2 Kings 10

2 Kings 10:1-14

We have in this chapter, 1. Jehu’s execution of his commission. (1.) Upon Ahab’s sons, ver. 1—10. (2.) Upon all his heathred, ver. 11—12. 2. Upon Ahaziah’s brethren, ver. 12—14. (4.) Upon Ahab’s idols, and their veterans, ver. 15—28. 3. His sin is retaining the worship of the calves, ver. 29—31. 4. God’s judgments upon him for it by Hamael, with which his reign concludes, ver. 32—36.

1. AND Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria: and Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, unto the rulers of Jezebel, to the elders, and to them that brought up Ahab’s children, saying, 2. Now as soon as this letter comes to you, seeing your mafter’s sons are with you, and there are with you chariots and hordes, a fenced city also, and armour: 3. ‘Look even out the bed and merced of your mafter’s sons and let him on his father’s throne, and fight for your mafter’s house. 4. But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, ’two kings stood not before him: how then shall we stand? 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, We are thy servants, and will do all that thou shalt hid us; we will not make any king: do thou that which is good in thine eyes. 6. Then he

wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, If ye be mine, and if ye will hear him unto my voice, take ye be heals of the men your mafter’s sons, and come to me to Jezebel by to-morrow this time: (now the king’s sons being seventy perches, were with the great men of the city, which I brought them up). 7. And it came to pass when the letter came to them, that they took the king’s sons, and ‘few seventy perches, and put their heads in baskets, and lent them to Jezebel. 8. 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. 9. 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 conjured against my mafter, and flew him: but who flew all these? 10. 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. 11. So Jehu flew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezebel, and all his great men, and his 5 kinshelks, and his priefs, until he left him none remaining. 12. And he arose and departed, and came to Samaria. And as he was at the shearing-house in the way, 13. 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. 14. And he said, Take them alive. And they took them alive, and flew them at the pit of the shearing-house, crew two and forty men; neither left he any of them.

With fidelity Jehu proceeds in the execution of his commission.

1. He binds an officer to Samaria, where Ahab’s sons and grandsons were educated under the great men of his court, and sails them, if they dare, let up the nobells of them to dispute the crown with him; not as advising the measure, but to intimidate them from the attempt.

2. Their coward hearts tainted; and, though they wanted nothing which could enable them to make a gallant resistance, amply submit, and plead the death of the two kings, as a reason for their pusillanimity, though the argument was most absurd, as they fell unarmed, and unable to refill. Note, (1.) God makes men cowards. (2.) When men want an excuse to cover their shame, any shadow of argument will pass. (3.) They who by their sins refill God, may reasonably argue, How shall we stand?

3. To prove their submission, he orders them immediately to execute all their mafter’s sons, and send them by the morrow to Jezebel; and they, without hesitation at the perfidy and cruelty, instantly comply. They who had been Jezebel’s wicked executioners upon Nabosh and his sons, now dye those very hands in the blood of her children. Note, They who debauch men a conscience, will find the effects of their wickedness often return upon their own heads.

4. Jehu in the morning appearing in the gate, where he had ordered the heads of the king’s sons to be cast, acquits the people, and vindicates himself, by laying the load of guilt upon those perfidious murderers, who so hastily betrayed their stuff, and reminds the people of God’s hand in all this, as a judgment denounced on Ahab, thereby to reconcile them to his government, from which facts a bloody beginning might else have alienated them. Note, (1.) It is common for men to lessen their own guilt, by comparison with others; and to hope well of themselves, merely because others are worse than they. (2.) God’s judgments are righteous, though they who execute them act wickedly.

5. Jehu proceeded in his bloody work, and, without sparing, flew all Ahab’s relations, domestic priests, and great men, who had served him, and probably, among them, the bare murderers of his children. He resolves not to do the work of the Lord deceitfully, or to keep back his sword from blood. See, alviii. 10. Note, They who have been instruments to wicked men in their sins, will shortly suffer with them.

6. Ahaziah’s brethren, or rather his brother’s sons, (See 2 Chron. xxii. 1.) share the fate of Ahab’s house. Unadvised of what had passed, they are not going to pay their respects to Jezebel and Joram; and their avowed relation to them, and friendship for them, expose them to ruin.

7. And when he was departed hence, he lighted on ‘Jehonadab the son of Rechab, coming to meet him; and he slanted him, and said to him, Is thine heart right, as my heart is with thine heart? And Jehonadab answered,

Heb. David. 20. xxv. 6. Heb. Rishad.

Answered, § It is. If it be, ‘give me thy hand: and he gave him his hand, and he took him up to him into the chariot. 16. And he said, Come with me, and for my zeal for the LORD: So they made him ride in his chariot. 17. And when he came to Samaria, ‘he flew all that remained unto Ahab in Samaria, till he had destroyed him, according to the saying of the LORD, which he spake to Elijah. 18. ¶ And Jehu gathered all the people together, and said unto them, “Ahab served Baal a little,” for Jehu shall serve him much. 19. 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 nobility, to the intent that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal. 20. And Jehu said, ¶ Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal. And they proclaimed it. 21. And Jehu sent through all Israel, and all the worshippers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that came out: and they came into the house of Baal, and the house of Baal was full from one end to another. 22. And he said unto him that was over the valley, Being forth vestments for all the worshippers of Baal. And he brought them forth vestments. 23. And Jehu went and Jeho made the son of Rechah, 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-officings, Jehu appointed fourfoure men without, and said, If any of the men whom I have brought into your hands, escape, he that forfeit 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-officings, that Jehu said to the guard, and to the captains, Go to, and Day 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 house of Baal. 26. And they brought forth the images out of the house of Baal, and burnt them. 27. And they brake down the image of Baal, and brake down the house of Baal, and made it a draught house unto this day. 28. Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.

2 Kings 10:15-28

Jehu with indefatigable diligence pursues his blow; and as he drives to Samaria,

1. He meets Jeho and the son of Rechah, a man of eminent piety, coming to congratulate him on his sacrifice, and to encourage him to perfect what he had begun. Jehu with all respect salutes him, and enquires if Jeho and his cause, as he reverenced and respected him. On receiving the warmest assurances of his good welfare, Jehu invites him into his chariot, that he may be convinced of his zeal in the Lord’s cause; and by the guidance of so good a man, no doubt to gain the greater reputation to himself. Note, (1.) It is a question we need often put to ourselves and each other, Is time been right? upright and sincere in God’s service. All profession of zeal without that, is but hypocrisy and design. (2.) Where good men’s countenance to their cause is needful, great men will excise them; but their kisses are usually deceitful. (3.) Whenever there appears an outward fair profession of zeal for God, a good man cannot but charitably with success, and countenance the work. Hearts must be left to God’s searching. (4.) They who heath of their zeal, give cause to suspect their sincerity. (5.) Many will appear to serve God, as long as their own interest is advanced thereby, whose zeal quickly cools when they can no longer serve themselves.

2. Having destroyed at Samaria all Ahab’s friends and family, as he had done at Jezezel, he contrives how at a stroke to cut off the worshippers of Baal from the land. The design was good, but the lie which paved the way was evil; professing an uncommon zeal for the worship of Baal, which during Joram’s reign, who had removed the image of Baal, might have been less public and solemn, he concoches all the priests and zealous worshippers of Baal to Samaria, to partake of a great sacrifice for interests to their God, threatening death to the man who should be found wanting. This collected a vast concourse, the gates of Baal’s temple are open, the house thronged, and all the worshippers dressed for the solemn service; and now pretending zeal for the purity of the sacrifice, least any servants of Jeho and should have mingled with them, he orders hold hearts to be made. All things being ready, guards are placed at the avenues, that not a man may escape: every soul is malfaced in the temple, the building laid in ruins, the images burnt, and the worship of Baal for the time utterly exterminated. Note,

(1.) The wisdom of the serpent may be lawfully used in the cause of God, provided none of the person of the serpent may give the mouth. (2.) The executioners of God’s vengeance, more terrible than Jehu’s guards, will shortly without mercy, execute their commission on every servant of iniquity. (3.) God’s cause, though long oppressed, will rise victorious at the last; and when Jehu shall have cast the wicked into hell, then shall he reign over his faints gloriously.

29. ¶ 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 Beth-ah, and that were in Dan. 30. 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 be on the throne of Israel. 31. But Jehu took no head 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. 32. ¶ In those days the LORD began to cut Israel short: and Hazael became them in all the courts of Israel. 33. From Jordan, ¶ eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gables, and the Reubenites, and the Manafifters, from Aroer (which is by the river Arroan) even Gilead and Bethan. 34. 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? 35. And Jehu slept with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria, and Jeho has his son resigned in his stead. 36. And the § time that Jehu resigned over Israel in Samaria, was twenty and eight years.

¶ And I do not know that the word of the word is to be a word of the word. I do not know that the word is to be a word of the word. I do not know that the word is to be a word of the word. I do not know that the word is to be a word of the word. I do not know that the word is to be a word of the word. I do not know that the word is to be a word of the word. I do not know that the word is to be a word of the word.

2 Kings 10:29-36

What a pity that such promising appearances should drop short! Many come to be almsy, who are not altogether cherishants.

1. God declares his approbation of Jehu’s conduct in general. Though his heart was far from right, and the methods he took unjustifiable, yet the execution of God’s judgments upon the idolaters was agreeable to God’s will, and therefore a present reward is given him. The throne is assured in his godfermy, to the fourth generation. Note, If a hypocrite’s services have a temporal reward, how much more may the faithful expect, the eternal and never-fading crown of glory.

2. Jehu is end answered not his beginnings. He was, with all his zeal, prestigious in temper; took no head to walk in God’s ways or worship; carefully about pleasing him, when he was sick kind on the throne: and though he had put away the worship of Baal, he still stuck to the calves of Jeroboam, for the same political reasons as his predecessors. Note, (1.) They who are real converts, put away (in without return); not merely leaving those sins they grew tired of, or which hurtful them, but those that are most gainful and demagogy necessary. If a hoof of the calves be allowed left behind, we may not hope to please a jealous God. (2.) Negligence in the concerns of God’s service is fatally ruinous. (3.) A man may be the instrument of much good to other men’s souls, and yet after all lose his own.

3. The punishment of his unfaithful conduct, which it is to be feared his people imitated, God soon made him feel in the loss of all that part of his kingdom beyond Jordan, where the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manalith lay. They eagerly sought their settlement first, and now they are the first to suffer, malfaced no doubt; See chap. viii. 12. and led captive by Hazael, king of Syria. Note, They who chuse for themselves, without confiding God, will usually smart for it.

4. Jehu’s reign concludes after twenty-eight years; a longer space than most of his predecessors enjoyed, yet the events of it are buried for the most part in oblivion. Nothing farther good and gracious appeared in him to deserve mention, and all he did beside may better be buried with him. They are only truly great, and their memory to be had in honour, whose goodness marks them for examples to succeeding generations.