2 Kings 10:1-3

Jehu Wipes Out Ahab’s Family

10:1 Ahab had seventy sons living in Samaria. ¹  So Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria to the leading officials of Jezreel and to the guardians of Ahab’s dynasty. This is what the letters said, ²  10:2 “You have with you the sons of your master, chariots and horses, a fortified city, and weapons. So when this letter arrives, ³  10:3 pick the best and most capable ⁴  of your master’s sons, place him on his father’s throne, and defend ⁵  your master’s dynasty.”

[10:1]  ¹ map For location see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.

[10:1]  ² tn Heb “to the officers of Jezreel, the elders, and to the guardians of Ahab, saying.” It is not certain why the officials of Jezreel would be in Samaria. They may have fled there after they heard what happened to Joram and before Jehu entered the city. They would have had time to flee while Jehu was pursuing Ahaziah.

[10:2]  ³ tn Heb “And now when this letter comes to you – with you are the sons of your master and with you are chariots and horses and a fortified city and weapons.”

[10:3]  ⁴ tn Hebrew יָשָׁר (yashar) does not have its normal moral/ethical nuance here (“upright”), but a more neutral sense of “proper, right, suitable.” For the gloss “capable,” see HALOT 450 s.v. יָשָׁר.

[10:3]  ⁵ tn Or “fight for.”