_A.M. 3120. B.C. 884._ Elisha sends a young prophet to Ramoth-gilead, with instructions to anoint Jehu king over Israel, whom he charges to destroy the house of Ahab, and fleeth, 2 Kings 9:1. Jehu, being made king, kills Joram in the field of Naboth, 2 Kings 9:11. He kills also Ahaziah, king of Jud... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Elisha the prophet called_, &c. The Prophet Elijah was commanded to anoint Jehu about twelve years before this time; but, because of Ahab's humiliation, the execution of the judgment pronounced upon him and his family was deferred. The office of anointing Jehu therefore, it seems, was left to b... [ Continue Reading ]
_Make him arise up from among his brethren_ From the other officers of the army, 2 Kings 9:5. _Carry him to an inner chamber_ This he orders, partly that the work might not be hindered, and partly for the security of the young prophet's own person. _And say, Thus saith the Lord, I have anointed_ &c.... [ Continue Reading ]
_So the young man went to Ramoth-gilead_ It argued great faith in this young prophet that he undertook so readily the execution of this command. For there was no small danger in anointing a new king, as Elisha himself plainly intimated, when he ordered him to flee away as fast as he could, as soon a... [ Continue Reading ]
_Jehu said, Unto which of us all?_ It does not appear that Jehu aimed at the government, or that he ever thought of it, but the commission given him was a perfect surprise to him. Some indeed think he had been anointed before by Elijah, but privately, and with an intimation that he must not act till... [ Continue Reading ]
_He arose and went into the house_ That is, into an inner chamber in the house. _And he poured the oil on his head_ Thereby giving him, in God's name both a right to the kingdom and the actual possession of it. The Israelites, it must be observed, were still by _right_ and _profession_ the people of... [ Continue Reading ]
_And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab_ Thou shalt execute my judgment upon them, pronounced long ago. _That I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets_, &c. That they were idolaters was bad enough, and merited all that was brought upon them; yet this is not mentioned here; but the controve... [ Continue Reading ]
_ For the whole house of Ahab shall perish_ That is, all his posterity and all his kindred. Jehu, therefore, having received such a charge, is to be considered, in what he afterward did to the house of Ahab, as acting not out of a spirit of revenge, for he had no quarrel with the house of Ahab; but,... [ Continue Reading ]
_In the portion of Jezreel_ In that portion of land, in or near the city, which belonged to Naboth. _There shall be none to bury her_ That is, none shall bury her, or she shall not be buried; for it appears from 2 Kings 9:34, that Jehu gave orders to have her buried, sending out persons for that pur... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wherefore came this mad fellow to thee?_ What business has he with thee? And why wouldst thou gratify him so far as to retire to converse with him? They perceived him to be a prophet by his air, habit, and manner of speech, as well as by his accosting Jehu so boldly, and so suddenly vanishing when... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then they hasted_ Being well pleased with the thing; partly from the advantage which hereby they expected; partly from that desire of change which is in the nature of most men; and principally by God's providence inclining their hearts to Jehu. _And took every man his garment, and put it under him_... [ Continue Reading ]
_So Jehu conspired against Joram_ Contrived with the rest of the captains how to destroy Joram: for which they had the fairer opportunity, because he was gone from the army to Jezreel. _Now Joram had kept Ramoth-gilead_ That is, kept a strong garrison there, upon the frontiers of his kingdom, it hav... [ Continue Reading ]
_There stood a watchmen on the tower_ For watchmen were set on high places in time of peace as well as war wherever the king was, that he might not be surprised. _Let him say, Is it peace?_ Inquire who it is that comes, and if he comes on peaceable terms. For he feared lest either the Syrians had pr... [ Continue Reading ]
_They went out against him_ Or rather, _to meet him_, that they might know his intention, and, by their presence, repress any seditious inclinations which might be in Jehu or his followers. _And met him in the portion of Naboth_ The very sight of that ground was enough to make Jehu triumph, and Jora... [ Continue Reading ]
_Is it peace, Jehu?_ Dost thou come to me with a peaceable mind, or in a way of hostility? For now, when it was too late, he began to suspect some treachery, God hiding it from him before, in order to his destruction. _And he answered, What peace_, &c.? What cause hast thou to expect peace, when tho... [ Continue Reading ]
_Joram turned his hands_ Or the reins of his chariot; _and said, There is treachery, O Ahaziah_ Jehu is our enemy: it is time for us to shift for our safety. _Jehu drew a bow and smote Jehoram between his arms_ Or shoulders, when he was turned or turning back, the chariot being probably open behind,... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the blood of his sons_ Who, many commentators have thought, were killed by their father, by Jezebel's advice, to make the possession of the vineyard more sure to Ahab. Some however, are of opinion, as we have no account in the history of Naboth, (1 Kings 21.,) that his sons were killed with him... [ Continue Reading ]
_He fled by the way of the garden-house_ By some secret way, hoping to escape while they were busy about Joram. _Jehu said, Smite him also_ As you have done Joram, for he also is of the house of Ahab, chap. 2 Kings 8:18. _And they did so_ They wounded him, but not mortally; being the more remiss in... [ Continue Reading ]
_Jezebel heard of it_, &c. She had heard that Jehu had slain her son, and slain him for her murders, idolatries, and other crimes, and thrown his dead body into the portion of Naboth, according to the word of the Lord; and now she learned he was come to Jezreel, where she could not but dread falling... [ Continue Reading ]
_Had Zimri peace, who slew his master?_ Remember that thy brother traitor, Zimri, had but a very short enjoyment of the benefit of his treason, and was speedily and severely punished for it by my grand-father Omri, (see the margin,) and expect thou the same treatment from some of my posterity. She t... [ Continue Reading ]
_He said, Who is on my side?_ He had been called out by God to the work of punishing those who had corrupted the land, and he here calls out for assistance in doing it. _And there looked out to him two or three eunuchs_ Or _chamberlains_, for such used to attend upon queens in their chambers. “And b... [ Continue Reading ]
_Go see now this cursed woman_ She had been the greatest delinquent in the house of Ahab. She had introduced Baal; slain the Lord's prophets; contrived the murder of Naboth; excited her husband first, and then her sons, to do wickedly. She had been a curse to her country, and one whose memory all wh... [ Continue Reading ]
_He said, This is the word of the Lord_ He now calls to mind the words of the Prophet Elijah, which before he had forgot, or did not regard. _And the carcass of Jezebel_, &c. These words are not extant in the place where this prophecy is first mentioned, 1 Kings 21:23; but are here added by Jehu, by... [ Continue Reading ]