What Does 2 Kings 10:24 Mean?

(24) **When.**—Omit. **They went in.**—The priests and prophets went into the inner court of the Baal temple, which probably resembled in general construction that of Jehovah at Jerusalem. **Sacrifices and burnt offerings**—*i.e.*, peace offerings and burnt offerings, which could only be offered in an open court. **Jehu appointed fourscore men without.**—Rather, *now Jehu had set him on the outside* (of the building) *fourscore men.* **If any of the men . . . life of him.**—Literally, *The man that escapeth of the men whom I am bringing into your hands*—*his life for his life!* This is a little incoherent, as is natural in energetic speech, but the sense is clear. Thenius, however, suggests that the verb “escapeth” should be pointed as a *transitive* form (*pihel* instead of *niphal*). This gives: “The man that letteth escape any of the men,” &c., an improvement that may be right, although the old versions agree with the present Hebrew pointing of the word.