2 Kings 10:6

6 Then he wrote a second letter to them, saying: 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.

2 Kings 10:6 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 10:6

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.

2 Kings 10:6 In-Context

4 But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, "Look, two kings could not stand up to him; how then can we stand?"

5 And he who was in charge of the house, and he who was in charge of the city, the elders also, and those who reared the sons, sent to Jehu, saying, "We are your servants, we will do all you tell us; but we will not make anyone king. Do what is good in your sight."

6 Then he wrote a second letter to them, saying: 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.

7 So it was, when the letter came to them, that they took the king's sons and slaughtered seventy persons, put their heads in baskets and sent them to him at Jezreel.

8 Then a messenger came and told him, saying, "They have brought the heads of the king's sons." And he said, "Lay them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until morning."