2 Kings 10:14

14 And he saith, `Catch them alive;' and they catch them alive, and slaughter them at the pit of the shearing-house, forty and two men, and he hath not left a man of them.

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 And he riseth, and cometh in and goeth to Samaria; he [is] at the shepherds' shearing-house in the way,

13 and Jehu hath found the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah, and saith, `Who [are] ye?' and they say, `Brethren of Ahaziah we [are], and we go down to salute the sons of the king, and the sons of the mistress.'

14 And he saith, `Catch them alive;' and they catch them alive, and slaughter them at the pit of the shearing-house, forty and two men, and he hath not left a man of them.

15 And he goeth thence, and findeth Jehonadab son of Rechab -- to meet him, and blesseth him, and saith unto him, `Is thy heart right, as my heart [is] with thy heart?' and Jehonadab saith, `It is;' -- `Then it is; give thy hand;' and he giveth his hand, and he causeth him to come up into him into the chariot,

16 and saith, `Come with me, and look on my zeal for Jehovah;' and they cause him to ride in his chariot.