2 Kings 10 7

2 Kings 10:7 kjv

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.

2 Kings 10:7 nkjv

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.

2 Kings 10:7 niv

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.

2 Kings 10:7 esv

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.

2 Kings 10:7 nlt

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.

2 Kings 10 verses

2 Kings 10 7 Meaning

2 Kings 10:7 details the gruesome act of the seventy sons of Ahab's lineage being taken, slaughtered, and their heads delivered to Jehu in Jezreel. This swift and brutal execution demonstrates the complete fulfillment of God's judgment pronounced against the house of Ahab, particularly for their promotion of idolatry, and signifies the utter shift of power to Jehu through fear and compliance.

2 Kings 10 7 Context

This verse is situated during Jehu's violent ascension to the throne of Israel, fulfilling the prophecy given through Elisha to utterly destroy the house of Ahab due to their extreme wickedness and propagation of Ba'al worship (2 Kgs 9:6-10). Ahab, influenced by Jezebel, had established Ba'alism as the state religion, leading Israel far astray from Yahweh. After assassinating King Joram of Israel and King Ahaziah of Judah (both related to Ahab), and personally executing Jezebel, Jehu sent a challenge to the elders and guardians in Samaria, where Ahab's seventy sons were residing. Jehu, using psychological warfare, dared them to choose a king and fight, knowing they would not resist. When they indicated loyalty and fear, he commanded them to deliver the heads of the royal sons as proof of their submission, leading directly to the events of 2 Kings 10:7. This act consolidated Jehu's power and decisively ended the Omride dynasty's reign, fulfilling specific divine decrees against Ahab's line.

2 Kings 10 7 Word analysis

• And it came to pass (וַיְהִ֛י, vayehí):

  • This common Hebrew idiom marks a transition and often indicates the fulfillment or continuation of an event or prophecy. Here, it signals the immediate consequence of Jehu's chilling command from 2 Kgs 10:6 and foreshadows the complete execution of the divine judgment. Its recurrence in biblical narrative emphasizes divine superintendence over events.

• when the letter came to them (בְּבֹ֥א הַסֵּ֖פֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֑ם, bəvō hasséfer ʾǎlêhem):

  • "letter" (סֵּפֶר, sḗfer): refers to the formal written command from Jehu (2 Kgs 10:6). In ancient Near Eastern (ANE) context, written decrees from a king carried immense authority and demanded immediate, unquestioning obedience. To disobey would mean death. The formality underscored Jehu's newfound, unchallenged royal authority.

• they took (וַיִּקְחוּ֙, vayyiqḥū):

  • Indicates a deliberate, immediate action by the elders and guardians. There was no hesitation; the decision was swift and collective, born out of fear and a desire to align with the rising power.

• the king’s sons (אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ, ʾeṯ-bənê hamméleḵ):

  • Specifically, Ahab's sons (2 Kgs 10:1), not all sons of former kings. This targeting underscores the direct judgment upon the Omride dynasty. These were potential rivals or claimants to the throne, whose continued existence threatened Jehu's rule.

• seventy persons (שִׁבְעִ֥ים אִ֖ישׁ, šivʿím ʾîš):

  • "seventy" (שִׁבְעִים, šivʿím): This large number signifies the complete eradication of Ahab's direct male lineage. It underscores the scale of Jehu's purge and the totality of the divine judgment. In biblical numerology, 'seven' often represents completeness, and 'seventy' reinforces this sense of absolute destruction and fulfillment. It was a clear, unambiguous statement of power and eradication.

• and slaughtered them (וַֽיִּשְׁחֲט֗וּם, vayyišḥăṭūm):

  • "slaughtered" (שָׁחַט, šāḥaṭ): This verb often describes the cutting of the throat for sacrifice, here applied to human execution. It denotes a decisive and brutal act of killing. The method was quick and perhaps ritualistic in its finality, intended to show complete destruction of the lineage. This grim detail emphasizes the merciless nature of the purge.

• and put their heads in baskets (וַיָּשִׂ֤מוּ אֶת־רָֽאשֵׁיהֶם֙ בַּדּוּדִ֔ים, vayyāśímū ʾeṯ-rōʾšêhem baddūdí̂m):

  • "heads" (רָאשֵׁיהֶם, roʾšêhem): Displaying severed heads was a common ANE practice to prove allegiance, demoralize opponents, and deter further rebellion. It was a powerful, grotesque symbol of total victory and control.
  • "baskets" (בַּדּוּדִ֔ים, baddūdí̂m): The term dudím usually refers to large pots or containers, suggesting substantial vessels were needed to carry the heads. The act of gathering the heads into such vessels underscores the methodical and complete nature of the execution and delivery.

• and sent them to him at Jezreel (וַיִּשְׁלְח֖וּ אֵלָיו֙ יִזְרְעֶֽאלָה, vayyišləḥū ʾēlāyw Yizreʿeʾelāh):

  • "Jezreel": This was the place where the Omride kings had their royal residence, particularly associated with Ahab's wickedness (Naboth's vineyard). Sending the heads back to Jezreel symbolically completes the circle of judgment against Ahab's house at their very seat of power and in the very location associated with their major sins. Jehu awaited the proof of their loyalty there, ensuring the immediate consolidation of his regime.

2 Kings 10 7 Bonus section

The collective fear shown by the elders of Samaria highlights the pervasive nature of state-sanctioned terror during violent regime changes. Their willingness to betray their former royal charges demonstrates the immense pressure and desire for self-preservation in a volatile political climate. While God ordained Jehu's role in judgment against Ahab's idolatry, the violence carried out, even under divine command, reflects the dark realities of a fallen world. This event echoes ancient Near Eastern practices of removing entire rival dynasties to secure a new throne, making Jehu's actions culturally understandable within that context, even as they simultaneously fulfilled specific biblical prophecy.

2 Kings 10 7 Commentary

2 Kings 10:7 serves as a chilling testament to the ruthlessness of political power shifts in the ancient world and, more profoundly, the decisive nature of divine judgment. The execution of Ahab's seventy sons, overseen by the very elders entrusted with their care, underscores the profound fear Jehu instilled and the complete capitulation of power structures in Israel. This act was not mere personal ambition; it was a fulfillment of the Lord's word against Ahab's house for their deep-seated idolatry and bloodshed (1 Kgs 21:21-23). The method of dispatch, slaughtering the royal lineage and publicly displaying their heads, was a powerful, macabre message designed to eliminate any vestige of Omride influence and solidify Jehu's rule. It signifies God's absolute commitment to cleanse His land from unrepentant evil, illustrating that national apostasy and rebellion against divine truth lead to utter devastation.