2 Kings 9

2Ki 9:1-23.

JEHU

IS

ANOINTED.

1. Ramoth-gilead--a city of great importance to the Hebrew people,

east of Jordan, as a fortress of defense against the Syrians. Jehoram

had regained it

(2Ki 8:29).

But the Israelitish army was still encamped there, under the command of

Jehu.

Elisha . . . called one of the children of the prophets--This errand

referred to the last commission given to Elijah in Horeb

(1Ki 19:16).

box of oil--(See

1Sa 10:1).

2. carry him to an inner chamber--both to ensure the safety of the

messenger and to prevent all obstruction in the execution of the

business.

3. I have anointed thee king over Israel--This was only a part of the

message; the full announcement of which is given

(2Ki 9:7-10).

flee, and tarry not--for fear of being surprised and overtaken by the

spies or servants of the court.

4-6. So the young man . . . went to Ramoth-gilead--His ready

undertaking of this delicate and hazardous mission was an eminent proof

of his piety and obedience. The act of anointing being done through a

commissioned prophet, was a divine intimation of his investiture with

the sovereign power. But it was sometimes done long prior to the actual

possession of the throne

(1Sa 16:13);

and, in like manner, the commission had, in this instance, been given

also a long time before to Elijah

[1Ki 19:16],

who, for good reasons, left it in charge to Elisha; and he awaited

God's time and command for executing it [POOLE].

10. in the portion of Jezreel--that is, that had formerly been the

vineyard of Naboth.

11. Is all well? &c.--Jehu's attendants knew that the stranger

belonged to the order of the prophets by his garb, gestures, and form

of address; and soldiers such as they very readily concluded such

persons to be crackbrained, not only from the sordid negligence of

their personal appearance and their open contempt of the world, but

from the religious pursuits in which their whole lives were spent, and

the grotesque actions which they frequently performed (compare

Jer 29:26).

13. they hasted, and took every man his garment--the upper cloak

which they spread on the ground, as a token of their homage to their

distinguished commander

(Mt 21:7).

top of the stairs--from the room where the prophet had privately

anointed Jehu. That general returned to join his brother officers in

the public apartment, who, immediately on learning his destined

elevation, conducted him to the top of the stairs leading to the roof.

This was the most conspicuous place of an Oriental structure that could

be chosen, being at the very top of the gate building, and fully in

view of the people and military in the open ground in front of the

building [KITTO].

The popularity of Jehu with the army thus favored the

designs of Providence in procuring his immediate and enthusiastic

proclamation as king, and the top of the stairs was taken as a most

convenient substitute for a throne.

14, 15. Joram had kept Ramoth-gilead--rather, "was keeping," guarding,

or besieging it, with the greater part of the military force of Israel.

The king's wounds had compelled his retirement from the scene of

action, and so the troops were left in command of Jehu.

16. So Jehu rode in a chariot, and went to Jezreel--Full of ambitious

designs, he immediately proceeded to cross the Jordan to execute his

commission on the house of Ahab.

17-24. there stood a watchman on the tower of Jezreel--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. The ancient watchtower of Jezreel must have

commanded a view of the whole region eastward, nearly down to the

Jordan. Beth-shan stands on a rising ground about six or seven miles

below it, in a narrow part of the plain; and when Jehu and his retinue

reached that point between Gilboa and Beth-shan, they could be fully

descried by the watchman on the tower. A report was made to Joram in

his palace below. A messenger on horseback was quickly despatched down

into the plain to meet the ambiguous host and to question the object of

their approach. "Is it peace?" We may safely assume that this messenger

would meet Jehu at the distance of three miles or more. On the report

made of his being detained and turned into the rear of the still

advancing troops, a second messenger was in like manner despatched, who

would naturally meet Jehu at the distance of a mile or a mile and a

half down on the plain. He also being turned into the rear, the

watchman now distinctly perceived "the driving to be like the driving

of Jehu, the son of Nimshi; for he driveth furiously." The alarmed

monarch, awakened to a sense of his impending danger, quickly summoned

his forces to meet the crisis. Accompanied by Ahaziah, king of Judah,

the two sovereigns ascended their chariots to make a feeble resistance

to the impetuous onset of Jehu, who quickly from the plain ascended the

steep northern sides of the site on which Jezreel stood, and the

conflicting parties met "in the portion of Naboth the Jezreelite,"

where Joram was quickly despatched by an arrow from the strong arm of

Jehu. We were impressed with the obvious accuracy of the sacred

historian; the localities and distances being such as seem

naturally to be required by the incidents related, affording just time

for the transactions to have occurred in the order in which they are

recorded [HOWE].

25. cast him in the portion of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite,

&c.--according to the doom pronounced by divine authority on Ahab

(1Ki 21:19),

but which on his repentance was deferred to be executed on his son.

26. the blood of Naboth, and the blood of his sons, saith the

Lord--Although their death is not expressly mentioned, it is

plainly implied in the confiscation of his property (see

1Ki 21:16).

2Ki 9:27-35.

AHAZIAH

IS

SLAIN.

27. Ahaziah--was grandnephew to King Joram, and great-grandson to

King Ahab.

Ibleam--near Megiddo, in the tribe of Issachar

(Jos 17:11;

Jud 1:27);

and Gur was an adjoining hill.

30. Jezebel painted her face--literally, "her eyes," according to a

custom universal in the East among women, of staining the eyelids with

a black powder made of pulverized antimony, or lead ore mixed with oil,

and applied with a small brush on the border, so that by this dark

ligament on the edge, the largeness as well as the luster of the eye

itself was thought to be increased. Her object was, by her royal

attire, not to captivate, but to overawe Jehu.

35. found no more of her than the skull, and the palms of her hands,

&c.--The dog has a rooted aversion to prey on the human hands and

feet.

2Ki 9:36, 37.

JEZEBEL

EATEN BY

DOGS.

36. This is the word of the Lord--(See

1Ki 21:23).

Jehu's statement, however, was not a literal but a paraphrased

quotation of Elijah's prophecy.