1 And Elisha the prophet called one of the children of the prophets, and said unto him, Gird up thy loins, and take this box of oil in thine hand, and go to Ramothgilead:
2 And when thou comest thither, look out there Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in, and make him arise up from among his brethren, and carry him to an inner chamber;
3 Then take the box of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, Thus saith the LORD, I have anointed thee king over Israel. Then open the door, and flee, and tarry not.
4 So the young man, even the young man the prophet, went to Ramothgilead.
5 And when he came, behold, the captains of the host were sitting; and he said, I have an errand to thee, O captain. And Jehu said, Unto which of all us? And he said, To thee, O captain.
6 And he arose, and went into the house; and he poured the oil on his head, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I have anointed thee king over the people of the LORD, even over Israel.
7 And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD, at the hand of Jezebel.
8 For the whole house of Ahab shall perish: and I will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel:
9 And I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah:
10 And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her. And he opened the door, and fled.
1 And Elisha H477 the prophet H5030 called H7121 one H259 of the children H1121 of the prophets, H5030 and said H559 unto him, Gird up H2296 thy loins, H4975 and take H3947 this box H6378 of oil H8081 in thine hand, H3027 and go H3212 to Ramothgilead: H7433 H1568
2 And when thou comest H935 thither, look out H7200 there Jehu H3058 the son H1121 of Jehoshaphat H3092 the son H1121 of Nimshi, H5250 and go in, H935 and make him arise up H6965 from among H8432 his brethren, H251 and carry H935 him to an inner H2315 chamber; H2315
3 Then take H3947 the box H6378 of oil, H8081 and pour H3332 it on his head, H7218 and say, H559 Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 I have anointed H4886 thee king H4428 over Israel. H3478 Then open H6605 the door, H1817 and flee, H5127 and tarry H2442 not.
4 So the young man, H5288 even the young man H5288 the prophet, H5030 went H3212 to Ramothgilead. H7433 H1568
5 And when he came, H935 behold, the captains H8269 of the host H2428 were sitting; H3427 and he said, H559 I have an errand H1697 to thee, O captain. H8269 And Jehu H3058 said, H559 Unto which of all us? And he said, H559 To thee, O captain. H8269
6 And he arose, H6965 and went H935 into the house; H1004 and he poured H3332 the oil H8081 on his head, H7218 and said H559 unto him, Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel, H3478 I have anointed H4886 thee king H4428 over the people H5971 of the LORD, H3068 even over Israel. H3478
7 And thou shalt smite H5221 the house H1004 of Ahab H256 thy master, H113 that I may avenge H5358 the blood H1818 of my servants H5650 the prophets, H5030 and the blood H1818 of all the servants H5650 of the LORD, H3068 at the hand H3027 of Jezebel. H348
8 For the whole house H1004 of Ahab H256 shall perish: H6 and I will cut off H3772 from Ahab H256 him that pisseth H8366 against the wall, H7023 and him that is shut up H6113 and left H5800 in Israel: H3478
9 And I will make H5414 the house H1004 of Ahab H256 like the house H1004 of Jeroboam H3379 the son H1121 of Nebat, H5028 and like the house H1004 of Baasha H1201 the son H1121 of Ahijah: H281
10 And the dogs H3611 shall eat H398 Jezebel H348 in the portion H2506 of Jezreel, H3157 and there shall be none to bury H6912 her. And he opened H6605 the door, H1817 and fled. H5127
1 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.
2 And when thou comest thither, look out there Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in, and make him arise up from among his brethren, and carry him to an inner chamber.
3 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.
4 So the young man, even the young man the prophet, went to Ramoth-gilead.
5 And when he came, behold, the captains of the host were sitting; and he said, I have an errand to thee, O captain. And Jehu said, Unto which of us all? And he said, To thee, O captain.
6 And he arose, and went into the house; and he poured the oil on his head, and said unto him, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, I have anointed thee king over the people of Jehovah, even over Israel.
7 And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of Jehovah, at the hand of Jezebel.
8 For the whole house of Ahab shall perish; and I will cut off from Ahab every man-child, and him that is shut up and him that is left at large in Israel.
9 And I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah.
10 And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her. And he opened the door, and fled.
1 And Elisha the prophet hath called to one of the sons of the prophets, and saith to him, `Gird up thy loins, and take this vial of oil in thy hand, and go to Ramoth-Gilead,
2 and thou hast gone in there, and see thou there Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, son of Nimshi, and thou hast gone in, and caused him to rise out of the midst of his brethren, and brought him in to the inner part of an inner-chamber,
3 and taken the vial of oil, and poured on his head, and said, Thus said Jehovah, I have anointed thee for king unto Israel; and thou hast opened the door, and fled, and dost not wait.'
4 And the young man goeth -- the young man the prophet -- to Ramoth-Gilead,
5 and cometh in, and lo, chiefs of the force are sitting, and he saith, `I have a word unto thee, O chief!' and Jehu saith, `Unto which of all of us?' and he saith, `Unto thee, O chief.'
6 And he riseth and cometh in to the house, and he poureth the oil on his head, and saith to him, `Thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, I have anointed thee for king unto the people of Jehovah, unto Israel,
7 and thou hast smitten the house of Ahab thy lord, and I have required the blood of My servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of Jehovah, from the hand of Jezebel;
8 and perished hath all the house of Ahab, and I have cut off to Ahab those sitting on the wall, and restrained, and left, in Israel,
9 and I have given up the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat, and as the house of Baasha son of Ahijah,
10 and Jezebel do the dogs eat in the portion of Jezreel, and there is none burying;' and he openeth the door and fleeth.
1 And Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets, and said to him, Gird up thy loins, and take this vial of oil in thy hand, and go to Ramoth-Gilead.
2 And when thou art come thither, look out there Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat, son of Nimshi, and go in, and make him rise up from among his brethren, and bring him to an inner chamber;
3 then take the vial of oil, and pour it on his head and say, Thus saith Jehovah: I have anointed thee king over Israel; and open the door, and flee, and tarry not.
4 And the young man, the young prophet, went to Ramoth-Gilead.
5 And when he came, behold, the captains of the host were sitting. And he said, I have an errand to thee, captain. And Jehu said, To which of all of us? And he said, To thee, captain.
6 And he rose up and went into the house; and he poured the oil on his head, and said to him, Thus saith Jehovah the God of Israel: I have anointed thee king over the people of Jehovah, over Israel.
7 And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master; and I will avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of Jehovah at the hand of Jezebel.
8 And the whole house of Ahab shall perish, and I will cut off from Ahab every male, and him that is shut up and left in Israel.
9 And I will make the house of Ahab as the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and as the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah.
10 And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the plot of Jizreel, and none shall bury her. And he opened the door and fled.
1 Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets, and said to him, Gird up your loins, and take this vial of oil in your hand, and go to Ramoth-gilead.
2 When you come there, look out there Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in, and make him arise up from among his brothers, and carry him to an inner chamber.
3 Then take the vial of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, Thus says Yahweh, I have anointed you king over Israel. Then open the door, and flee, and don't wait.
4 So the young man, even the young man the prophet, went to Ramoth-gilead.
5 When he came, behold, the captains of the host were sitting; and he said, I have an errand to you, captain. Jehu said, To which of us all? He said, To you, O captain.
6 He arose, and went into the house; and he poured the oil on his head, and said to him, Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, I have anointed you king over the people of Yahweh, even over Israel.
7 You shall strike the house of Ahab your master, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of Yahweh, at the hand of Jezebel.
8 For the whole house of Ahab shall perish; and I will cut off from Ahab every man-child, and him who is shut up and him who is left at large in Israel.
9 I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah.
10 The dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her. He opened the door, and fled.
1 And Elisha the prophet sent for one of the sons of the prophets, and said to him, Make yourself ready for a journey, and take this bottle of oil in your hand, and go to Ramoth-gilead.
2 And when you get there, go in search of Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi; and go in and make him get up from among his brothers, and take him to an inner room.
3 Then take the bottle and put the oil on his head, and say, The Lord says, I have put the holy oil on you to make you king over Israel. Then, opening the door, go in flight, without waiting.
4 So the young prophet went to Ramoth-gilead.
5 And when he came, he saw the captains of the army seated together; and he said, I have something to say to you, O captain. And Jehu said, To which of us? And he said, To you, O captain.
6 And he got up and went into the house; then he put the holy oil on his head and said to him, The Lord, the God of Israel, says, I have made you king over the people of the Lord, over Israel.
7 You are to see that the family of Ahab your master is cut off, so that I may take from Jezebel payment for the blood of my servants the prophets, and for the blood of all the servants of the Lord.
8 For the family of Ahab will come to an end; every male of Ahab's family will be cut off, he who is shut up and he who goes free in Israel.
9 I will make the family of Ahab like that of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, and Baasha, the son of Ahijah.
10 And Jezebel will become food for the dogs in the heritage of Jezreel, and there will be no one to put her body into the earth. Then, opening the door, he went in flight.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on 2 Kings 9
Commentary on 2 Kings 9 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
Anointing of Jehu by Command of Elisha. - While the Israelitish army was at Ramoth, Elisha executed the last of the commissions which Elijah had received at Horeb (1 Kings 19:16), by sending a pupil of the prophets into the camp to anoint Jehu the commander-in-chief of the army as king, and to announce to him, in the name of Jehovah, that he would be king over Israel; and to charge him to exterminate the house of Ahab.
2 Kings 9:1-3
2 Kings 9:1-3 contain the instructions which Elisha gave to the pupil of the prophets. השׁמן פּך as in 1 Samuel 10:1. יהוּא שׁם ראה , look round there for Jehu. וגו הקמתו , let him (bid him) rise up from the midst of his brethren, i.e., of his comrades in arms. בּחדר חדר : the true meaning is, “into the innermost chamber” (see at 1 Kings 20:30). 2 Kings 9:3 contains only the leading points of the commission to Jehu, the full particulars are communicated in the account of the fulfilment in 2 Kings 9:6. “And flee, and thou shalt not wait.” Elisha gave him this command, not to protect him from danger on the part of the secret adherents of Ahab (Theodoret, Cler.), but to prevent all further discussions, or “that he might not mix himself up with other affairs” (Seb. Schmidt).
2 Kings 9:4
“And the young man, the servant of the prophet, went.” The second נער has the article in the construct state, contrary to the rule (vid., Ges. §110, 2, b.).
2 Kings 9:5-7
After the communication of the fact that he had a word to Jehu, the latter rose up and went with him into the house, i.e., into the interior of the house, in the court of which the captains were sitting together. There the pupil of the prophets poured oil upon Jehu's head, and announced to him that Jehovah had anointed him king for Israel, and that he was to smite, i.e., exterminate, the house of Ahab, to avenge upon it the blood of the prophets (vid., 1 Kings 18:4; 1 Kings 19:10).
2 Kings 9:8-10
2 Kings 9:8-10 are simply a repetition of the threat in 1 Kings 21:21-23. For יז בּחלק , see at 1 Kings 21:23.
Jehu's Conspiracy against Joram. - 2 Kings 9:11. When Jehu came out again to his comrades in arms, after the departure of the pupil of the prophets, they inquired השׁלום , i.e., “is it all well? why did this madman come to thee?” not because they were afraid that he might have done him some injury (Ewald), or that he might have brought some evil tidings (Thenius), but simply because they conjectured that he had brought some important news. They called the prophet משׁגּע , a madman, in derision, with reference to the ecstatic utterances of the prophets when in a state of holy inspiration. Jehu answered evasively, “Ye know the man and his muttering,” i.e., ye know that he is mad and says nothing rational. שׂיה includes both meditating and speaking.
2 Kings 9:12
They were not contented with this answer, however, but said שׁקר , i.e., thou dost not speak truth. Jehu thereupon informed them that he had anointed him king over Israel in the name of Jehovah.
2 Kings 9:13
After hearing this, they took quickly every man his garment, laid it under hi upon the steps, blew the trumpet, and proclaimed him king. The clothes, which consisted simply of a large piece of cloth for wrapping round the body (see at 1 Kings 11:29), they spread out in the place of carpets upon the steps, which served as a throne, to do homage to Jehu. For these signs of homage compare Matthew 21:7 and Wetstein, N. Test. ad h. l. The difficult words המּעלות אל־גּרם , as to the meaning of which the early translators have done nothing but guess, can hardly be rendered in any other way than that proposed by Kimchi (lib. rad.), super ipsosmet gradus, upon the steps themselves = upon the bare steps; גּרם being taken according to Chaldee usage like the Hebrew עצם in the sense of substantia rei , whereas the rendering given by Lud. de Dieu, after the Arabic jarm , sectio - super aliquem e gradibus , is without analogy in Hebrew usage (vid., L. de Dieu ad h. l., and Ges. Thes. p. 303).
(Note: The objection raised by Thenius, that it is only in combination with personal pronouns that the Chaldaic גרם signifies self either in the Chaldee or Samaritan versions, is proved to be unfounded by לגרם in Job 1:3 (Targ.). Still less can the actual circumstances be adduced as an objection, since there is no evidence to support the assertion that there was no staircase in front of the house. The perfectly un-Hebraic conjecture המּעלות אל־גּרם , “ as a figure (or representation) of the necessary ascent ” (Thenius), has not the smallest support in the Vulgate rendering, ad similitudinem tribunalis .)
The meaning is, that without looking for a suitable place on which to erect a throne, they laid their clothes upon the bare steps, or the staircase of the house in which they were assembled, and set him thereon to proclaim him king.
2 Kings 9:14-15
Thus Jehu conspired against Joram, who (as is related again in the circumstantial clause which follows from היה ויורם to ארם מלך ; cf. 2 Kings 8:28-29) had been keeping guard at Ramoth in Gilead, i.e., had defended this city against the attacks of Hazael, and had returned to Jezreel to be healed of the wounds which he had received; and said, “If it is your wish ( נפשׁכם ), let no fugitive go from the city, to announce it in Jezreel (viz., what had taken place, the conspiracy or the proclamation of Jehu as king).” It is evident from this, that the Israelites were in possession of the city of Ramoth, and were defending it against the attacks of the Syrians, so that שׁמר in 2 Kings 9:14 cannot be understood as relating to the siege of Ramoth. The Chethîb לגּיד for להגּיד is not to be altered according to the Keri , as there are many examples to be found of syncope in cases of this kind (vid., Olshausen, Lehrb. d. Hebr. Spr. p. 140).
Slaying of the Two Kings, Joram of Israel and Ahaziah of Judah. - 2 Kings 9:16. Jehu drove without delay to Jezreel, where Joram was lying sick, and Ahaziah had come upon a visit to him.
2 Kings 9:17-21
As the horsemen, who were sent to meet him on the announcement of the watchman upon the tower at Jezreel that a troop was approaching, joined the followers of Jehu, and eventually the watchman, looking down from the tower, thought that he could discover the driving of Jehu in the approaching troop, Joram and Ahaziah mounted their chariots to drive and meet him, and came upon him by the portion of the ground of Naboth the Jezreelite. The second שׁפעת in 2 Kings 9:17 is a rarer form of the absolute state (see Ges. §80, 2, Anm. 2, and Ewald, §173, d .). - וּלשׁלום מה־לּך : “what hast thou to do with peace?” i.e., to trouble thyself about it. אל־אחרי סב : “turn behind me,” sc. to follow me. כם המּנהג : “the driving is like the driving of Jehu; for he drives like a madman.” בּשׁגּעון , in insania , i.e., in actual fact in praecipitatione (Vatabl.). “The portion of Naboth” is the vineyard of Naboth mentioned in 1 Kings 21, which formed only one portion of the gardens of the king's palace.
2 Kings 9:22
To Joram's inquiry, “Is it peace, Jehu?” the latter replied, “What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her many witchcrafts continue?” The notion of continuance is implied in עד (see Ewald, §217, e.); זנוּנים is spiritual whoredom, i.e., idolatry. כּשׁפים , incantationes magicae , then witchcrafts generally, which were usually associated with idolatry (cf. Deuteronomy 18:10.).
2 Kings 9:23
Joram detecting the conspiracy from this reply, turned round ( ידיו יהפך as in 1 Kings 22:34) and fled, calling out to Ahaziah מרמה , “deceit,” i.e., we are deceived, in actual fact betrayed.
2 Kings 9:24
But Jehu seized the bow ( בּקּשׁת ידו מלּא , lit., filled his hand with the bow), and shot Joram “between his arms,” i.e., in his back between the shoulders in an oblique direction, so that the arrow came out at his heart, and Joram sank down in his chariot.
2 Kings 9:25-26
Jehu then commanded his aide-de-camp ( שׁלישׁ , see at 2 Samuel 23:8) Bidkar to cast the slain man into the field of Naboth the Jezreelite, and said, “For remember how we, I and thou, both rode (or drove) behind his father Ahab, and Jehovah pronounced this threat upon him.” ואתּה אני are accusatives, written with a looser connection for ואותך אתי , as the apposition רכבים shows: literally, think of me and thee, the riders. The olden translators were misled by אני , and therefore transposed זכר into the first person, and Thenius naturally follows them. צמדים רכבים , riding in pairs. This is the rendering adopted by most of the commentators, although it might be taken, as it is by Kimchi and Bochart, as signifying the two persons who are carried in the same chariot. משּׂא , a burden, then a prophetic utterance of a threatening nature (see the Comm. on Nahum 1:1). For the connection of the clauses וגו ויהוה , see Ewald, §338, a. In 2 Kings 9:26 Jehu quotes the word of God concerning Ahab in 1 Kings 21:19 so far as the substance is concerned, to show that he is merely the agent employed in executing it. “Truly ( אם־לא , a particle used in an oath) the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons have I seen yesterday, saith the Lord, and upon this field will I requite him.” The slaying of the sons of Naboth is not expressly mentioned in 1 Kings 21:13, “because it was so usual a thing, that the historian might leave it out as a matter of course” (J. D. Mich., Ewald). It necessarily followed, however, from the fact that Naboth's field was confiscated (see at 1 Kings 21:14).
2 Kings 9:27-29
When Ahaziah saw this, he fled by the way to the garden-house, but was smitten, i.e., mortally wounded, by Jehu at the height of Gur near Jibleam, so that as he was flying still farther to Megiddo he died, and was carried as a corpse by his servants to Jerusalem, and buried there. After הכּהוּ , “and him also, smite him,” we must supply ויּכּהוּ , “and they smote him,” which has probably only dropped out through a copyist's error. The way by which Ahaziah fled, and the place where he was mortally wounded, cannot be exactly determined, as the situation of the localities named has not yet been ascertained. The “garden-house” ( הגּן בּית הגּ ) cannot have formed a portion of the royal gardens, but must have stood at some distance from the city of Jezreel, as Ahaziah went away by the road thither, and was not wounded till he reached the height of Gur near Jibleam. מעלה־גוּר , the ascent or eminence of Gur, is defined by Jibleam. Now, as Ahaziah fled from Jezreel to Megiddo past Jibleam, Thenius thinks that Jibleam must have been situated between Jezreel and Megiddo. But between Jezreel and Megiddo there is only the plain of Jezreel or Esdrelom, in which we cannot suppose that there was any such eminence as that of Gur. Moreover Jibleam or Bileam (1 Chronicles 6:55, see at Joshua 17:11) was probably to the south of Jenin, where the old name בּלעם has been preserved in the well of Arab. bl'mh, Belameh, near Beled Sheik Manssûr, which is half an hour's journey off. And it is quite possible to bring this situation of Jibleam into harmony with the account before us. For instance, it is a priori probable that Ahaziah would take the road to Samaria when he fled from Jezreel, not only because his father's brothers were there (2 Kings 10:13), but also because it was the most direct road to Jerusalem; and he might easily be pursued by Jehu and his company to the height of Gur near Jibleam before they overtook him, since the distance from Jezreel (Zerîn) to Jenin is only two hours and a half (Rob. Pal. iii. p. 828), and the height of Gur might very well be an eminence which he would pass on the road to Jibleam. But the wounded king may afterwards have altered the direction of his flight for the purpose of escaping to Megiddo, probably because he thought that he should be in greater safety there than he would be in Samaria.
(Note: In 2 Chronicles 22:8-9, the account of the slaying of Ahaziah and his brethren (2 Kings 10:12.) is condensed into one brief statement, and then afterwards it is stated with regard to Ahaziah, that “ Jehu sought him, and they seized him when he was hiding in Samaria, and brought him to Jehu and slew him, “ from which it appears that Ahaziah escaped to Samaria. From the brevity of these accounts it is impossible to reconcile the discrepancy with perfect certainty. On the one hand, our account, which is only limited to the main fact, does not preclude the possibility that Ahaziah really escaped to Samaria, and was there overtaken by Jehu ' s followers, and then brought back to Jehu, and wounded upon the height of Gur near Jibleam, whence he fled to Megiddo, where he breathed out his life. On the other hand, in the perfectly summary account in the Chronicles, בשׁמרון מתחבּא והוּא may be understood as referring to the attempt to escape to Samaria and hide himself there, and may be reconciled with the assumption that he was seized upon the way to Samaria, and when overtaken by Jehu was mortally wounded.)
- In 2 Kings 9:29 we are told once more in which year of Joram's reign Ahaziah became king. The discrepancy between “the eleventh year” here and “the twelfth year” in 2 Kings 8:25 may be most simply explained, on the supposition that there was a difference in the way of reckoning the commencement of the years of Joram's reign.
Death of Jezebel. - 2 Kings 9:30. When Jehu came to Jezreel and Jezebel heard of it, “she put her eyes into lead polish (i.e., painted them with it), and beautified her head and placed herself at the window.” פּוּך is a very favourite eye-paint with Oriental women even to the present day. It is prepared from antimony ore (Arab. khl, Cohol or Stibium of the Arabs), which when pounded yields a black powder with a metallic brilliancy, which was laid upon the eyebrows and eyelashes either in a dry state as a black powder, or moistened generally with oil and made into an ointment, which is applied with a fine smooth eye-pencil of the thickness of an ordinary goose-quill, made either of wood, metal, or ivory. The way to use it was to hold the central portion of the pencil horizontally between the eyelids, and then draw it out between them, twisting it round all the while, so that the edges of the eyelids were blackened all round; and the object was to heighten the splendour of the dark southern eye, and give it, so to speak, a more deeply glowing fire, and to impart a youthful appearance to the whole of the eyelashes even in extreme old age. Rosellini found jars with eye-paint of this kind in the early Egyptian graves (vid., Hille, über den Gebrauch u. die Zusammensetzung der oriental. Augenschminke: Deutsch. morg. Ztsch. v. p. 236ff.). - Jezebel did this that she might present an imposing appearance to Jehu and die as a queen; not to allure him by her charms (Ewald, after Ephr. Syr.). For (2 Kings 9:31) when Jehu entered the palace gate, she cried out to him, “Is it peace, thou Zimri, murderer of his lord?” She addressed Jehu as Zimri the murderer of the king, to point to the fate which Jehu would bring upon himself by the murder of the king, as Zimri had already done (vid., 1 Kings 16:10-18).
But Jehu did not deign to answer the worthless woman; he simply looked up to the window and inquired: “Who is (holds) with me? who?” Then two, three chamberlains looked out (of the side windows), and by Jehu's command threw the proud queen out of the window, so that some of her blood spirted upon the wall and the horses (of Jehu), and Jehu trampled her down, driving over her with his horses and chariot.
Jehu thereupon entered the palace, ate and drank, and then said to his men: “Look for this cursed woman and bury her, for she is a king's daughter.” הארוּרה , the woman smitten by the curse of God.
But when they went to bury her, they found nothing but her skull, the two feet, and the two hollow hands. The rest had been eaten by the dogs and dragged away. When this was reported to Jehu, he said: “This is the word of the Lord, which He spake by His servant Elijah,” etc. ( 1 Kings 21:23), i.e., this has been done in fulfilment of the word of the Lord. 2 Kings 9:37 is also to be regarded as a continuation of the prophecy of Elijah quoted by Jehu (and not as a closing remark of the historian, as Luther supposes), although what Jehu says here does not occur verbatim in 1 Kings 21:23, but Jehu has simply expanded rather freely the meaning of that prophecy. והית ( Chethîb ) is the older form of the 3rd pers. fem. Kal, which is only retained here and there (vid., Ewald, §194, a .). אשׁר is a conjunction (see Ewald, §337, a .): “that men may not be able to say, This is Jezebel,” i.e., that they may no more be able to recognise Jezebel.