Commentators agree that Jehu is engaged in masterful political manipulation. By openly admitting he killed King Joram, he creates an appearance of honesty. He then immediately deflects responsibility for the much larger massacre of Ahab's 70 sons by asking, "but who smote all these?" Scholars explain this is a calculated speech to control the narrative, lessen his own guilt in the public's eyes, and consolidate his new power, all while concealing that he was the one who ordered the killings.