2Ki 10:1-6 | Clarke | STEP | Jehu sends an ironical letter to the elders of Samaria, telling them to choose one of the best of their master's sons, and put him on the throne; to which they return a submissive answer, . He writes a second letter, and orders them to send him the heads of Ahab's seventy sons; they do so, and they are laid in two heaps at the gate of Jezreel, , . Jehu shows them to the people, and excuses himself, and states that all is done according to the word of the Lord, , . He destroys all the kindred of Ahab that remained in Jezreel, . He also destroys forty-two men, the brethren of Ahaziah, king of Judah, . He meets with Jehonadab, and takes him with him in his chariot, , . He comes to Samaria, and destroys all that were of the kindred of Ahab there, . He pretends a great zeal for the worship of Baal, and gathers all his priests together, under the pretense of a grand sacrifice, and slays them all, . He burns Baal's images, and makes his temple a draught house, . But he does not depart from the sins of Jeroboam, and does not prosper, . Hazael vexes Israel, , . Jehu dies, having reigned over Israel, in Samaria, twenty-eight years, . Verse 1 Ahab had seventy sons - As he had several wives, he might have many children. The Israelites, from the earliest part of their history, were remarkably fruitful. How amazingly did they multiply in Egypt, even under the hand of the severest oppression! And as to the individuals of whose families we have an account, they are quite remarkable: Rehoboam had thirty-eight sons; Abdon had forty; Tola had thirty; Ahab, seventy; and Gideon, seventy-one. Unto the rulers of Jezreel - It certainly should be, unto the rulers of Samaria; for to them and to that city the whole context shows us the letters were sent. See . To them that brought up Ahab's children - It appears that the royal children of Israel and Judah were intrusted to the care of the nobles, and were brought up by them, (see ); and to these, therefore, Jehu's letters are directed. It is supposed Isaiah ( ) alludes to this custom: Kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and queens thy nursing mothers.

2 Kings 10:1-6

Introduction

Jehu sends an ironical letter to the elders of Samaria, telling them to choose one of the best of their master's sons, and put him on the throne; to which they return a submissive answer, 2Kgs 10:1-6. He writes a second letter, and orders them to send him the heads of Ahab's seventy sons; they do so, and they are laid in two heaps at the gate of Jezreel, 2Kgs 10:7, 2Kgs 10:8. Jehu shows them to the people, and excuses himself, and states that all is done according to the word of the Lord, 2Kgs 10:9, 2Kgs 10:10. He destroys all the kindred of Ahab that remained in Jezreel, 2Kgs 10:11. He also destroys forty-two men, the brethren of Ahaziah, king of Judah, 2Kgs 10:12-14. He meets with Jehonadab, and takes him with him in his chariot, 2Kgs 10:15, 2Kgs 10:16. He comes to Samaria, and destroys all that were of the kindred of Ahab there, 2Kgs 10:17. He pretends a great zeal for the worship of Baal, and gathers all his priests together, under the pretense of a grand sacrifice, and slays them all, 2Kgs 10:18-25. He burns Baal's images, and makes his temple a draught house, 2Kgs 10:26-28. But he does not depart from the sins of Jeroboam, and does not prosper, 2Kgs 10:29-31. Hazael vexes Israel, 2Kgs 10:32, 2Kgs 10:33. Jehu dies, having reigned over Israel, in Samaria, twenty-eight years, 2Kgs 10:34-36.

Verse 1

Ahab had seventy sons - As he had several wives, he might have many children. The Israelites, from the earliest part of their history, were remarkably fruitful. How amazingly did they multiply in Egypt, even under the hand of the severest oppression! And as to the individuals of whose families we have an account, they are quite remarkable: Rehoboam had thirty-eight sons; Abdon had forty; Tola had thirty; Ahab, seventy; and Gideon, seventy-one.

Unto the rulers of Jezreel - It certainly should be, unto the rulers of Samaria; for to them and to that city the whole context shows us the letters were sent. See 2Kgs 10:6.

To them that brought up Ahab's children - It appears that the royal children of Israel and Judah were intrusted to the care of the nobles, and were brought up by them, (see 2Kgs 10:6); and to these, therefore, Jehu's letters are directed. It is supposed Isaiah (Isa 49:23) alludes to this custom: Kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and queens thy nursing mothers. Verse 2

A fenced city also - All here seems to refer to Samaria alone; in it were the magazines and implements of war, etc. No reader need be told that these letters were all ironical. It was the same as if he had said, "Ye have no means of defense; Israel is with me: if you yield not up yourselves and the city, I will put you all to the sword. Verse 4

Two kings stood not before him - That is Joram and Ahaziah. Verse 5

He that was over the house, etc. - Thus all the constituted authorities agreed to submit.

Will do all that thou shalt bid us - They made no conditions, and stood pledged to commit the horrid murders which this most execrable man afterwards commanded. Verse 6

Come to me to Jezreel - Therefore the letters were not written to Jezreel, but from Jezreel to Samaria.