2 Kings 10:14 - Exposition

And he said, Take them alive. And they took them alive, and slew them. The Brevity of the narrative leaves many points of it obscure. It is impossible to say why the order was given, "Take them alive," when, immediately afterwards, they were massacred. Perhaps Jehu at first intended to spare their lives, but afterwards thought that it would be safer to have them put out of his way. It must be borne in mind that they were descendants of Ahab. At the pit of the shearing-house ; rather, at the well of Beth-Eked . Probably the bodies were thrown into the well (comp. Jeremiah 41:7 ). Even two and forty men. It is this number which makes the idea of a visit of compliment incredible. Neither left he any of them. The Greeks said, νήπιος ὂς πατέρα κτείτας παῖδας καταλείπει ; and the general Hebrew practice was to give effect to the teaching conveyed by the maxim (see Joshua 7:24 , Joshua 7:25 ; 2 Kings 9:26 ; 2 Kings 14:6 ).