2 Kings 10:9

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?

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 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?

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?

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 had seventy sons in Samaria. Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria to the officers and elders of Jezreel and to the guardians of the sons of Ahab. Jehu said, ² "You have your master's sons with you, and you have chariots, horses, a city with strong walls, and weapons. When you get this letter, ³ choose the best and most worthy person among your master's sons, and make him king. Then fight for your master's family." ⁴ But the officers and leaders of Jezreel were frightened. They said, "Two kings could not stand up to Jehu, so how can we?" ⁵ The palace manager, the city governor, the leaders, and the guardians sent a message to Jehu. "We are your servants," they said. "We will do everything you tell us to do. We won't make any man king, so do whatever you think is best." ⁶ 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. ⁷ When the leaders received the letter, they took the king's sons and killed all seventy of them. They put their heads in baskets and sent them to Jehu at Jezreel. ⁸ The messenger came to Jehu and told him, "They have brought the heads of the king's sons." Then Jehu said, "Lay the heads in two piles at the city gate until morning." ⁹ 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? ¹⁰ You should know that everything the Lord said about Ahab's family will come true. The Lord has spoken through his servant Elijah, and the Lord has done what he said."

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 Nephilim were on the earth in those days and also later. That was when the sons of God had sexual relations with the daughters of human beings. These women gave birth to children, who became famous and were the mighty warriors of long ago.

Genesis 6:11
People on earth did what God said was evil, and violence was everywhere.

Genesis 13:13
Now the people of Sodom were very evil and were always sinning against the Lord .

Genesis 25:27
When the boys grew up, Esau became a skilled hunter. He loved to be out in the fields. But Jacob was a quiet man and stayed among the tents.

Genesis 27:30
Isaac finished blessing Jacob. Then, just as Jacob left his father Isaac, Esau came in from hunting.

2 Chronicles 28:22
During Ahaz's troubles he was even more unfaithful to the Lord .

Psalms 52:7
"Look what happened to the man who did not depend on God but depended on his money. He grew strong by his evil plans."

Jeremiah 16:16
"I will soon send for many fishermen to come to this land," says the Lord . "And they will catch the people of Judah. After that, I will send for many hunters to come to this land. And they will hunt the people of Judah on every mountain and hill and in the cracks of the rocks.

Ezekiel 13:18
Say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: How terrible it will be for women who sew magic charms on their wrists and make veils of every length to trap people! You ruin the lives of my people but try to save your own lives.

Micah 7:2
All of the faithful people are gone; there is not one good person left in this country. Everyone is waiting to kill someone; everyone is trying to trap someone 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.