John Gill Commentary 2 Kings 9

And Elisha the prophet called one of the children of the
prophets
Who the Jews generally say ^F11 was Jonah the son of Amittai:

and said, gird up your loins ;
his loose and long garments about his loins, for quicker dispatch in travelling:

and take this box of oil in your hand ;
for an use after directed to:

and go to Ramothgilead ;
where Joram had left his army with his captains, to keep the city from the Syrians.

FOOTNOTES:

• F11: Seder Olam Rabba, c. 18. p. 47.

And when thou comest thither
To Ramothgilead; but from where he went is uncertain, doubtless where there was a school of the prophets, perhaps that which was erected near Jordan, on the other side of which lay Ramothgilead, (2 Kings 6:1 2 Kings 6:2) ,

look out there Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi ;
the same that Elijah was ordered to anoint, but it was deferred till now, a reprieve being granted to Ahab upon his humiliation, (1 Kings 19:16) (21:29) ,

and go in, and make him arise up from among his brethren ;
the captains of the army:

and carry him into an inner chamber ;
a chamber within a chamber, as in the original; this he was to do for secrecy, that it might not be seen what he did to Jehu; and lest he should be prevented doing it by the captains, or be exposed to danger for doing it; since that might be deemed treason to do what he was to do, and did, as follows.

Then take the box of oil, and pour it on his head
When in the chamber together alone:

and say, thus says the Lord, I have anointed you king over Israel ;
which was done, not with the anointing oil in the temple, which could not be come by; and with which, as Kimchi from their Rabbins says, only the kings of the house of David were anointed, and they only when there was a division, or the crown was translated to another family, as was the case now; but with common oil, or the oil of balsam, such as the prophet had in his house:

then open the door and flee, and tarry not ;
lest he should be examined by the captains, and come into danger; though before he went out he was to say what is recorded in (2 Kings 9:7–10) .

So the young man, even the young man the prophet, went to
Ramothgilead .
] It is repeated, that it might be observed that it was a young man that went, who was more fit for this service than Elisha, partly because of his age, and partly because he would be less known; as also his age is remarked, this being a bold and daring action in a young man to anoint a new king, as well as it was honourable;

and moreover, he was not only one of the sons of the prophets, but was a prophet himself, though young, and still a more fit person for such a service; though the Targum is, a young man, a disciple of the prophets.

And when he came, behold, the captains of the host were
sitting
Either at a table, being at dinner, or at a council of war:

and he said, I have an errand to you, O captain ;
looking and directing his speech to Jehu; or, "I have a word to you" ^F12 ; something to say toyou, intimating that he desired to speak to him alone:

and Jehu said, to which of all of us ?
not perhaps at first thoroughly understanding who he meant; or however was willing to have it repeated andexplained, that it might be manifest to the whole company that he was intended:

and he said, to you, O captain ;
and to him only.

FOOTNOTES:

• F12: (Kyla yl rbd) "verbum mihi ad te", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus.