2 Kings 10:7

7 And when the letter came to them, they took the king's sons and put them to death, all the seventy, and put their heads in baskets and sent them to him at Jezreel.

2 Kings 10:7 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 10:7

And it came to pass, when the letter came to them
They did not in the least hesitate, but immediately complied with the contents of it:

that they took the king's sons, and slew seventy persons;
which was the whole number of them:

and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to Jezreel;
as a present to Jehu, just as they carried the firstfruits, as Abarbinel observes.

2 Kings 10:7 In-Context

5 So the controller of the king's house, with the ruler of the town, and the responsible men, and those who had the care of Ahab's sons, sent to Jehu, saying, We are your servants and will do all your orders; we will not make any man king; do whatever seems best to you.

6 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.

7 And when the letter came to them, they took the king's sons and put them to death, all the seventy, and put their heads in baskets and sent them to him at Jezreel.

8 And a man came and said to him, They have come with the heads of the king's sons. And he said, Put them down in two masses at the doorway of the town till the morning.

9 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?