2 Kings 9:13

Then they hasted The LXX. gives -they heard it and hastened". This action on the part of the generals shews how little they were attached to the house of Ahab.

took every man his garment The loose Oriental robe which could easily be laid aside, and which they probably had laid aside or allowed to fall off during the consultation.

and putit under him They made a seat for Jehu by folding their garments, and piling them together. The expression -under him" shews what use was made of all the garments. Some have thought that the robes were used as a carpet, and laid all the way up the stairs from the court where they had been in conference. The stairs were outside the building and went from the courtyard up to the roof. Thus Jehu would have walked in state to the place which they chose for the proclamation. But the conspirators were in too great haste for this sort of parade. They extemporised a cushion with their robes, and set Jehu upon them.

on the top of the stairs There is some difficulty in explaining the word rendered -top". Primarily it means -a bone". Then something strong and firm. Hence it has been thought to have the sense here of the body of the staircase, and so to signify -the stairs themselves". Thus the translation would be merely -on the stairs". Others clinging to the sense of -bone" have translated -on the bare steps" (R.V. margin). The Vulgate appears to have taken the word as equivalent to -in the manner of" and translates -in similitudinem tribunalis". But without the steps there could be little made by the garments to look like a rostrum or tribune. The LXX. merely transliterates the Hebrew word ἐπὶ τὸ γαρὲμ. The sense -top" is obtained by considering that the prominent part of the staircase is meant by this expression, and that for the purpose here desired, the best possible place was that where Jehu would be set above the people. The generals must have gathered such a company as they could on a short notice, and when Jehu was seated in the best state they could prepare, have made their proclamation while he sat on the extemporized throne.

blew with trumpets For this cf. the proclamation of Solomon (1 Kings 1:34).