He said: In many languages it may be necessary to provide an indirect object for the verb said. What is clearly implied is that Jehu spoke these words to the soldiers under his command who were traveling with him. Good News Translation correctly translates “Jehu ordered his men.”

There seems to be a contradiction between the command Take them alive and what actually happened. The text indicates that they were taken alive, but only for a very brief period. Then they were all killed. Nevertheless, the text must be translated as it stands.

And slew them at the pit of Beth-eked: For slew see the comments on verse 7. The Hebrew noun translated pit refers to a hole dug in the ground or in rocks. Such pits were used for storing rainwater or items that needed to be kept dry (for example, grain). Most English translations say “pit,” “well” (Gray), or “cistern” (Hobbs), but New Jerusalem Bible has “storage-well.” Since verse 12 has already stated that Jehu was in Beth-eked, some translations omit the place name here (so Good News Translation). Revised English Bible interprets the whole clause here in a different way. The Hebrew preposition rendered at often indicates movement toward something. In English it is often translated “toward” or “into.” Revised English Bible follows this sense for the preposition by rendering the clause “then slain, and flung into a pit that was there.” Although this rendering seems grammatically possible, it is not very widely accepted.

The number forty-two may have been a large round number that signified very many captives. For example, forty-two boys were killed by the bears in 2 Kgs 2.24. In any case, the exact number should be translated.

He spared none of them: This final statement serves to emphasize what was already said. Compare verse 11.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .