The following commentary covers Chapters 9 and 10.
Judgment
on Ahab's house begun by Jehu
In chapter 9 the judgment
on Ahab's house commences. He who executes it does not
remove, in so doing, the rod which God had lifted up
against Israel in the person of Hazael. By means of Jehu
God judges the house of Ahab; but Israel was oppressed by
the Syrians, and their land overrun by them during the
whole of Jehu's reign. Going farther than Jehoram, Jehu
destroyed Baal and his worship at the same time as the
house of Ahab: but he did not return unto Jehovah. He saw
the folly of idolatry: energetic and ambitious, his
interest lay on the other side. When the prophet of the
Lord announces to him the near possession of the throne,
he hearkens unto him. Sincere perhaps in the conviction
that Jehovah was God, he was quite ready to honour Him
when his interest agreed with his convictions. He
displayed all his energies in accomplishing a work to
which he had devoted himself. Ahab's religion had no
charm for him. He had felt in his conscience the power of
Elijah's testimony; and he understood that it was madness
to fight against Jehovah, whose part he had taken. What
he did for Jehovah, he did well, according to his wonted
energy. Nevertheless his vengeance is without the fear of
Jehovah; it is carnal (see Hosea 1: 4). At the same time
the golden calves still existed, as the sanctuary of the
kingdom, with whose origin they were connected, and of
which they were the national religion. This Jehu did not
care to touch. God recognises a zeal which had judged
evil uprightly; for the question here was His outward
government, and not His judgment of the secrets of the
heart; and in fact Jehu acted faithfully in destroying
Baal root and branch. Thus he slays the king of Judah,
who was confederate with the evil, and the royal family
of Judah, who had come to visit that of Israel.
Everything falls before his avenging sword, and the words
of Elijah, the servant of Jehovah, are fulfilled. Thus it
is Elisha who performs the function of Elijah [1] in his stead, prophetically
anointing Hazael and Jehu, although not with his own
hands.
[1] In this respect
Elijah and Elisha form but one prophet, with the
difference that has been pointed out. Elisha was a "prophet
in his room," an expression not used with regard to
prophets in general. In fact it is Christ risen who will
execute, or cause to be executed judgments of God upon
apostate Israel (see Psalms 20, 21).
2 Kings 9 Bible Commentary
John Darby’s Synopsis
Judgment on Ahab's house begun by Jehu
In chapter 9 the judgment on Ahab's house commences. He who executes it does not remove, in so doing, the rod which God had lifted up against Israel in the person of Hazael. By means of Jehu God judges the house of Ahab; but Israel was oppressed by the Syrians, and their land overrun by them during the whole of Jehu's reign. Going farther than Jehoram, Jehu destroyed Baal and his worship at the same time as the house of Ahab: but he did not return unto Jehovah. He saw the folly of idolatry: energetic and ambitious, his interest lay on the other side. When the prophet of the Lord announces to him the near possession of the throne, he hearkens unto him. Sincere perhaps in the conviction that Jehovah was God, he was quite ready to honour Him when his interest agreed with his convictions. He displayed all his energies in accomplishing a work to which he had devoted himself. Ahab's religion had no charm for him. He had felt in his conscience the power of Elijah's testimony; and he understood that it was madness to fight against Jehovah, whose part he had taken. What he did for Jehovah, he did well, according to his wonted energy. Nevertheless his vengeance is without the fear of Jehovah; it is carnal (see Hosea 1: 4). At the same time the golden calves still existed, as the sanctuary of the kingdom, with whose origin they were connected, and of which they were the national religion. This Jehu did not care to touch. God recognises a zeal which had judged evil uprightly; for the question here was His outward government, and not His judgment of the secrets of the heart; and in fact Jehu acted faithfully in destroying Baal root and branch. Thus he slays the king of Judah, who was confederate with the evil, and the royal family of Judah, who had come to visit that of Israel. Everything falls before his avenging sword, and the words of Elijah, the servant of Jehovah, are fulfilled. Thus it is Elisha who performs the function of Elijah [1] in his stead, prophetically anointing Hazael and Jehu, although not with his own hands.
[1] In this respect Elijah and Elisha form but one prophet, with the difference that has been pointed out. Elisha was a "prophet in his room," an expression not used with regard to prophets in general. In fact it is Christ risen who will execute, or cause to be executed judgments of God upon apostate Israel (see Psalms 20, 21).