2 Kings 9 Bible Commentary

9:1 And Elisha the prophet called one of the children of the prophets, and said unto him, ^a Gird up thy loins, and take this box of oil in thine hand, and go to Ramothgilead:

(a) Prepare yourself to go diligently about your business for in those countries they used long garments which they tucked up when they went about earnest business.

9:6 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 ^b anointed thee king over the people of the LORD, [even] over Israel.

(b) This anointing was for kings, priests and prophets which were all figures of Messiah, in whom these three offices were accomplished.

9:11 Then Jehu came forth to the ^c servants of his lord: and [one] said unto him, [Is] all well? wherefore came this ^d mad [fellow] to thee? And he said unto them, Ye know the man, and his communication.

(c) That is, the rest of the army, whom he called his brethren before, (2 Kings 9:2).
(d) The world always holds the ministers of God is this estimation and has always slandered the children of God (they called the Son of God a deceiver, and said he had the devil) therefore they should not be discouraged.

9:16 So Jehu rode in a chariot, and went to Jezreel; for Joram lay there. And ^e Ahaziah king of Judah was come down to see Joram.

(e) God had thus ordained as in (2 Chronicles 12:7), that this wicked and idolatrous king, who was more ready to please wicked Joram than to obey the will of God, would perish with him, by whose means he thought to have been stronger.

9:20 And the watchman told, saying, He came even unto them, and cometh not again: and the driving [is] like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi; for he driveth ^f furiously.

(f) As one that went earnestly about his business.

9:22 And it came to pass, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, [Is it] ^g peace, Jehu? And he answered, What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts [are so] many?

(g) Meaning, since God is their enemy because of their sins, he will always stir up someone to avenge his cause.

9:26 Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth, and the blood of his ^h sons, saith the LORD; and I will requite thee in this plat, saith the LORD. Now therefore take [and] cast him into the plat [of ground], according to the word of the LORD.

(h) By this it is evident that Jezebel caused both Naboth and his sons to be put to death, that Ahab might enjoy his vineyard more quietly: else his children might have claimed possession.

9:27 But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw [this], he fled by the way of the garden house. And Jehu followed after him, and said, Smite him also in the chariot. [And they did so] at the going up to Gur, which [is] by Ibleam. And he fled to ⁱ Megiddo, and died there.

(i) After he was wounded in Samaria, he fled to Megiddo, a city of Judah.

9:29 And in the ^k eleventh year of Joram the son of Ahab began Ahaziah to reign over Judah.

(k) That is, eleven whole years: for in (2 Kings 8:25) when he said he began to reign in the twelfth year of Joram, he takes a partial year for a whole.

9:30 And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard [of it]; and she painted her face, and tired her head, and ^l looked out at a window.

(l) Being of a harsh and cruel nature, she would still retain her royal state and dignity.

9:31 And as Jehu entered in at the gate, she said, [Had] ^m Zimri peace, who slew his master?

(m) As if to say, "Can a traitor or anyone who rises against his superior succeed?", see (1 Kings 16:10).

9:33 And he said, Throw her down. So they threw her down: ⁿ and [some] of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses: and he trode her under foot.

(n) This he did by the moving of the Spirit of God, that her blood would be shed, who had shed the blood of innocents, to be a spectacle and example of God's judgment for all tyrants.

9:34 And when he was come in, he did eat and drink, and said, Go, see now this cursed [woman], and bury her: for she [is] a ^o king's daughter.

(o) That is, of the king of Zidon, (1 Kings 16:31).

9:37 And the carcase of Jezebel shall be as dung upon the face of the field in the portion of Jezreel; [so] that they shall not say, ^p This [is] Jezebel.

(p) Thus God's judgments appear even in this world against those who suppress his word and persecute his servants.