And they broke down the temple of Baal ,.... Which some take to be Belus, others Saturn, others the sun, which seems most probable: and broke down the house of Baal ; his temple, demolished it: and made it a draught house until this day ; a common sewer, a jakes; a fit place for dunghill gods to be thrown into, and an idol temple to be turned into. read more
Made it a draught house - A place for human excrement; so all the versions understand it. Nothing could be more degrading than this; he made it a public necessary. read more
The revolution initiated by the destruction of Joram and Jezebel is here traced through its second and its third stages. The immediate question, after Joram's death, was—Would any member of his family rise up as a claimant of the throne, and dispute the succession with Jehu? Ahab had seventy male descendants, all of them resident in Samaria: would there be any one among their number bold enough to come forward and assert his hereditary fight? Jehu regarded this as the most pressing and... read more
THE REIGN OF JEHU OVER ISRAEL . read more
Destruction of the worshippers of Baal. The plans of Jehu were already assuming larger shape. He had now a scheme in view for rooting Baal entirely out of the land. I. THE MEETING WITH JEHONADAB . 1. A helpful ally . While relying mainly on his own promptitude and energy, Jehu had a shrewd eye to whatever would help to strengthen his position before the people. Hasting to Samaria in his chariot, he met a man of much reputation for sanctity—Jehonadab the son of Rechab. As... read more
The zeal of Jehu, and its lessons. Jehu is now going up to Samaria with the resolve to destroy the prophets of Baal firmly rooted in his heart. On his way he meets Jehonadab the son of Rechab. This Jehonadab was the founder of the Rechabites. It was he who commanded his children to drink no wine, to build no houses, and plant no vineyards, but to live in tents all their days—a command which was so scrupulously obeyed by their descendants that the Lord instructed the Prophet Jeremiah to hold... read more
Jehu destroys the worshippers of Baal, arid puts an end to the Baal-worship. read more
And they brake down the image of Baal ; rather, they brake in pieces the pillar of Baal . The representation of Baal, the main stele of the temple, being of stone or metal, could not be destroyed by fire, and was therefore broken to pieces. And brake down the house of Baal — i.e. partially ruined it, but still left portions of it standing, as a memorial of the sin and of its punishment—a solemn warning, one would have thought, to the people of the capital— and made it a... read more
And they brake down the image of Baal - The other images, it appears, were not images of Baal, but of inferior deities. The image of Baal, which was “broken down,” and not burned, would seem to have been of stone, perhaps erected in front of the temple. read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Kings 10:15-28
Jehu, pushing on his work, is here, I. Courting the friendship of a good man, Jehonadab the son of Rechab, 2 Kgs. 10:15, 16. This Jehonadab, though mortified to the world and meddling little with the business of it (as appears by his charge to his posterity, which they religiously observed 300 years after, not to drink wine nor dwell in cities, Jer. 35:6), yet, upon this occasion, went to meet Jehu, that he might encourage him in the work to which God had called him. The countenance of good... read more