New King James Version
2 Kings 10:8
8Then 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.”
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 Living Translation (NLT)A messenger went to Jehu and said, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons.” So Jehu ordered, “Pile them in two heaps at the entrance of the city gate, and leave them there until morning.”
Context of 2 Kings 10:8
6Then 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. 7So 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. 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.” 9So it was, in the morning, that he went out and stood, and said to all the people, “You are righteous. Indeed I conspired against my master and killed him; but who killed all these? 10Know now that nothing shall fall to the earth of the word of the Lord which the Lord spoke concerning the house of Ahab; for the Lord has done what He spoke by 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 and told David all the things concerning the war,
- 1 Kings 21:14Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, “Naboth has been stoned and is dead.”
- Mark 6:28brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother.
- Deuteronomy 21:23his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that you do not defile the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance; for he who is hanged is accursed of God.
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries