2 Kings 9:21

_AND JORAM SAID, MAKE READY. AND HIS CHARIOT WAS MADE READY. AND JORAM KING OF ISRAEL AND AHAZIAH KING OF JUDAH WENT OUT, EACH IN HIS CHARIOT, AND THEY WENT OUT AGAINST JEHU, AND MET HIM IN THE PORTION OF NABOTH THE JEZREELITE._ And they went out against Jehu х_ LIQRA'T_ (H7125), to meet Jehu; Septuagint, eis apanteen] - to ascertain the cause of his journey, whether it was occasioned by any military disaster, or if he harboured any unlawful design, to take immediate measures for repressing sedition. Since the two monarchs were driving out, Jehu, who continued advancing with impetuous onset, quickly ascended from the plain up the steep northern sides of the site on which Jezreel stood, and met х_ WAYIMTSAA'UHUW_ (H4672), found] him (the king) in 'the portion of Naboth the Jezreelite.'...

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 9:21. _JORAM - AND AHAZIAH - WENT OUT_] They had no suspicion of what was done at Ramoth-gilead; else they would not have ventured their persons as they now did....

MAKE READY - literally, (as in margin) “Blind,” i. e., “Harness the horses to the chariot.” The king had no suspicion of Jehu’s treason. Probably he imagined that he was bringing him important news from the seat of war. Ahaziah’s accompanying him is significant of the close friendship which united the uncle and the nephew. They went out not “against” Jehu, but rather “to meet him.” IN THE PORTION OF NABOTH - This is no longer called a “vineyard” 1 Kings 21:1; probably because it had been thrown into the palace garden, and applied to the purpose for which Ahab originally wanted it. The approach to the city on this side must have lain either through it, or close by it....

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 JORAM SAID, MAKE READY,.... The chariot, put to the horses; bind them, as the word signifies, to the chariot: AND HIS CHARIOT WAS MADE READY; by his servants immediately: AND JORAM KING OF ISRAEL AND AHAZIAH KING OF JUDAH WENT OUT, EACH IN HIS CHARIOT; not both in the same chariot, but each in his own, for the sake of greater magnificence: AND THEY WENT OUT AGAINST JEHU; not in an hostile manner, for they had no notion of him as an enemy; though it is much they had no suspicion of him by his detaining the messengers; but Joram perhaps thought he was desirous of delivering his message himself; and in honour to him, and also being eager to know what it was, went out to meet him: AND MET HIM IN THE PORTION OF NABOTH THE JEZREELITE; which had been his, and where, or near it, he was stoned, and his blood shed; a very inauspicious place to meet him in....

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,...

_Make ready_ Literally as in margin of R.V. -yoke". The mention of Jehu has shewn Joram that the reason must be a weighty one which brings the commander of the army from Ramoth at full speed. So he goes to meet him that he may know what has happened. Apparently he set forth without any body guard, and thus is easily put to flight when Jehu attacks him. The two kings went forth in somewhat of a state array. Both had been in the defence of Ramoth-gilead and so were both interested in what they expected would be news from the army. _went out against Jehu_ R.V. TO MEET JEHU. There is not necessarily an adverse sense in the word, and the kings had no suspicion of what Jehu's real errand was. It might be disaster in the army, but rebellion was out of their thoughts. _in the portion of Naboth the Jezreelite_ This was -hard by the palace" (1 Kings 21:1) so that the royal ch

B. THE DEATH OF JEHORAM OF ISRAEL 9:17-26 TRANSLATION (17) Now the watchman was standing upon the tower in Jezreel, and he saw the company of Jehu as he came, and he said, A company I see! And Joram said, Take a horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say, Is all well? (18) So a horseman went to meet him and he said, Thus says the king: Is all well? And Jehu said, What concern is it of yours? Turn in behind me. And the watchman told, saying, The messenger came unto them, and he did not return. (19) And he sent a second horseman, and he came unto them, and said, Thus says the king: Is all well? And Jehu said, What concern is it of yours? Turn in behind me. (20) And the watchman told, saying, He came unto them, and he did not return. And the driving is like the driving of Jehu son of Nimshi, for he drives like a madman. (21) And Joram said, Hitch up! And he hitched up his chariot. An...