The Second Book of the Kings, commonly called the Fourth Book of the Kings
2 Kings 10
Chapter X · Vol. II, pp. 781–782
1 Jehu, by his letters, causeth seventy of Ahab's children to be beheaded. 8 He excuseth the fact by the prophecy of Elijah. 12 At the shearing house he slayeth two and forty of Ahaziah's brethren. 15 He taketh Jehonadab into his company. 18 By subtlety he destroyeth at once all the worshippers of Baal. 29 Jehu followeth Jeroboam's sins. 32 Hazael oppresseth Israel. 34 Jehoahaz succeedeth Jehu.
1 And Ahab had aseventy sons1 in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, unto bthe rulers of Jezreel,2 to the elders, and to them that brought up3 Ahab's children, saying,
A.M. 3120. B.C. 884.
a 1 Ki.21,21.
1 The practice of having many wives will account for this great family. Priam of Troy had 50 sons and 12 daughters; Artaxerxes Mnemon of Persia had 118; and the emperor of Morocco, in 1720, is said to have had 700 sons all alive at one time.—C.
b De.16.18. 1 Ki.21.8-14.
2 Some copies, instead of Jezreel, read 'Samaria,' others 'the city.' Jezreel seems the true reading, the authorities having fled to Samaria for safety.—C.
3 Heb. nourishers. [It is still usual in eastern countries for the king to relieve himself from the charge of maintaining his children, by consigning one to the care of one great person, and another to another, to be maintained and educated at their expense.—I.]
2 Now, cas 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,
3 Look even out dthe best and meetest of your master's sons, and set him on his father's throne, and fight4 for your master's house.5
d De.17.14,15. 1 Sa.11.15. 2 Sa.2.8,9. 1 Ki.2.24.
4 This was an offer very unlikely to be accepted, as Jehu was supported by the army, and Ahab's wicked family could have few sincere friends.—C.
5 No reader need be told that these letters were all ironical. It was the same as if he had said, Ye have no means of defence; Israel is with me; if you yield not up yourselves and the city, I will put you all to the sword.'—Clarke.
4 But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, etwo kings stood not before him; how then shall we stand?
e ch.9.24,27. Lu.14.31.
5 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, fWe 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.
f 1 Ki.20.4. Jos.9.11,24,25. ch.18.14. Je.38.17. Ec.10.4.
6 Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, If ye be mine,6 and if ye will hearken unto my voice, take ye gthe 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, which brought them up.)
6 Heb. for me.
g Ex.20.5. Jos.7.24. Re.2.23. Is.14.20,21. 1 Ki.21.21. Je.48.10. Job 18.17,19; 20.27; 21.19.
7 And it came to pass, when the letter came to them, that they took the king's sons, and slewh seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent him them to Jezreel.
h Re.2.23. Mat.14.8,11. ver.6.
8 And there came a messenger, and told him, saying, They have brought the heads of the king's sons. And he said, iLay ye them in two heaps7 at the entering in of the gate until the morning.
i De.22.15. Ps.9.15,16; 50.21,22.
7 Most probably one on each side—a custom still prevailing even at the palace gates in the Turkish and Persian empires—empires that, like Jehu, profess great zeal for God, but demonstrate their insincerity by injustice and cruelty to men.—C.
9 And it came to pass in the morning, that he went out, and stood, and said to all the people, Ye be krighteous:8 behold, I conspired against my master, and slew him; but who slew all these?
k 1 Sa.25.22. 1 Ki.21.21. Pr.21.3. ch.9.14.
8 Not ironical, but in approbation of their zeal, not only like, but beyond, his own. He slew one of the devoted house; they seventy.—C.
10 Know now, lthat 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 by9 his servant Elijah.
11 So Jehu slew mall that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his kinsfolks,1 and nhis priests, until he left him none remaining.
12 And he arose, and departed, and came to Samaria: and as he was at the 2shearing-house3 in the way.4
2 Heb. house of shepherds binding sheep.
3 Some public place constructed near a running stream, where the sheep could be washed previous to shearing. In a pastoral country, where running water was scanty, such a place would be of some public importance.—C.
4 The Hebrew word Beth-eked, here translated 'shearing-house,' is most probably the proper name of a village between Jezreel and Samaria, and not far from the latter.—P.
13 Jehu met 5with othe 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 salute6 the children of the king, and the children of the queen.
14 And he said, pTake them alive. And they took them alive, and slew them at the 7pit of the shearing-house, even two and forty men; neither left he any of them.
p ver.6,10,11. 2 Ch.22.8. Ps.50.21,22. Pr.13.20,21.
7 The place, it may be presumed, where the sheep were washed, by passing them towards the shearing-house, from one shepherd to another, all standing in the water, and each washing the sheep as it passed.—C.
15 And when he was departed thence, he lighted 8on qJehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him: and he rsaluted him, and said to him, sIs 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 to him into the chariot.9
8 Heb. found.
r Heb. blessed, Ge.31.55.
s 1 Ch.12.17,18. Ga.2.9; 4.12.
9 That the sin of drunkenness had made considerable progress in Israel, appears probable from 1 Ki.4.20 and 16.9; and the notice of the Syrian king, 1 Ki.20.12,16. Of this sin, Jehonadab, the son of Rechab, an Arabian (whose posterity abide till this day, Je.35.19), was a vigorous opponent—a notable reformer of his country's dissolute manners. Honest and self-denying himself, he thinks Jehu so likewise, and therefore goes out to meet him, while the shrewd, cunning, and reckless zealot takes advantage of his popularity to countenance and aid him in his selfish proceedings.—C.
16 And he said, Come with me, and see tmy zeal for the LORD. So they made him ride in his chariot.
t 1 Ki.19.17. ch.9.7-9. Pr.27.2. Mat.6.2. Ro.10.2,3.
17 And when he came to Samaria, he slew all that remained unto Ahab in Samaria, till he had udestroyed him, according to the saying of the LORD, which he spake to Elijah.
u 1 Ki.21.21. Mal.4.1,3. 2 Ch.22.8. ver.6,11.
18 And Jehu gathered all the people together, and said unto them, xAhab served Baal a little,1 but Jehu shall serve him much.
x 1 Ki.16.31,32. Job 13.7. Ro.3.8. Phi.4.8.
1 Jehu had determined to have no worship in Israel but that of the golden calves at Dan and Bethel; therefore he purposes to destroy all the worshippers of Baal; and, that he might do it without suspicion, he proclaims a great sacrifice; and, that he may do it the more easily, he gathers them all together into one place.—I.
19 Now therefore call unto me all ythe 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 zin subtilty, to the intent that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal.
y 1 Ki.22.6. ch.3.13; ver.21.
z 2 Co.12.16; 4.2. Mat.10.16.
20 And Jehu said, aProclaim a solemn assembly for Baal. And they proclaimed it.
a Heb. sanctify, 1 Ki.21.12; 18.19.
21 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 bthey came into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was full from one end to another.1
A.M. 3120. B.C. 884.
b Joel 3.2,11,12. Re.16.16. ver.19.
1 Or, so full, that they stood mouth to mouth.
22 And he said unto him that was over the vestry, Bring forth cvestments for all the worshippers of Baal. And he brought them2 forth vestments.3
c Ex.28.2. 2 Co.11.14,15.
2 Not merely for the priests, but all the worshippers. Every Jew in the synagogue wears a kind of scarf around his shoulders, during the time of worship. Such would seem to have been the practice with the Baalites.—C.
3 Sacred robes.
23 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.
24 And when they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt-offerings, Jehu appointed fourscore men without, and said, dIf 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.
25 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, eand slay them; let none come forth. And they smote them with the edge4 of the sword; and the guard and the captains cast them out, and went to the city5 of the house of Baal.
e Eze.9.5,6. 1 Ki.18.40.
4 Heb. the mouth.
5 The 'inner sanctuary;' the worshippers were merely in the court. C.—Dathe conjectures that the word translated 'city' should be rendered 'inner sanctuary.' No 'city of the house of Baal' is elsewhere mentioned.—I.
27 And they fbrake down the image of Baal, and brake down the house of Baal, and made it a draught-house7 unto this day.
f 1 Ki.16.31,32. De.7.5,25. Ezr.6.11. Da.2.5; 3.29. Le.26.30.
7 To disgrace it to the utmost, by putting it to the vilest uses, Mat. 15. 17. C.—This was an ancient mode of degradation, which still continues in the East. We are informed that Abbas the Great, king of Persia, having conquered Bagdad, treated the tomb of Hanifah, one of the fathers of the church among the Turks, in a similar way.—I.
28 Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.
29 Howbeitg from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them,8 to wit, the golden calves that were in Beth-el, and that were in Dan.
g Mar.6.20; 12.34. Ho.1.4; 13.1,2. 1 Ki.12.28,29. ch.3.3; 13.2,11; 14.24; 15.9,18,24; ver.31.
8 'Woe be to us, O God, if we are not all thine. We cannot but everlastingly depart from thee, if we depart not from every sin. Thou hast cleansed our hearts from the bane of gross idolatries; O clear us from the golden calves of our petty corruptions.'—Bishop Hall.
30 And the LORD said unto Jehu, hBecause 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 ifourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.9
h Nu.25.11-13. 1 Ki.21.29. ch.9.7. Mat.6.2; 10.42.
i ver.35; ch.13.10; 14.23; 15.8,12.
9 God had sentenced Ahab, Jezebel, and Joram as murderers, and approves of Jehu so far as he executed that sentence; but sanctions neither the cruel spirit nor perfidious and hypocritical manner in which it was accomplished, Ho.1.4.—C.
31 But Jehu took no kheed1 to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart: for he ldeparted not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin.2
1 Heb. observed not.
l 1 Ki.12.28-33; 15.26,30; 16.19,26. ch.3.3; ver.29.
2 Here his thorough hypocrisy appears: he followed God with flaming zeal so far as it served his purposes. He immediately stops short when self-interest directs him to prefer Jeroboam to Moses—to the law—to God.—C.
32 In those days3 the LORD mbegan to cut4 Israel short:5 and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel;
3 cir. 860.
m ch.8.12; ver.33.
4 Heb. to cut off the ends.
5 Cut off their frontier towns and settlements.—C.
33 From Jordan eastward,6 all nthe land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, (which is by the river Arnon,) even Gilead and Bashan.7
6 Heb. toward the rising of the sun.
n Nu.xxxii. De.3.12-17. Jos.13.9-12.
7 Or, even to Gilead and Bashan.
34 Nowo 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?
o 1 Ki.11.41,43; 14.19,20,29,31; 15.23,24,31; 16.5,6,15,27,28; 22.45,50. ch.12.19; 13.8,9,12,13.
Notes
Reflections.—Obstinate sinners lay up terrible judgments for themselves and their seed: and loads of guilt extirpate numerous and flourishing families. But none are more ready to imbrue their hands in the blood of a sovereign's children than those who have been his instruments in murdering the innocent. No regard to their prince will afterwards restrain those whose hands have by his order been drenched in blood. They who debauch men's consciences will find the effects of it return on their own heads. Guilt makes men spiritless cowards when brought to a trial: they will be always ready to side with the strongest: and when they want an excuse to cover their shame, any shadow of argument will stand. It is common for wicked men to lessen their guilt by comparing it with that of others. But friendship and intimacy with sinners involves us in their punishment: and such as have been instruments in wickedness share in the ruin of their wicked encouragers. How righteous are the judgments of God, even when the executors act wickedly! But it is ill-boding when pretended reformers are proud of their work, and indulge themselves in hypocrisy and falsehood to accomplish it. They who boast of their zeal give ground to suspect their sincerity. And though the godly, whom they caress for their selfish interests, cannot but approve what is apparently good, the Lord will at last discover their hypocrisy and evil. False religion ought to be extirpated, and wicked men overcome: and if men overlook them, Jesus will at last convene them to execute his justice upon them. It shows the great evil of the heart when the wisdom of the serpent meets with its poison in our work; and when with severity we extirpate one form of false worship, yet cleave at the same time to another. Real converts must put away all sin without reserve. For how awful will be our state, if, when we have done good to the souls of others, we should lose our own by our negligence in the service of God! If hypocrites receive their temporary reward of good deeds on earth, how much more glorious the reward of the diligent saint! And while God rewards men for what they do well, it is just that he should severely punish them for what they do amiss.