2 Kings 10 6

2 Kings 10:6 kjv

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.

2 Kings 10:6 nkjv

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.

2 Kings 10:6 niv

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.

2 Kings 10:6 esv

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.

2 Kings 10:6 nlt

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.

2 Kings 10 verses

2 Kings 10 6 Meaning

2 Kings 10:6 describes Jehu's second, highly demanding letter to the officials and elders in Samaria. In it, Jehu challenges their stated loyalty, requiring them to demonstrate it by beheading all seventy sons of Ahab (his royal descendants residing in Samaria) and presenting their heads to him in Jezreel by the next day. This act was a ruthless test of allegiance and a step in fulfilling divine judgment on Ahab's wicked dynasty.

2 Kings 10 6 Context

Chapter 10 begins with Jehu in Jezreel, having just killed Joram, Ahaziah, and Jezebel, thus fulfilling portions of the prophecies against Ahab's house. Knowing there were 70 royal sons (grandchildren/descendants of Ahab) under the care of key officials in Samaria, Jehu first sends a letter challenging them to defend Ahab's family. When the officials, fearing Jehu's strength, respond that they are "your servants" and "will do all that you bid us," this verse (10:6) records Jehu's decisive, second communication. It escalates his demands, turning a vague offer of allegiance into a specific, gruesome test of loyalty: the elimination of all potential rivals from Ahab's lineage. This act consolidates Jehu's power and serves as a public demonstration of his ruthlessness, ensuring no challenge from the remnants of the old dynasty or their supporters. Historically, it also marks the transfer of the kingdom's capital from Jezreel back to Samaria.

2 Kings 10 6 Word analysis

• Then he wrote: Implies a deliberate, premeditated act by Jehu, not a spontaneous one. Jehu uses political strategy alongside divine commission.
• a letter a second time: Highlights the escalation and reinforces his demands. The first letter offered them a chance to fight for the king's sons; this one commands their massacre. It signifies a decisive, unyielding stance, leaving no room for negotiation or prolonged deliberation.
• to them: Refers to the officials, elders, and guardians in Samaria, the influential figures responsible for the seventy royal sons.
• saying, "If you are for me...": This phrase, literally "if for me are you," tests their earlier declaration of allegiance ("we are your servants, and we will do all that you bid us," 2 Kgs 10:5). It turns their passive agreement into a challenge requiring active, unequivocal support.
  • "for me" (לִי - li): A direct appeal for personal allegiance to Jehu, rather than to the former dynasty or God. It asserts his new, undisputed authority.
• "...and if you will obey my voice..." (וּבְקֹלִי תִשְׁמְעוּ - uv'qoli tishm'u): "Obey" here (שָׁמַע - shama, 'to hear, listen, obey') means not just to hear but to act in accordance with what is heard. It’s a test of practical submission to Jehu’s command, echoing prophetic calls for obedience to God's voice (cf. 1 Sam 15:22).
• "...take the heads of the men, your master's sons...": This is a shocking, violent command.
  • "heads" (רָאשֵׁי - rashei): Not just to kill, but to behead, indicating a desire for visible, undeniable proof of the killings. Presenting heads was a common ancient Near Eastern practice to signify conquest, loyalty, and the elimination of enemies, acting as both a trophy and a deterrent.
  • "your master's sons": Refers to the sons of King Ahab. Though King Joram was recently killed, Ahab was the foundational source of the iniquity against which judgment was pronounced. These 70 sons represent the extended lineage and potential heirs of Ahab. The phrasing forces the officials to acknowledge Jehu's authority over the previous ruling house.
• "...and come to me at Jezreel...":
  • "Jezreel": This city holds significant prophetic weight. It was the site of Naboth's vineyard, where Elijah first prophesied divine retribution against Ahab and his house for injustice and idolatry (1 Kgs 21:19-24). Bringing the heads to Jezreel served as a potent, visible fulfillment of prophecy in the very place of the original transgression. It symbolizes God's justice coming full circle.
• "...by this time tomorrow.": Imparts extreme urgency and pressure. It allows no time for resistance, organizing opposition, or reconsideration. It demands immediate, total compliance.
• "Now it was seventy persons, the sons of the king.": This statement confirms the specific number and identity of the victims.
  • "seventy persons": The number '70' often denotes completeness or a significant total in biblical context (e.g., 70 nations, 70 elders). Here, it signifies the total eradication of Ahab's male lineage capable of claiming the throne, ensuring the dynasty's complete destruction as prophesied. It also underlines the scale of the massacre orchestrated by Jehu and carried out by the officials.

2 Kings 10 6 Bonus section

• The number "seventy" (70) here is significant as it denotes a thorough and complete wiping out of the male line of Ahab's royal family. This ensures no remaining contender could rise against Jehu, sealing his grip on the throne.
• This specific act is part of a larger, systemic purge initiated by Jehu, demonstrating how deeply Ahab's influence had permeated Israelite society. The cleansing involved not just the royal family but also the Baal worship they propagated, which is addressed later in the chapter (2 Kgs 10:18-28).
• The presentation of heads was a widely recognized ancient Near Eastern symbol of complete victory and subservience. It was a macabre, yet highly effective, political statement in that culture, confirming the utter defeat of one power and the undisputed ascendancy of another.
• Jehu's command essentially turned the officials from neutral parties or caretakers into active co-conspirators in the coup, binding them irrevocably to his new regime. There was no going back after committing such a heinous act.
• Later biblical commentary, particularly in Hosea 1:4, points to the "blood of Jezreel," suggesting that while God used Jehu as an instrument, Jehu's execution of divine judgment might have involved a level of personal ambition or excess for which he and his dynasty were later held accountable. This complex moral aspect is implicitly set up by the gruesome efficiency described in 2 Kings 10:6.

2 Kings 10 6 Commentary

2 Kings 10:6 is a pivotal verse, encapsulating the raw, brutal efficiency of Jehu's purge and the unfolding of God's stern judgment upon Ahab's house. Jehu's second letter cuts through any ambiguity, demanding an overt, bloody demonstration of allegiance from the Samarian officials. The command to present the heads of Ahab's seventy sons in Jezreel within twenty-four hours serves multiple purposes: it eliminates all potential rival claimants to the throne, forces the powerful city elders to implicate themselves directly in the new regime, and provides undeniable proof of the royal family's annihilation. The geographical specificity of Jezreel underscores the precise fulfillment of divine prophecy first uttered against Ahab and Jezebel at Naboth's vineyard (1 Kings 21). While God ordained the destruction of Ahab's house for their egregious idolatry and wickedness, Jehu's methods were characterized by extreme, ruthless pragmatism. This swift, brutal act solidifies Jehu's control, setting the stage for his reign, but also foreshadows the future nuance where Hosea would later condemn the "blood of Jezreel," possibly alluding to Jehu's self-serving or excessive zeal beyond God's initial command. The verse therefore portrays both divine justice and the harsh realities of power transition in ancient Israel.