2 Kings 10 Introduction

Structure and Formatting

This chapter completes the story of how Yahweh fulfilled the prophecy that he spoke through Elijah that Ahab’s entire family would be destroyed because of his wickedness. It tells how Jehu ensured that all of Ahab’s remaining relatives and friends were killed, and it tells how he killed all the prophets, priests, and worshipers of Baal and destroyed the temple of Baal.

Religious and Cultural Concepts in This Chapter

The pit of Beth Eked

The author describes in 10:14 how Jehu, on his way from Jezreel to Samaria, encountered a group of relatives of King Ahaziah of Judah. They were related to the family of Ahab, since Ahaziah’s mother was the sister of Ahab. Jehu had his men seize and kill them, and the author says this happened at the pit of Beth Eked. The word that the ULT translates as “pit” refers to a large hole carved into rock. Such holes were often used as cisterns to store rainwater. This might also have been a pool where shepherds washed their sheep before shearing them, since the name Beth Eked means “shearing house” and the author calls this place Beth Eked of the Shepherds. So this “pit” could have been a dry cistern or pool that Jehu and his men used as a mass grave for this group of men. However, because these carved holes were often used to store water, the word also came to be applied to wells. Some versions call this place the Well of Beth Eked. The meaning is not certain. If a translation of the Bible exists in your region, you may wish to use the term that it uses, either “pit” or “well.” If a translation of the Bible does not exist in your region, you may wish to use the term that the ULT uses, “pit.”