29 Howbeit from the sins H2399 of Jeroboam H3379 the son H1121 of Nebat, H5028 who made Israel H3478 to sin, H2398 Jehu H3058 departed H5493 not from after H310 them, to wit, the golden H2091 calves H5695 that were in Bethel, H1008 and that were in Dan. H1835
Whereupon the king H4428 took counsel, H3289 and made H6213 two H8147 calves H5695 of gold, H2091 and said H559 unto them, It is too much H7227 for you to go up H5927 to Jerusalem: H3389 behold thy gods, H430 O Israel, H3478 which brought thee up H5927 out of the land H776 of Egypt. H4714 And he set H7760 the one H259 in Bethel, H1008 and the other H259 put H5414 he in Dan. H1835 And this thing H1697 became a sin: H2403 for the people H5971 went H3212 to worship before H6440 the one, H259 even unto Dan. H1835
After H310 this thing H1697 Jeroboam H3379 returned H7725 not from his evil H7451 way, H1870 but made H6213 again H7725 of the lowest H7098 of the people H5971 priests H3548 of the high places: H1116 whosoever would, H2655 he consecrated H4390 H3027 him, and he became one of the priests H3548 of the high places. H1116 And this thing H1697 became sin H2403 unto the house H1004 of Jeroboam, H3379 even to cut it off, H3582 and to destroy H8045 it from off the face H6440 of the earth. H127
For G1063 before G4253 that certain G5100 came G2064 from G575 James, G2385 he did eat G4906 with G3326 the Gentiles: G1484 but G1161 when G3753 they were come, G2064 he withdrew G5288 and G2532 separated G873 himself, G1438 fearing G5399 them which were of G1537 the circumcision. G4061 And G2532 the other G3062 Jews G2453 dissembled G4942 likewise G2532 with him; G846 insomuch G5620 that Barnabas G921 also G2532 was carried away G4879 with their G846 dissimulation. G5272
But G1161 take heed G991 lest G3381 by any means G4458 this G3778 liberty G1849 of yours G5216 become G1096 a stumblingblock G4348 to them that are weak. G770 For G1063 if G1437 any man G5100 see G1492 thee G4571 which G3588 hast G2192 knowledge G1108 sit at meat G2621 in G1722 the idol's temple, G1493 shall G3618 not G3780 the conscience G4893 of him G846 which is G5607 weak G772 be emboldened G3618 G1519 to eat G2068 those things which are offered to idols; G1494 And G2532 through G1909 thy G4674 knowledge G1108 shall G622 the weak G770 brother G80 perish, G622 for G1223 whom G3739 Christ G5547 died? G599 But G1161 when ye sin G264 so G3779 against G1519 the brethren, G80 and G2532 wound G5180 their G846 weak G770 conscience, G4893 ye sin G264 against G1519 Christ. G5547 Wherefore, G1355 if G1487 meat G1033 make G4624 my G3450 brother G80 to offend, G4624 I will eat G5315 no G3364 flesh G2907 while the world standeth, G1519 G165 lest G3363 I make G4624 my G3450 brother G80 to offend. G4624
And G1161 she went forth, G1831 and said G2036 unto her G846 mother, G3384 What G5101 shall I ask? G154 And G1161 she said, G2036 The head G2776 of John G2491 the Baptist. G910 And G2532 she came in G1525 straightway G2112 with G3326 haste G4710 unto G4314 the king, G935 and asked, G154 saying, G3004 I will G2309 that G2443 thou give G1325 me G3427 by and by G1824 in G1909 a charger G4094 the head G2776 of John G2491 the Baptist. G910 And G2532 the king G935 was G1096 exceeding sorry; G4036 yet for G1223 his oath's sake, G3727 and G2532 for their sakes which G3588 sat with him, G4873 he would G2309 not G3756 reject G114 her. G846
Thy calf, H5695 O Samaria, H8111 hath cast H2186 thee off; mine anger H639 is kindled H2734 against them: how long will it be ere H3808 they attain H3201 to innocency? H5356 For from Israel H3478 was it also: the workman H2796 made H6213 it; therefore it is not God: H430 but the calf H5695 of Samaria H8111 shall be broken in pieces. H7616
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 2 Kings 10
Commentary on 2 Kings 10 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 10
2Ki 10:1-17. Jehu Causes Seventy of Ahab's Children to Be Beheaded.
1-4. Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria—As it appears (2Ki 10:13), that grandsons are included it is probable that this number comprehended the whole posterity of Ahab. Their being all assembled in that capital might arise from their being left there on the king's departure for Ramoth-gilead, or from their taking refuge in some of the strongholds of that city on the news of Jehu's conspiracy. It may be inferred from the tenor of Jehu's letters that their first intention was to select the fittest of the royal family and set him up as king. Perhaps this challenge of Jehu was designed as a stroke of policy on his part to elicit their views, and to find out whether they were inclined to be pacific or hostile. The bold character of the man, and the rapid success of his conspiracy, terrified the civic authorities of Samaria and Jezreel into submission.
5. he that was over the house—the governor or chamberlain of the palace.
the bringers-up of the children—Anciently, and still also in many Eastern countries, the principal grandees were charged with the support and education of the royal princes. This involved a heavy expense which they were forced to bear, but for which they endeavored to find some compensation in the advantages of their connection with the court.
6. take ye the heads of the men, your master's sons—The barbarous practice of a successful usurper slaughtering all who may have claims to the throne, has been frequently exemplified in the ancient and modern histories of the East.
8. Lay ye them in two heaps at the entering in of the gate, &c.—The exhibition of the heads of enemies is always considered a glorious trophy. Sometimes a pile of heads is erected at the gate of the palace; and a head of peculiarly striking appearance selected to grace the summit of the pyramid.
9-11. said to all the people, Ye be righteous, &c.—A great concourse was assembled to gaze on this novel and ghastly spectacle. The speech which Jehu addressed to the spectators was artfully framed to impress their minds with the idea that so wholesale a massacre was the result of the divine judgments denounced on the house of Ahab; and the effect of it was to prepare the public mind for hearing, without horror, of a similar revolting tragedy which was soon after perpetrated, namely, the extinction of all the influential friends and supporters of the dynasty of Ahab, including those of the royal house of Judah.
13, 14. We are the brethren of Ahaziah—that is, not full, but step-brothers, sons of Jehoram by various concubines. Ignorant of the revolution that had taken place, they were travelling to Samaria on a visit to their royal relatives of Israel, when they were seized and put to death, because of the apprehension that they might probably stimulate and strengthen the party that still remained faithful in their allegiance to Ahab's dynasty.
children of the queen—that is, of the queen mother, or regent, Jezebel.
15-18. Jehonadab the son of Rechab—(See 1Ch 2:55). A person who, from his piety and simple primitive manner of life (Jer 35:1-19), was highly esteemed, and possessed great influence in the country. Jehu saw in a moment the advantage that his cause would gain from the friendship and countenance of this venerable man in the eyes of the people, and accordingly paid him the distinguished attention of inviting him to a seat in his chariot.
give me thine hand—not simply to aid him in getting up, but for a far more significant and important purpose—the giving, or rather joining hands, being the recognized mode of striking a league or covenant, as well as of testifying fealty to a new sovereign; accordingly, it is said, "he [Jehonadab] gave him [Jehu] his hand."
2Ki 10:18-29. He Destroys the Worshippers of Baal.
19. call unto me all the prophets of Baal—The votaries of Baal are here classified under the several titles of prophets, priests, and servants, or worshippers generally. They might be easily convened into one spacious temple, as their number had been greatly diminished both by the influential ministrations of Elijah and Elisha, and also from the late King Joram's neglect and discontinuance of the worship. Jehu's appointment of a solemn sacrifice in honor of Baal, and a summons to all his worshippers to join in its celebration, was a deep-laid plot, which he had resolved upon for their extinction, a measure in perfect harmony with the Mosaic law, and worthy of a constitutional king of Israel. It was done, however, not from religious, but purely political motives, because he believed that the existence and interests of the Baalites were inseparably bound up with the dynasty of Ahab and because he hoped that by their extermination he would secure the attachment of the far larger and more influential party who worshipped God in Israel. Jehonadab's concurrence must have been given in the belief of his being actuated solely by the highest principles of piety and zeal.
22. Bring forth vestments for all the worshippers of Baal—The priests of Baal were clad, probably, in robes of white byssus while they were engaged in the functions of their office, and these were kept under the care of an officer in a particular wardrobe of Baal's temple. This treacherous massacre, and the means taken to accomplish it, are paralleled by the slaughter of the Janissaries and other terrible tragedies in the modern history of the East.
29. Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam … Jehu departed not from after them—Jehu had no intention of carrying his zeal for the Lord beyond a certain point, and as he considered it impolitic to encourage his subjects to travel to Jerusalem, he re-established the symbolic worship of the calves.