2 Kings 9:17

_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?_ A watchman on the tower in Jezreel, х_ `AL_ (H5921) _ HAMIGDAAL_ (H4026)]. The Migdol was distinguished by its elevation; and not only was it frequently connected with towers, but in the East with royal residences. The Hebrew palaces, besides being situated on hills, had usually towers attached to them, not only for the pleasure of a fine prospect, but as posts of useful observation. A sentinel was always stationed there, not only as a guard of honour to the king in time of peace, but to prevent his being surprised in time of war. The ancient watch-tower of Jezreel mast have commanded a view of the whole region eastward, nearly down to the Jordan. Beth

16-29 Jehu was a man of eager spirit. The wisdom of God is seen in the choice of those employed in his work. But it is not for any man's reputation to be known by his fury. He that has rule over his own spirit, is better than the mighty. Joram met Jehu in the portion of Naboth. The circumstances of events are sometimes ordered by Divine Providence to make the punishment answer to the sin, as face answers to face in a glass. The way of sin can never be the way of peace, Isaiah 57:21. What peace can sinners have with God? No peace so long as sin is persisted in; but when it is repented of and forsaken, there is peace. Joram died as a criminal, under the sentence of the law. Ahaziah was joined with the house of Ahab. He was one of them; he had made himself so by sin. It is dangerous to join evil-doers; we shall be entangled in guilt and misery by it....

Verse 2 Kings 9:17. _A WATCHMAN ON THE TOWER_] These watchmen, fixed on elevated places and generally within hearing of each other, served as a kind of _telegraphs_, to communicate intelligence through the whole country. But, in some cases, it appears that the intelligence was conveyed by a _horseman_ to the next stage, as in the case before us. At this time, when the armies were at Ramoth-gilead, they were, no doubt, doubly watchful to observe the state of the country, and to notice every movement. See on 2 Samuel 13:34....

EXPOSITION 2 KINGS 9:1 THE ANOINTING OF JEHU. His MURDER OF JEHORAM AND AHAZIAH. THE DEATH OF JEZEBEL. 2 KINGS 9:1 Elisha is still the primary figure in the historical drama; but at this point his personality merges in the general account of the kingdom of Israel, which it is one of the objects of the writer to trace from beginning to end. Elisha here performs his last public act, being commissioned, and carrying out his commission, to transfer the kingdom of Israel from the unworthy dynasty of Omri, which on account of its p

AND THERE STOOD A WATCHMAN ON THE TOWER OF JEZREEL,.... Who could see afar off when an enemy was coming, and his business was to give notice of it; and especially he was now on his watch tower, because the king was there, and this was necessary for his safety: AND HE SPIED THE COMPANY OF JEHU AS HE CAME, AND SAID, I SEE A COMPANY; a troop of soldiers, though he did not know who they were, and to whom they belonged, whether they were Syrians or Israelites; which was reported to the king: AND JORAM SAID, TAKE AN HORSEMAN, AND SEND TO MEET THEM, AND LET HIM SAY, IS IT PEACE? he might fear some ill had befallen his army at Ramothgilead, and the Syrians had got the advantage of them; or they had made an irruption into his country, and were coming to attack him at Jezreel; or there was an insurrection among his own people....

III. THE PERIOD OF DECLENSION AND APOSTASY 1. Jehu, King of Israel and His Deeds CHAPTER 9:11-37 _ 1. Jehu is king (2 Kings 9:11)_ 2. Jehoram, King of Israel slain (2 Kings 9:14) 3. Ahaziah slain (2 Chronicles 22:9) 4. Jezebel and her end (2 Kings 9:30) Jehu revealed the secret anointing as King over Israel, and under the blare of the trumpets the army hails him as King. “Jehu is King!” Oh! for that day when our Lord Jesus will be hailed as King to begin His righteous judgment over the earth. The Assyrian monuments bear interesting testimony to a good deal of the histo

2 KINGS 9:1 TO 2 KINGS 10:31. THE REVOLUTION AND OVERTHROW OF THE BAAL WORSHIP. This spirited narrative is probably derived from the same source as 1 Kings 20, 22; and, if we strike out the short Deuteronomic portion (2 Kings 9:7), we cannot fail to notice the detachment of the writer, who neither condemns nor approves, but merely relates the tragedy. Hosea (Hosea 1:4), a little more than a century later, evidently condemns the whole transaction, and traces the fall of Jehu's house to the blood of Jezreel. This is in strong contrast with the Deuteronomic passage,...

AN HORSEMAN, or. charioteer....

_And there stood a watchman_ R.V. NOW THE WATCHMAN STOOD. While such danger was threatening one part of the land, and the army was in the field, the watchman would be kept permanently on the lookout for any messenger that might be seen coming. The tower was probably some lofty part of the royal palace, for the news seems easily to have been conveyed to the king. Is it _peace?_ There would be much anxiety in the king's mind, though he would not expect what was coming. He might suppose that the army in Ramoth had been defeated, and that the hasty messenger was coming to announce that Ramoth was again in the hand of Syria. So the -Is all well?" of the margin of R.V. gives an excellent sense, and is the rendering of the same phrase in verse 11, though it does not admit of the reply which Jehu gives in the next verse....

THERE STOOD A WATCHMAN ON THE TOWER— In times of peace as well as war, it was usual to have watchmen set on high and eminent places wherever the king was, to prevent his being surprised. Thus David at Jerusalem was informed by the watchmen, that his sons were escaped from the slaughter of Absalom, when he thought them all lost, 2 Samuel 13:34.; and therefore Jehoram, who had an armor lying before Ramoth-gilead, had good reason to keep a watchful eye upon every motion, especially from that quarter. See Calmet....