2 Kings 9:3

_THEN TAKE THE BOX OF OIL, AND POUR IT ON HIS HEAD, AND SAY, THUS SAITH THE LORD, I HAVE ANOINTED THEE KING OVER ISRAEL. THEN OPEN THE DOOR, AND FLEE, AND TARRY NOT._ I have anointed thee king over Israel. This was only a part of the message, the full announcement of which is given, 2 Kings 9:7. FLEE, AND TARRY NOT - for fear of being surprised and overtaken by the spies or servants of the court....

1-10 In these and the like events, we must acknowledge the secret working of God, disposing men to fulfil his purposes respecting them. Jehu was anointed king over Israel, by the Lord's special choice. The Lord still had a remnant of his people, and would yet preserve his worship among them. Of this Jehu was reminded. He was commanded to destroy the house of Ahab, and, as far as he acted in obedience to God, and upon right principles, he needed not to regard reproach or opposition. The murder of God's prophets is strongly noticed. Jezebel persisted in idolatry and enmity to Jehovah and his servants, and her iniquity was now full....

FLEE, AND TARRY NOT - The probable object of these directions was at once to prevent questioning, and to render the whole thing more striking....

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

THEN TAKE THE BOX OF OIL, AND POUR IT ON HIS HEAD,.... When in the chamber together alone: AND SAY, THUS SAITH THE LORD, I HAVE ANOINTED THEE KING OVER ISRAEL; which was done, not with the anointing oil in the temple, which could not be come by; and with which, as Kimchi from their Rabbins says, only the kings of the house of David were anointed, and they only when there was a division, or the crown was translated to another family, as was the case now; but with common oil, or the oil of balsam, such as the prophet had in his house: THEN OPEN THE DOOR AND FLEE, AND TARRY NOT; lest he should be examined by the captains, and come into danger; though before he went out he was to say what is recorded in 2 Kings 9:7....

8. THE ANOINTING OF JEHU CHAPTER 9:1-10 _ 1. The commission (2 Kings 9:1)_ 2. Jehu anointed (2 Kings 9:4) The hour of judgment for the house of Ahab has come. The instrument for it, mentioned long ago to Elijah (1 Kings 19:16), appears now upon the scene. The army of Joram, King of Israel, besieged Ramoth-gilead and Jehu was the captain of the forces. Joram was recovering from his wounds in Jezreel. Then Elisha called one of the sons of the prophets. Handing him a box of oil he sent him to Ramoth-gilead. He was to look out for Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, and anoint him King over Israel. Then he was not to tarry, but to flee. Jehu means “Jehovah is He”; Jehoshaphat, “Jeho

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,...

THE LORD. Hebrew. _Jehovah._ App-4. KING. to be king. OVER, or unto,...

_Thus saith the Lord, I have anointed thee_ -God who would not countenance (by anointing) the erection of that usurped throne, would countenance the alteration. Or is it that by this visible testimony of divine ordination the courage of the Israelitish captains might be raised up, to second the high and bold attempt of him, whom they saw destined from heaven to rule?" (Bp Hall.) _flee, and tarry not_ The suddenness of the messenger's arrival and departure would be sure to produce a deep impression on those who observed him....

I HAVE ANOINTED THEE KING OVER ISRAEL— According to the Jews, none of the kings of Israel were anointed but those of the house of David, and these only when there was a question about their succession; as Solomon, they say, needed not to have been anointed, had it not been for the faction of Adonijah. But in the case of Jehu, in whom the succession of the kingdom of Israel was to be translated out of the right line of the family of Ahab, into another family which had no right to the kingdom, but merely the appointment of God, there was a necessity for his unction, in order both to convey to him a title, and to invest him with the actual possession of the kingdom. For if that which some imagine from 1 Kings 19:16 be true, that the prophet Elijah did before this time anoint Jehu, that unction conferred upon him only a remote right to the kingdom, in the same manner as Samuel's unction did...