For the whole house of Ahab shall perish ,.... Be cut off by death, and that in a violent manner, not one should escape: and I will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel ; of these phrases; see Gill on 1 Kings 14:10 , 1 Kings 21:21 read more
Elisha is still the primary figure in the historical drama; but at this point his personality merges in the general account of the kingdom of Israel, which it is one of the objects of the writer to trace from beginning to end. Elisha here performs his last public act, being commissioned, and carrying out his commission, to transfer the kingdom of Israel from the unworthy dynasty of Omri, which on account of its persistent idolatry has fallen under Divine condemnation, to a new dynasty, that of... read more
The prophet and the prophet-disciple-the duties of direction and of obedience. The time had come for a great change—a "great revolution," to use the words of Ewald. The first dynasty of Israel which had shown any indications of stability was to be swept away, and another still more stable dynasty was to be established. That the will of God might be seen and recognized in the matter, its initiation was entrusted to the regular expounders of the Divine will—the prophets. Elisha, we may be... read more
Jehu made king. The word of the Lord to Elijah, that Jehu should be anointed king ( 1 Kings 19:16 ), was now to be fulfilled. The delay in the fulfillment is perhaps to be attributed to Ahab's repentance ( 1 Kings 21:29 ). God bore long with this wicked house, and did not cut it off till the cup of its iniquity was full. The execution of God's threatenings may be long postponed, but, like his promises, his threatenings never fail in the end to be fulfilled ( 2 Peter 3:9 ). I. THE ... read more
THE ANOINTING OF JEHU . His MURDER OF JEHORAM AND AHAZIAH . THE DEATH OF JEZEBEL . read more
The deaths of Jehoram and Jezebel; or, the Divine law of retribution. King Jehoram was lying sick at Jezreel of the wounds he had received in battle from the Syrians. Ahaziah King of Judah had come down to visit him, and, as they conversed together, the watchman upon the city wall brought tidings of an armed company approaching. Jehu, at the head of them, was by-and-by recognized by his furious driving. He had already been proclaimed king in Ramoth-Gilead, but Jehoram knew nothing of this.... read more
For the whole house of Ahab shall perish: and I will cut off from Ahab him that passeth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel (see the comment on 1 Kings 14:10 ). While the exact force of the phrases used is doubtful, the general intention to embrace in the sentence all Ahab's posterity cannot be doubted. read more
2 Kings 9:8. For the whole house of Ahab shall perish That is, all his posterity and all his kindred. Jehu, therefore, having received such a charge, is to be considered, in what he afterward did to the house of Ahab, as acting not out of a spirit of revenge, for he had no quarrel with the house of Ahab; but, as the minister of God, who, by his prophet, authorized and enjoined him to do what follows. read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Kings 9:1-10
We have here the anointing of Jehu to be king, who was, at this time, a commander (probably commander-in-chief) of the forces employed at Ramoth-Gilead, 2 Kgs. 9:14. There he was fighting for the king his master, but received orders from a higher king to fight against him. It does not appear that Jehu aimed at the government, or that he ever thought of it, but the commission given him was a perfect surprise to him. Some think that he had been anointed before by Elijah, whom God ordered to do... read more