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Tuesday, July 29th, 2025
the Week of Proper 12 / Ordinary 17
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Literal Standard Version

2 Kings 10:6

And he writes a letter to them a second time, saying, "If you [are] for me, and are listening to my voice, take the heads of the men—the sons of your lord, and come to me about this time tomorrow, to Jezreel"; and the sons of the king [are] seventy men, with the great ones of the city—those bringing them up.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Ahab;   Children;   Enthusiasm;   Government;   Homicide;   Jehu;   Massacre;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Jezreel;   Punishments;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Ahab;   Jehu;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Behead;   Jezreel;   Writing;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Letter;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Jehu;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Jezreel ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Jehu;   Writing;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Jehu;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Epistle;   Jehu;   Number;   Writing;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Cruelty;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Then Jehu wrote them a second letter, saying:
Hebrew Names Version
Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, If you be on my side, and if you will listen to my voice, take the heads of the men your master's sons, and come to me to Yizre`el by tomorrow this time. Now the king's sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who brought them up.
King James Version
Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, If ye be mine, and if ye will hearken unto my voice, take ye the heads of the men your master's sons, and come to me to Jezreel by to morrow this time. Now the king's sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, which brought them up.
English Standard Version
Then he wrote to them a second letter, saying, "If you are on my side, and if you are ready to obey me, take the heads of your master's sons and come to me at Jezreel tomorrow at this time." Now the king's sons, seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who were bringing them up.
New Century Version
Then Jehu wrote a second letter, saying, "If you are on my side and will obey me, cut off the heads of your master's sons and come to me at Jezreel tomorrow about this time." Now the seventy sons of the king's family were with the leading men of the city who were their guardians.
New English Translation
He wrote them a second letter, saying, "If you are really on my side and are willing to obey me, then take the heads of your master's sons and come to me in Jezreel at this time tomorrow." Now the king had seventy sons, and the prominent men of the city were raising them.
Amplified Bible
Then Jehu wrote a second letter to them, saying, "If you are with me and will obey me, take the heads of your master's sons, and come to me at Jezreel tomorrow about this time." Now the [dead] king's sons, seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who were rearing them.
New American Standard Bible
Then he wrote them a letter a second time, saying, "If you are on my side, and will listen to my voice, take the heads of the men, your master's sons, and come to me at Jezreel about this time tomorrow." Now the king's sons, seventy men, were with the great people of the city, who were raising them.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then he wrote another letter to them, saying, If ye be mine, & wil obey my voyce, take the heads of ye men that are your masters sonnes, & come to me to Izreel by to morowe this time. (Nowe the Kings sonnes, euen seuentie persons were with the great men of the citie, which brought them vp)
Legacy Standard Bible
Then he wrote a letter to them a second time saying, "If you are on my side, and you will listen to my voice, take the heads of the men, your master's sons, and come to me about this time tomorrow at Jezreel." Now the king's sons, seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who were rearing them.
Contemporary English Version
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.
Complete Jewish Bible
He wrote a second letter to them, which said, "If you are on my side, and if you are ready to obey my orders, then bring the heads of your master's sons to me in Yizre‘el by this time tomorrow." Now the seventy sons of the king were with the prominent men who had raised them.
Darby Translation
And he wrote a letter the second time to them saying, If ye are mine, and will hearken to my voice, take the heads of the men your master's sons, and come to me to Jizreel to-morrow at this time. Now the king's sons, seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who brought them up.
Easy-to-Read Version
Then Jehu wrote a second letter to these leaders. He said, "If you support me and obey me, cut off the heads of Ahab's sons. Bring them to me at Jezreel about this time tomorrow." Ahab had 70 sons. They were with the leaders of the city who raised them.
George Lamsa Translation
Then he wrote to them a second letter, saying, If you are mine, and if you will hearken to my voice, then take the heads of your masters sons and bring them to me to Jezreel by this time tomorrow. Now the kings sons were seventy persons, and the nobles of the city brought them up.
Good News Translation
Jehu wrote them another letter: "If you are with me and are ready to follow my orders, bring the heads of King Ahab's descendants to me at Jezreel by this time tomorrow." The seventy descendants of King Ahab were under the care of the leading citizens of Samaria, who were bringing them up.
Lexham English Bible
Then he wrote to them a second letter, saying, "If you are for me, and you are listening to my voice, take the heads of the men of the sons of your master and come to me at this time tomorrow at Jezreel." Now the sons of the king, seventy men, were with the leaders of the city who were raising them.
Literal Translation
And he wrote a letter to them a second time, saying, If you are for me, and are listening to my voice, take the heads of the men, the sons of your lord, and come to me about this time tomorrow,to Jezreel. And the king's sons, seventypersons, were with the great men of the city, who reared them.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then wrote he the seconde letter vnto them with these wordes: Yf ye be myne, and herken vnto my voyce, then take the heades of the men youre lordes sonnes, and brynge me them tomorow by this tyme vnto Iesrael. The kynges sonnes were thre score men and ten, and ye chefemen of the cite broughte the vp.
American Standard Version
Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, If ye be on my side, and if ye will hearken unto my voice, take ye the heads of the men your master's sons, and come to me to Jezreel by to-morrow this time. Now the king's sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who brought them up.
Bible in Basic English
Then he sent them a second letter, saying, If you are on my side, and if you will do my orders, come to me at Jezreel by this time tomorrow, with the heads of your master's sons. Now the king's seventy sons were with the great men of the town, who had the care of them.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then he wrote another letter to them, saying: If ye be myne, and wil hearken vnto my voyce, then take the heades of the men that are your maisters sonnes, and come to me to Iezrahel by to morowe this time: (And the kinges sonnes were threescore and ten persons, and they were with the great men of the citie which brought them vp.)
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying: 'If ye be on my side, and if ye will hearken unto my voice, take ye the heads of the men your master's sons, and come to me to Jezreel by to-morrow this time.' Now the king's sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who brought them up.
King James Version (1611)
Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, If yee be mine, and if ye will hearken vnto my voyce, take ye the heads of the men your masters sonnes, and come to me to Iezreel by to morow this time: (now the kings sonnes being seuenty persons, were with the great men of the city, which brought them vp.)
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Ju wrote them a second letter, saying, If ye are for me, and hearken to my voice, take the heads of the men your master’s sons, and bring them to me at this time to-morrow in Jezrael. Now the sons of the king were seventy men; these great men of the city brought them up.
English Revised Version
Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, If ye be on my side, and if ye will hearken unto my voice, take ye the heads of the men your master’s sons, and come to me to Jezreel by tomorrow this time. Now the king’s sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, which brought them up.
Berean Standard Bible
Then Jehu wrote them a second letter and said: "If you are on my side, and if you will obey me, then bring the heads of your master's sons to me at Jezreel by this time tomorrow." Now the king's sons, seventy in all, were being brought up by the leading men of the city.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Forsothe he wroot ayen to hem lettris the secunde tyme, and seide, If ye ben myne, and obeien to me, take ye the heedis of the sones of youre lord, and come ye to me in this same our to morewe in to Jezrael. Sotheli the sones of the kyng, seuenti men, weren nurschid at the beste men of the citee.
Young's Literal Translation
And he writeth unto them a letter a second time, saying, `If ye [are] for me, and to my voice are hearkening, take the heads of the men -- the sons of your lord, and come unto me about this time to-morrow, to Jezreel;' and the sons of the king [are] seventy men, with the great ones of the city those bringing them up.
Update Bible Version
Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, If you are on my side, and if you will listen to my voice, take the heads of the men your master's sons, and come to me to Jezreel by tomorrow this time. Now the king's sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who brought them up.
Webster's Bible Translation
Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, if ye [are] mine, and [if] ye will hearken to my voice, take ye the heads of the men your master's sons, and come to me to Jezreel by to-morrow this time. Now the king's sons [being] seventy persons, [were] with the great men of the city, who brought them up.
World English Bible
Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, If you be on my side, and if you will listen to my voice, take the heads of the men your master's sons, and come to me to Jezreel by tomorrow this time. Now the king's sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who brought them up.
New King James Version
Then he wrote a second letter to them, saying: 4 If you are for me and will obey my voice, take the heads of the men, your master's sons, and come to me at Jezreel by this time tomorrow. Now the king's sons, seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who were rearing them.
New Living Translation
Jehu responded with a second letter: "If you are on my side and are going to obey me, bring the heads of your master's sons to me at Jezreel by this time tomorrow." Now the seventy sons of the king were being cared for by the leaders of Samaria, where they had been raised since childhood.
New Life Bible
Then Jehu wrote a letter to them a second time. He said, "If you are on my side and will obey me, bring the heads of your owner's sons to me. Meet me in Jezreel about this time tomorrow." Now the king's seventy sons were with the important men of the city who were taking care of them.
New Revised Standard
Then he wrote them a second letter, saying, "If you are on my side, and if you are ready to obey me, take the heads of your master's sons and come to me at Jezreel tomorrow at this time." Now the king's sons, seventy persons, were with the leaders of the city, who were charged with their upbringing.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then wrote he unto them a second letter, saying - If, mine, ye are, and, unto my voice, ye intend to hearken, take ye the heads of the men who are sons of your lord, and come in unto me about this time to-morrow, in Jezreel. Now, the sons of the king, seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who had been bringing them up.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he wrote letters the second time to them, saying: If you be mine, and will obey me, take the heads of the sons of your master, and come to me to Jezrahel by tomorrow at this time. Now the king’s sons, being seventy men, were brought up with the chief men of the city.
Revised Standard Version
Then he wrote to them a second letter, saying, "If you are on my side, and if you are ready to obey me, take the heads of your master's sons, and come to me at Jezreel tomorrow at this time." Now the king's sons, seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who were bringing them up.
THE MESSAGE
Then Jehu wrote a second letter: If you are on my side and are willing to follow my orders, here's what you do: Decapitate the sons of your master and bring the heads to me by this time tomorrow in Jezreel. The king's sons numbered seventy. The leaders of the city had taken responsibility for them. When they got the letter, they took the king's sons and killed all seventy. Then they put the heads in baskets and sent them to Jehu in Jezreel.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then he wrote a letter to them a second time saying, "If you are on my side, and you will listen to my voice, take the heads of the men, your master's sons, and come to me at Jezreel tomorrow about this time." Now the king's sons, seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who were rearing them.

Contextual Overview

1And Ahab has seventy sons in Samaria, and Jehu writes letters, and sends [them] to Samaria, to the heads of Jezreel, the elderly, and to those supporting Ahab, saying, 2"And now, at the coming in of this letter to you, and sons of your lord [are] with you, and the chariots and the horses, and a fortified city, and the armor, [are] with you, 3that you have seen the best and the most upright of the sons of your lord, and have set [him] on the throne of his father, and fight for the house of your lord." 4And they fear very greatly, and say, "Behold, the two kings have not stood before him, and how do we stand—we?" 5And he who [is] over the house, and he who [is] over the city, and the elderly, and those supporting, send to Jehu, saying, "We [are] your servants, and all that you say to us we do; we do not make anyone king—do that which [is] good in your eyes." 6And he writes a letter to them a second time, saying, "If you [are] for me, and are listening to my voice, take the heads of the men—the sons of your lord, and come to me about this time tomorrow, to Jezreel"; and the sons of the king [are] seventy men, with the great ones of the city—those bringing them up.7And it comes to pass, at the coming in of the letter to them, that they take the sons of the king, and slaughter seventy men, and put their heads in baskets, and send [them] to him at Jezreel, 8and the messenger comes in, and declares [it] to him, saying, "They have brought in the heads of the sons of the king," and he says, "Make them two heaps at the opening of the gate until the morning." 9And it comes to pass in the morning, that he goes out, and stands, and says to all the people, "You are righteous; behold, I have conspired against my lord, and slay him—and who struck all these? 10Now you know that nothing falls of the word of YHWH to the earth that YHWH spoke against the house of Ahab, and YHWH has done that which He spoke by the hand of His servant Elijah."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

1 Kings 21:8-11

If ye be mine: Heb. If ye be for me, 2 Kings 9:32, Matthew 12:30, Luke 9:50

take ye: Numbers 25:4

your master's sons: Deuteronomy 5:9, Joshua 7:24, Joshua 7:25, Job 21:19, Isaiah 14:21, Isaiah 14:22, Revelation 2:20-23

which brought them up: "The rich," says Mr. Morier, "hire a dedeh, or wet nurse for their children. If a boy, the father appoints a steady man from the age of two years to be his laleh, who, I conjecture, must stand in the same capacity as the bringers up of children mentioned in the catastrophe of Ahab's sons. But if it be a daughter, she has a gees sefeed, or white head, attached to her for the same purpose as the laleh."

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 4:7 - took his head 2 Samuel 11:16 - he assigned 2 Samuel 14:30 - And Absalom's 1 Kings 19:17 - the sword of Jehu 1 Kings 21:11 - did as Jezebel 2 Kings 10:14 - Take them alive Job 27:14 - children Proverbs 29:12 - General Daniel 11:26 - that feed

Cross-References

Genesis 9:22
And Ham, father of Canaan, sees the nakedness of his father, and declares to his two brothers outside.
Genesis 10:8
And Cush has begotten Nimrod;
Genesis 10:16
and the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgashite,
1 Chronicles 4:40
and they find pasture, fat and good, and the land broad of sides, and quiet, and safe, for those dwelling there before are of Ham.
Psalms 78:51
And He strikes every firstborn in Egypt, || The first-fruit of the strong in tents of Ham.
Psalms 105:23
And Israel comes into Egypt, || And Jacob has sojourned in the land of Ham.
Psalms 105:27
They have set among them the matters of His signs, || And wonders in the land of Ham.
Psalms 106:22
Of wonderful things in the land of Ham, || Of fearful things by the Sea of Suph.
Isaiah 11:11
And it has come to pass in that day, || The Lord adds His power a second time, || To get the remnant of His people that is left, || From Asshur, and from Egypt, || And from Pathros, and from Cush, || And from Elam, and from Shinar, || And from Hamath, and from islands of the sea,
Jeremiah 46:9
Go up, you horses; and boast yourselves, you chariots, || And go forth, you mighty, || Cush and Phut handling the shield, || And Lud handling—treading the bow.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then he wrote a letter the second time to them,.... Having gained his point by the former:

saying, if ye be mine, acknowledge yourselves my subjects and servants;

and if ye will hearken to my voice; obey my commands:

take ye the heads of the men your master's sons; that is, take off their heads:

and come to me to Jezreel by tomorrow this time meaning with the heads along with them:

(now the king's sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, which brought them up;) they were in their houses, and under their tuition, and so had an authority over them, and could dispose of them at pleasure; they were not ordinary persons to whose care they were committed, but the principal men of the city.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The heads of rivals, pretenders, and other obnoxious persons are commonly struck off in the East, and conveyed to the chief ruler, in order that he may be positively certified that his enemies have ceased to live. In the Assyrian sculptures we constantly see soldiers conveying heads from place to place, not, however, in baskets, but in their hands, holding the head by the hair.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Kings 10:6. Come to me to Jezreel — Therefore the letters were not written to Jezreel, but from Jezreel to Samaria.


 
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