered them, seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to Jehu at Jezreel.

Christian Standard Bible
When the letter came to them, they took the king’s sons and slaughtered all seventy, put their heads in baskets, and sent them to Jehu at Jezreel.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
When the letter came to them, they took the king’s sons and slaughtered all 70, put their heads in baskets, and sent them to Jehu at Jezreel.

American Standard Version
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.

Contemporary English Version
And when these people read Jehu's second letter, they called together all 70 of Ahab's descendants. They killed them, put their heads in baskets, and sent them to Jezreel.

English Revised Version
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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
When the letter came to the men, they slaughtered all 70 heirs. They put the heads in baskets and sent them to Jehu in Jezreel.

Good News Translation
When Jehu's letter was received, the leaders of Samaria killed all seventy of Ahab's descendants, put their heads in baskets, and sent them to Jehu at Jezreel.

International Standard Version
When the letter from Jehu arrived, the city leaders arrested the king's sons, slaughtered all 70 of them, put their heads in baskets, and sent them to Jehu at Jezreel.

Majority Standard Bible
And 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.

NET Bible
When they received the letter, they seized the king's sons and executed all seventy of them. They put their heads in baskets and sent them to him in Jezreel.

New Heart English Bible
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.

Webster's Bible Translation
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 them to him to Jezreel.

World English Bible
When the letter came to them, they took the king’s sons and killed them, even seventy people, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him to Jezreel.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And it comes to pass, at the coming in of the letter to them, that they take the sons of the king, and slaughter seventy men, and put their heads in baskets, and send [them] to him at Jezreel,

Young's Literal Translation
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,

Smith's Literal Translation
And it will be when the letter came to them, and they will take the sons of the king and slaughter seventy men, and put their heads in baskets, and send to him to Jezreel.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And when the letters came to them, they took the king's sons, and slew seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him to Jezrahel.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And when the letters had arrived to them, they took the sons of the king, and they killed the seventy men. And they placed their heads in baskets, and they sent these to him at Jezreel.

New American Bible
When the letter arrived, they took the princes and slew all seventy of them, put their heads in baskets, and sent them to Jehu in Jezreel.

New Revised Standard Version
When the letter reached them, they took the king’s sons and killed them, seventy persons; they put their heads in baskets and sent them to him at Jezreel.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And as soon as the letter reached them, they took the king's sons and slew them, seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets and sent them to him in Jezreel.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And when the letter had arrived, they took the sons of the King and they slaughtered them, seventy men, and they placed their heads in reed baskets and they sent them to him in Yizreil.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
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.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And it came to pass, when the letter came to them, that they took the king's sons, and slew them, even seventy men, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him at Jezrael.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jehu Slaughters Ahab's Family
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. 8When the messenger arrived, he told Jehu, “They have brought the heads of the sons of the king.” And Jehu ordered, “Pile them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until morning.”…

Cross References
1 Kings 21:21-24
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. / I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like that of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked My anger and caused Israel to sin.’ / And the LORD also speaks concerning Jezebel: ‘The dogs will devour Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.’ ...

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 14:10-11
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! / Anyone belonging to Jeroboam 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.’ For the LORD has spoken.

1 Kings 16:3-4
So now I will consume Baasha and his house, and I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat: / Anyone belonging to Baasha 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.”

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 9:30-37
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 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?”

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 15:10
Then Shallum son of Jabesh conspired against Zechariah, struck him down and killed him in front of the people, and reigned in his place.

2 Kings 15:25
Then his officer, Pekah son of Remaliah, conspired against him along with Argob, Arieh, and fifty men of Gilead. And at the citadel of the king’s palace in Samaria, Pekah struck down and killed Pekahiah and reigned in his place.

2 Kings 15:30
Then Hoshea son of Elah led a conspiracy against Pekah son of Remaliah. In the twentieth year of Jotham son of Uzziah, Hoshea attacked Pekah, killed him, and reigned in his place.

Hosea 1:4
Then the LORD said to Hosea, “Name him Jezreel, for soon I will bring the bloodshed of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and I will put an end to the kingdom of Israel.

Matthew 23:35
And so upon you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.

Luke 11:50-51
As a result, this generation will be charged with the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the foundation of the world, / from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, all of it will be charged to this generation.

Revelation 2:20-23
But I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads My servants to be sexually immoral and to eat food sacrificed to idols. / Even though I have given her time to repent of her immorality, she is unwilling. / Behold, I will cast her onto a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her will suffer great tribulation unless they repent of her deeds. ...


Treasury of Scripture

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.

slew seventy

2 Kings 10:9
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?

2 Kings 11:1
And when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal.

Judges 9:5
And he went unto his father's house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten persons, upon one stone: notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself.

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Arrived Baskets Death Heads Jehu Jezreel Jizreel Killed King's Letter Persons Princes Seventy Slaughtered Slew
2 Kings 10
1. Jehu, by his letters, causes seventy of Ahab's sons to be beheaded
8. 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














When the letter arrived
The arrival of the letter signifies a pivotal moment in the narrative. In the ancient Near East, letters were a primary means of communication, often carrying the authority of the sender. This letter, sent by Jehu, carried a command that would alter the course of Israel's history. The Hebrew term for "letter" (סֵפֶר, sefer) can also mean "book" or "document," indicating the formal and binding nature of the communication. This moment underscores the power of written words in executing divine judgment and fulfilling prophecy.

they took the sons of the king
The "sons of the king" refers to the descendants of Ahab, the former king of Israel. This phrase highlights the royal lineage and the potential threat they posed to Jehu's newly established rule. In the context of ancient monarchies, the elimination of rival claimants was a common practice to secure one's throne. The Hebrew word for "sons" (בָּנִים, banim) emphasizes the familial ties and the tragic nature of their fate, as they were caught in the crossfire of political and divine retribution.

and slaughtered all seventy of them
The act of slaughtering "all seventy" sons is a stark and brutal fulfillment of God's judgment against the house of Ahab, as prophesied by Elijah (1 Kings 21:21-22). The number "seventy" is significant, often symbolizing completeness or totality in biblical numerology. This complete annihilation serves as a sobering reminder of the seriousness of sin and the certainty of divine justice. The Hebrew verb for "slaughtered" (שָׁחַט, shachat) conveys a sense of ritualistic execution, reflecting the gravity of the act as a divine mandate.

put their heads in baskets
The gruesome detail of placing the heads in baskets underscores the severity and finality of Jehu's actions. In ancient warfare, displaying the heads of enemies was a common practice to demonstrate victory and instill fear. The use of "baskets" (סַלִּים, salim) suggests a methodical and calculated approach to delivering the message of Jehu's dominance and the eradication of Ahab's lineage. This act serves as a visual and visceral confirmation of Jehu's commitment to fulfilling God's command.

and sent them to Jehu at Jezreel
The delivery of the heads to Jehu at Jezreel marks the culmination of this act of judgment. Jezreel, a significant location in Israel's history, was the site of many pivotal events, including Naboth's vineyard and the downfall of Jezebel. The sending of the heads to Jehu signifies the transfer of power and the establishment of his authority as king. The Hebrew verb for "sent" (שָׁלַח, shalach) implies a deliberate and purposeful action, reinforcing Jehu's role as the executor of divine justice.

(7) And slew.--Rather, butchered, or slaughtered. The way in which the writer speaks of this massacre--"they took the king's sons, and butchered seventy persons"--shows that he did not sympathise with Jehu's deeds of blood. His interest rather centres in the fact that the predictions of Elijah were fulfilled by the wickedness of Jehu. (See 2Kings 10:10.)

In baskets.--Rather, in the baskets. The word (d-d) means a "pot" elsewhere (1Samuel 2:14). In Psalm 81:6, the LXX. renders ???????; here it gives ?????????? ("pointed baskets").

Verse 7. - And it came to pass, when the letter came to them, that they took the king's sons, and slew seventy persons. Having committed themselves by their answer to Jehu's first letter, the Samaritan great men seemed to themselves to have no choice, on receiving his second, but to allow themselves to become the tools and agents of his policy. They accordingly put the seventy princes to death without any hesitation, though they can scarcely have done so without reluctance. And put their heads in baskets. Thus concealing their bloody deed as long as they could. In the Assyrian sculptures, those who slay the king's enemies carry the heads openly in their hands, as though glorying in what they have done. And sent him them to Jezreel. Jehu had bidden them to bring the heads to him; but this was a degradation to which they did not feel bound to submit. They therefore sent the heads by trusty messengers.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And
וַיְהִ֗י (way·hî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

when the letter
הַסֵּ֙פֶר֙ (has·sê·p̄er)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5612: A missive, document, writing, book

arrived,
כְּבֹ֤א (kə·ḇō)
Preposition-k | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

they took
וַיִּקְחוּ֙ (way·yiq·ḥū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 3947: To take

the king’s
הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

sons
בְּנֵ֣י (bə·nê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

and slaughtered
וַֽיִּשְׁחֲט֖וּ (way·yiš·ḥă·ṭū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7819: To slaughter, beat

all seventy
שִׁבְעִ֣ים (šiḇ·‘îm)
Number - common plural
Strong's 7657: Seventy (a cardinal number)

of them,
אִ֑ישׁ (’îš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

put
וַיָּשִׂ֤ימוּ (way·yā·śî·mū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7760: Put -- to put, place, set

their heads
רָֽאשֵׁיהֶם֙ (rā·šê·hem)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 7218: The head

in baskets,
בַּדּוּדִ֔ים (bad·dū·ḏîm)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 1731: A pot, a basket

and sent
וַיִּשְׁלְח֥וּ (way·yiš·lə·ḥū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7971: To send away, for, out

them to Jehu
אֵלָ֖יו (’ê·lāw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

at Jezreel.
יִזְרְעֶֽאלָה׃ (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


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OT History: 2 Kings 10:7 It happened when the letter came (2Ki iiKi ii ki 2 kg 2kg)
2 Kings 10:6
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