30 And when Jehu H3058 was come H935 to Jezreel, H3157 Jezebel H348 heard H8085 of it; and she painted H7760 H6320 her face, H5869 and tired H3190 her head, H7218 and looked out H8259 at a window. H2474
And when thou art spoiled, H7703 what wilt thou do? H6213 Though thou clothest H3847 thyself with crimson, H8144 though thou deckest H5710 thee with ornaments H5716 of gold, H2091 though thou rentest H7167 thy face H5869 with painting, H6320 in vain H7723 shalt thou make thyself fair; H3302 thy lovers H5689 will despise H3988 thee, they will seek H1245 thy life. H5315
And furthermore, H637 that ye have sent H7971 for men H582 to come H935 from far, H4801 unto whom a messenger H4397 was sent; H7971 and, lo, they came: H935 for whom thou didst wash H7364 thyself, paintedst H3583 thy eyes, H5869 and deckedst H5710 thyself with ornaments, H5716
And Ahab H256 told H5046 Jezebel H348 all that Elijah H452 had done, H6213 and withal how he had slain H2026 all the prophets H5030 with the sword. H2719 Then Jezebel H348 sent H7971 a messenger H4397 unto Elijah, H452 saying, H559 So let the gods H430 do H6213 to me, and more H3254 also, if I make H7760 not thy life H5315 as the life H5315 of one H259 of them by to morrow H4279 about this time. H6256
In that day H3117 the Lord H136 will take away H5493 the bravery H8597 of their tinkling ornaments H5914 about their feet, and their cauls, H7636 and their round tires like the moon, H7720 The chains, H5188 and the bracelets, H8285 and the mufflers, H7479 The bonnets, H6287 and the ornaments of the legs, H6807 and the headbands, H7196 and the tablets, H5315 H1004 and the earrings, H3908 The rings, H2885 and nose H639 jewels, H5141 The changeable suits of apparel, H4254 and the mantles, H4595 and the wimples, H4304 and the crisping pins, H2754 The glasses, H1549 and the fine linen, H5466 and the hoods, H6797 and the vails. H7289 And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell H1314 there shall be stink; H4716 and instead of a girdle H2290 a rent; H5364 and instead of well set H4639 hair H4748 baldness; H7144 and instead of a stomacher H6614 a girding H4228 of sackcloth; H8242 and burning H3587 instead of beauty. H3308
Forbear H1826 to cry, H602 make H6213 no mourning H60 for the dead, H4191 bind H2280 the tire of thine head H6287 upon thee, and put on H7760 thy shoes H5275 upon thy feet, H7272 and cover H5844 not thy lips, H8222 and eat H398 not the bread H3899 of men. H582
In like manner G5615 also, G2532 that women G1135 adorn G2885 themselves G1438 in G1722 modest G2887 apparel, G2689 with G3326 shamefacedness G127 and G2532 sobriety; G4997 not G3361 with G1722 broided hair, G4117 or G2228 gold, G5557 or G2228 pearls, G3135 or G2228 costly G4185 array; G2441 But G235 (which G3739 becometh G4241 women G1135 professing G1861 godliness) G2317 with G1223 good G18 works. G2041
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 2 Kings 9
Commentary on 2 Kings 9 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 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.