Worthy.Bible » STRONG » 2 Kings » Chapter 10 » Verse 18-28

2 Kings 10:18-28 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

18 And Jehu H3058 gathered H6908 all the people H5971 together, H6908 and said H559 unto them, Ahab H256 served H5647 Baal H1168 a little; H4592 but Jehu H3058 shall serve H5647 him much. H7235

19 Now therefore call H7121 unto me all the prophets H5030 of Baal, H1168 all his servants, H5647 and all his priests; H3548 let none H376 be wanting: H6485 for I have a great H1419 sacrifice H2077 to do to Baal; H1168 whosoever shall be wanting, H6485 he shall not live. H2421 But Jehu H3058 did H6213 it in subtilty, H6122 to the intent that he might destroy H6 the worshippers H5647 of Baal. H1168

20 And Jehu H3058 said, H559 Proclaim H6942 a solemn assembly H6116 for Baal. H1168 And they proclaimed H7121 it.

21 And Jehu H3058 sent H7971 through all Israel: H3478 and all the worshippers H5647 of Baal H1168 came, H935 so that there was not a man H376 left H7604 that came H935 not. And they came H935 into the house H1004 of Baal; H1168 and the house H1004 of Baal H1168 was full H4390 from one end H6310 to another. H6310

22 And he said H559 unto him that was over the vestry, H4458 Bring forth H3318 vestments H3830 for all the worshippers H5647 of Baal. H1168 And he brought them forth H3318 vestments. H4403

23 And Jehu H3058 went, H935 and Jehonadab H3082 the son H1121 of Rechab, H7394 into the house H1004 of Baal, H1168 and said H559 unto the worshippers H5647 of Baal, H1168 Search, H2664 and look H7200 that there be H3426 here with you none of the servants H5650 of the LORD, H3068 but the worshippers H5647 of Baal H1168 only.

24 And when they went in H935 to offer H6213 sacrifices H2077 and burnt offerings, H5930 Jehu H3058 appointed H7760 fourscore H8084 men H376 without, H2351 and said, H559 If any H376 of the men H582 whom I have brought H935 into your hands H3027 escape, H4422 he that letteth him go, his life H5315 shall be for the life H5315 of him.

25 And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end H3615 of offering H6213 the burnt offering, H5930 that Jehu H3058 said H559 to the guard H7323 and to the captains, H7991 Go in, H935 and slay H5221 them; let none H376 come forth. H3318 And they smote H5221 them with the edge H6310 of the sword; H2719 and the guard H7323 and the captains H7991 cast them out, H7993 and went H3212 to the city H5892 of the house H1004 of Baal. H1168

26 And they brought forth H3318 the images H4676 out of the house H1004 of Baal, H1168 and burned H8313 them.

27 And they brake down H5422 the image H4676 of Baal, H1168 and brake down H5422 the house H1004 of Baal, H1168 and made H7760 it a draught house H4163 H4280 unto this day. H3117

28 Thus Jehu H3058 destroyed H8045 Baal H1168 out of Israel. H3478

Commentary on 2 Kings 10 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible


CHAPTER 10

2Ki 10:1-17. Jehu Causes Seventy of Ahab's Children to Be Beheaded.

1-4. Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria—As it appears (2Ki 10:13), that grandsons are included it is probable that this number comprehended the whole posterity of Ahab. Their being all assembled in that capital might arise from their being left there on the king's departure for Ramoth-gilead, or from their taking refuge in some of the strongholds of that city on the news of Jehu's conspiracy. It may be inferred from the tenor of Jehu's letters that their first intention was to select the fittest of the royal family and set him up as king. Perhaps this challenge of Jehu was designed as a stroke of policy on his part to elicit their views, and to find out whether they were inclined to be pacific or hostile. The bold character of the man, and the rapid success of his conspiracy, terrified the civic authorities of Samaria and Jezreel into submission.

5. he that was over the house—the governor or chamberlain of the palace.

the bringers-up of the children—Anciently, and still also in many Eastern countries, the principal grandees were charged with the support and education of the royal princes. This involved a heavy expense which they were forced to bear, but for which they endeavored to find some compensation in the advantages of their connection with the court.

6. take ye the heads of the men, your master's sons—The barbarous practice of a successful usurper slaughtering all who may have claims to the throne, has been frequently exemplified in the ancient and modern histories of the East.

8. Lay ye them in two heaps at the entering in of the gate, &c.—The exhibition of the heads of enemies is always considered a glorious trophy. Sometimes a pile of heads is erected at the gate of the palace; and a head of peculiarly striking appearance selected to grace the summit of the pyramid.

9-11. said to all the people, Ye be righteous, &c.—A great concourse was assembled to gaze on this novel and ghastly spectacle. The speech which Jehu addressed to the spectators was artfully framed to impress their minds with the idea that so wholesale a massacre was the result of the divine judgments denounced on the house of Ahab; and the effect of it was to prepare the public mind for hearing, without horror, of a similar revolting tragedy which was soon after perpetrated, namely, the extinction of all the influential friends and supporters of the dynasty of Ahab, including those of the royal house of Judah.

13, 14. We are the brethren of Ahaziah—that is, not full, but step-brothers, sons of Jehoram by various concubines. Ignorant of the revolution that had taken place, they were travelling to Samaria on a visit to their royal relatives of Israel, when they were seized and put to death, because of the apprehension that they might probably stimulate and strengthen the party that still remained faithful in their allegiance to Ahab's dynasty.

children of the queen—that is, of the queen mother, or regent, Jezebel.

15-18. Jehonadab the son of Rechab—(See 1Ch 2:55). A person who, from his piety and simple primitive manner of life (Jer 35:1-19), was highly esteemed, and possessed great influence in the country. Jehu saw in a moment the advantage that his cause would gain from the friendship and countenance of this venerable man in the eyes of the people, and accordingly paid him the distinguished attention of inviting him to a seat in his chariot.

give me thine hand—not simply to aid him in getting up, but for a far more significant and important purpose—the giving, or rather joining hands, being the recognized mode of striking a league or covenant, as well as of testifying fealty to a new sovereign; accordingly, it is said, "he [Jehonadab] gave him [Jehu] his hand."

2Ki 10:18-29. He Destroys the Worshippers of Baal.

19. call unto me all the prophets of Baal—The votaries of Baal are here classified under the several titles of prophets, priests, and servants, or worshippers generally. They might be easily convened into one spacious temple, as their number had been greatly diminished both by the influential ministrations of Elijah and Elisha, and also from the late King Joram's neglect and discontinuance of the worship. Jehu's appointment of a solemn sacrifice in honor of Baal, and a summons to all his worshippers to join in its celebration, was a deep-laid plot, which he had resolved upon for their extinction, a measure in perfect harmony with the Mosaic law, and worthy of a constitutional king of Israel. It was done, however, not from religious, but purely political motives, because he believed that the existence and interests of the Baalites were inseparably bound up with the dynasty of Ahab and because he hoped that by their extermination he would secure the attachment of the far larger and more influential party who worshipped God in Israel. Jehonadab's concurrence must have been given in the belief of his being actuated solely by the highest principles of piety and zeal.

22. Bring forth vestments for all the worshippers of Baal—The priests of Baal were clad, probably, in robes of white byssus while they were engaged in the functions of their office, and these were kept under the care of an officer in a particular wardrobe of Baal's temple. This treacherous massacre, and the means taken to accomplish it, are paralleled by the slaughter of the Janissaries and other terrible tragedies in the modern history of the East.

29. Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam … Jehu departed not from after them—Jehu had no intention of carrying his zeal for the Lord beyond a certain point, and as he considered it impolitic to encourage his subjects to travel to Jerusalem, he re-established the symbolic worship of the calves.