And Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, unto the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to them that brought up Ahab's [children], saying, Ver. 1. _And Ahab had seventy sons._] By several wives. God had threatened to root out his house, yet he promised hims... [ Continue Reading ]
Now as soon as this letter cometh to you, seeing your master's sons [are] with you, and [there are] with you chariots and horses, a fenced city also, and armour; Ver. 2. _Now as soon as this letter cometh to you._] A concise and stately kind of writing, much like that of the king of Syria to the ki... [ Continue Reading ]
Look even out the best and meetest of your master's sons, and set [him] on his father's throne, and fight for your master's house. Ver. 3. _Look even out the best, &c._] All this Jehu speaketh _ironice,_ or, at least, _tentative:_ that he might feel their pulses and find how they stood affected.... [ Continue Reading ]
But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, two kings stood not before him: how then shall we stand? Ver. 4. _But they were exceedingly afraid._] Such was their pusillanimity and perfidy, that they yield upon a little entreaty, and betray their trust. But God had an overruling hand in it, f... [ Continue Reading ]
And he that [was] over the house, and he that [was] over the city, the elders also, and the bringers up [of the children], sent to Jehu, saying, We [are] thy servants, and will do all that thou shalt bid us; we will not make any king: do thou [that which is] good in thine eyes. Ver. 5. _We are thy... [ Continue Reading ]
Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, If ye [be] mine, and [if] ye will hearken unto my voice, take ye the heads of the men your master's sons, and come to me to Jezreel by to morrow this time. Now the king's sons, [being] seventy persons, [were] with the great men of the city, whi... [ Continue Reading ]
And it came to pass, when the letter came to them, that they took the king's sons, and slew seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent him [them] to Jezreel. Ver. 7. _And put their heads in baskets._] _Apposite ad culpam Achab,_ saith A Lapide: this was suitable to Ahab's sin. He had... [ Continue Reading ]
And there came a messenger, and told him, saying, They have brought the heads of the king's sons. And he said, Lay ye them in two heaps at the entering in of the gate until the morning. Ver. 8. _Lay ye them in two heaps._] _a_ Here some hard hearted Hannibal would have cried out, _O formosum specta... [ Continue Reading ]
And it came to pass in the morning, that he went out, and stood, and said to all the people, Ye [be] righteous: behold, I conspired against my master, and slew him: but who slew all these? Ver. 9. _And said to all the people._] Who were got together to see this rueful spectacle; he therefore taketh... [ Continue Reading ]
Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the LORD, which the LORD spake concerning the house of Ahab: for the LORD hath done [that] which he spake by his servant Elijah. Ver. 10. _Know now._] _Non meo instinctu, sod Dei impulsu factum,_ that it is not my doings, but the... [ Continue Reading ]
So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his kinsfolks, and his priests, until he left him none remaining. Ver. 11. _So Jehu slew all._] Neither was this cruelty, but zeal and justice; because according to God's will, which is the rule of righteousn... [ Continue Reading ]
_And he arose and departed, and came to Samaria. [And] as he [was] at the shearing house in the way,_ Ver. 12. _And as he was at the shearing house._] Or, Slaughter house. Heb., _Bethhekedi_ of the shepherds; _locus ligaminis._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Jehu met with the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, Who [are] ye? And they answered, We [are] the brethren of Ahaziah; and we go down to salute the children of the king and the children of the queen._ Ver. 13. _And Jehu met with the brethren of Ahaziah._] That is, his nephews and near k... [ Continue Reading ]
And he said, Take them alive. And they took them alive, and slew them at the pit of the shearing house, [even] two and forty men; neither left he any of them. Ver. 14. _And slew them at the pit._] Because they also were of the house of Ahab, 2Ch 22:8 and lest they should revenge the death of Ahazia... [ Continue Reading ]
And when he was departed thence, he lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab [coming] to meet him: and he saluted him, and said to him, Is thine heart right, as my heart [is] with thy heart? And Jehonadab answered, It is. If it be, give [me] thine hand. And he gave [him] his hand; and he took him up t... [ Continue Reading ]
And he said, Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD. So they made him ride in his chariot. Ver. 16. _Come with me, and see my zeal._] It is good policy to join friendship with the religious: as his counsel was to agree to Gregories Austin, if he were humble. _a_ But why should Jehu so desire th... [ Continue Reading ]
And when he came to Samaria, he slew all that remained unto Ahab in Samaria, till he had destroyed him, according to the saying of the LORD, which he spake to Elijah. Ver. 17. _He slew all that remained._] See on 2 Kings 10:11 .... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jehu gathered all the people together, and said unto them, Ahab served Baal a little; [but] Jehu shall serve him much. Ver. 18. _But Jehu shall serve him much._] This he spake, that he might the better get together all Baal's priests and worshippers. When a man for a little space only seemeth t... [ Continue Reading ]
Now therefore call unto me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests; let none be wanting: for I have a great sacrifice [to do] to Baal; whosoever shall be wanting, he shall not live. But Jehu did [it] in subtilty, to the intent that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal. V... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Jehu said, Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal. And they proclaimed [it]._ Ver. 20. _Proclaim a solemn assembly._] See on 2 Kings 10:18 .... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jehu sent through all Israel: and all the worshippers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that came not. And they came into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was full from one end to another. Ver. 21. _And all the worshippers of Baal came._] It was wonder they should; since th... [ Continue Reading ]
_And he said unto him that [was] over the vestry, Bring forth vestments for all the worshippers of Baal. And he brought them forth vestments._ Ver. 22. _Bring forth vestments._] See on 2 Kings 10:19 .... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jehu went, and Jehonadab the son of Rechab, into the house of Baal, and said unto the worshippers of Baal, Search, and look that there be here with you none of the servants of the LORD, but the worshippers of Baal only. Ver. 23. _And Jehonabad the son of Rechab._] His presence might well have m... [ Continue Reading ]
And when they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings, Jehu appointed fourscore men without, and said, [If] any of the men whom I have brought into your hands escape, [he that letteth him go], his life [shall be] for the life of him. Ver. 24. _To offer sacrifices and burnt offerings._] They... [ Continue Reading ]
And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, Go in, [and] slay them; let none come forth. And they smote them with the edge of the sword; and the guard and the captains cast [them] out, and went to the city of the... [ Continue Reading ]
And they brought forth the images out of the house of Baal, and burned them. Ver. 26. _And they brought forth the images, and burned them._] So they did here in King Edward VI's reign; and the same day Musselburgh field in Scotland was won by the English.... [ Continue Reading ]
And they brake down the image of Baal, and brake down the house of Baal, and made it a draught house unto this day. Ver. 27. _And brake down the house of Baal._] So Theodosius pulled down the idol temples, which Constantine had shut only, but Julian opened them again; and our Henry VIII demolished... [ Continue Reading ]
Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel. Ver. 28. _Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel._] This was well, but not all; his golden calves made an end of him, though he made an end of Baal's worship. Many will follow God in such duties as will suit with them and their designs, but no further. The ru... [ Continue Reading ]
Howbeit [from] the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them, [to wit], the golden calves that [were] in Bethel, and that [were] in Dan. Ver. 29. Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam … Jehu departed not.] Because if he had, it might have cost him his... [ Continue Reading ]
And the LORD said unto Jehu, Because thou hast done well in executing [that which is] right in mine eyes, [and] hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that [was] in mine heart, thy children of the fourth [generation] shall sit on the throne of Israel. Ver. 30. _And the Lord said unto Jeh... [ Continue Reading ]
But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin. Ver. 31. _With all his heart._] He had a dispensatory conscience, a rotten heart, and that was his ruin. A man may recover of a fever, and... [ Continue Reading ]
In those days the LORD began to cut Israel short: and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel; Ver. 32. _The Lord began to cut Israel short._] By turning in the Syrians upon them, to waste their country. _ And Hazael smote them._] Exercising those inhuman cruelties upon them foretold by Elis... [ Continue Reading ]
From Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which [is] by the river Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan. Ver. 33. _All the land of Gilead._] A rich and fruitful country: not Ramothgilead only, lately recovered by Joram; but all that regio... [ Continue Reading ]
Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, and all that he did, and all his might, [are] they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? Ver. 34. _Are they not written?_] See on 1 Kings 14:10 .... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jehu slept with his fathers: and they buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son reigned in his stead. Ver. 35. _And Jehoahaz his son reigned._] By right of succession, as did after him Joash, Jeroboam, and Zachariah, by God's appointment. Zuinghus held that all kingdoms now-a-days were electi... [ Continue Reading ]
And the time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria [was] twenty and eight years. Ver. 36. _Was twenty and eight years._] This was a longer time than any of his predecessors had reigned; his successors of his family reigned seventy-six years, which yet God calleth a little while, Hos 1:4 and thre... [ Continue Reading ]