2 Kings 10:14

14 Jehu ordered his men, "Take them alive!" They seized them, and he put them to death near a pit there. There were forty-two people in all, and not one of them was left alive.

2 Kings 10:14 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 10:14

And he said, take them alive
Gave orders to his guards to seize them, and make them captives:

and they took them alive, and slew them at the pit of the
shearing house;
where they washed the sheep when they sheered them;

[even] forty and two men, neither left he any of them;
they being, by their grandmother's side, of the house of Ahab, and so within the commission of Jehu to slay them, at least as he thought; though his chief view might be, lest they should make any pretensions to the crown, being descended from that house, or should hereafter attempt to avenge the death of their relations; but by the judgment of God they were cut off as idolaters.

2 Kings 10:14 In-Context

12 Jehu left Jezreel to go to Samaria. On the way, at a place called "Shepherds' Camp,"

13 he met some relatives of the late King Ahaziah of Judah and asked them, "Who are you?" "Ahaziah's relatives," they answered. "We are going to Jezreel to pay our respects to the children of Queen Jezebel and to the rest of the royal family."

14 Jehu ordered his men, "Take them alive!" They seized them, and he put them to death near a pit there. There were forty-two people in all, and not one of them was left alive.

15 Jehu started out again, and on his way he was met by Jonadab son of Rechab. Jehu greeted him and said, "You and I think alike. Will you support me?" "I will," Jonadab answered. "Give me your hand, then," Jehu replied. They clasped hands, and Jehu helped him up into the chariot,

16 saying, "Come with me and see for yourself how devoted I am to the Lord." And they rode on together to Samaria.