2 Kings 10:14

And he said, Take them alive. And they took them alive, and slew them at the pit of the shearing house, [even] two and forty men; neither left he any of them.

And he said {H559}, Take {H8610} them alive {H2416}. And they took {H8610} them alive {H2416}, and slew {H7819} them at the pit {H953} of the shearing house {H1044}, even two {H8147} and forty {H705} men {H376}; neither left {H7604} he any {H376} of them.

"Take them alive," said Yehu. They took them alive, forty-two men, slaughtered them and threw them into the shearing shed's pit; he spared not one of them.

Then Jehu ordered, “Take them alive.” So his men took them alive, then slaughtered them at the well of Beth-eked—forty-two men. He spared none of them.

And he said, Take them alive. And they took them alive, and slew them at the pit of the shearing-house, even two and forty men; neither left he any of them.

Commentary

2 Kings 10:14 recounts a stark moment in Jehu's divinely appointed purge of the Omride dynasty and Baal worship from Israel. This verse specifically details the capture and execution of forty-two relatives of Ahaziah, the king of Judah, at Jehu's command, demonstrating the comprehensive nature of his mission.

Historical and Cultural Context

This event occurs during Jehu's rapid ascent to power, following his anointing by a prophet sent by Elisha to destroy the house of Ahab (2 Kings 9:6-7). Jehu had already executed King Joram of Israel and King Ahaziah of Judah, along with Jezebel. The previous verses in 2 Kings 10 describe Jehu's cunning elimination of Ahab's seventy sons. The forty-two men mentioned here were relatives of Ahaziah, the king of Judah, who was himself a descendant of Ahab's daughter Athaliah (2 Kings 8:26-27). They were likely visiting Samaria, perhaps unaware of the extent of Jehu's bloody revolution. The "pit of the shearing house" was a recognizable landmark, possibly a cistern or well near a sheep-shearing or gathering facility, serving as a grim execution site.

Key Themes

  • Divine Judgment and Prophetic Fulfillment: This act, though violent, is presented as a fulfillment of God's judgment against the persistent idolatry and wickedness of the house of Ahab. It directly relates to Elijah's prophecy against Ahab in 1 Kings 21:21-22, which foretold the utter destruction of his lineage.
  • Thoroughness of the Purge: Jehu's command to "Take them alive" and the subsequent slaughter of all forty-two men, leaving "neither left he any of them," emphasizes the ruthless and complete nature of his mission. This thoroughness was deemed necessary to eradicate the influence of the Omride dynasty and its associated Baal worship.
  • Consequences of Association: The presence of Ahaziah's relatives, who were linked by blood to the condemned Omride dynasty, highlights the severe consequences of aligning with or being connected to those under divine judgment. Their familial tie, even indirectly, made them part of the comprehensive purge.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "pit of the shearing house" (Hebrew: בֵּית־עֵקֶד הָרֹעִים, beit-eqed ha-ro'im) more literally means "house of the binding/gathering of the shepherds." This suggests a place where sheep were collected, perhaps for shearing, and where a pit or well was present. Its specific mention indicates it was a well-known landmark, adding a stark historical detail to the narrative of Jehu's actions.

Practical Application

While the Old Testament context of divine judgment can be challenging, this passage offers several insights:

  • It serves as a powerful testament to God's absolute opposition to idolatry and deep-seated sin, demonstrating that His justice will ultimately prevail against wickedness that defies Him.
  • It illustrates that God can use various instruments, even those with flawed character or ruthless methods, to accomplish His sovereign purposes in history. Jehu's zeal, though perhaps mixed with personal ambition, played a crucial role in cleansing Israel from Baal worship (2 Kings 10:28).
  • For believers, it underscores the importance of spiritual discernment and carefully choosing our associations, understanding that alignment with ungodliness can have severe consequences. The New Testament calls for believers to be distinct and separate from the world's corrupting influences (2 Corinthians 6:17).
Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • 2 Kings 11:1

    ¶ And when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal.

  • 1 Kings 20:18

    And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive.

  • 2 Kings 10:6

    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.

  • 2 Kings 8:18

    And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab: for the daughter of Ahab was his wife: and he did evil in the sight of the LORD.

  • 2 Chronicles 22:10

    ¶ But when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal of the house of Judah.

  • 2 Chronicles 22:8

    And it came to pass, that, when Jehu was executing judgment upon the house of Ahab, and found the princes of Judah, and the sons of the brethren of Ahaziah, that ministered to Ahaziah, he slew them.

  • 2 Kings 10:10

    Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the LORD, which the LORD spake concerning the house of Ahab: for the LORD hath done [that] which he spake by his servant Elijah.
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