Bible Commentaries

2 Kings 9:1-23. Jehu is anointed.

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 (2 Kings 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 (1 Kings 19:16).

box of oil — (See 1 Samuel 10:1).

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.

I have anointed thee king over Israel — This was only a part of the message; the full announcement of which is given (2 Kings 9:7-10).

flee, and tarry not — for fear of being surprised and overtaken by the spies or servants of the court.

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 (1 Samuel 16:13); and, in like manner, the commission had, in this instance, been given also a long time before to Elijah [1 Kings 19:16 ], who, for good reasons, left it in charge to Elisha; and he awaited God‘s time and command for executing it [Poole].

in the portion of Jezreel — that is, that had formerly been the vineyard of Naboth.

Is all well? etc. — 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 Jeremiah 29:26).

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 (Matthew 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.

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.

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.

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 dispatched 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 dispatched, 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 dispatched 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].

cast him in the portion of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite, etc. — according to the doom pronounced by divine authority on Ahab (1 Kings 21:19), but which on his repentance was deferred to be executed on his son.

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 1 Kings 21:16).

2 Kings 9:27-35. Ahaziah is slain.

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

Ibleam — near Megiddo, in the tribe of Issachar (Joshua 17:11; Judges 1:27); and Gur was an adjoining hill.

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.

found no more of her than the skull, and the palms of her hands, etc. — The dog has a rooted aversion to prey on the human hands and feet.

2 Kings 9:36, 2 Kings 9:37. Jezebel eaten by dogs.

This is the word of the Lord — (See 1 Kings 21:23). Jehu‘s statement, however, was not a literal but a paraphrased quotation of Elijah‘s prophecy.