Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Kings 9

JEHU ANOINTED BY ELISHA’S MESSENGER AS KING OF ISRAEL. HE SLAYS JEHORAM. AHAZIAH AND JEZEBEL. (Compare to 2 Chronicles 22:7–9.)

And Elisha the prophet called. —Rather, meanwhile Elisha had called—that is, while Joram was lying ill from his wounds. The Hebrew construction again indicates not so much succession as contemporaneousness.

One of the children (sons) of the prophets. —Rashi says it was Jonah, who is mentioned in 2 Kings 14:25.

Box. —The same word occurs again only in 1 Samuel 10:1. Render, phial.

And when you come there. —Rather, And enter into it—that is, into the town of Ramoth. This makes it clear that the Israelites had retaken Ramoth from the Syrians (compare also the mention of “chambers” and “the door” in 2 Kings 9:3, and the order, 2 Kings 9:15, to “let no man escape out of the city”) probably before Joram returned to Jezreel (2 Kings 9:14). Josephus expressly asserts this.

Jehu. —Probably left in supreme command of the forces at Jehoram’s departure, as being the ablest of the generals (so Josephus).

The son of Jehoshaphat. —It is curious that the father of Jehu who executed the sentence of Jehovah upon the house of Ahab should have had this name (“Jehovah judgeth”). Nothing is known of Jehu’s origin. He is twice mentioned by Shalmaneser II., king of Assyria, as one of his tributaries.

In a fragment of his Annals relating to the campaign against Hazael, undertaken in his eighteenth year (see Note on 2 Kings 8:15), the Assyrian monarch states that, after besieging Damascus, and ravaging the Haurân, he marched to the mountains of Baal-rôsh, the foreland of the sea (Carmel?), and set up his royal image on it. “In that day the tribute of the land of the Tyrians (and) Sidonians, (and) of Ya’ua (Jehu), son of Omri, I received.”

On the Black Obelisk there is a representation of Jehu’s tribute-bearers, and, perhaps, of Jehu himself, kneeling before Shalmaneser. The superscription is: “Tribute of Ya’ua, son of Humrì (Omri)—(ingots of) silver and gold, a bowl of gold, ewers of gold, goblets of gold, buckets of gold, (ingots of) lead, a rod of the hand of the king, spears—I received it.”

Go in. —Into Jehu’s house.

From among his brethren — that is, his comrades in arms; his fellow-captains.

Carry him. —Literally, cause him to enter. The object was secrecy.

An inner chamber. —Literally, a chamber in a chamber. A phrase which occurred in 1 Kings 20:30; 1 Kings 22:25. Thenius thinks this is a mark of identity of authorship.

Then. — And (both times).

Thus saith the Lord ... over Israel. — Only the chief part of the message to Jehu is here given, to avoid publicity. (See below, 2 Kings 9:6–9.)

Over Israel. — Literally, unto Israel, both here and in 2 Kings 9:12. But a great number of manuscripts, and all the versions in both places, read over Israel.

Tarry not. — So as to avoid all questioning, and to give greater force to the act.

Even the young man the prophet. —Rather, the young man of the prophet—i.e., Elisha’s minister. The construction, however, is unusual, and some manuscripts, the Septuagint and the Syriac, omit the young man in the second place. This gives the suitable reading: So the young man, the prophet, went, etc.

And when he came, behold. —Rather, And he went in, and look. He went into Jehu’s headquarters.

The captains of the host were sitting. —In council with Jehu.