The Meaning of 2 Kings 10:1 Explained

2 Kings 10:1

KJV: And Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, unto the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to them that brought up Ahab's children, saying,

YLT: And Ahab hath seventy sons in Samaria, and Jehu writeth letters, and sendeth to Samaria, unto the heads of Jezreel, the elders, and unto the supporters of Ahab, saying,

Darby: Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, to the princes of Jizreel, to the elders, and to Ahab's guardians, saying,

ASV: Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, unto the rulers of Jezreel, even the elders, and unto them that brought up the sons of Ahab, saying,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Ahab  had seventy  sons  in Samaria.  And Jehu  wrote  letters,  and sent  to Samaria,  unto the rulers  of Jezreel,  to the elders,  and to them that brought up  Ahab's  [children], saying, 

What does 2 Kings 10:1 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Kings 10:1-11 - The Doom Of The House Of Ahab
What an iconoclast was this Jehu! Before his strong hand the whole structure of Baal-worship received its death-blow. And as we meet Elijah's name in this chapter, connecting him with these events, we turn back to the story of Horeb, with its solemn words: "And it shall come to pass that him that escapeth from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay." God has many nets, and if the fish escape one set of meshes, they will be caught by another-none shall finally escape. "Everyone shall give an account of himself to God." See 2 Kings 10:10.
It is a searching thought! Because men escape one judgment, they count themselves immune; but it is not so. He that escapes Hazael shall meet Jehu. "As if a man did flee from a lion and a bear met him; or went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him," Amos 5:19. "There shall fall unto the earth nothing"¦ which the Lord spake," 2 Kings 10:10. "How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation," and trifle with such a God, whose love is as searching as His chastening wrath? Jeremiah 16:16-17. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Kings 10

1  Jehu, by his letters, causes seventy of Ahab's sons to be beheaded
8  He excuses the fact by the prophecy of Elijah
12  At the shearing house he slays forty-two of Ahaziah's brothers
15  He takes Jehonadab into his company
18  By subtilty he destroys all the worshippers of Baal
29  Jehu follows Jeroboam's sins
32  Hazael oppresses Israel
34  Jehoahaz succeeds Jehu

What do the individual words in 2 Kings 10:1 mean?

Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria And wrote Jehu letters and sent to Samaria to the rulers of Jezreel to the elders and to those who reared Ahab's [sons] saying
וּלְאַחְאָ֛ב שִׁבְעִ֥ים בָּנִ֖ים בְּשֹׁמְר֑וֹן וַיִּכְתֹּב֩ יֵה֨וּא סְפָרִ֜ים וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח שֹׁמְר֗וֹן אֶל־ שָׂרֵ֤י יִזְרְעֶאל֙ הַזְּקֵנִ֔ים וְאֶל־ הָאֹמְנִ֥ים אַחְאָ֖ב לֵאמֹֽר

וּלְאַחְאָ֛ב  Now  Ahab  had 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַחְאָב 
Sense: king of Israel, son of Omri, husband of Jezebel.
שִׁבְעִ֥ים  seventy 
Parse: Number, common plural
Root: שִׁבְעִים  
Sense: seventy.
בָּנִ֖ים  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
בְּשֹׁמְר֑וֹן  in  Samaria 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: שֹׁמְרֹון  
Sense: the region of northern Palestine associated with the northern kingdom of the 0 tribes of Israel which split from the kingdom after the death of Solomon during the reign of his son Rehoboam and were ruled by Jeroboam.
וַיִּכְתֹּב֩  And  wrote 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: כָּתַב  
Sense: to write, record, enrol.
יֵה֨וּא  Jehu 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יֵהוּא  
Sense: the king of the northern kingdom Israel who overthrew the dynasty of Omri.
סְפָרִ֜ים  letters 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: סֵפֶר 
Sense: book.
וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח  and  sent 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
שֹׁמְר֗וֹן  to  Samaria 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: שֹׁמְרֹון  
Sense: the region of northern Palestine associated with the northern kingdom of the 0 tribes of Israel which split from the kingdom after the death of Solomon during the reign of his son Rehoboam and were ruled by Jeroboam.
שָׂרֵ֤י  the  rulers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: סָרַר 
Sense: prince, ruler, leader, chief, chieftain, official, captain.
יִזְרְעֶאל֙  of  Jezreel 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יִזְרְעֶאל 
Sense: a descendant of the father or founder of Etam of Judah.
הַזְּקֵנִ֔ים  to  the  elders 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: זָקֵן  
Sense: old.
וְאֶל־  and  to 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
הָאֹמְנִ֥ים  those  who  reared 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: אָמַן 
Sense: to support, confirm, be faithful.
אַחְאָ֖ב  Ahab's  [sons] 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַחְאָב 
Sense: king of Israel, son of Omri, husband of Jezebel.
לֵאמֹֽר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.