2 Kings 10:5

5 Therefore the sovereigns of the house, and the prefect of the city, and the greater men of birth, and the nurses (of the sons) sent to Jehu, and said, We be thy servants; whatever things thou commandest, we shall do, and we shall not make a king to us; do thou whatever thing pleaseth thee. (And so the sovereign, or the ruler, of the household, and the prefect of the city, and the men of great age, that is, the elders, and the nurses, or the guardians, of Ahab's sons sent to Jehu, and said, We be thy servants; whatever thou commandest, we shall do, and we shall not make a king for us; do thou whatever thing pleaseth thee.)

2 Kings 10:5 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 10:5

And he that was over the house
The king's palace in Samaria, who had the custody, care, and government of it:

and he that was over the city;
the commander and governor of it, that had the highest post in it under the king;

the elders also
all other subordinate officers and magistrates:

and the bringers up of the children;
who had the education of the king's sons committed to them:

sent to Jehu, saying, we are thy servants, and will do all that thou
shall bid us.
They were ready to do homage, and swear allegiance to him as their king, and obey all his commands as faithful subjects:

we will not make any king;
or set up any on the throne, no, not any of the sons or grandsons of Ahab:

do thou that which is good in thine eyes,
we will never oppose thee.

2 Kings 10:5 In-Context

3 choose the best, and him that pleaseth to you of the sons of your lord, and set him on the throne of his father, and fight ye for the house of your lord.
4 And they dreaded greatly, and said, Lo! two kings might not stand before him, and how shall we be able to against-stand him? (And they greatly feared, and said, Lo! two kings could not stand against him, so how shall we be able to stand against him?)
5 Therefore the sovereigns of the house, and the prefect of the city, and the greater men of birth, and the nurses (of the sons) sent to Jehu, and said, We be thy servants; whatever things thou commandest, we shall do, and we shall not make a king to us; do thou whatever thing pleaseth thee. (And so the sovereign, or the ruler, of the household, and the prefect of the city, and the men of great age, that is, the elders, and the nurses, or the guardians, of Ahab's sons sent to Jehu, and said, We be thy servants; whatever thou commandest, we shall do, and we shall not make a king for us; do thou whatever thing pleaseth thee.)
6 Forsooth he wrote again to them letters the second time, and said, If ye be mine, and obey to me, take ye (off) the heads of the sons of your lord, and come ye to me in this same hour tomorrow into Jezreel. And the sons of the king, seventy men, were nursed at the best men of the city. (And he wrote letters to them a second time, and said, If ye be mine, and obey me, then bring ye to me the heads of the sons of your lord, and come ye to me in Jezreel at this same hour tomorrow. And the sons of the king, seventy men, were nourished, or were cared for, by the best men of the city.)
7 And when the letters had come to them, they took the sons of the king, and killed those seventy men, and they putted the heads of them in coffins; and sent those to Jehu into Jezreel (and sent them to Jehu in Jezreel).
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.