1Elisha sendeth a young prophet to Ramoth-gilead to anoint Jehu. 4The prophet acquitteth himself of his commission, and fleeth. 11Jehu acquainteth the other officers with the matter, is proclaimed king by them, and preventeth the news going before him to Jezreel. 16Jehu meeteth Joram and Ahaziah by the way, and killeth Joram, who is cast into the field of Naboth. 27Ahaziah is slain at Gur, and buried at Jerusalem. 30Jezebel, looking out of a window at Jehu's entry into Jezreel, is thrown down into the street, and eaten by dogs, according to Elijah's prediction.
1AND Elisha the prophet called one of the 1children of the prophets, and said unto him, 2Girda up thy loins, and take this box of oil in thine hand, and go to 3Ramoth-gilead:
1 See 1 Kings 20 on verse 35.
2 See 1 Kings 18 on verse 46 and 2 Kings 4 on verse 29.
a 1 Kings 19:16.
3 See Deut. 4 on verse 43. It appears by this narrative, that the Israelites had recovered this city again from the Syrians. See verse 14 and the annotation.
2And when thou comest thither, look out there Jehu 4the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in, and make him arise up from among his 5brethren, and carry him to an 6inner chamber;
4 And consequently is to be distinguished from one Jehu who was a prophet, and was the son of Hanani. See 1 Kings 16 on verse 1.
5 That is, from among his companions, from the other officers and captains of the army. See verse 5.
6 Hebr. chamber in chamber.
3Then take the box of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, Thus saith the LORD, Ib have 7anointed thee king over Israel. Then open the door, and flee, and tarry not.
b 2 Chron. 22:7.
7 See 1 Kings 1 on verse 34.
4¶So the young man, even the young man the 8prophet, went to Ramoth-gilead.
8 Other, the youth of the prophet.
5And when he came, behold, the captains of the host were sitting; and he said, 9I have an errand to thee, O captain. And Jehu said, Unto which of all us? And he said, To thee, O captain.
9 That is, I have somewhat to tell thee alone in secret. Therefore may it please thee to rise up, and to hear me in private.
6And 10he arose, and went 11into the house; and 12he 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.
10 Namely Jehu.
11 Into the inner chamber, as verse 2.
12 Namely, the prophet’s youth.
7And thou shalt 13smite the 14house 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, 15at the hand of Jezebel.
13 That is, kill and destroy. See Gen. 8 on verse 21.
14 That is, the family. See 1 Kings 14 on verse 10.
15 That is, which was shed by charge and command from Jezebel.
8For thec whole house of Ahab shall perish: and I will cut off from Ahab him 16that pisseth against the wall, and him 17that is shut up and left in Israel:
c 1 Kings 21:21.
16 See 1 Kings 14 on verse 10.
17 That is, I will let none remain. See Deut. 32 on verse 36.
9And I will make the house of Ahab like thed house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like thee house of Baasha the son of Ahijah:
d 1 Kings 14:10; 15:29.
e 1 Kings 16:3, 11.
10Andf the dogs shall eat Jezebel in 18the 19portion of Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her. And he opened the door, and fled.
f 1 Kings 21:23.
18 Hebr. part, or, possession. Also verses 21, 25, 26, etc. Understand the piece or portion of land or field, which, by false accusations and cunning plots of Jezebel, was violently taken away from honest Naboth. See verses 21, 25; 1 Kings 21:23.
19 See the 25th verse of this chapter.
11¶Then Jehu came forth to the servants of his lord: and one said unto him, 20Is all well? wherefore came this 21mad fellow to thee? And he said unto them, 22Ye know the man, and his communication.
20 Hebr. is it peace? Also verse 17. See Gen. 29 on verse 6.
21 Thus the prophets and ministers of God are called by worldlings and wicked men, because they are not able to comprehend their doctrine and to tolerate their practice, John 10:20; Acts 26:24. Perhaps they gave this name to the prophets, because they had some extraordinary gestures or manner of action with them, when the Spirit of the Lord came upon them. See 1 Sam. 18:10.
22 That is, you may perceive that he is a prophet, and because he is such a one, you may judge what he is wont to speak, namely, to exhort everyone to his bounden duty, as he has done to me.
12And they said, It is false; tell us now. And he said, 23Thus and thus spake he to me, saying, Thus saith the LORD, I have anointed thee king over Israel.
23 Hebr. according to this and according to this.
13Then they hasted, and took every man his garment, and 24put it under him 25on the top of the stairs, and blew with trumpets, saying, Jehu is king.
24 Namely, unto a sign of subjection unto Jehu, as to their lord and king. Compare Mat. 21:7.
25 Hebr. upon the height of the stairs. Understand (according to the common opinion of the learned) an high and exalted place, spread over with the upper garments of the captains, which served instead of tapestry, on which they set Jehu.
14So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi 26conspired against Joram. (Now Joram had 27kept Ramoth-gilead, he and all Israel, because of Hazael king of Syria.
26 See, concerning the signification of the Hebrew word, 1 Kings 15 on verse 27.
27 That is, furnished, fenced, and fortified with soldiers.
15But kingg Joram was returned to be healed 28in 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 29minds, then let none go forth nor escape out of the city to 30go to tell it in 31Jezreel.
g 2 Kings 8:29.
28 See hereof 2 Kings 8:29.
29 Hebr. soul. See Gen. 23 on verse 8. That is, if you think it good, if it pleases you.
30 Namely, that I am made king.
31 Where king Joram was.
16So Jehu rode in a chariot, and went to Jezreel; for Joram 32lay there. And Ahaziah king of Judah was come down to see Joram.
32 Namely, sick of the wounds, which the Syrians had given him. See the previous verse.
17And 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?
18So there went one on horseback to meet him, and said, Thus saith the king, 33Is it peace? And Jehu said, 34What 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.
33 That is, do things go well? Is there no cause of fear or danger? Also verses 19, 22. See Gen. 29 on verse 6.
34 Hebr. what is it to thee, and the peace; that is, what hast thou to do with peace? Also in the following verse. See 2 Sam. 16 on verse 10.
19Then he sent out a second on horseback, which came to them, and said, Thus saith the king, Is it peace? And Jehu answered, What hast thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me.
20And 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 35furiously.
35 Hebr. in outrageousness, or, with outrageousness, that is, with such swiftness and boisterousness, as if he were mad, and meant to ride the horses to death.
21And 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 36portion of Naboth the Jezreelite.
36 See on verse 10.
22And it came to pass, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, Is it peace, Jehu? And he answered, What peace, so long as the 37whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her 38witchcrafts are so many?
37 Understand spiritual, which is idolatry. See Lev. 17 on verse 7; Lev. 20 on verse 5.
38 Understand the deceitful practices, whereby Jezebel enticed and enraptured men to idolatry. Compare Nahum 3:4.
23And Joram turned 39his hands, and fled, and said to Ahaziah, 40There is treachery, O Ahaziah.
39 Namely, wherewith he turned himself about in the chariot, or pointed to his chariot-driver, or also himself caught hold of the reins, to turn the chariot about, and to take flight. Compare 1 Kings 22:34.
40 That is, Jehu is come hither in a deceitful and treacherous way, to attack unexpectedly and murder me.
24And Jehu 41drew a bow with his full strength, and 42smote Jehoram between his arms, and the arrow went out at his heart, and he 43sunk down in his chariot.
41 Hebr. filled his hand with the bow. Understand that he put forth all the strength of his arm to bend the bow to the full, and stretch it out to the utmost, to give a mighty shot therewith.
42 Or, shot. Hebr. smote.
43 Hebr. bowed down in his chariot.
25Then said Jehu to Bidkar his captain, Take up, and cast him in the portion of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite: 44for remember how that, when I and thou rode together after Ahab his father, the LORD laid this 45burden upon him;
44 It seems that Ahab, when after the death of Naboth he went to take possession of his vineyard, had with him certain courtiers and officers of the army, and that amongst them there were Jehu and Bidkar, who had heard the words (mentioned in the following verse) expressed by Elijah against Ahab.
45 That is, this prophetical threat, or this aforesaid punishment. So is the word burden frequently taken by the prophets, because punishments are heavy and grievous, as well in hearing, when they are announced, as in feeling, when they do actually seize upon a man, Isa. 13:1; 15:1; Jer. 23:33, 34. Nahum 1:1; Hab. 1:1. Zech. 9:1.
26Surelyh46I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth, and the blood 47of his sons, saith the LORD; and I will requite thee in this 48plat, 49saith the LORD. Now therefore take and cast him into the plat of ground, according to the word of the LORD.
h 1 Kings 21:19.
46 These are the words of the Lord uttered with an oath against Ahab.
47 Hence it appears that not only Naboth was murdered, but also his children, that Ahab might the quieter enjoy Naboth’s estate.
48 See on verse 10.
49 That is, surely I have seen it, and will surely recompense it unto thee on this plot of ground. See of this kind of oath also ascribed to God, Num. 14 on verse 23.
27¶But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the way 50of the garden house. And Jehu followed after him, and said, 51Smite him also in the chariot. And they did so at the going up to 52Gur, which is by 53Ibleam. And he fled to 54Megiddo, and died there.
50 Which was planted with trees, so that in fleeing a man could hide himself better than elsewhere, to get safely away.
51 That is, kill him; for he was also of Ahab’s family, namely, by his mother’s side, which was Ahab’s daughter. See 2 Kings 8 on verse 18.
52 This seems to have been a place on the way to Samaria, by which Ahaziah fled, when Jehu was busy in killing Joram. Now Jehu, perceiving that Ahaziah was got away from him, sent his soldiers after him. These (as some perceive) came so near to him in this place, that they wounded him there, but not mortally, so that he escaped to Samaria, where he hid himself, 2 Chron. 22:9, until he, being there also pursued to be brought to Jehu, was mortally wounded, but escaped to Megiddo, where he died.
53 See Joshua 17:11.
54 See 1 Kings 9 on verse 15.
28And his servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him in his sepulchre with his fathers in the city of 55David.
55 See 1 Kings 2 on verse 10.
29And in the 56eleventh year of Joram the son of Ahab began Ahaziah to reign over Judah.
56 That is, in the end of the eleventh, and beginning of the twelfth year. See 2 Kings 8:25.
30¶And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she 57painted her face, and tiredi her head, and looked out at a window.
57 Hebr. put her eyes in painting, that is, besmeared her face with painting. It seems that she boldly dressed and adorned herself, as it were, to intimidate Jehu by her royal majesty into fear and impotence.
i (verb) put on head-dress*
31And as Jehu entered in at the 58gate, she said, Had 59Zimrij peace, who slew his master?
58 Namely, of the king’s palace, out of which Jezebel looked.
59 She calls Jehu a second Zimri, who had murdered his lord Elah, the king of Israel, 1 Kings 16:8, 9, 10, which murder had a fearful and abominable end in Zimri by Omri’s means. With this Jezebel now upbraids Jehu, to scare him, but in vain, because he was commanded by God to do that which he did. Other, Did Zimri prosper, that slew his lord?
j 1 Kings 16:18.
32And he lifted up his face to the window, and said, 60Who is on my side? who? And there looked out to him two or three 61eunuchs.
60 Jehu spoke this to those who were with Jezebel, asking if any were affected to his cause.
61 That is, gentlemen, noblemen, court-officers, who were in Jezebel’s company, as she looked out of the window. The Hebrew word signifies properly eunuchs, such as were most of them the chamberlains of queens and princesses in those times, and such peradventure these were. See Gen. 37 on verse 36.
33And 62he said, Throw her down. So 63they threw her down: and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses: and 64he trode her under foot.
62 Namely, Jehu.
63 Namely, the chamberlains.
64 Namely, Jehu.
34And when he was 65come in, he did eat and drink, and said, Go, see now this cursed woman, and bury her: for shekis a 66king’s daughter.
65 Namely, into the palace.
k 1 Kings 16:31.
66 Namely, the daughter of the king of the Zidonians, called Ethbaal, 1 Kings 16:31.
35And they went to bury her: but they found no more of her than the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands.
36Wherefore they came again, and told him. And he said, This is the word of the LORD, which he spake 67by his servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 68Inl the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel:
67 Hebr. by the hand of.
68 See on verse 10, and concerning this prophecy, see 1 Kings 21:23, where, although so many words are there not present, yet the meaning of this aforesaid accomplishment is to be found.
l 1 Kings 21:23.
37And the carcase of Jezebel shall be as dung 69upon the face of the field in the portion of Jezreel; so that they shall not say, This is Jezebel.
69 Or, upon the field. Hebr. upon the face of the field.