2 Kings 9:13

Then they hasted, and took every man his garment, and put it under him on the top of the stairs,.... That is, under Jehu, that he might be raised higher, and put on an eminence above them, agreeably

Then they hasted, and took every man his garment, and put it under him on the top of the stairs, and blew with trumpets, saying, Jehu is king. Hasted, and took every man his garment.

Then they hasted; being well-pleased with the thing; partly, from the advantage which hereby they expected; partly, from that desire of change which is in most men’ s natures; and principally, by God’ s providence inclining their hearts to Jehu. Took every man his garment, and put it under him; a ceremony used in the eastern parts towards superiors, in token of great reverence to his person, that they would not have his feet to touch the ground, and that they put themselves and their concerns under his feet, and into his disposal. See Poole "". On the top of the stairs; in some high and eminent place, whence he might be seen and owned by all the soldiers, who were called together upon this great occasion.

2 Kings 9:13 Then they hasted, and took every man his garment, and put [it] under him on the top of the stairs, and blew with trumpets, saying, Jehu is king.Ver. 13. Then they hasted.] See on 2 Kings 9:11. And took every man his garment, and put it under him.] That is, under Jehu, in token of subjection, and for a ceremony of honour which they used to their new kings, as Matthew 21:7-8. The Romans had a like custom, as Plutarch writeth; and the Grecians, as Athenaeus. On the top of the stairs.] i.e., In suggesto regio, in some high place, which they made use of for a throne. Jun.

(13) Then (and) they hasted.—LXX., “and they heard, and hasted.” This is probably original, the sense being that the moment they heard it, they hastily took up their outer garments, and laid them as a carpet for Jehu to walk upon. (Comp. Luke 19:36.) The instantaneous action of the generals shows that there must have existed a strong feeling against Joram in the army and an enthusiasm for Jehu which only required a word from him to precipitate a revolution. Put it under him on the top of the stairs.—So Kimchi, “at the uppermost step.” The words are much discussed by commentators. The LXX. has, “and put it underneath him on the garem of the steps” (retaining the Hebrew word gèrem); the Syriac, “and put it under him on a seat of steps;” the Targum, “at the steps of the hours,” i.e., a flight of steps which served as a sundial (comp. 2 Kings 20:11); the Vulg., “and each one, taking his cloak, put it under his feet in similitudinem tribunalis,” i.e., in the fashion of a rostrum, or elevated platform; the Arabic, “on the steps of the rise” (or “elevation”). The word gèrem, rendered “top,” can hardly have that meaning. In Hebrew it rarely occurs (Proverbs 17:22; Proverbs 25:15), and means bone, for which in Aramaic it is the usual term (Daniel 6:25). In Arabic the word means “body,” and it is usually so explained in one passage of the Bible (Genesis 49:14), “Issachar is a strong ass;” literally, an ass of body. As the Aramaic garmâ is used in the sense of “self,” some would render the present phrase, “on the stairs themselves.” But perhaps we may better translate on the analogy of the Arabic word, “They put (their cloaks) under him, on to (‘el) the body of the stairs.” The stairway on the outside of the house, leading to the roof, served as an extemporised throne, or rather platform, for the king. (Comp. 2 Kings 11:14.) Some Hebrew MSS. have “upon” for “on to.” (Comp. 2 Samuel 21:10, “on the rock.”)

Verse 13. Took every man his garment] This was a ceremony by which they acknowledged him as king; and it was by such a ceremony that the multitudes acknowledged Jesus Christ for the Messiah and King of Israel, a little before his passion: see Matthew 21:7, and the note there. The ceremony was expressive: "As we put our garments under his feet, so we place every thing under his authority, and acknowledge ourselves his servants." On the top of the stairs] The Chaldee, the rabbins, and several interpreters, understand this of the public sun-dial; which in those ancient times, was formed of steps like stairs, each step serving to indicate, by its shadow, one hour, or such division of time as was commonly used in that country. This dial was, no doubt, in the most public place; and upon the top of it, or on the platform on the top, would be a very proper place to set Jehu, while they blew their trumpets, and proclaimed him king. The Hebrew מעלות maaloth is the same word which is used 2Kg 20:9-11, to signify the dial of Ahaz; and this was probably the very same dial on which that miracle was afterwards wrought: and this dial, מעלות maaloth, from עלה alah, to go up, ascend, was most evidently made of steps; the shadows projected on which, by a gnomon, at the different elevations of the sun, would serve to show the popular divisions of time. 2Kg 20:9, &c., and the diagram at the end of that chapter.

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 put it 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 ἐπὶτὸγαρὲμ. 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).

Took every man his garment, and put it under him - The outer cloak of the Jews was a sort of large shawl or blanket, which might well serve for a carpet of state.

13. Took every man his garment — This spreading of garments down for sovereigns to tread upon was and is a common custom in the East.Compare Matthew 21:7. It was a public expression of subjection and homage.