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2 Kings 10:15 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

15 And when he was departed H3212 thence, he lighted H4672 on Jehonadab H3082 the son H1121 of Rechab H7394 coming to meet H7125 him: and he saluted H1288 him, and said H559 to him, Is H3426 thine heart H3824 right, H3477 as my heart H3824 is with thy heart? H3824 And Jehonadab H3082 answered, H559 It is. H3426 If it be, give H5414 me thine hand. H3027 And he gave H5414 him his hand; H3027 and he took him up H5927 to him into the chariot. H4818

Cross Reference

1 Chronicles 2:55 STRONG

And the families H4940 of the scribes H5608 which dwelt H3427 H3427 at Jabez; H3258 the Tirathites, H8654 the Shimeathites, H8101 and Suchathites. H7756 These H1992 are the Kenites H7017 that came H935 of Hemath, H2574 the father H1 of the house H1004 of Rechab. H7394

Ezra 10:19 STRONG

And they gave H5414 their hands H3027 that they would put away H3318 their wives; H802 and being guilty, H818 they offered a ram H352 of the flock H6629 for their trespass. H819

Ezekiel 17:18 STRONG

Seeing he despised H959 the oath H423 by breaking H6565 the covenant, H1285 when, lo, he had given H5414 his hand, H3027 and hath done H6213 all these things, he shall not escape. H4422

Jeremiah 35:14-19 STRONG

The words H1697 of Jonadab H3082 the son H1121 of Rechab, H7394 that he commanded H6680 his sons H1121 not to drink H8354 wine, H3196 are performed; H6965 for unto this day H3117 they drink H8354 none, but obey H8085 their father's H1 commandment: H4687 notwithstanding I have spoken H1696 unto you, rising early H7925 and speaking; H1696 but ye hearkened H8085 not unto me. I have sent H7971 also unto you all my servants H5650 the prophets, H5030 rising up early H7925 and sending H7971 them, saying, H559 Return H7725 ye now every man H376 from his evil H7451 way, H1870 and amend H3190 your doings, H4611 and go H3212 not after H310 other H312 gods H430 to serve H5647 them, and ye shall dwell in H3427 the land H127 which I have given H5414 to you and to your fathers: H1 but ye have not inclined H5186 your ear, H241 nor hearkened H8085 unto me. Because the sons H1121 of Jonadab H3082 the son H1121 of Rechab H7394 have performed H6965 the commandment H4687 of their father, H1 which he commanded H6680 them; but this people H5971 hath not hearkened H8085 unto me: Therefore thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 God H430 of hosts, H6635 the God H430 of Israel; H3478 Behold, I will bring H935 upon Judah H3063 and upon all the inhabitants H3427 of Jerusalem H3389 all the evil H7451 that I have pronounced H1696 against them: because I have spoken H1696 unto them, but they have not heard; H8085 and I have called H7121 unto them, but they have not answered. H6030 And Jeremiah H3414 said H559 unto the house H1004 of the Rechabites, H7397 Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 the God H430 of Israel; H3478 Because ye have obeyed H8085 the commandment H4687 of Jonadab H3082 your father, H1 and kept H8104 all his precepts, H4687 and done H6213 according unto all that he hath commanded H6680 you: Therefore thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 the God H430 of Israel; H3478 Jonadab H3122 the son H1121 of Rechab H7394 shall not want H3772 a man H376 to stand H5975 before H6440 me for ever. H3117

Genesis 31:55 STRONG

And early H7925 in the morning H1242 Laban H3837 rose up, H7925 and kissed H5401 his sons H1121 and his daughters, H1323 and blessed H1288 them: and Laban H3837 departed, H3212 and returned H7725 unto his place. H4725

Genesis 47:7 STRONG

And Joseph H3130 brought in H935 Jacob H3290 his father, H1 and set him H5975 before H6440 Pharaoh: H6547 and Jacob H3290 blessed H1288 Pharaoh. H6547

Genesis 47:10 STRONG

And Jacob H3290 blessed H1288 Pharaoh, H6547 and went out H3318 from before H6440 Pharaoh. H6547

2 Kings 9:21 STRONG

And Joram H3088 said, H559 Make ready. H631 And his chariot H7393 was made ready. H631 And Joram H3088 king H4428 of Israel H3478 and Ahaziah H274 king H4428 of Judah H3063 went out, H3318 each H376 in his chariot, H7393 and they went out H3318 against H7125 Jehu, H3058 and met H4672 him in the portion H2513 of Naboth H5022 the Jezreelite. H3158

2 Kings 10:13 STRONG

Jehu H3058 met H4672 with the brethren H251 of Ahaziah H274 king H4428 of Judah, H3063 and said, H559 Who are ye? And they answered, H559 We are the brethren H251 of Ahaziah; H274 and we go down H3381 to salute H7965 the children H1121 of the king H4428 and the children H1121 of the queen. H1377

1 Chronicles 12:17-18 STRONG

And David H1732 went out H3318 to meet H6440 them, and answered H6030 and said H559 unto them, If ye be come H935 peaceably H7965 unto me to help H5826 me, mine heart H3824 shall be knit H3162 unto you: but if ye be come to betray H7411 me to mine enemies, H6862 seeing there is no H3808 wrong H2555 in mine hands, H3709 the God H430 of our fathers H1 look H7200 thereon, and rebuke H3198 it. Then the spirit H7307 came H3847 upon Amasai, H6022 who was chief H7218 of the captains, H7970 H7991 and he said, Thine are we, David, H1732 and on thy side, thou son H1121 of Jesse: H3448 peace, H7965 peace H7965 be unto thee, and peace H7965 be to thine helpers; H5826 for thy God H430 helpeth H5826 thee. Then David H1732 received H6901 them, and made H5414 them captains H7218 of the band. H1416

Jeremiah 35:6-10 STRONG

But they said, H559 We will drink H8354 no wine: H3196 for Jonadab H3122 the son H1121 of Rechab H7394 our father H1 commanded H6680 us, saying, H559 Ye shall drink H8354 no wine, H3196 neither ye, nor your sons H1121 for H5704 ever: H5769 Neither shall ye build H1129 house, H1004 nor sow H2232 seed, H2233 nor plant H5193 vineyard, H3754 nor have any: but all your days H3117 ye shall dwell H3427 in tents; H168 that ye may live H2421 many H7227 days H3117 in H6440 the land H127 where ye be strangers. H1481 Thus have we obeyed H8085 the voice H6963 of Jonadab H3082 the son H1121 of Rechab H7394 our father H1 in all that he hath charged H6680 us, to drink H8354 no wine H3196 all our days, H3117 we, our wives, H802 our sons, H1121 nor our daughters; H1323 Nor to build H1129 houses H1004 for us to dwell in: H3427 neither have we vineyard, H3754 nor field, H7704 nor seed: H2233 But we have dwelt in H3427 tents, H168 and have obeyed, H8085 and done H6213 according to all that Jonadab H3122 our father H1 commanded H6680 us.

John 21:15-17 STRONG

So G3767 when G3753 they had dined, G709 Jesus G2424 saith G3004 to Simon G4613 Peter, G4074 Simon, G4613 son of Jonas, G2495 lovest thou G25 me G3165 more than G4119 these? G5130 He saith G3004 unto him, G846 Yea, G3483 Lord; G2962 thou G4771 knowest G1492 that G3754 I love G5368 thee. G4571 He saith G3004 unto him, G846 Feed G1006 my G3450 lambs. G721 He saith G3004 to him G846 again G3825 the second time, G1208 Simon, G4613 son of Jonas, G2495 lovest thou G25 me? G3165 He saith G3004 unto him, G846 Yea, G3483 Lord; G2962 thou G4771 knowest G1492 that G3754 I love G5368 thee. G4571 He saith G3004 unto him, G846 Feed G4165 my G3450 sheep. G4263 He saith G3004 unto him G846 the third G5154 time, Simon, G4613 son of Jonas, G2495 lovest G5368 thou me? G3165 Peter G4074 was grieved G3076 because G3754 he said G2036 unto him G846 the third G5154 time, Lovest G5368 thou me? G3165 And G2532 he said G2036 unto him, G846 Lord, G2962 thou G4771 knowest G1492 all things; G3956 thou G4771 knowest G1097 that G3754 I love G5368 thee. G4571 Jesus G2424 saith G3004 unto him, G846 Feed G1006 my G3450 sheep. G4263

Acts 8:31 STRONG

And G1161 he said, G2036 How G1063 G4459 can I, G302 G1410 except G3362 some man G5100 should guide G3594 me? G3165 And G5037 he desired G3870 Philip G5376 that he would come up G305 and sit G2523 with G4862 him. G846

Galatians 2:9 STRONG

And G2532 when James, G2385 G2532 Cephas, G2786 and G2532 John, G2491 who G3588 seemed G1380 to be G1511 pillars, G4769 perceived G1097 the grace G5485 that was given G1325 unto me, G3427 they gave G1325 to me G1698 and G2532 Barnabas G921 the right hands G1188 of fellowship; G2842 that G2443 we G2249 should go unto G1519 the heathen, G1484 and G1161 they G846 unto G1519 the circumcision. G4061

Galatians 4:12 STRONG

Brethren, G80 I beseech G1189 you, G5216 be G1096 as G5613 I G1473 am; for G3754 I G2504 am as G5613 ye G5210 are: ye have not injured G91 me G3165 at all. G3762

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 2 Kings 10

Commentary on 2 Kings 10 Matthew Henry Commentary


Chapter 10

We have in this chapter,

  • I. A further account of Jehu's execution of his commission. He cut off,
    • 1. All Ahab's sons (v. 1-10).
    • 2. All Ahab's kindred (v. 11-14, 17).
    • 3. Ahab's idolatry: his zeal against this he took Jonadab to be witness to (v. 15, 16), summoned all the worshippers of Baal to attend (v. 18-23) and slew them all (v. 24, 25), and then abolished that idolatry (v. 26-28).
  • II. A short account of the administration of his government.
    • 1. The old idolatry of Israel, the worship of the calves, was retained (v. 29-31).
    • 2. This brought God's judgments upon them by Hazael, with which his reign concludes (v. 32-36).

2Ki 10:1-14

We left Jehu in quiet possession of Jezreel, triumphing over Joram and Jezebel; and we must now attend his further motions. He knew the whole house of Ahab must be cut off, and therefore proceeded in this bloody work, and did not do it deceitfully, or by halves, Jer. 48:10.

  • I. He got the heads of all the sons of Ahab cut off by their own guardians at Samaria. Seventy sons (or grandsons) Ahab had, Gideon's number, Jdg. 8:30. In such a number that bore his name his family was likely to be perpetuated, and yet it is extirpated all at once. Such a quiver full of arrows could not protect his house from divine vengeance. Numerous families, if vicious, must not expect to be long prosperous. These sons of Ahab were now at Samaria, a strong city, perhaps brought thither upon occasion of the war with Syria, as a place of safety, or upon notice of Jehu's insurrection; with them were the rulers of Jezreel, that is, the great officers of the court, who went to Samaria to secure themselves or to consult what was to be done. Those of them that were yet under tuition had their tutors with them, who were entrusted with their education in learning, agreeable to their birth and quality, but, it is to be feared, brought them up in the idolatries of their father's house and made them all worshippers of Baal. Jehu did not think fit to bring his forces to Samaria to destroy them, but, that the hand of God might appear the more remarkably in it, made their guardians their murderers.
    • 1. He sent a challenge to their friends to stand by them, v. 2, 3. "You that are hearty well-wishers to the house of Ahab, and entirely in its interests, now is your time to appear for it. Samaria is a strong city; you are in possession of it; you have forces at command; you may choose out the likeliest person of all the royal family to head you; you know you are not tied to the eldest, unless he be the best and meetest of your master's sons. If you have any spirit in you, show it, and set one of them on his father's throne, and stand by him with your lives and fortunes.' Not that he desired they should do this, or expected they would, but thus he upbraided them with their cowardice and utter inability to contest with the divine counsels. "Do if you dare, and see what will come of it.' Those that have forsaken their religion have often, with it, lost both their sense and their courage, and deserve to be upbraided with it.
    • 2. Hereby he gained from them a submission. They prudently reasoned with themselves: "Behold, two kings stood not before him, but fell as sacrifices to his rage; how then shall we stand?' v. 4. Therefore they sent him a surrender of themselves: "We are thy servants, thy subjects, and will do all that thou shalt bid us, right or wrong, and will set up nobody in competition with thee.' They saw it was to no purpose to contend with him, and therefore it was their interest to submit to him. With much more reason may we thus argue ourselves into a subjection to the great God. Many kings and great men have fallen before his wrath, for their wickedness; and how then shall we stand? Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? No, we must either bend or break.
    • 3. This was improved so far as to make them the executioners of those whom they had the tuition of (v. 6): If you be mine, bring me the heads of your master's sons by to-morrow at this time. Though he knew it must be done, and was loth to do it himself, one would think he could not expect they should do it. Could they betray such a trust? Could they be cruel to their master's sons? It seems, so low did they stoop in their adoration to the rising sun that they did it; they cut off the heads of those seventy princes, and sent them in baskets a present to Jehu, v. 7. Learn hence not to trust in a friend nor to put confidence in a guide not governed by conscience. One can scarcely expect that he who has been false to his God should ever be faithful to his prince. But observe God's righteousness in their unrighteousness. These elders of Jezreel had been wickedly obsequious to Jezebel's order for the murder of Naboth, 1 Ki. 21:11. She gloried, it is likely, in the power she had over them; and now the same base spirit makes them as pliable to Jehu and as ready to obey his orders for the murder of Ahab's sons. Let none aim at arbitrary power, lest they be found rolling a stone which, some time or other, will return upon them. Princes that make their people slaves take the readiest way to make them rebels; and by forcing men's consciences, as Jezebel did, they lose their hold of them. When the separated heads were presented to Jehu, he slyly upbraided those that were the executioners, yet owned the hand of God in it.
      • (1.) He seems to blame those that had been the executioners of this vengeance. The heads were laid in two heaps at the gate, the proper place of judgment. There he acquitted the people before God and the world (v. 9, You are righteous), and, by what the rulers of Samaria had now done, comparatively acquitted himself: "I slew but one; they have slain all these: I did it by conspiracy and with design; they have done this merely in compliance and with an implicit obedience. Let not the people of Samaria, nor any of the friends of the house of Ahab, ever reproach me for what I have done, when their own elders, and the very guardians of the orphans, have done this.' It is common for those who have done something base to attempt the mitigation of their own reproach by drawing others in to do something worse. But,
      • (2.) He resolves all into the righteous judgment of God (v. 10): The Lord hath done that which he spoke by Elijah. God is not the author of any man's sin, but even by that which men do from bad principles God serves his own purposes and glorifies his own name; and he is righteous in that wherein men are unrighteous. When the Assyrian is made the rod of God's anger, and the instrument of his justice, he meaneth not so, neither does his heart think so, Isa. 10:7.
  • II. He proceeded to destroy all that remained of the house of Ahab, not only those that descended from him, but those that were in any relation to him, all the officers of his household, ministers of state, and those in command under him, called here his great men (v. 11), all his kinsfolks and acquaintance, who had been partners with him in his wickedness, and his priests, or domestic chaplains, whom he employed in his idolatrous services and who strengthened his hand that he should not turn from his evil way. Having done this in Jezreel, he did the same in Samaria (v. 17), slew all that remained to Ahab in Samaria. This was bloody work, and is not now, in any case, to be drawn into a precedent. Let the guilty suffer, but not the guiltless for their sakes. Perhaps such terrible destructions as these were intended as types of the final destruction of all the ungodly. God has a sword, bathed in heaven, which will come down upon the people of his curse, and be filled with blood. Isa. 34:5, 6. Then his eye will not spare, neither will he pity.
  • III. Providence bringing the brethren of Ahaziah in his way, as he was going on with this execution, he slew them likewise, v. 12-14. The brethren of Ahaziah were slain by the Arabians (2 Chr. 22:1), but these were the sons of his brethren, as it is there explained (v. 8), and they are said to be princes of Judah, and to minister to Ahaziah. Several things concurred to make them obnoxious to the vengeance Jehu was now executing.
    • 1. They were branches of Ahab's house, being descended from Athaliah, and therefore fell within his commission.
    • 2. They were tainted with the wickedness of the house of Ahab.
    • 3. They were now going to make their court to the princes of the house of Ahab, to salute the children of the king and the queen, Joram and Jezebel, which showed that they were linked to them in affection as well as in affinity. These princes, forty-two in number, being appointed as sheep for the sacrifice, were slain with solemnity, at the pit of the shearing-house. The Lord is known by these judgments which he executeth.

2Ki 10:15-28

Jehu, pushing on his work, is here,

  • I. Courting the friendship of a good man, Jehonadab the son of Rechab, v. 15, 16. This Jehonadab, though mortified to the world and meddling little with the business of it (as appears by his charge to his posterity, which they religiously observed 300 years after, not to drink wine nor dwell in cities, Jer. 35:6, etc.), yet, upon this occasion, went to meet Jehu, that he might encourage him in the work to which God had called him. The countenance of good men is a thing which great men, if they be wise, will value, and value themselves by. David prayed, Let those that fear thee turn to me, Ps. 119:79. This Jehonadab, though no prophet, priest, or Levite, no prince or ruler, was, we may suppose, very eminent for prudence and piety, and generally respected for that life of self-denial and devotion which he lived: Jehu, though a soldier, knew him and honoured him. He did not indeed think of sending for him, but when he met him (though it is likely he drove now as furiously as ever) he stopped to speak to him; and we are here told what passed between them.
    • 1. Jehu saluted him; he blessed him (so the word is), paid him the respect and showed him the good-will that were due to so great an example of serious godliness.
    • 2. Jehonadab assured him that he was sincerely in his interest and a hearty well-wisher to his cause. Jehu professed that his heart was right with him, that he had a true affection for his person and a veneration for the crown of his Nazariteship, and desired to know whether he had the same affection for him and satisfaction in that crown of royal dignity which God had put upon his head: Is thy heart right? a question we should often put to ourselves. "I make a plausible profession, have gained a reputation among men, but is my heart right? Am I sincere and inward with God?' Jehonadab gave him his word (It is), and gave him his hand as a pledge of his heart, yielded to him (so giving the hand is rendered, 2 Chr. 30:8), concurred and covenanted with him, and owned him in the work both of revenge and of reformation he was now about.
    • 3. Jehu took him up into his chariot and took him along with him to Samaria. He put some honour upon him, by taking him into the chariot with him (Jehonadab was not accustomed to ride in a chariot, much less with a king); but he received more honour from him, and from the countenance he gave to his present work. All sober people would think the better of Jehu when they saw Jehonadab in the chariot with him. This was not the only time in which the piety of some has been made to serve the policy of others, and designing men have strengthened themselves by drawing good men into their interests. Jehonadab is a stranger to the arts of fleshly wisdom, and has his conversation in simplicity and godly sincerity; and therefore, if Jehu be a servant of God and an enemy to Ball, he will be his faithful friend. "Come then' (says Jehu), "come with me, and see my zeal for the Lord; and then thou wilt see reason to espouse my cause.' This is commonly taken as not well said by Jehu, and as giving cause to suspect that his heart was not right with God in what he did, and that the zeal he pretended for the Lord was really zeal for himself and his own advancement. For,
      • (1.) He boasted of it, and spoke as if God and man were mightily indebted to him for it.
      • (2.) He desired it might be seen and taken notice of, like the Pharisees, who did all to be seen of men. An upright heart approves itself to God and covets no more than his acceptance. If we aim at the applause of men, and make their praise our highest end, we are upon a false bottom. Whether Jehu looked any further we cannot judge; however Jehonadab went with him, and, it is likely, animated and assisted him in the further execution of his commission (v. 17), destroying all Ahab's friends in Samaria. A man may hate cruelty and yet love justice, may be far from thirsting after blood and yet may wash his feet in the blood of the wicked, Ps. 58:10.
  • II. Contriving the destruction of all the worshippers of Baal. The service of Baal was the crying sin of the house of Ahab: that root of this idolatry was plucked up, but multitudes yet remained that were infected with it, and would be in danger of infecting others. The law of God was express, that they were to be put to death; but they were so numerous, and so dispersed throughout all parts of the kingdom, and perhaps so alarmed with Jehu's beginnings, that it would be a hard matter to find them all out and an endless task to prosecute and execute them one by one. Jehu's project therefore is to cut them all off together.
    • 1. By a wile, by a fraud, he brought them together to the temple of Baal. He pretended he would worship Baal more than ever Ahab had done, v. 18. Perhaps he spoke this ironically, or to try the body of the people whether they would oppose such a resolution as this, and would resent his threatening to increase his predecessor's exactions, and say, "If it be so, we have no part in Jehu, nor inheritance in the son of Nimshi.' But it rather seems to have been spoken purposely to deceive the worshippers of Baal, and then it cannot be justified. The truth of God needs not any man's lie. He issued a proclamation, requiring the attendance of all the worshippers of Baal to join with him in a sacrifice to Baal (v. 19, 20), not only the prophets and priests, but all, throughout the kingdom, who worshipped Baal, who were not nearly so many as they had been in Elijah's time. Jehu's friends, we may suppose, were aware of what he designed, and were not offended at it; but the bigoted besotted Baalites began to think themselves very happy, and that now they should see golden days again. Joram had put away the image of Baal, ch. 3:2. If Jehu will restore it, they have what they would have, and come up to Samaria with joy from all parts to celebrate the solemnity; and they are pleased to see the house of Baal crowded (v. 21), to see his priests in their vestments (v. 22), and themselves perhaps with some badges or other to notify their relation to Baal, for there were vestments for all his worshippers.
    • 2. He took care that none of the servants of the Lord should be among them, v. 23. This they took as a provision to preserve the worship of Baal from being profaned by strangers; but it was a wonder that they did not, by this, see themselves brought into a snare and discern a design upon them. No marvel if those that suffer themselves to be deceived by Baal (as all idolaters were by their idols), are deceived by Jehu to their destruction.
    • 3. He gave order for the cutting of them all off, and Jehonadab joined with him therein, v. 23. When a strict search was made lest any of the servants of God should, either for company or curiosity, have got among them-lest any wheat should be mixed with those tares, and when eighty men were set to stand guard at all the avenues to Baal's temple, that none might escape (v. 24), then the guards were sent in to put them all to the sword and to mingle their blood with their sacrifices, in a way of just revenge, as they themselves had sometimes done, when, in their blind devotion, they cut themselves with knives and lancets till the blood gushed out, 1 Ki. 18:28. This was accordingly done, and the doing of it, though seemingly barbarous, was, considering the nature of their crime, really righteous. The Lord, whose name is jealous, is a jealous God.
    • 4. The idolaters being thus destroyed, the idolatry itself was utterly abolished. The buildings about the house of Baal (which were so many and so stately that they are here called a city), where Baal's priests and their families lived, were destroyed; all the little images, statues, pictures, or shrines, which beautified Baal's temple, with the great image of Baal himself, were brought out and burnt (v. 26, 27), and the temple of Baal was broken down, and made a dunghill, the common sink, or sewer, of the city, that the remembrance of it might be blotted out or made infamous. Thus was the worship of Baal quite destroyed, at least for the present, out of Israel, though it had once prevailed so far that there were but 7000 of all the thousands of Israel that had not bowed the knee to Baal, and those concealed. Thus will God destroy all the gods of the heathen, and, sooner or later, triumph over them all.

2Ki 10:29-36

Here is all the account of the reign of Jehu, though it continued twenty-eight years. The progress of it answered not to the glory of its beginning. We have here,

  • I. God's approbation of what Jehu had done. Many, it is probable, censured him as treacherous and barbarous-called him a rebel, a usurper, a murderer, and prognosticated ill concerning him, that a family thus raised would soon be ruined; but God said, Well done (v. 30), and then it signified little who said otherwise.
    • 1. God pronounced that to be right which he had done. It is justly questionable whether he did it from a good principle and whether he did not take some false steps in the doing of it; and yet (says God), Thou hast done well in executing that which is right in my eyes. The extirpating of idolaters and idolatry was a thing right in God's eyes, for it is an iniquity he visits as surely and severely as any: it was according to all that was in his heart, all he desired, all he designed. Jehu went through with his work.
    • 2. God promised him a reward, that his children of the fourth generation from him should sit upon the throne of Israel. This was more than what took place in any of the dignities or royal families of that kingdom; of the house of Ahab there were indeed four kings, Omri, Ahab, Ahaziah, and Joram, but the last two were brothers, so that it reached but to the third generation, and that whole family continued but about forty-five years in all, whereas Jehu's continued in four, besides himself, and in all about 120 years. Note, No services done for God shall go unrewarded.
  • II. Jehu's carelessness in what he was further to do. By this it appeared that his heart was not right with God, that he was partial in his reformation.
    • 1. He did not put away all the evil. He departed from the sins of Ahab, but not from the sins of Jeroboam-discarded Baal, but adhered to the calves. The worship of Baal was indeed the greater evil, and more heinous in the sight of God, but the worship of the calves was a great evil, and true conversion is not only from gross sin, but from all sin-not only from false gods, but from false worships. The worship of Baal weakened and diminished Israel, and made them beholden to the Sidonians, and therefore he could easily part with that; but the worship of the calves was a politic idolatry, was begun and kept up for reasons of state, to prevent the return of the ten tribes to the house of David, and therefore Jehu clave to that. True conversion is not only from wasteful sins, but from gainful sins-not only from those sins that are destructive to the secular interest, but from those that support and befriend it, in forsaking which is the great trial whether we can deny ourselves and trust God.
    • 2. He put away evil, but he did not mind that which was good (v. 31): He took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord God of Israel. He abolished the worship of Baal, but did not keep up the worship of God, nor walk in his law. He had shown great care and zeal for the rooting out of a false religion; but in the true religion,
      • (1.) He showed no care, took no heed, lived at large, was not at all solicitous to please God and to do his duty, took no heed to the scriptures, to the prophets, to his own conscience, but walked at all adventures. Those that are heedless, it is to be feared, are graceless; for, where there is a good principle in the heart, it will make men cautious and circumspect, desirous to please God and jealous of doing any thing to offend him.
      • (2.) He showed no zeal; what he did in religion he did not do with his heart, with all his heart, but did it as if he did it not, without any liveliness or concern. It seems, he was a man that had little religion himself, and yet God made use of him as an instrument of reformation in Israel. It is a pity but that those that do good to others should always be good themselves.
  • III. The judgment that came upon Israel in his reign. We have reason to fear that when Jehu took no heed himself to walk in God's law the people were generally as careless as he, both in their devotions and in their conversations. There was a general decay of piety and increase of profaneness; and therefore it is not strange that the next news we hear is, In those days the Lord began to cut Israel short, v. 32. Their neighbours encroached upon them on every side; they were short in their duty to God, and therefore God cut them short in their extent, wealth, and power. Hazael king of Syria was, above any other, vexatious and mischievous to them, smote them in all the coasts of Israel, particularly the countries on the other side Jordan, which lay next him, and most exposed; on these he made continual inroads, and laid them waste. Now the Reubenites and Gadites smarted for the choice which their ancestors made of an inheritance on that side Jordan, which Moses reproved them for, Num. 32. Now Hazael did what Elisha foresaw and foretold he would do. Yet, for doing it, God had a quarrel with him and with his kingdom, as we may find, Amos 1:3, 4. Because those of Damascus have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron, therefore (says God) I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, which shall devour the palaces of Benhadad.

Lastly, The conclusion of Jehu's reign, v. 34-36. Notice is taken, in general, of his might; but, because he took no heed to serve God, the memorials of his mighty enterprises and achievements are justly buried in oblivion.