2nd Kings Chapter 9 verse 17 Holy Bible
Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel, and he spied the company of Jehu as he came, and said, I see a company. And Joram said, Take a horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say, Is it peace?
read chapter 9 in ASV
And the watchman on the tower in Jezreel saw Jehu and his band coming, and said, I see a band of people. And Joram said, Send out a horseman to them, and let him say, Is it peace?
read chapter 9 in BBE
And the watchman stood on the tower in Jizreel, and saw Jehu's company as he came, and said, I see a company. And Joram said, Take a horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say, Is it peace?
read chapter 9 in DARBY
And there stood a watchman on the tower in Jezreel, and he spied the company of Jehu as he came, and said, I see a company. And Joram said, Take an horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say, Is it peace?
read chapter 9 in KJV
And there stood a watchman on the tower in Jezreel, and he spied the company of Jehu as he came, and said, I see a company. And Joram said, Take a horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say, Is it peace?
read chapter 9 in WBT
Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel, and he spied the company of Jehu as he came, and said, I see a company. Joram said, Take a horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say, Is it peace?
read chapter 9 in WEB
And the watchman is standing on the tower in Jezreel, and seeth the company of Jehu in his coming, and saith, `A company I see;' and Joram saith, `Take a rider and send to meet them, and let him say, Is there peace?'
read chapter 9 in YLT
Pulpit Commentary
Pulpit CommentaryVerse 17. - And there stood a watchman on the tower in Jezreel; literally, and the watchman stood on the tower in Jezreel. The watchtower on the southeast, towards Ramoth-Gilead, is intended. There were probably others in other directions; but the writer is not concerned with them. Each watchtower had its one watchman, who gave warning if anything unusual caught his attention. And he spied the company of Jehu as he came. Shiph'ah is generally "abundance," "multitude" (Deuteronomy 33:19; Job 22:11; Isaiah 60:6), but seems here to designate a "baud ' or "company" of moderate size. It is a somewhat rare word. And said, I see a company. The watchman gave notice to those whose business it was to inform the king, that a band or company of men was approaching the city. And Joram said, Take an horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say, Is it peace? Joram apprehended no danger. If the "company" had been a band of Syrians, or other enemies, coming in hostile fashion, the watchman would have worded his warning differently. The king probably concluded that he was about to receive tidings from the seat of war, and meant to ask, "Is the news good or bad - peaceful or the contrary?" No blame attaches to him for not taking alarm at once.
Ellicott's Commentary
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(17) And there stood a watchman.--Literally, and the watchman was standing. The tower was attached to the palace, and the latter was, perhaps, near the eastern wall of the town.The company of Jehu.--The word (shiph'?h) literally means overflow, and so a multitude of waters (Job 22:11), of camels (Isaiah 60:6), of horses (Ezekiel 26:10). Jehu was accompanied, therefore, by a considerable force.Joram said.--Not to the watchman, but to one of his courtiers. The narrative is very concise.Is it peace?--This hardly represents the force of the original. Joram is not yet apprehensive. His question merely means, "What is the news?" He expects news from the army at Ramoth. Thenius, however, explains "Come ye with friendly or hostile intention?" In that case, would the king have sent a single horseman to ascertain the truth?
