2 Kings 10:9

Contemporary English Version

The next morning, Jehu went out and stood where everyone could hear him, and he said, "You people are not guilty of anything. I'm the one who plotted against Joram and had him killed. But who killed all these men?

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The next morning when he went out and stood at the gate, he said to all the people, “You are innocent. It was I who conspired against my master and killed him. But who struck down all these?

Hebrew Names Version
It happened in the morning, that he went out, and stood, and said to all the people, You are righteous: behold, I conspired against my master, and killed him; but who struck all these?

King James Version
And it came to pass in the morning, that he went out, and stood, and said to all the people, Ye be righteous: behold, I conspired against my master, and slew him: but who slew all these?

English Standard Version
Then in the morning, when he went out, he stood and said to all the people, "You are innocent. It was I who conspired against my master and killed him, but who struck down all these?

New Century Version
In the morning, Jehu went out and stood before the people and said to them, "You are innocent. Look, I made plans against my master and killed him. But who killed all these?

New English Translation
In the morning he went out and stood there. Then he said to all the people, "You are innocent. I conspired against my master and killed him. But who struck down all of these men?

Amplified Bible
The next morning he went out and stood and said to all the people, "You are just and innocent; behold, I conspired against [Joram] my master and killed him, but who killed all these?

New American Standard Bible
Now in the morning he went out and stood and said to all the people, "You are innocent; behold, I conspired against my master and killed him, but who killed all these?

Geneva Bible (1587)
And when it was day, he went out, & stood and sayd to all the people, Ye be righteous: behold, I conspired against my master, & slew him: but who slew all these?

Legacy Standard Bible
Now it happened in the morning that he went out and stood and said to all the people, "You are righteous; behold, I conspired against my master and killed him, but who struck down all these?

Complete Jewish Bible
When morning came, he went out, stood before the people and said, "You are not responsible [for the deaths of these men]. Yes, I conspired against my master and killed him. But who killed all these?

Darby Translation
And it came to pass in the morning that he went out; and he stood, and said to all the people, Ye are righteous! behold, I conspired against my master and killed him; but who smote all these?

Easy-to-Read Version
In the morning Jehu went out and stood before the people. He said to them, "You are innocent. Look, I made plans against my master. I killed him. But who killed all these sons of Ahab? You killed them.

George Lamsa Translation
And in the morning, he went out and said to all the people, You are righteous; I conspired against my master and slew him; but who slew all these?

Good News Translation
In the morning he went out to the gate and said to the people who were there, "I was the one who plotted against King Joram and killed him; you are not responsible for that. But who killed all these?

Lexham English Bible
It happened in the morning that he went out, stood, and said to all of the people, "You are righteous. Look, I conspired against my master and killed him. But who killed all of these?

Literal Translation
And it happened in the morning, he went out and stood, and said to all the people, You are righteous. Behold, I have conspired against my lord, and have killed him. But who struck all these?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And on the morow whan he wente forth, he stode, and sayde vnto all the people: Are ye righteous? Beholde, I haue made an appoyntmet against my lorde, and slayne him, who hath slayne all these then?

American Standard Version
And it came to pass in the morning, that he went out, and stood, and said to all the people, Ye are righteous: behold, I conspired against my master, and slew him; but who smote all these?

Bible in Basic English
And in the morning he went out and, stopping, said to all the people there, You are upright men: it is true that I made designs against my master, and put him to death; but who is responsible for the death of all these?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And when it was day, he went out, and stoode, and sayde to al the folke, Ye be righteous: Behold, I conspired against my maister, and slue him: But who slue all these?

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And it came to pass in the morning, that he went out, and stood, and said to all the people: 'Ye are righteous; behold, I conspired against my master, and slew him; but who smote all these?

King James Version (1611)
And it came to passe in the morning, that he went out, & stood, and said to all the people, Ye be righteous: behold, I conspired against my master, and slew him: But who slew all these?

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the morning came, and he went forth, and stood, and said to all the people, Ye are righteous: behold, I conspired against my master, and slew him: but who slew all these?

English Revised Version
And it came to pass in the morning, that he went out, and stood, and said to all the people, Ye be righteous: behold, I conspired against my master, and slew him: but who smote all these?

Berean Standard Bible
The next morning, Jehu went out and stood before all the people and said, "You are innocent. It was I who conspired against my master and killed him. But who killed all these?

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And whanne it was cleer dai, he yede out, and stood, and seide to al the puple, Ye ben iust men; if Y conspiride ayens my lord, and killide hym, who killide alle these?

Young's Literal Translation
And it cometh to pass in the morning, that he goeth out, and standeth, and saith unto all the people, `Righteous are ye; lo, I have conspired against my lord, and slay him -- and who smote all these?

Update Bible Version
And it came to pass in the morning, that he went out, and stood, and said to all the people, You are righteous: look, I conspired against my master, and slew him; but who smote all these?

Webster's Bible Translation
And it came to pass in the morning, that he went out, and stood, and said to all the people, Ye [are] righteous: behold, I conspired against my master, and slew him: but who slew all these?

World English Bible
It happened in the morning, that he went out, and stood, and said to all the people, You are righteous: behold, I conspired against my master, and killed him; but who struck all these?

New King James Version
So 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?

New Living Translation
In the morning he went out and spoke to the crowd that had gathered around them. "You are not to blame," he told them. "I am the one who conspired against my master and killed him. But who killed all these?

New Life Bible
In the morning Jehu went out and stood, and said to all the people, "You are without guilt. See, I made plans against my owner and killed him. But who killed all these?

New Revised Standard
Then in the morning when he went out, he stood and said to all the people, "You are innocent. It was I who conspired against my master and killed him; but who struck down all these?

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And it came to pass, in the morning, that he went out and took his stand, and said unto all the people, Righteous, are, ye! Lo! I, conspired against my lord, and slew him, but, who, smote, all these?

Douay-Rheims Bible
And when it was light, he went out, and standing, said to all the people: You are just: if I conspired against my master, and slew him; who hath slain all these?

Revised Standard Version
Then in the morning, when he went out, he stood, and said to all the people, "You are innocent. It was I who conspired against my master, and slew him; but who struck down all these?

THE MESSAGE
In the morning Jehu came out, stood before the people, and addressed them formally: "Do you realize that this very day you are participants in God 's righteous workings? True, I am the one who conspired against my master and assassinated him. But who, do you suppose, is responsible for this pile of skulls? Know this for certain: Not a single syllable that God spoke in judgment on the family of Ahab is canceled; you're seeing it with your own eyes— God doing what, through Elijah, he said he'd do."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Now in the morning he went out and stood and said to all the people, "You are innocent; behold, I conspired against my master and killed him, but who killed all these?

Contextual Overview

¹ Ahab still had seventy descendants living in Samaria. So Jehu wrote a letter to each of the important leaders and officials of the town, and to those who supported Ahab. In the letters he wrote: ² Your town is strong, and you're protected by chariots and an armed cavalry. And I know that King Ahab's descendants live there with you. So as soon as you read this letter, ³ choose the best person for the job and make him the next king. Then be prepared to defend Ahab's family. ⁴ The officials and leaders read the letters and were very frightened. They said to each other, "Jehu has already killed King Joram and King Ahaziah! We have to do what he says." ⁵ The prime minister, the mayor of the city, as well as the other leaders and Ahab's supporters, sent this answer to Jehu, "We are your servants, Your Majesty, and we will do whatever you tell us. But it's not our place to choose someone to be king. You do what you think is best." ⁶ Jehu then wrote another letter which said, "If you are on my side and will obey me, then prove it. Bring me the heads of the descendants of Ahab! And be here in Jezreel by this time tomorrow." The seventy descendants of King Ahab were living with some of the most important people of the city. ⁷ And when these people read Jehu's second letter, they called together all seventy of Ahab's descendants. They killed them, put their heads in baskets, and sent them to Jezreel. ⁸ When Jehu was told what had happened, he said, "Put the heads in two piles at the city gate, and leave them there until morning." ⁹ The next morning, Jehu went out and stood where everyone could hear him, and he said, "You people are not guilty of anything. I'm the one who plotted against Joram and had him killed. But who killed all these men? ¹⁰ Listen to me. Everything the Lord 's servant Elijah promised about Ahab's family will come true."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Ye be righteous: 1 Samuel 12:3, Isaiah 5:3

I conspired: 2 Kings 9:14-24, Hosea 1:4

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 10:7 - slew seventy

Cross-References

Genesis 6:4
The children of the supernatural beings who had married these women became famous heroes and warriors. They were called Nephilim and lived on the earth at that time and even later.

Genesis 6:11
God knew that everyone was terribly cruel and violent.

Genesis 13:13
where the people were evil and sinned terribly against the Lord .

Genesis 25:27
As Jacob and Esau grew older, Esau liked the outdoors and became a good hunter, while Jacob settled down and became a shepherd.

Genesis 27:30
Right after Isaac had given Jacob his blessing and Jacob had gone, Esau came back from hunting.

2 Chronicles 28:22
Even after all these terrible things happened to Ahaz, he sinned against the Lord even worse than before.

Psalms 52:7
"Just look at them now! Instead of trusting God, they trusted their wealth and their cruelty."

Jeremiah 16:16
But for now, I am sending enemies who will catch you like fish and hunt you down like wild animals in the hills and the caves.

Ezekiel 13:18
Tell them they're doomed! They wear magic charms on their wrists and scarves on their heads, then trick others into believing they can predict the future. They won't get away with telling those lies.

Micah 7:2
No one is loyal to God; no one does right. Everyone is brutal and eager to deceive everyone else.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And it came to pass in the morning, that he went out, and stood, and said to all the people,.... Who were gathered together to this shocking sight, or on the above accounts:

ye be righteous; having had no concern in taking off the heads of those men:

behold, I conspired against my master, and slew him; I own it, and some may blame me for it, and charge me with treason and murder:

but who slew all these? not he, but the chief men of Samaria, and therefore must be more guilty than he, having shed the blood of so many persons, who had not offended against God and man to so great a degree as Joram; this he said to lessen his own sin, and wipe off the reproach of it, that his character might appear fairer in the eyes of the people, concealing, at the same time, his orders for the slaying of them.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Ye be righteous - i. e., “Ye are just, and can judge aright.” Jehu unfairly keeps back the fact that he had commanded the execution.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Kings 10:9. Ye be righteous — Another irony, intended partly to excuse himself, and to involve them in the odium of this massacre, and at the same time to justify the conduct of both, by showing that all was done according to the commandment of the Lord.