King James Version
What Does 2 Kings 10:12 Mean?
“And he arose and departed, and came to Samaria. And as he was at the shearing house in the way, shearing: Heb. house of shepherds binding sheep”
Context
10
Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the LORD, which the LORD spake concerning the house of Ahab: for the LORD hath done that which he spake by his servant Elijah. by: Heb. by the hand of
11
So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his kinsfolks, and his priests, until he left him none remaining. kinsfolks: or, acquaintance
12
And he arose and departed, and came to Samaria. And as he was at the shearing house in the way, shearing: Heb. house of shepherds binding sheep
13
Jehu met with the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, Who are ye? And they answered, We are the brethren of Ahaziah; and we go down to salute the children of the king and the children of the queen. met with: Heb. found to salute: Heb. to the peace of, etc
14
And he said, Take them alive. And they took them alive, and slew them at the pit of the shearing house, even two and forty men; neither left he any of them.
Commentary
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers(12) **And he arose . . . and came.**—So the Syriac, rightly. The common Hebrew text has, “And he arose and came and departed.”
**And as he was at the shearing house in the way.**—Rather, *He was at Beth-eqed-haroim on the way.* The Targum renders: “He was at the shepherds’ meeting-house on the way.” The place was probably a solitary building, which served as a *rendezvous* for the shepherds of the neighbourhood. (The root ‘*aqad* means “to bind,” or “knot together;” hence the common explanation of the name is “the shepherds’ *binding house*,” *i.e.*, the place where they *bound* their sheep for the shearing. But the idea of *binding* is easily connected with that of *meeting, gathering together*: comp. our words *band, knot.*) The LXX. has: “He was at Baithakad (or *Baithakath*) of the shepherds.” Eusebius mentions a place called *Beithakad*, fifteen Roman miles from Legio (*Lejjûn*), identical with the present *Beitkâd,* six miles east of *Jenîn*, in the plain of Esdraelon; but this seems too far off the route from Jezreel to Samaria, which passes *Jenîn*.
Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.
Historical Context
This verse is found in the book of 2 Kings. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.
Theological Significance
2 Kings 10:12 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.