God’s Word Translation
2 Kings 10:8
8A messenger told him, “They’ve brought the heads of the king’s heirs.” Jehu said, “Put them in two piles at the entrance to the gateway until morning.”
2 Kings 10:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And there came a messenger, and told him, saying, They have brought the heads of the king’s sons. And he said, Lay ye them in two heaps at the entering in of the gate until the morning.
- New International Version (NIV)When the messenger arrived, he told Jehu, “They have brought the heads of the princes.” Then Jehu ordered, “Put them in two piles at the entrance of the city gate until morning.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)When the messenger came and told him, "They have brought the heads of the king's sons," he said, "Lay them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until the morning."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then a messenger came and told him, saying, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons.” And he said, “Lay them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until morning.”
Context of 2 Kings 10:8
6So he wrote them a second letter. It read, “If you are on my side and ready to listen to me, bring the heads of your master’s heirs to me in Jezreel about this time tomorrow.” The 70 male heirs were staying with the city’s most powerful men. These men had raised them. 7When the letter came to the men, they slaughtered all 70 heirs. They put the heads in baskets and sent them to Jehu in Jezreel. A messenger told him, “They’ve brought the heads of the king’s heirs.” Jehu said, “Put them in two piles at the entrance to the gateway until morning.” 9In the morning he stood there. He told the people, “You are innocent. I plotted against my master and killed him. But who killed all these men? 10You can be sure that the Lord’s word spoken about Ahab’s family will be fulfilled. The Lord will do what he said through his servant Elijah.”
Read all of 2 Kings 102 Kings 10:8 word by word
וַיָּבֹ֤א הַמַּלְאָךְ֙ וַיַּגֶּד־ל֣וֹ לֵאמֹ֔ר הֵבִ֖יאוּ רָאשֵׁ֣י בְנֵֽי־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר שִׂ֣ימוּ אֹתָ֞ם שְׁנֵ֧י צִבֻּרִ֛ים פֶּ֥תַח הַשַּׁ֖עַר עַד־הַבֹּֽקֶר׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And there cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- a messengerמַלְאָךְmal'âk · messengerH4397
- and toldנָגַדnâgad · to tellH5046
- him, sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- They have broughtבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
- the headsרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218
- of the king’sמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- Layשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: putH7760
- ye them in twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
- heapsצִבּוּרtsibbûr · heapH6652
- at the entering inפֶּ֫תַחpethach · entranceH6607
- of the gateשַׁ֫עַרsha‛ar · gateH8179
- until the morningבֹּ֫קֶרbôqer · morningH1242
Cross-references for 2 Kings 10:8
- 2 Samuel 11:18Then Joab sent ⌞a messenger⌟ to report to David all the details of the battle.
- 1 Kings 21:14Then the leaders sent ⌞this message⌟ to Jezebel: “Naboth has been stoned to death.”
- Mark 6:28Then he brought the head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother.
- Deuteronomy 21:23never leave his dead body hung on a pole overnight. Be sure to bury him that same day, because anyone whose body is hung on a pole is cursed by God. The land that the Lord your God is giving you must never become unclean.
Commentaries on 2 Kings 10:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Lay ye them in two heaps - It appears that the heads of these princes had arrived at Jezreel in the night time: Jehu ordered them to be left at the gate of the city, a place of public resort, that all the people might see them, and be struck with terror, and conclude that all resistance to such authority and power would be vain.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8Two heaps - Probably placed one on either side of the gateway, to strike terror into the partisans of the late dynasty as they passed in and out of the town.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-27The writer highlights two key events during the time Jehu was king: Jehu killed everyone who might claim Joram’s throne (2 Kings 10:1–17), and Jehu executed the priests of Baal (2 Kings 10:18–27).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. Lay ye them in two heaps at the entering in of the gate, &c.--The exhibition of the heads of enemies is always considered a glorious trophy. Sometimes a pile of heads is erected at the gate of the palace; and a head of peculiarly striking appearance selected to grace the summit of the pyramid.Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Kings 10:8
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Kings 10
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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