מלכים ב, פרק י׳, פסוק י״ב

Jehu's campaign to solidify his new rule continues as he sets out from Jezreel, riding his chariot toward the capital city of Samaria [רלב״ג, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Along the journey, he arrives at a roadside location associated with local shepherds [מצודת דוד]. Commentators offer two distinct ways to understand the specific nature of this site. One approach suggests it served as an inn or meeting point where shepherds would regularly gather together [רש״י, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Another perspective explains that it was a working facility used for shearing sheep. According to this view, the location is named after the agricultural practice of tightly binding the legs of the sheep to keep them still while their wool was cut [רד״ק, רלב״ג, מצודת ציון].

This seemingly ordinary location becomes the setting for a crucial encounter. It is here that Jehu runs into the relatives of Ahaziah, the king of Judah. These men were actually the nephews of Ahaziah, as his brothers had previously been killed by bandits. Traveling along the road, these relatives were completely unaware of the recent political coup and the dramatic shift in power. Jehu seizes the unexpected opportunity and executes them on the spot. By doing so, he ensures the complete elimination of the extended royal family, permanently cutting off anyone tied by marriage to the house of Ahab [מלבי״ם, רלב״ג].