The Meaning of 2 Kings 10:3 Explained

2 Kings 10:3

KJV: Look even out the best and meetest of your master's sons, and set him on his father's throne, and fight for your master's house.

YLT: and ye have seen the best and the uprightest of the sons of your lord, and have set him on the throne of his father, and fight ye for the house of your lord.'

Darby: look out the best and worthiest of your master's sons, and set him on his father's throne, and fight for your master's house.

ASV: look ye out the best and meetest of your master's sons, and set him on his father's throne, and fight for your master's house.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Look even out  the best  and meetest  of your master's  sons,  and set  [him] on his father's  throne,  and fight  for your master's  house. 

What does 2 Kings 10:3 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 10:3 mean?

and choose the best and qualified of sons of your master and set [him] on throne of his father and fight for house of your master
וּרְאִיתֶ֞ם הַטּ֤וֹב וְהַיָּשָׁר֙ מִבְּנֵ֣י אֲדֹנֵיכֶ֔ם וְשַׂמְתֶּ֖ם עַל־ כִּסֵּ֣א אָבִ֑יו וְהִֽלָּחֲמ֖וּ עַל־ בֵּ֥ית אֲדֹנֵיכֶֽם

וּרְאִיתֶ֞ם  and  choose 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
הַטּ֤וֹב  the  best 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
וְהַיָּשָׁר֙  and  qualified 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: יָשָׁר 
Sense: straight, upright, correct, right.
מִבְּנֵ֣י  of  sons 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
אֲדֹנֵיכֶ֔ם  of  your  master 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: אָדֹון  
Sense: firm, strong, lord, master.
וְשַׂמְתֶּ֖ם  and  set  [him] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: שׂוּמָה 
Sense: to put, place, set, appoint, make.
כִּסֵּ֣א  throne 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כִּסֵּא 
Sense: seat (of honour), throne, seat, stool.
אָבִ֑יו  of  his  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
וְהִֽלָּחֲמ֖וּ  and  fight 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: לָחַם 
Sense: to fight, do battle, make war.
בֵּ֥ית  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
אֲדֹנֵיכֶֽם  of  your  master 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: אָדֹון  
Sense: firm, strong, lord, master.