2 Kings 5:7

5:7 When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God? Can I kill or restore life? Why does he ask me to cure a man of his skin disease? 1  Certainly you must see that he is looking for an excuse to fight me!” 2 

2 Kings 10:6

10:6 He wrote them a second letter, saying, “If you are really on my side and are willing to obey me, 3  then take the heads of your master’s sons and come to me in Jezreel at this time tomorrow.” 4  Now the king had seventy sons, and the prominent 5  men of the city were raising them.

1 tn Heb “Am I God, killing and restoring life, that this one sends to me to cure a man from his skin disease?” In the Hebrew text this is one lengthy rhetorical question, which has been divided up in the translation for stylistic reasons.

2 tn Heb “Indeed, know and see that he is seeking an occasion with respect to me.”

3 tn Heb “If you are mine and you are listening to my voice.”

4 sn Jehu’s command is intentionally vague. Does he mean that they should bring the guardians (those who are “heads” over Ahab’s sons) for a meeting, or does he mean that they should bring the literal heads of Ahab’s sons with them? (So LXX, Syriac Peshitta, and some mss of the Targum) The city leaders interpret his words in the literal sense, but Jehu’s command is so ambiguous he is able to deny complicity in the executions (see v. 9).

5 tn Heb “great,” probably in wealth, position, and prestige.