2 Kings 10:7

7 And it came to pass, when the letter came to them, that they took the king's sons and slew seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets and sent him them 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 And he that was over the house, and he that was over the city, the elders also, and the guardians of the children, sent to Jehu, saying, "We are thy servants and will do all that thou shalt bid us; we will not make any king. Do thou that which is good in thine eyes."

6 Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, "If ye be for me, and if ye will hearken unto my voice, take ye the heads of the men your master's sons and come to me at Jezreel by tomorrow this time." Now the king's sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who brought them up.

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

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

9 And it came to pass in the morning that he went out and stood, and said to all the people, "Ye are righteous. Behold, I conspired against my master and slew him, but who slew all these?