The Initial Destruction Of The Seventy ‘Sons' Of The House Of Ahab (2 Kings 10:1-8).
Very few kings of that time (if any) who replaced another dynasty with their own, would have acted ant differently from Jehu. In such a situation the extirpation of the royal seed of the previous dynasty was seen as very much a political necessity (David's sparing of the house of Saul was a remarkable exception). In partial justification of it we should recognise that it was essential if the kingdom was to be given stability, and in order to prevent the possibility of future insurrections by supporters of the previous dynasty (compare what happened to Athaliah because she failed in her attempt to eliminate all the seed royal - 2 Kings 11:1-20). It thus in the end probably resulted in the saving of a multitude of lives.
The ‘sons' (descendants) of Ahab were all to be found in Samaria which still remained to be captured, and Jehu had to decide how to go about the taking of the city. His letter was in fact almost certainly intended to be an ultimatum. Either they could surrender to him, or they could appoint a king from the seed royal. As Jehoram of Israel had probably succeeded to the throne at a young age (his father Ahaziah had only reigned for about a year - 1 Kings 22:51), and had only reigned for twelve years, the seed royal would all be minors. Thus their choice lay between a seasoned warrior, supported by the army, or a king who was young and inexperienced with only the support of Samaria behind him. Recognising the strength of the rebellion, which included all the active army commanders, and was almost certainly supported by the common people who had nothing but hatred for the foreign innovations of Jezebel, the leading men in Samaria decided on the most sensible way out. They would surrender on Jehu's terms, terms which would not in fact have come as any surprise to them for the reasons mentioned above.
Accordingly the heads of the seventy sons were delivered to Jehu in Jezreel, where they were piled up at the gate, a common practise among ancient kings when they wanted to awe the people (Assyrian kings such as Ashernasirpal and Shalmaneser III repeatedly boasted about the heads piled up in a pyramid outside their cities). It both indicated that the previous dynasty was no more, and acted as a warning as to what would happen to any dissentients in the future.
He then assured all that they had done the right thing, for they had brought about the necessary fulfilment of the word of YHWH concerning the house of Ahab. YHWH's will had been done (even if not necessarily in God's way). This was why the author has entered into such detail, for his main concern is with the activity of YHWH in history.
Analysis.
a Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, to the rulers of Jezreel, even the elders, and to those who brought up the sons of Ahab, saying (2 Kings 10:1).
b “And now as soon as this letter comes to you, seeing your master's sons are with you, and there are with you chariots and horses, a fortified city also, and armour, look you out the best and most suitable of your master's sons, and set him on his father's throne, and fight for your master's house.” But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, “Behold, the two kings did not stand before him. How then shall we stand?” (2 Kings 10:2-4).
c And he who was over the household, and he who was over the city, the elders also, and those who brought up the children, sent to Jehu, saying, “We are your servants, and will do all that you shall bid us. We will not make any man king. You do what is good in your eyes” (2 Kings 10:5).
d Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, “If you are on my side, and if you will listen to my voice, you take the heads of the men your master's sons, and come to me to Jezreel by tomorrow this time” (2 Kings 10:6 a).
c Now the king's sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who brought them up (2 Kings 10:6 b).
b And it came about, when the letter came to them, that they took the king's sons, and slew them, even seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him to Jezreel (2 Kings 10:7).
a And there came a messenger, and told him, saying, “They have brought the heads of the king's sons.” And he said, “Lay you them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until the morning” (2 Kings 10:8).
Note that in ‘a' the seventy descendants of Ahab were in Samaria, and in the parallel their heads were piled up at Jezreel. In ‘b' a letter was sent to the leading men of Samaria, and in the parallel a letter was received by them. In ‘c' are described those who were in charge in Samaria including those who brought up the king's descendants, and in the parallel the king's descendants were with those who brought them up. Centrally in ‘d' the heads of the seventy were to be delivered to Jehu in Jezreel.
‘Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, to the rulers of Jezreel, even the elders, and to those who brought up the sons of Ahab, saying.'
The powerful city of Samaria was still in the hands of the house of Ahab, which as far as direct descendants of Jehoram were concerned probably consisted of minors. There were ‘seventy' recognised male members of the royal house in Samaria who might have been seen as having some claim to the throne. Like the number seven, ‘seventy' (which is seven intensified) is often used in order to indicate completeness (compare Genesis 46:27; Judges 8:30; Judges 9:2). Thus we need not see it as an exact number (it is made exact in Genesis 46 by artificial means). It is rather a general indication, It is rather a general indication, with an emphasis on the completeness of the grouping. Samaria was the city built by Omri on land owned by him, and was the centre of political power and royal influence (it was also the centre for worship of the foreign Baal introduced by Jezebel), and the royal family would include not only the sons of Jehoram, but also his brothers and their sons, and other near relations, which is why the term used is ‘sons of Ahab', covering the whole.
Multiple copies of his letter were sent to various authorities in Samaria, to the elders in Jezreel, and to those responsible for the royal house. The sons of Jehoram would be under their tutors and teachers who were preparing them for their royal roles ahead (compare 2 Chronicles 21:2-3). The city itself therefore was being ruled by its governor, the head of the king's household, the elders of the city, and the tutors of the king's sons (2 Kings 10:5). It was to these then that Jehu wrote his letters. He also sent copies to the elders of Jezreel so that they would be joined with him in his demands (and he still had to officially establish his authority in Jezreel).
“And now as soon as this letter comes to you, seeing your master's sons are with you, and there are with you chariots and horses, a fortified city also, and armour, look you out the best and most suitable of your master's sons, and set him on his father's throne, and fight for your master's house.”
‘Now as soon as this letter comes to you --.' This was a recognised form of opening for an official letter. Compare 2 Kings 5:6. It is also found among the Lachish letters (number 4).
The content of the letters was simple. He openly acknowledged the strength of the city's fortifications, the number of their chariots, and the effectiveness of their armour. If they wished to resist him let them then choose the best and most suitable of the king's sons as their ruler (he probably had his tongue in his cheek), and let them make him king (an indication to them, if they did not already know it, that Jehoram was dead), and let them fight under him for their master's house.
Note the subtlety of his method. He was drawing attention to the inexperience of whoever would rule them, and was asking them to compare what they had with what was under his control, for he was supported by the army of all Israel. It was basically inviting them to surrender or die.
‘But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, “Behold, the two kings did not stand before him. How then shall we stand?” '
Understandably his words struck fear in their hearts. They probably did not know the details of what had happened, but they were aware that the combined bodyguards of the kings of Israel and Judah had been in Jezreel. And they recognised that if such seasoned campaigners had not been able to resist Jehu it was unlikely that an immature ‘son of Ahab' would be able to do so. And all knew what happened to a city that resisted when besieged (see Deuteronomy 20:12-13).
‘And he who was over the household, and he who was over the city, the elders also, and those who brought up the children, sent to Jehu, saying, “We are your servants, and will do all that you shall bid us. We will not make any man king. You do what is good in your eyes.”
So the leading men of the city who were ruling it in the king's name, the steward of the royal household (the high chamberlain, the highest in status as his influence went far beyond the city), the governor or commandant of the city (the next highest in status with responsibility for the city), the city elders (who acted as advisers to the governor/commandant), and those responsible for the training and tutoring of the king's sons (who would be important men and advisers of the royal steward), all came together to discuss what should be done. And they all with one accord recognised that resistance was useless. They would know perfectly well what the result of their decision would be, and that their charges, the king's sons, would not be allowed to live. But they also had to take into account the safety of all the people in Samaria. It was not a pleasant choice.
Thus they replied to Jehu that they were ready to swear fealty to him, and that they would do whatever he bade them. They would not seek to set up a rival king, but were ready to acknowledge him as king. They would do whatever seemed good in his eyes. They would not be in any doubt about the fact that they were sacrificing their charges, but recognised that they had little option.
‘Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, “If you are on my side, and if you will listen to my voice, you take the heads of the men your master's sons, and come to me to 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.'
The demands laid on them would not be unexpected. No ‘usurper' could allow the male members of the previous royal house to live. It would have been political suicide. Thus they would not have been surprised when they received the demand that the execution of the king's ‘sons' had to be carried out. This was to be done by execution, and the severing of their heads, which were then to be sent to Jehu in Jezreel as proof that his demands had truly been carried out. While it may sound a gruesome to us it was necessary for Jehu to be sure that all the king's sons had been slain, and the only way to do that was to have proof of their deaths and of their identifies.
Jehu could, of course, have demanded that they be handed over alive, but he wanted the responsibility for the executions to fall squarely on the people themselves. This was a wise move politically, for it ensured that in future the direct blame could not be laid at his door. It would mean that they would be seen to have cooperated with him in it.
It is then explained that the king's sons were under the jurisdiction of the most powerful men in the city who had had responsibility for their upbringing and training. Had the king's sons lived, with Jehoram as king, most of them would have gone on to positions of authority and power for which they had therefore to be prepared (compare 2 Chronicles 21:3).
‘And it came about, when the letter came to them, that they took the king's sons, and slew them, even seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him to Jezreel.'
In response to the letter these powerful men took all ‘seventy' (the totality) of ‘the king's sons' (all royal claimants), and executed them, severing their heads and placing them in pots or baskets (the word usually refers to earthenware pots, but may have widened to indicate any container. On the other hand earthenware pots would have prevented the heat from causing the heads to deteriorate and would have prevented any blood from seeping out). These were then sent to Jehu in Jezreel, thus sparing Samaria from being besieged and destroyed, and yielding it officially to Jehu.
‘And there came a messenger, and told him, saying, “They have brought the heads of the king's sons.” And he said, “Lay you them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until the morning.” '
On their arrival at Jezreel a messenger was sent to Jehu to inform him of their arrival, and he commanded that they be piled up in two heaps at the entrance to the city. No doubt appropriate checks as to their identity would be carried out. As mentioned above this practise of piling up the heads of important enemies at the city gates was one which was well recognised at the time. It demonstrated to any waverers that the king's sons really were dead, and that there was nowhere else to look but to Jehu. It also stood as a stark warning to any who might be thinking of dissent.