Bible Commentaries

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

2 Kings 9

Introduction

1	Elisha sends a young prophet with instructions to anoint Jehu at Ramoth-gilead.
4	The prophet having done his message, flees.
11	Jehu, being made king by the soldiers, kills Joram in the field of Naboth.
27	Ahaziah is slain at Gur, and buried at Jerusalem.
30	Proud Jezebel is thrown down out of a window, and eaten by dogs.

Verse 1

And Elisha the prophet called one of the children of the prophets, and said unto him, Gird up thy loins, and take this box of oil in thine hand, and go to Ramothgilead:

one: The Jews say that this was Jonah, the prophet, the son of Amittai.
the children: 4:1, 6:1-3, 1 Kings 20:35
Gird up thy loins: As the upper garments of the Orientals were long and flowing, it was indispensably necessary to tuck up the skirts with a girdle about their loins, in order to use any expedition in their work or on a journey.; 4:29, 1 Kings 18:46, Jeremiah 1:17, Luke 12:35-37, 1 Peter 1:13
box of oil: 1 Samuel 10:1, 16:1, 1 Kings 1:39
Ramoth-gilead: 8:28,29, Deuteronomy 4:1,3, 1 Kings 22:4,20

Verse 2

And when thou comest thither, look out there Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in, and make him arise up from among his brethren, and carry him to an inner chamber;

Jehu: Jehoram having retired from the army, Jehu seems to have been left first in command, having been long employed by Ahab's family.; 14, 1 Kings 19:16,17
among his brethern: 5,11
inner chamber: Heb. chamber in a chamber.; 1 Kings 20:30, 22:25; *margins

Verse 3

Then take the box of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, Thus saith the LORD, I have anointed thee king over Israel. Then open the door, and flee, and tarry not.

pour it: Exodus 29:7, Leviticus 8:12, 1 Samuel 16:13, 1 Kings 19:16
I have anointed: 8:13, 1 Samuel 9:16, 15:1,17, 16:12, Psalms 75:6,7, Proverbs 8:15,16, Jeremiah 27:5-7, Daniel 2:1, 4:35, 5:18, John 19:10,11
and flee: 1 Samuel 16:2, Matthew 2:13, 10:16

Verse 4

So the young man, even the young man the prophet, went to Ramothgilead.

the young man: Hannäâr hannavee, not as some would render, "the servant of the prophet," but, as correctly rendered by our venerable translators, "the young man, the prophet;" for [hn`r] hannäâr, "the young man," is not in regimine, but in appositione, with [hnby'] hannavee, "the prophet."

Verse 5

And when he came, behold, the captains of the host were sitting; and he said, I have an errand to thee, O captain. And Jehu said, Unto which of all us? And he said, To thee, O captain.

I have an errand: Judges 3:19

Verse 6

And he arose, and went into the house; and he poured the oil on his head, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I have anointed thee king over the people of the LORD, even over Israel.

he arose: Acts 23:18,19
I have anointed: 3, 1 Kings 1:34, 19:16, 2 Chronicles 22:7, Psalms 2:6; *marg:; Psalms 75:6, Isaiah 45:1, Daniel 2:21, 4:17,32, 5:20,21
over the people: 1 Kings 3:8, 10:9, 14:7, 16:2

Verse 7

And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD, at the hand of Jezebel.

I may avenge: Deuteronomy 32:35,43, Psalms 94:1-7, Matthew 23:35, Luke 18:7,8, Romans 12:19, 13:4, Hebrews 10:30, Revelation 6:9,10, 18:20, 19:2
at the hand: 32-37, 1 Kings 18:4, 21:15,21,25

Verse 8

For the whole house of Ahab shall perish: and I will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel:

I will cut off: 1 Kings 14:10,11, 21:21,22
him that pisseth: 1 Samuel 25:22
him that is shut up: 14:26, Deuteronomy 32:36

Verse 9

And I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah:

like the house: 1 Kings 14:10,11, 15:29, 21:22
and like the house: 1 Kings 16:3-5,11,12

Verse 10

And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her. And he opened the door, and fled.

the dogs: 35,36, 1 Kings 21:23, Jeremiah 22:19
he opened: 3, Judges 3:26

Verse 11

Then Jehu came forth to the servants of his lord: and one said unto him, Is all well? wherefore came this mad fellow to thee? And he said unto them, Ye know the man, and his communication.

Is all well: 17,19,22, 4:26, 5:21
this mad fellow: It is probable there was something peculiar in the young prophet's manner and address, similar to the vehement actions sometimes used by the prophets when under the Divine influence, which caused the bystanders to use this contemptuous language.; Isaiah 59:15; *marg:; Jeremiah 29:26, Hosea 9:7, Mark 3:21, John 10:20, Acts 17:18, 26:24, 1 Corinthians 4:10, 2 Corinthians 5:13

Verse 12

And they said, It is false; tell us now. And he said, Thus and thus spake he to me, saying, Thus saith the LORD, I have anointed thee king over Israel.

Thus and thus

Verse 13

Then they hasted, and took every man his garment, and put it under him on the top of the stairs, and blew with trumpets, saying, Jehu is king.

and took every: The spreading of garments in the street, before persons to whom it was intended to shew particular honour, was an ancient and very general custom; the garments in these cases being used for carpets. In the Agamemnon of Æschylus, the hypocritical Clytemnestra commands the maids to spread carpets before her returning husband, that on his descending from his chariot he may place his foot on "a purple-covered path." We also find this custom among the Romans. Plutarch relates, that when Cato of Utica left the Macedonian army, where he had become legionary tribune, the soldiers spread their clothes in the way.; Matthew 21:7,8, Mark 11:7,8
on the top: The ancient fortified cities were generally strengthened with a citadel, (Jud 9:46, 51,) commonly built on an eminence, to which they ascended by a flight of stairs, (Ne 3:15.) It is extremely probable, therefore, that Ramoth-gilead, being a frontier town of Israel and Syria, had a tower of this nature; and that Jehu was proclaimed king on the top of the stairs by which they ascended the hill on which the tower stood, i.e., in the area before the door of the tower, and consequently the most public place in the city.
blew with trumpets: 2 Samuel 15:10, 1 Kings 1:34,39, Psalms 47:5-7, 98:6
is king: Heb. reigneth.

Verse 14

So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. (Now Joram had kept Ramothgilead, he and all Israel, because of Hazael king of Syria.

conspired: 31, 8:12-15, 10:9, 15:30, 1 Kings 15:27, 16:7,9,16
kept Ramoth-gilead: 8:28, 1 Kings 22:3

Verse 15

But king Joram was returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him, when he fought with Hazael king of Syria.) And Jehu said, If it be your minds, then let none go forth nor escape out of the city to go to tell it in Jezreel.

Joram: Heb. Jehoram. returned.; 8:29, 2 Chronicles 22:6
had given: Heb. smote. none go forth. Heb. no escaper go forth.; 1 Samuel 27:9-11

Verse 16

So Jehu rode in a chariot, and went to Jezreel; for Joram lay there. And Ahaziah king of Judah was come down to see Joram.

And Ahaziah: 8:28,29, 2 Chronicles 22:6,7

Verse 17

And there stood a watchman on the tower in Jezreel, and he spied the company of Jehu as he came, and said, I see a company. And Joram said, Take an horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say, Is it peace?

a watchman: 2 Samuel 13:34, 18:24, Isaiah 21:6-9,11,12, 56:10, 62:6, Ezekiel 33:2-9, Acts 20:26-31
Take an horseman: 7:14
Is it peace: 19, 1 Samuel 16:4, 17:22, 1 Kings 2:15, Luke 10:5,6

Verse 18

So there went one on horseback to meet him, and said, Thus saith the king, Is it peace? And Jehu said, What hast thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me. And the watchman told, saying, The messenger came to them, but he cometh not again.

What hast thou to do: 19,22, Isaiah 48:22, 59:8, Jeremiah 16:5, Romans 3:17

Verse 20

And the watchman told, saying, He came even unto them, and cometh not again: and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi; for he driveth furiously.

driving: or, marching.; Habakkuk 1:6, 3:12
for he driveth: 10:16, Ecclesiastes 9:10, Isaiah 54:16, Daniel 11:44
furiously: Heb. in madness.

Verse 21

And Joram said, Make ready. And his chariot was made ready. And Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his chariot, and they went out against Jehu, and met him in the portion of Naboth the Jezreelite.

Make ready: Heb. bind.; 1 Kings 20:14; *marg:; Micah 1:13
Joram: 2 Chronicles 22:7
met: Heb. found.; Numbers 20:14; *marg:
the portion of Naboth: 25, 1 Kings 21:1-7,15,18,19

Verse 22

And it came to pass, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, Is it peace, Jehu? And he answered, What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?

Is it peace
What peace: 18, Isaiah 57:19-21
the whoredoms: 1 Kings 16:30-33, 18:4, 19:1,2, 21:8-10,25, Nahum 3:4, Revelation 2:20-23, 17:4,5, Revelation 18:3,23

Verse 23

And Joram turned his hands, and fled, and said to Ahaziah, There is treachery, O Ahaziah.

There is treachery: 11:14, 2 Chronicles 23:13

Verse 24

And Jehu drew a bow with his full strength, and smote Jehoram between his arms, and the arrow went out at his heart, and he sunk down in his chariot.

drew a bow with his full strength: Heb. filled his hand with a bow. smote.; 1 Kings 22:34, Job 20:23-25, Psalms 50:22, Proverbs 21:30, Ecclesiastes 8:12,13, 1 Thessalonians 5:3
sunk: Heb. bowed.

Verse 25

Then said Jehu to Bidkar his captain, Take up, and cast him in the portion of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite: for remember how that, when I and thou rode together after Ahab his father, the LORD laid this burden upon him;

the Lord: 1 Kings 21:19,24-29, Isaiah 13:1, Jeremiah 23:33-38, Nahum 1:1, Malachi 1:1, Matthew 11:30

Verse 26

Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth, and the blood of his sons, saith the LORD; and I will requite thee in this plat, saith the LORD. Now therefore take and cast him into the plat of ground, according to the word of the LORD.

blood of Naboth: Heb. bloods of Naboth. of his sons.; Deuteronomy 24:16, 2 Chronicles 24:25, 25:4
I will requite: Exodus 20:5, Deuteronomy 5:9, Ezekiel 18:19
plat: or, portion.

Verse 27

But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the way of the garden house. And Jehu followed after him, and said, Smite him also in the chariot. And they did so at the going up to Gur, which is by Ibleam. And he fled to Megiddo, and died there.

Ahaziah: 8:29, Numbers 16:26, 2 Chronicles 22:7-9, Proverbs 13:20, 2 Corinthians 6:17
garden house: 1 Kings 21:2
Ibleam: Joshua 17:11, Judges 1:27
Megiddo: "In the kingdom of Samaria."; 23:29,30, Judges 1:27, 5:19, 1 Kings 4:12, 2 Chronicles 22:9

Verse 28

And his servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him in his sepulchre with his fathers in the city of David.

12:21, 14:19,20, 23:20, 2 Chronicles 25:28, 35:24

Verse 29

And in the eleventh year of Joram the son of Ahab began Ahaziah to reign over Judah.

in the eleventh: 8:16,24, 2 Chronicles 21:18,19, 22:1,2
began Ahaziah: "Then he began to reign as viceroy to his father in his sickness."; 2 Chronicles 21:18,19, in:

Verse 30

And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a window.

Jezebel: 1 Kings 19:1,2
painted her face: Heb. put her eyes in painting.; Jeremiah 4:30, Ezekiel 23:40
tired: Isaiah 3:18-24, Ezekiel 24:17, 1 Timothy 2:9,10, 1 Peter 3:3

Verse 31

And as Jehu entered in at the gate, she said, Had Zimri peace, who slew his master?

Zimri: 1 Kings 16:9-20
peace

Verse 32

And he lifted up his face to the window, and said, Who is on my side? who? And there looked out to him two or three eunuchs.

Exodus 32:26, 1 Chronicles 12:18, 2 Chronicles 11:12, Psalms 118:6, 124:1,2
eunuchs: or, chamberlains.; Esther 1:10, 2:15,21, Acts 12:20

Verse 33

And he said, Throw her down. So they threw her down: and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses: and he trode her under foot.

Throw her down: 1 Kings 21:11
and on the horses: This terrible mode of punishment appears to have been but rarely used, though we occasionally meet with it during this and subsequent periods. The same punishment, it is well known, obtained among the Romans, who used to throw certain malefactors from the Tarpeian rock. This practice obtains among the Moors at Constantia, a town of Barbary; and is also of frequent occurrence in Persia.
and he trode: 26, 7:20, Isaiah 25:10, Lamentations 1:15, Micah 7:10, Malachi 4:3, Matthew 5:13, Hebrews 10:29

Verse 34

And when he was come in, he did eat and drink, and said, Go, see now this cursed woman, and bury her: for she is a king's daughter.

he did eat: 1 Kings 18:41, Esther 3:15, Amos 6:4
this cursed woman: 1 Kings 21:25, Proverbs 10:7, Isaiah 65:15, Matthew 25:41
she is a king's: 1 Kings 16:31

Verse 35

And they went to bury her: but they found no more of her than the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands.

but they found: Job 31:3, Ecclesiastes 6:3, Isaiah 14:18-20, Jeremiah 22:19, 36:30, Acts 12:23

Verse 36

Wherefore they came again, and told him. And he said, This is the word of the LORD, which he spake by his servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, In the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel:

This is: 1 Kings 21:23
by his: Heb. by the hand of his.; 14:25, Leviticus 8:36, 2 Samuel 12:25

Verse 37

And the carcase of Jezebel shall be as dung upon the face of the field in the portion of Jezreel; so that they shall not say, This is Jezebel.

the carcase: Psalms 83:10, Ecclesiastes 6:3, Isaiah 14:18-20, Jeremiah 8:2, 16:4, 22:19, 36:20, Ezekiel 32:23-30

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2 Kings 9

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