2 Kings 9:11

THE PROCLAMATION OF JEHU AS KING OF ISRAEL

"Then Jehu came forth to the servants of his lord: and one said unto him, Is all well? Wherefore came this mad fellow to thee? And he said unto them, Ye know the man and what his talk was. And they said, It is false; tell us now. And he said, Thus and thus spake he to me, saying, Thus saith Jehovah, I have anointed thee king over Israel. Then they hasted, and took every man his garment, and put it under him on the top of the stairs, and blew the trumpet, saying, Jehu is king."

"Wherefore came this mad fellow to thee" (2 Kings 9:11)? Madness was widely associated with prophecy in the O.T., as in Jeremiah 20:26 and Hosea 9:7 "The common worldly man in every age tends to view the religious enthusiast in this way, combined with emotions compounded with sincere respect tinctured, if ever so lightly, with aversion and contempt."[11] As George DeHoff expressed it, "Irreligious men always think that God's children are a bunch of fools."[12]

"They ... took every man his garment and put it under him on the top of the stairs" (2 Kings 9:13). We would need a picture or drawing of the headquarters building where all this happened to be able to explain exactly what is meant by "the top of the stairs." Everything else here is crystal clear.

The general dissatisfaction with Joram and the widespread hatred of him led to a spontaneous outburst from the entire company of military captains, enthusiastically welcoming the prospect of a new king. (1) They spread their garments for Jehu to walk upon, even as did the crowd that welcomed the Christ into Jerusalem in his triumphal entry (Luke 19:29-40). (2) They blew the trumpet, always associated with proclaiming a new king. (3) They shouted, Jehu is king! As the leaders of the entire army had participated in this proclamation of Jehu as king, the total success of it was assured.