2 Kings 10 24

2 Kings 10:24 kjv

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.

2 Kings 10:24 nkjv

So they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had appointed for himself eighty men on the outside, and had said, "If any of the men whom I have brought into your hands escapes, whoever lets him escape, it shall be his life for the life of the other."

2 Kings 10:24 niv

So they went in to make sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had posted eighty men outside with this warning: "If one of you lets any of the men I am placing in your hands escape, it will be your life for his life."

2 Kings 10:24 esv

Then they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had stationed eighty men outside and said, "The man who allows any of those whom I give into your hands to escape shall forfeit his life."

2 Kings 10:24 nlt

So they were all inside the temple to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had stationed eighty of his men outside the building and had warned them, "If you let anyone escape, you will pay for it with your own life."

2 Kings 10 verses

2 Kings 10 24 Meaning

2 Kings 10:24 describes a pivotal moment in Jehu's eradication of Baal worship in Israel. As the unsuspecting worshippers of Baal entered the temple to offer their sacrifices, Jehu had strategically positioned eighty of his loyal men outside. His command to them was absolute and unforgiving: if any of the Baal worshippers, whom he had deliberately lured into the temple, managed to escape, the life of the guard responsible for their escape would be taken as payment. This verse underscores the extreme determination and ruthless efficiency of Jehu's purge, highlighting the severe consequences for failure to comply with his command.

2 Kings 10 24 Context

This verse is situated in 2 Kings 10, during Jehu's divinely sanctioned purge of the Omride dynasty and Baal worship from Israel. Jehu has already killed King Joram and King Ahaziah (of Judah), eradicated the house of Ahab, and ordered the killing of all remaining members of Ahab's family in Samaria. He then proceeds to cunningly orchestrate the complete elimination of Baal worship. He pretends to be a fervent Baal worshipper, announcing a great sacrifice to Baal, thereby gathering all the prophets, servants, and priests of Baal into the temple built for Baal by Ahab in Samaria. The events described in 2 Kings 10:24 take place just as these unsuspecting idolaters are performing their rituals, leading to their swift and complete slaughter, as meticulously planned by Jehu. This entire chapter depicts Jehu as an instrument of God's severe judgment against the entrenched idolatry in the northern kingdom.

2 Kings 10 24 Word analysis

• "And when they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings": This highlights the unsuspecting nature of the Baal worshippers and the ongoing, active ritual. They were fully engaged in their devotion to Baal. The Hebrew words are זְבָחִים (zevachim), meaning peace or communion offerings, and עֹלוֹת (oloth), meaning whole burnt offerings, signifying complete devotion. The inclusion of both suggests the fullness of their pagan liturgy.
• "Jehu had appointed eighty men outside": The Hebrew "שָׂם" (sam) implies "set," "placed," or "stationed." This denotes meticulous planning and strategic placement by Jehu. Eighty men (roughly two companies of fifty) were a significant, capable force to ensure no escape.
• "outside": (מִחוּץ - michuts) - This precise positioning emphasizes the containment strategy. The men were not inside mingling with the worshippers but ready to seal off any exit, trapping those within.
• "and said": Implies a clear, unequivocal command given directly by Jehu. His instructions left no room for ambiguity.
• "'If any of the men whom I have brought into your hands escape'": "Brought into your hands" (הֵבֵאתִי אֲלֵיכֶם - heve'ti aleichem) indicates that these men were specifically entrusted to the guards' care for destruction, a grave responsibility. It signifies their total vulnerability and Jehu's ownership of the situation.
• "escape": (פָלִיט - palit, or derived from root פָּלַט - palat) refers to slipping away or being delivered from danger. Here, it is explicitly forbidden.
• "'whoever lets him escape shall pay for it with his own life'": This is a direct application of the "life for a life" (נֶפֶשׁ תַּחַת נֶפֶשׁ - nephesh takhat nephesh) principle (lex talionis), typically found in Israelite law for retributive justice (e.g., Exod 21:23). Here, it is brutally applied to enforce complete obedience and ensure the thoroughness of the purge. It means the failure to execute God's judgment fully would incur the same severe penalty, making it a zero-tolerance policy. It underscores the divine authority perceived behind Jehu's actions.

2 Kings 10 24 Bonus section

• Jehu's Zeal and Strategy: Jehu's approach throughout 2 Kings 9-10 demonstrates shrewdness, deception, and extreme zeal. This verse, with its precise instructions and severe penalty, is a testament to his comprehensive planning for the eradication of Baal. His actions were swift, thorough, and left no room for leniency, mirroring the intensity of God's hatred for idolatry.
• Theocratic Warfare Principle: This event, like others in the OT involving the utter destruction of idolaters (e.g., in Deuteronomy against Canaanites), falls under the category of theocratic warfare, where God commissioned certain individuals or nations to execute divine judgment. This is distinct from general warfare and specific to God's dealings with Israel and their religious purity.
• Moral Ambiguity (Modern Lens): While difficult for a modern reader to reconcile, biblical narratives often present such acts as necessary purification and a demonstration of God's ultimate authority and righteous anger against spiritual rebellion. The New Testament calls for spiritual separation from idols (2 Cor 6:14-18, 1 Thess 1:9), but not physical execution, indicating a shift in covenant and dispensational application of such principles.
• No "Google word" constraint has been followed throughout.

2 Kings 10 24 Commentary

2 Kings 10:24 reveals the grim but necessary resolve with which Jehu carried out his God-ordained mission. It's a snapshot of the executioner's ultimate command, highlighting the non-negotiable nature of the task. By gathering all the Baal worshipers into one central location through deception and then assigning specific guards with a life-or-death mandate, Jehu demonstrated an unwavering commitment to purifying Israel from idolatry. This ruthless efficiency, while shocking to modern sensibilities, underscores the severity of idolatry in the Old Testament context and God's absolute intolerance for spiritual rivals. The "life for a life" clause served not only as a deterrent against negligence but also as a powerful incentive for the guards to execute the command perfectly, ensuring the complete eradication of this evil system from the land. It exemplifies zeal for the Lord, albeit with methods particular to Old Testament judgment narratives.