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Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

2 Kings 10:1-11

the Doom of the House of Ahab

2 Kings 10:1

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.

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See also 2 Kings 10:1-11 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    CHAPTER X _Jehu sends an ironical letter to the elders of Samaria, telling_ _them to choose one of the best of their master's sons, and put_ _him on the throne; to which they return a submissive an...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    SEVENTY SONS - i. e., descendants; there were included among them children of Jehoram (2 Kings 10:2, etc.)....

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    2. JEHU'S JUDGMENTS, BAAL-WORSHIP DESTROYED, AND HIS DEATH CHAPTER 10 _ 1. The judgment upon the house of Ahab (2 Kings 10:1)_ 2. The relations of Ahaziah slain (2 Kings 10:12; 2 Chronicles 22:8

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    DESTRUCTION OF THE HOUSE OF AHAB AND OF THE BAAL WORSHIPPERS. The same source is continued, but 2 Kings 10:28 are from a Deuteronomist. The whole story is one of the most terrible in the OT, Ahab had...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    SONS. Put by Figure of speech _Synecdoche_ (of Part), for grandsons and greatgrandsons. UNTO. Some codices, with Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "and unto". RULERS. elders. OF JEZREEL. Doubtl...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    2 Kings 10:1-11. Jehu destroys the whole family of Ahab (Not in Chronicles) 1. _And_[R.V. NOW] _Ahab had seventy sons_ The conjunction is the usual copulative, but it is somewhat in the style of O.T....

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    SENT TO SAMARIA, UNTO THE RULERS OF JEZREEL— From the context some have thought, that the letters were sent to the rulers of Samaria; and this they think the more probable, as the LXX render it _Samar...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    III. THE AFTERMATH OF THE _COUP_ 10:1-27 In chapter 10 the historian discusses some of the consequences of the revolution of 841 B.C. He discusses the bloody massacre of the house of Omri (2 Kings 10:...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _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,_ Ahab had seventy s...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    10:1 letters, (b-11) Or 'a letter,' as vers 2,6,7, but here it is the plural. guardians, (c-27) Or 'nursing-fathers.' see vers. 5 and 6 and Numbers 11:12 , &c....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    JEHU'S EXTERMINATION OF BAAL WORSHIP 1. Ahab.. sons] These were probably his grandchildren rather than his children. UNTO THE RULERS OF JEZREEL] LXX has 'unto the rulers of Samaria,' which the sense...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    THE LAST KINGS OF *ISRAEL AND *JUDAH BOOK OF 2 KINGS _PHILIP SMITH_ CHAPTER 10 THE DEATHS OF 70 *DESCENDANTS OF AHAB V1 There were 70 *descendants of Ahab’s family who lived in Samaria. Jehu wr...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    X. JEHU MASSACRES THE FAMILY OF AHAB, THE KINSMEN OF AHAZIAH, AND BAAL-WORSHIPPERS. (1) AHAB HAD SEVENTY SONS. — His posterity in general are meant. Ahab had been dead about fourteen years (2 Kings 3...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וּ לְ אַחְאָ֛ב שִׁבְעִ֥ים בָּנִ֖ים בְּ שֹׁמְר

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    JEHU ESTABLISHED ON THE THRONE 2 Kings 10:1 B.C. 842-814 "The devil can quote Scripture for his purpose." - SHAKESPEARE. BUT the work of Jehu was not yet over. He was established at Jezreel: he wa...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Here begins the second section of the Book, that which deals with the rapid and fearful corruption of the whole nation. The story alternates between Israel and Judah, and both sections of the nation s...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    And Ahab had seventy (a) 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, (a) The Script...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Seventy sons, as he had many wives. Gedeon had 70. (Calmet) --- Grand-children might also be included. (Du Hamel) --- But this is not necessary. (Calmet) --- City, Hebrew, "of Jezrahel," a word which...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    Reader! do not fail to connect with this view of the slaughter of Ahab's sons (or grandsons more likely) that solemn denunciation of God in the second commandment. Exodus 20:5. And recollect also, tha...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    CONTENTS In following up the commission Jehu had received from the Lord for the destruction of Ahab's house, we are told in this chapter how he caused 70 of his sons to be beheaded. He destroyeth, th...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    But of this dreadful work all was not over, for Ahab had seventy sons (2 Kings 10:1-36). It seemed utterly beyond the scope of man's thought that such a family could fall seventy sons. Ahab had sevent...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 9 AND 10. In chapter 9 the judgment on Ahab's house commences. He who executes it does not remove, in so doing, the rod which God had lifted up against Israel...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND AHAB HAD SEVENTY SONS IN SAMARIA,.... These might not be all his immediate sons, but some of them his grandsons, as such are sometimes called in Scripture: AND JEHU WROTE LETTERS, AND SENT TO SAM...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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, Ver. 1. _And Ahab...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Ahab had seventy sons_ Grandsons are probably comprehended here under the name of sons, as is usual in the Scriptures: though, by several wives, he might have as many sons as Gideon had. These sons o...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 Iehu by his letters causeth seuentie of Ahabs children to be beheaded. 8 He excuseth the facte by the prophecie of Elijah. 12 At the shearing house he slayeth two and fourtie of Ahaziahs brethren....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria, all his male descendants. AND JEHU WROTE LETTERS, AND SENT TO SAMARIA, UNTO THE RULERS OF JEZREEL, TO THE ELDERS, to the prefect of the royal palace, the captain...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE RELATIVES OF AHAB SLAIN...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    AHAB'S SONS KILLED (vv.1-11) Ahab had 70 sons in Samaria and Jehu was purposed to put them to death also. He chose the method of demanding by letter that the rulers and elders of Israel should choos...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    THEM THAT BROUGHT UP: _ Heb._ nourishers...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-14 In the most awful events, though attended by the basest crimes of man, the truth and justice of God are to be noticed; and he never did nor can command any thing unjust or unreasonable. Jehu des...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    2 KINGS CHAPTER 10 Jehu by his letters causeth seventy of Ahab's sons to be slain: the fact is excused by Elijah's prophecy, 2 KINGS 10:1. Also forty-two of king Ahaziah's brethren, 2 KINGS 10:12. By...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    2 Kings 10:1 Ahab H256 seventy H7657 sons H1121 Samaria H8111 Jehu H3058 wrote H3789 (H8799) sent H7971 ...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THE INITIAL DESTRUCTION OF THE SEVENTY ‘SONS' OF THE HOUSE OF AHAB (2 KINGS 10:1). Very few kings of that time (if any) who replaced another dynasty with their own, would have acted ant differently fr...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Judgment on house of Ahab. Princes of Judah slain. Baal worship put out. Jehu's reign and death. CHARACTERS: God, Jehu, Jehonadab, Hazael. CONCLUSION: God is not the author of any man's si...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    2 Kings 10:1. _Seventy sons,_ whose end was destruction, like the sons of Gideon, of Saul, and of David. The sure way to build up a house is equity, not polygamy. _Jehu wrote letters._ God gave him a...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Jehu wrote letters and sent to Samaria._ JEHU Jehu. He did not rest until he had destroyed the house of Ahab and the worship of Baal. There are many Jehus to-day and there is much Jehuism: religion...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    2 KINGS—NOTE ON 2 KINGS 10:1 NOW AHAB HAD SEVENTY SONS IN SAMARIA. Jehu now prepares to fulfill Elijah’s prophecy of “cutting off” all the males of Ahab’s house (1 Kings 21:21

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    THE FALL OF BAAL CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES.— 2 Kings 10:1. SEVENTY SONS—_i.e., descendants_, sons grandsons, &c. THE RULERS OF JEZREEL—“Jezreel” has no authoritative place in the text. The LXX....

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION 2 KINGS 10:1 THE REIGN OF JEHU OVER ISRAEL. 2 KINGS 10:1 The revolution initiated by the destruction of Joram and Jezebel is here tra

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Now Ahab who was the husband of this wicked woman Jezebel, who himself was extremely wicked, had seventy sons. Evidently Jezebel wasn't his only wife. Now these sons had grown up in Samaria and in Jez...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Kings 13:32; 1 Kings 16:28; 1 Kings 21:8; 2 Chronicles 22:9;...

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