New English Translation
2 Kings 9:17
17Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel and saw Jehu’s troops approaching. He said, “I see troops!” Jehoram ordered, “Send a rider out to meet them and have him ask, ‘Is everything all right?’”
2 Kings 9:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And there stood a watchman on the tower in Jezreel, and he spied the company of Jehu as he came, and said, I see a company. And Joram said, Take an horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say, Is it peace?
- New International Version (NIV)When the lookout standing on the tower in Jezreel saw Jehu’s troops approaching, he called out, “I see some troops coming.” “Get a horseman,” Joram ordered. “Send him to meet them and ask, ‘Do you come in peace?’ ”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel, and he saw the company of Jehu as he came and said, "I see a company." And Joram said, "Take a horseman and send to meet them, and let him say, 'Is it peace?'"
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now a watchman stood on the tower in Jezreel, and he saw the company of Jehu as he came, and said, “I see a company of men.” And Joram said, “Get a horseman and send him to meet them, and let him say, ‘Is it peace?’ ”
Context of 2 Kings 9:17
15But King Joram had returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds he received from the Syrians when he fought against King Hazael of Syria. Jehu told his supporters, “If you really want me to be king, then don’t let anyone escape from the city to go and warn Jezreel.” 16Jehu drove his chariot to Jezreel, for Joram was recuperating there. (Now King Ahaziah of Judah had come down to visit Joram.) Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel and saw Jehu’s troops approaching. He said, “I see troops!” Jehoram ordered, “Send a rider out to meet them and have him ask, ‘Is everything all right?’” 18So the horseman went to meet him and said, “This is what the king says, ‘Is everything all right?’” Jehu replied, “None of your business! Follow me.” The watchman reported, “The messenger reached them, but hasn’t started back.” 19So he sent a second horseman out to them and he said, “This is what the king says, ‘Is everything all right?’” Jehu replied, “None of your business! Follow me.”
Read all of 2 Kings 92 Kings 9:17 word by word
וְהַצֹּפֶה֩ עֹמֵ֨ד עַֽל־הַמִּגְדָּ֜ל בְּיִזְרְעֶ֗אל וַיַּ֞רְא אֶת־שִׁפְעַ֤ת יֵהוּא֙ בְּבֹא֔וֹ וַיֹּ֕אמֶר שִׁפְעַ֖ת אֲנִ֣י רֹאֶ֑ה וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוֹרָ֗ם קַ֥ח רַכָּ֛ב וּֽשְׁלַ֥ח לִקְרָאתָ֖ם וְיֹאמַ֥ר הֲשָׁלֽוֹם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And there stoodעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
- a watchmanצָפָהtsâphâh · to watchH6822
- on the towerמִגְדָּלmigdâl migdâlâh · towerH4026
- in Jezreelיִזְרְעֶאלyizre‛ê'l · JezreelH3157
- and he spiedרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- the companyשִׁפְעָהshiph‛âh · abundanceH8229
- of Jehuיֵהוּאyêhû' · JehuH3058
- as he cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- And Joramיְהוֹרָםyehôrâm · JoramH3088
- Takeלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- an horsemanרַכָּבrakkâb · charioteerH7395
- and sendשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
- to meetקִרְאָהqir'âh · befallH7125
- peaceשָׁלוֹםshâlôm shâlôm · peaceH7965
Cross-references for 2 Kings 9:17
- 2 Samuel 13:34In the meantime Absalom fled. When the servant who was the watchman looked up, he saw many people coming from the west on a road beside the hill.
- 2 Samuel 18:24Now David was sitting between the inner and outer gates, and the watchman went up to the roof over the gate at the wall. When he looked, he saw a man running by himself.
- Isaiah 21:6For this is what the sovereign master has told me: “Go, post a guard! He must report what he sees.
- Isaiah 56:10All their watchmen are blind, they are unaware. All of them are like mute dogs, unable to bark. They pant, lie down, and love to snooze.
- Isaiah 62:6I post watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they should keep praying all day and all night. You who pray to the Lord, don’t be silent!
- Ezekiel 33:2“Son of man, speak to your people, and say to them, ‘Suppose I bring a sword against the land, and the people of the land take one man from their borders and make him their watchman.
- Acts 20:26Therefore I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of you all.
- 2 Kings 7:14So they picked two horsemen and the king sent them out to track the Syrian army. He ordered them, “Go and find out what’s going on.”
- 2 Kings 9:19So he sent a second horseman out to them and he said, “This is what the king says, ‘Is everything all right?’” Jehu replied, “None of your business! Follow me.”
- 1 Samuel 16:4Samuel did what the Lord told him. When he arrived in Bethlehem, the elders of the city were afraid to meet him. They said, “Do you come in peace?”
- 1 Samuel 17:22After David had entrusted his cargo to the care of the supply officer, he ran to the battlefront. When he arrived, he asked his brothers how they were doing.
- 1 Kings 2:15He said, “You know that the kingdom was mine and all Israel considered me king. But then the kingdom was given to my brother, for the Lord decided it should be his.
- Luke 10:5Whenever you enter a house, first say, ‘May peace be on this house!’
Commentaries on 2 Kings 9:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17A watchman on the tower - These watchmen, fixed on elevated places and generally within hearing of each other, served as a kind of telegraphs, to communicate intelligence through the whole country. But, in some cases, it appears that the intelligence was conveyed by a horseman to the next stage, as in the case before us. At this time, when the armies were at Ramoth-gilead, they were, no doubt, doubly watchful to observe the state of the country, and to…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-29Verses 16-29 Jehu was a man of eager spirit. The wisdom of God is seen in the choice of those employed in his work. But it is not for any man's reputation to be known by his fury. He that has rule over his own spirit, is better than the mighty. Joram met Jehu in the portion of Naboth. The circumstances of events are sometimes ordered by Divine Providence to make the punishment answer to the sin, as face answers to face in a glass. The way of sin can never…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-37The writer summarizes Jehu's takeover, which started Israel's fourth dynasty, in four steps: Elisha sent a prophet to the army camp at Ramoth-gilead to anoint Jehu as Israel's next king (2 Kings 9:1–10). Jehu's soldiers learned about the prophet's visit and declared Jehu king (2 Kings 9:11–15). Both Joram and King Ahaziah of Judah were killed (2 Kings 9:16–29). Jezebel was killed (2 Kings 9:30–37).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 17-2417-24. there stood a watchman on the tower of Jezreel--The Hebrew palaces, besides being situated on hills had usually towers attached to them, not only for the pleasure of a fine prospect, but as posts of useful observation. The ancient watchtower of Jezreel must have commanded a view of the whole region eastward, nearly down to the Jordan. Beth-shan stands on a rising ground about six or seven miles below it, in a narrow part of the plain; and when Jehu…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Kings 9:17
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Kings 9
- 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
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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