Ahab had seventy descendants in Samaria. Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria, to the elders and officials of Jezreelaof Jezreel Emendation yields “of the city.” and to the guardians of [the children] of Ahab, as follows:
The steward of the palace and the governor of the city and the elders and the guardians sent this message to Jehu: “We are your subjects, and we shall do whatever you tell us to. We shall not proclaim anyone king; do whatever you like.”
He wrote them a second time: “If you are on my side and are ready to obey me, take the heads of the attendants ofbthe attendants of Force of Heb. uncertain; cf. next verse. your master’s sons and comeccome Targum and Septuagint read “and bring them.” to me in Jezreel tomorrow at this time.” Now the princes, seventy in number, were with the notables of the town, who were rearing them.
But when the letter reached them, they took the princes and slaughtered all seventy of them; they put their heads in baskets and sent them to him in Jezreel.
A messenger came and reported to him: “They have brought the heads of the princes.” He said, “Pile them up in two heaps at the entrance of the gate before morning.”
In the morning he went out and stood there; and he said to all the people, “Are you blameless?dAre you blameless? Or “You are blameless.” True, I conspired against my master and killed him; but who struck down all of these?
Know, then, that nothing that GOD has spoken concerning the House of Ahab shall remain unfulfilled, for GOD has done what was announced through Elijah—God’s servant.”
Jehu came upon the kinsmen of King Ahaziah of Judah. “Who are you?” he asked. They replied, “We are the kinsmen of Ahaziah, and we have come to pay our respects to the sons of the king and the sons of the queen mother.”
He went on from there, and he met Jehonadab son of Rechab coming toward him. He greeted him and said to him, “Are you as wholehearted with me as I am with you?” “I am,” Jehonadab replied. “If so,” [said Jehu,] “give me your hand.” He gave him his hand and [Jehu] helped him into the chariot.
Word-by-Word Analysis
וילך
66
משם
380
וימצא
147
אתיהונדב
478
בןרכב
274
לקראתו
737
ויברכהו
249
ויאמר
257
אליו
47
היש
315
אתלבבך
455
ישר
510
כאשר
521
לבבי
44
עםלבבך
164
ויאמר
257
יהונדב
77
יש
310
ויש
316
תנה
455
אתידך
435
ויתן
466
ידו
20
ויעלהו
127
אליו
47
אלהמרכבה
303
II Kings 10:16
Gematria: 2435
ויאמרלכהאתיוראהבקנאתיליהוהוירכבואתוברכבו
“Come with me,” he said, “and see my zeal for GOD.” And he was taken along in the chariot.
Arriving in Samaria, [Jehu] struck down all the survivors of [the House of] Ahab in Samaria, until he wiped it out, fulfilling the word that GOD had spoken to Elijah.
Therefore, summon to me all the prophets of Baal, all his worshipers, and all his priests: let no one fail to come, for I am going to hold a great sacrifice for Baal. Whoever fails to come shall forfeit his life.” Jehu was acting with guile in order to exterminate the worshipers of Baal.
Word-by-Word Analysis
ועתה
481
כלנביאי
123
הבעל
107
כלעבדיו
142
וכלכהניו
147
קראו
307
אלי
41
איש
311
אליפקד
225
כי
30
זבח
17
גדול
43
לי
40
לבעל
132
כל
50
אשריפקד
695
לא
31
יחיה
33
ויהוא
28
עשה
375
בעקבה
179
למען
190
האביד
22
אתעבדי
487
הבעל
107
II Kings 10:20
Gematria: 1509
ויאמריהואקדשועצרהלבעלויקראו
Jehu gave orders to convoke a solemn assembly for Baal, and one was proclaimed.
Jehu sent word throughout Israel, and all the worshipers of Baal came, not one remained behind. They came into the temple of Baal, and the temple of Baal was filled from end to end.
Word-by-Word Analysis
וישלח
354
יהוא
22
בכלישראל
593
ויבאו
25
כלעבדי
136
הבעל
107
ולאנשאר
588
איש
311
אשר
501
לאבא
34
ויבאו
25
בית
412
הבעל
107
וימלא
87
ביתהבעל
519
פה
85
לפה
115
II Kings 10:22
Gematria: 2654
ויאמרלאשרעלהמלתחההוצאלבושלכלעבדיהבעלויצאלהםהמלבוש
He said to the wardrobeewardrobe Meaning of Heb. uncertain. manager, “Bring out the vestments for all the worshipers of Baal”; and he brought vestments out for them.
Then Jehu and Jehonadab son of Rechab came into the temple of Baal, and they said to the worshipers of Baal, “Search and make sure that there are no worshipers of GOD among you, but only worshipers of Baal.”
So they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. But Jehu had stationed eighty of his men outside and had said, “Whoever permits the escape of a single one of those whom I commit to your charge shall forfeit life for life.”
When Jehu had finished presenting the burnt offering, he said to the guards and to the officers, “Come in and strike them down; let no one get away!” The guards and the officers struck them down with the sword and left them lying where they were; then they proceeded to the interiorfinterior Lit. “city.” of the temple of Baal.
Word-by-Word Analysis
ויהי
31
ככלתו
476
לעשות
806
העלה
110
ויאמר
257
יהוא
22
לרצים
370
ולשלשים
716
באו
9
הכום
71
איש
311
אליצא
132
ויכום
82
לפיחרב
330
וישלכו
372
הרצים
345
והשלשים
691
וילכו
72
עדעיר
354
ביתהבעל
519
II Kings 10:26
Gematria: 2178
ויצאואתמצבותביתהבעלוישרפוה
They brought out the pillarsgpillars Emendation yields “sacred posts”; cf. Deut. 12.3. of the temple of Baal and burned them.
They destroyed the pillarhpillar Emendation yields “altar.” of Baal, and they tore down the temple of Baal and turned it into latrines, as is still the case.
However, Jehu did not turn away from the sinful objects by which Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to sin, namely, the golden calves at Bethel and at Dan.
GOD
said to Jehu, “Because you have acted well and done what was pleasing to Me, having carried out all that I desired upon the House of Ahab, four generations of your descendants shall occupy the throne of Israel.”
But Jehu was not careful to follow the Teaching of GOD, the God of Israel, with all his heart; he did not turn away from the sins that Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit.
Word-by-Word Analysis
ויהוא
28
לא
31
שמר
540
ללכת
480
בתורתיהוה
1034
אלהיישראל
587
בכללבבו
92
לא
31
סר
260
מעל
140
חטאות
424
ירבעם
322
אשר
501
החטיא
33
אתישראל
942
II Kings 10:32
Gematria: 2146
בימיםההםהחליהוהלקצותבישראלויכםחזאלבכלגבולישראל
In those days GOD began to reduce Israel; and Hazael harassed them throughout the territory of Israel