2 Kings 9:1

THE BLOODY END OF OMRI'S DYNASTY

"This narrative comes from the school of the prophets; and it is an objective and highly dramatic political history, with which criticism can find little fault."[1] This is in line with what this writer believes to be true regarding the entire group of historical books. No "Deuteronomist" had anything to do with any of them. As Josephus declared, "Only the prophets have written the original and earliest accounts."[2]

The bloody violence of this chapter, in the long run, proved to be about as ineffective as the dramatic confrontation on Carmel. The incurable cancer of Baal worship was threatening the very existence of the true religion, and the wiping out of the Jezebel-dominated dynasty that, in a large degree, composed that cancer, checked, but did not destroy it.

Jehu's wholesale murders resulted in many enemies of his reign. The Sidonian kings would have fiercely resented the treatment of Jezebel. Many in the kingdom of Judah would have hated the murderer of Ahaziah. And, during his very first year as king, Jehu was forced to pay tribute to the Assyrian, Shalmanezer III. In the British Museum today, one may see the Black Obelisk from Nimrod which shows Jehu kneeling before the Assyrian monarch.[3] That, of course, indicates a serious weakening of Israel. It is of interest that this inscription refers to Jehu as The Son of Omri, which is inaccurate and raises a word of caution with regard to the foolish trust which some commentators seem to place in the bragging inscriptions of ancient kings.

Still, one must deplore the terrible slaughter that marked Jehu's reign. As Martin said, "Here we have violence that judges but does not heal. Only at Calvary did fierce judgment of sin bring restoration and health for sinners."[4]

It is a gross error to attribute the warfare against Baalism to God's prophets. Snaith and others have fallen into that error. He wrote:

"These prophets were determined to destroy the dynasty of Omri, and they were prepared to go to any length to bring it to pass. Elisha encouraged Hazael to murder Benhadad, and now he raises up Jehu to be an enemy within Israel itself."[5]

The prophets were NOT the ones determined to destroy Baalism and the dynasty that advocated and promoted it. It was the GOD of heaven and earth who did so, and the holy prophets were merely the human instruments of God's campaign against paganism. In such a comment as that just quoted, there seems to be both sympathy and approval of Omri's evil dynasty.

In answer to the question, "Why was such a destruction necessary"? we have an excellent answer from Stigers:

Because idolatry threatened to destroy all remaining good influences in Israel and thence to invade Judah and so destroy the whole nation, the house of Ahab was marked for extinction.[6]

ELISHA COMMISSIONED A PROPHET TO ANOINT JEHU AS KING

"And Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets, and said unto him, Gird up thy loins, and take this vial of oil in thy hand, and go to Ramoth-gilead. And when thou comest thither, look out there Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in, and make him arise from among his brethren, and carry him to an inner chamber. Then take the vial of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, Thus saith Jehovah, I have anointed thee king over Israel. Then open the door, and flee, and tarry not."

The commandment of God to anoint Jehu king over Israel was first given to Elijah (1 Kings 19:16), which Elijah obeyed by commissioning his servant (at the time) Elisha to do so; and here we find Elisha commissioning his servant (one of the sons of the prophets) to carry out the command originally given to Elijah. The eternal principle that a man is in fact doing whatever he commands a servant to do is evident in what happened here.

"Take this vial of oil in thy hand" (2 Kings 9:1). "The oil here was the holy oil compounded after the receipt given in Exodus (Exodus 30:23-25)."[7]

It is not clear why the prophet was commanded to flee after the anointing, but it might have been for his safety. Any partisan of Joram might have slain him for anointing Jehu king. His flight also was consistent with the behavior expected of prophets, and it prevented the asking of any questions.