38 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 10 This chapter gives a further account of the destruction of the house of Ahab by Jehu, or his orders, even of all his sons and relations, 2 Kings 10:1, and also of the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah, 2 Kings 10:12, of his taking up Jehonadab the son of Rechab into his chariot, to be a witness of his zeal for the Lord,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria,.... These might not be all his immediate sons, but some of them his grandsons, as such are sometimes called in Scripture: and Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, unto the rulers of Jezreel; who fled thither, perhaps on Jehu's coming to Jezreel, having slain Joram, being the metropolis of the kingdom, to...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
We have in this chapter, I. A further account of Jehu's execution of his commission. He cut off, 1. All Ahab's sons, ver. 1-10. 2. All Ahab's kindred, ver. 11-14, 17. 3. Ahab's idolatry: his zeal against this he took Jonadab to be witness to (ver. 15, 16), summoned all the worshippers of Baal to attend (ver. 18-23) and slew them all (ver. 24, 25),...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Now as soon as this letter cometh to you, seeing your master's sons are with you,.... Sons of Ahab, and some of Joram, and all either the sons or grandsons of Ahab: and there are with you chariots and horses; military ones: a fenced city also: as Samaria was, well walled and fortified, and able to hold out a long siege: and armour; of all sorts,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Look even out the best and meetest of your master's sons,.... Most fit for government, whether on account of age or proper qualifications, and wisdom, courage, c. and set him on his father's throne proclaim him king: and fight for your master's house; that the crown may continue in his family; all which he did not desire might be, but in this...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
But they were exceedingly afraid,.... They were intimidated at once; for they saw the purport of those letters, that should they attempt anything of this kind, he would come upon them with his forces: and said, behold, two kings stood not before him; the kings of Israel and Judah, Joram and Ahaziah; but they were unarmed, and therefore how should...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he that was over the house,.... The king's palace in Samaria, who had the custody, care, and government of it: and he that was over the city; the commander and governor of it, that had the highest post in it under the king; the elders also all other subordinate officers and magistrates: and the bringers up of the children; who had the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then he wrote a letter the second time to them,.... Having gained his point by the former: saying, if ye be mine, acknowledge yourselves my subjects and servants; and if ye will hearken to my voice; obey my commands: take ye the heads of the men your master's sons; that is, take off their heads: and come to me to Jezreel by tomorrow this time...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And it came to pass, when the letter came to them,.... They did not in the least hesitate, but immediately complied with the contents of it: that they took the king's sons, and slew seventy persons; which was the whole number of them: and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to Jezreel; as a present to Jehu, just as they carried the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And there came a messenger, and told him, saying, they have brought the heads of the king's sons,.... Perhaps this messenger to Jehu came from the great men of Samaria themselves, to let him know that they had obeyed his orders: and he said, lay ye them in two heaps at the entering in of the gate until the morning; very probably it was towards or...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And it came to pass in the morning, that he went out, and stood, and said to all the people,.... Who were gathered together to this shocking sight, or on the above accounts: ye be righteous; having had no concern in taking off the heads of those men: behold, I conspired against my master, and slew him; I own it, and some may blame me for it, and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Know now, that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the Lord, which the Lord spake concerning the house of Ahab,.... He would have them observe, that all this, and what else should follow of the same kind, were and would be brought about by the providence of God, according to divine predictions, and as just punishments on Ahab's...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel,.... Which to do, and to justify himself in so doing, was the design of what he said in the preceding verses: and his great men; his ministers of state and counsellors, that advised him to, and abetted him in his idolatrous practices, and so justly suffered for the same; and perhaps...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Ver. 12 And he arose and departed, and came to Samaria,.... To make a clear riddance there of all that belonged to Ahab, as at Jezreel, and abolish idolatry there: and as he was at the shearing house in the way; or, "the house of the binding of the shepherds", who, in shearing their sheep, bind their legs together; the Targum is, "the house of the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Jehu met with the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah,.... At the above place; these were the sons of his brethren, called his brethren, as Lot was called Abraham's brother, being his brother's son; for as for his brethren, they had been slain by the Arabians before he was made king, 2 Chronicles 22:1, and said, who are ye? though perhaps he knew...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he said, take them alive,.... Gave orders to his guards to seize them, and make them captives: and they took them alive, and slew them at the pit of the shearing house; where they washed the sheep when they sheered them; [even] forty and two men, neither left he any of them; they being, by their grandmother's side, of the house of Ahab, and so...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And when he was departed thence,.... From Betheked, or the shearing house: he lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him; a Kenite, a descendant of Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, a wise and good man, as appears by the laws and rules he gave to his posterity, who continued to the times of Jeremiah, and were then observant of...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he said, come with me, and see my zeal for the Lord of hosts,.... In destroying idolaters and idolatry, with an intent to do which he was going to Samaria; this seems to savour very much of vain glory, hypocrisy, and a pharisaical spirit: so they made him ride in his chariot; the servants of Jehu by his order opened the chariot door, and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And when he came to Samaria, he slew all that remained unto Ahab in Samaria,.... All that were in any connection with him, as related to his family, or as ministers of his in civil or religious things: till he had destroyed him; his whole house, as he was ordered: according to the word of the Lord, which he spake to Elijah; which is observed, to...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Jehu gathered all the people together,.... The people of Samaria, at least the principal of them: and said unto them, Ahab served Baal a little, [but] Jehu shall serve him much; which some understand as spoken ironically; but the words seem to be spoken with a design to deceive the idolatrous inhabitants of Samaria, making them to believe that...