2 Kings 10:10 kjv
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.
2 Kings 10:10 nkjv
Know now that nothing shall fall to the earth of the word of the LORD which the LORD spoke concerning the house of Ahab; for the LORD has done what He spoke by His servant Elijah."
2 Kings 10:10 niv
Know, then, that not a word the LORD has spoken against the house of Ahab will fail. The LORD has done what he announced through his servant Elijah."
2 Kings 10:10 esv
Know then that there shall fall to the earth nothing of the word of the LORD, which the LORD spoke concerning the house of Ahab, for the LORD has done what he said by his servant Elijah."
2 Kings 10:10 nlt
You can be sure that the message of the LORD that was spoken concerning Ahab's family will not fail. The LORD declared through his servant Elijah that this would happen."
2 Kings 10 10 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Num 23:19 | God is not a man, that he should lie... Hath he said, and shall he not do it? | God's faithfulness to His word |
| Is 55:11 | So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void... | Inevitable fulfillment of God's word |
| Ezek 12:28 | ...the word which I have spoken shall be done, saith the Lord GOD. | Certainty of prophetic fulfillment |
| 1 Sam 15:29 | ...for he is not a man, that he should repent. | God's unchangeable purpose |
| 1 Ki 21:21 | Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity... | Elijah's prophecy against Ahab's house |
| 1 Ki 21:22 | ...like the house of Jeroboam... and like the house of Baasha... | Judgment mirroring past unrighteous kings |
| 1 Ki 21:23 | And of Jezebel also spake the LORD... dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel. | Specific prophecy about Jezebel's death |
| 1 Ki 21:24 | Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat. | Specific judgment on Ahab's offspring |
| 2 Ki 9:7 | For I will avenge the blood of my servants the prophets... on Jezebel. | Jehu's mission from the start |
| 2 Ki 9:8 | For the whole house of Ahab shall perish... | Command to destroy all of Ahab's line |
| 2 Ki 9:36 | This is the word of the LORD, which he spake by his servant Elijah the Tishbite... | Direct reference to Elijah's prophecy |
| Jer 1:12 | Then said the LORD unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it. | God acts swiftly to fulfill His word |
| Amos 3:7 | Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets. | God reveals His plan through prophets |
| Lk 21:33 | Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. | Enduring truth of God's words |
| Mt 5:18 | ...till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law... | Absolute permanence of God's law/word |
| Rom 9:28 | For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness... | God's decisive and just action |
| Rev 19:9 | These are the true sayings of God. | Confirmation of God's reliable declarations |
| Jos 23:14 | ...not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spake concerning you. | God's promises unfailingly kept |
| Ez 38:17 | Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel... | God speaking through His prophets |
| Zeph 2:2 | Before the decree bring forth... before the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you... | Imminent judgment according to decree |
| Gen 15:13-16 | Four hundred years of affliction... then shall they come out with great substance. | God fulfilling long-term prophecies |
| Zech 1:6 | But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my prophets... did they not take hold of your fathers? | Consequences of ignoring God's word |
2 Kings 10 verses
2 Kings 10 10 Meaning
2 Kings 10:10 declares the steadfast certainty of God's word concerning the downfall of Ahab's house. It highlights that no part of the divine pronouncement would fail; everything spoken by the Lord through His prophet Elijah regarding Ahab's lineage has been, and is being, fulfilled precisely as foretold. This verse emphasizes God's sovereign power and faithfulness to execute His judgment upon those who oppose Him and His commandments. It asserts that Jehu's violent actions against Ahab's descendants are not mere political maneuvers, but direct instruments of God's predetermined will and an unequivocal demonstration of the reliability of prophecy.
2 Kings 10 10 Context
The immediate context of 2 Kings 10:10 follows Jehu's swift and brutal execution of Ahab's seventy sons in Samaria. Jehu, having previously slain King Joram (Ahab's son) and Queen Jezebel, is systematically eradicating Ahab's dynasty in fulfillment of divine prophecy. He instructs his messengers to bring the heads of the seventy sons to Jezreel, where he now makes this declaration before the people. This act, while horrifying in its execution, is presented not as Jehu's personal vendetta, but as a direct outworking of the Lord's long-standing judgment. The broader historical context is one of a divided kingdom (Israel in the North, Judah in the South), marked by widespread apostasy and idolatry in Israel under the influence of Ahab and Jezebel, particularly the promotion of Baal worship. Elijah's earlier prophecies (1 Ki 21:20-24) against Ahab's house were a direct divine response to their grievous sins and Baal worship. Jehu is raised up as God's instrument to cleanse Israel, not only of Ahab's descendants but also of Baalism, thus establishing a period of divinely-ordained cleansing and judicial recompense.
2 Kings 10 10 Word analysis
- "Know now" (Hebrew: dāʿū nā’): An emphatic imperative, a command to pay close attention and comprehend. It stresses the crucial significance of the statement that follows. It's not a suggestion but a declaration meant to bring understanding and conviction.
- "nothing" (Hebrew: lōʾ dāḇār): Literally "not a word" or "not a thing." This emphasizes the absolute completeness of the fulfillment. No prophecy will be left undone, even the slightest detail.
- "shall fall unto the earth": A metaphor for failure or non-fulfillment. If a word "falls to the earth," it means it doesn't stand or isn't realized. Here, the negation stresses its opposite: the word will stand; it will be realized.
- "of the word of the LORD" (Hebrew: middaḇar Yahweh): This is central. The "word" (dāḇār) of the Lord (Yahweh, God's covenant name) is understood as an active, powerful, and effective decree, not merely a statement. It carries divine authority and an inherent ability to bring itself to pass. Yahweh signifies the personal, covenant-keeping God of Israel, ensuring the word's reliability.
- "which the LORD spake concerning the house of Ahab": Pinpoints the specific object of the divine decree. "House" (Hebrew: bēyṯ) here refers to the dynasty or lineage of Ahab, including all his descendants. The focus is on the total eradication of his royal line, a consequence for generations of their apostasy and persecution of God's prophets.
- "for the LORD hath done" (Hebrew: kî Yahweh ʿāśāh): Introduces the reason and confirmation. The action is attributed directly to God, even though Jehu is the agent. "Hath done" emphasizes a completed action or one currently in the process of definitive fulfillment, a divine deed rather than a human one.
- "that which he spake": Direct correlation between divine utterance and divine action. It's an affirmation of God's perfect alignment between His pronouncements and His execution.
- "by his servant Elijah" (Hebrew: bĕyaḏ ʿaḇdō ʾĒliyyāhû): "By the hand of" (literally bĕyaḏ). This signifies Elijah as God's chosen messenger and instrument. His prophetic office authenticated the divine origin of the words. It underscores the divine authority behind Elijah's otherwise severe prophecies, validating Jehu's bloody actions as a direct mandate from God, not arbitrary cruelty.
2 Kings 10 10 Bonus section
The phrase "shall fall unto the earth nothing" implicitly contrasts with things that might "fall short" or "fall to the ground," implying a failure. The statement guarantees no failure whatsoever. This event, being so publicly gruesome, served as a tangible and unmistakable lesson for the people of Israel concerning the consequences of Baal worship and defying the Lord. It solidified the prophetic word in the national consciousness. This also demonstrates a consistent biblical pattern: when God pronounces judgment through His prophets, it invariably comes to pass, sometimes centuries later, but always precisely. The passage further reveals the role of human agents (like Jehu) as instruments of God's divine will, highlighting that while humans act with their own agency, they can also unknowingly or knowingly fulfill a greater divine purpose. This passage therefore has significant polemical value against all false deities: Baal, who could not save his devotees or Ahab's house, stood exposed as powerless against the determined "word of the LORD."
2 Kings 10 10 Commentary
2 Kings 10:10 stands as a powerful testament to the unwavering truth and efficacy of God's spoken word. At a moment of intense bloodshed, Jehu declares to the populace that the gruesome spectacle before them, the extermination of Ahab's entire house, is not merely a consequence of his ruthless ambition but the precise fulfillment of prophecy issued decades earlier by Elijah. This verse profoundly underscores the divine characteristic of infallibility: God's word is not an empty sound but a living, potent force that achieves its intended purpose without fail. It serves as a stern reminder that God holds nations and leaders accountable for their actions, and that His patience, though long, is not endless. The detailed fulfillment of Elijah's pronouncements demonstrates God's sovereignty over history and His control over the destiny of dynasties. This act of judgment served not only to punish the wickedness of Ahab and Jezebel but also to cleanse Israel of their idolatrous legacy, highlighting God's faithfulness to His covenant, both in blessing and in bringing judgment against sin.