Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible
2 Kings 9:21-26
The Death Of Jehoram At The Hands Of Jehu In Accordance With YHWH's Pronounced Judgment On The House Of Ahab Because Of The Murder Of Naboth The Jezreelite (2 Kings 9:21).
Now confident at least of their security the two kings themselves set out in their chariots to meet Jehu, and they found him in the portion of Naboth the Jezreelite. This might well have been deliberate on Jehu's part. He would want Israel to recognise that what he was doing was carrying out YHWH's vengeance. To the kings it would not initially be seen as significant.
On approaching Jehu, his chariot commander Jehoram asked whether he had come bringing news of peace with Aram, and was immediately made aware that all was not well. For Jehu, instead of signifying his obeisance, roundly asked him how there could be peace while Jezebel was still dishonouring the kingdom and seeking to bewitch it. It was a clear indication of hostile intent. It also brought out what lay at the heart of the rebellion, the foreign and unacceptable influence of Jezebel on Israel.
Turning his chariot Jehoram sought to flee crying out to Ahaziah that treachery was afoot, but as he fled Jehu drew his bow, and with a well aimed arrow, struck him between the arms so that he sank down in his chariot. Then Jehu commanded that his body be taken and cast onto the plot of land stolen from Naboth by Ahab and Jezebel as a kind of atonement for the land, and punishment from YHWH. All Israel would recognise from this that Jehu was simply doing YHWH's will, while Jehu gained the satisfaction of knowing that he had been YHWH's chosen instrument.
Analysis.
a And Joram said, “Make ready.” And they made ready his chariot. And Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his chariot, and they went out to meet Jehu, and found him in the portion of Naboth the Jezreelite (2 Kings 9:21).
b And it came about, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, “Is it peace, Jehu?” And he answered, “What peace, so long as the whoredoms of your mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?” (2 Kings 9:22).
c And Joram turned his hands, and fled, and said to Ahaziah, “There is treachery, O Ahaziah” (2 Kings 9:23).
b And Jehu drew his bow with his full strength, and smote Joram between his arms, and the arrow went out at his heart, and he sunk down in his chariot (2 Kings 9:24).
a Then Jehu said to Bidkar his captain, “Take up, and cast him in the portion of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite, for remember how, when I and you rode together after Ahab his father, YHWH laid this burden on him. Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth, and the blood of his sons, says YHWH, and I will requite you in this plot, says YHWH. Now therefore take and cast him into the plot of land, according to the word of YHWH” (2 Kings 9:25).
Note that in ‘a' the meeting took place in the portion of Naboth the Jezreelite, and in the parallel Jehoram's body was to be cast in the portion. In ‘b the question was whether it was peace, and the king received a declaration of judgment, and in the parallel that peace was disrupted and the judgment carried out. Centrally in ‘c' the message was one of ‘Treachery'.
‘And Joram said, “Make ready.” And they made ready his chariot. And Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his chariot, and they went out to meet Jehu, and found him in the portion of Naboth the Jezreelite.'
Not suspecting any problems Jehoram of Israel then determined to go himself in order to obtain the news that Jehu clearly wanted to convey himself. This would have been seen as a good sign by the king. Bad news was brought by nondescript messengers. To wish to deliver the message himself suggested that Jehu saw it as good news.
We may see it as probable that the meeting place was not a total coincidence. Jehu had probably deliberately decided on it taking place in the portion of Naboth. It was a reminder to him of what his mission was, to act on YHWH's behalf as His avenger. It was that that lay at the heart of the rebellion.
‘And it came about, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, “Is it peace, Jehu?” And he answered, “What peace, so long as the whoredoms of your mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?” '
So when Jehoram asked whether Jehu brought a message of peace he was probably anticipating good news concerning the defeat of the Aramaeans. We can therefore imagine his feelings, when instead of saluting him and acknowledging his royal authority, Jehu replied harshly and asked him how there could be peace in Israel as long as Jezebel's idolatry (the whoredom of worshipping Baal and engaging in obscene sexual rituals) and occultism (the use of magic and divination) prevailed and abounded in Israel.
‘And Joram turned his hands, and fled, and said to Ahaziah, “There is treachery, O Ahaziah.” '
At the words of Jehu Jehoram instantly recognised rebellion, and with his hand he turned his chariot and fled, crying out to Ahaziah that treachery was in the air. It is clear that he had been so unsuspecting of treachery that he was driving his own chariot.
‘And Jehu drew his bow with his full strength, and smote Joram between his arms, and the arrow went out at his heart, and he sank down in his chariot.'
But he was not to escape YHWH's vengeance, for Jehu drew his bow to its greatest extent and smote him with an arrow between the arms so that he sank down into his chariot, which then presumably came to a halt.
‘Then Jehu said to Bidkar his captain, “Take up, and cast him in the portion of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite, for remember how, when I and you rode together after Ahab his father, YHWH laid this burden on him.” '
Then Jehu turned to his captain, Bidkar, and told him to take Jehoram's body and cast it into the field of Naboth the Jezreelite from whom Jezebel and Ahab had stolen a vineyard, having arranged for his murder. He reminded Bidkar how when they had both ridden together in Ahab's service, (Jehoram's father), it had been well known that YHWH had determined this punishment for the house of Ahab (laid this burden on him), something only delayed because of Ahab's subsequent repentance (1 Kings 21:29).
For the name Bidkar, probably a shortened form of Ben-dekar, compare 1 Kings 4:9.
“Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth, and the blood of his sons, says YHWH, and I will requite you in this plot, says YHWH. Now therefore take and cast him into the plot of land, according to the word of YHWH.”
Jehu reminded Bidkar that YHWH had declared that He had seen the blood of Naboth, and the blood of his sons who had apparently perished with him (compare how He had heard Abel's blood crying from the ground - Genesis 4:10), and had sworn that he would pay Ahab back for the murders in that very plot of land, something, however, deferred to his son's day in 1 Kings 21:29 because of Ahab's repentance. (If we think this harsh we should recognise that the implication of the verse is that had Jehoram also repented he also would have avoided the consequences. God's judgment never comes on those who have truly repented). Thus Jehu was offering the body of Jehoram as requital for the sin of Ahab, in accordance with YHWH's word. We may see as background to the idea the thoughts in Deuteronomy 21, although in this case the murderer was known. Jehoram's death had become a kind of atonement offering for the unrequited sin which had stained Israel.