Now as soon as this letter cometh. — Rather, And now when this letter cometh. Only the conclusion of the letter, containing the gist of it, is reported here. (Comp. 2 Kings 5:6.)
Seeing your master’s sons... look even out (2 Kings 10:3). — Rather, there are with you both your master’s sons, and the chariots and the horses,and a fenced city, and the armoury: so look out the best, &c.
A fenced city. — All the versions but the Arabic have “fenced cities;” and so Josephus. There is a tone of mocking irony in Jehu’s challenge to the nobles of Samaria, who were probably as luxurious and cowardly now as in the days of Amos, a few years later (Amos 3:12; Amos 6:3-6). (Comp. also Isaiah 28:1-10.) By his careful enumeration of their resources, he as good as says that his defiance is not the fruit of ignorance.