| Back to Home Page | Back to Book Index
|
2 Kings Chapter
Ten
New King James Version (NKJV)
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
2 Kings 10:15
and
of his gathering together the prophets
priests
and worshippers of Baal
and
slaying them
2 Kings 10:18 and
of his extirpation of the idolatry of Baal
2 Kings 10:26
nevertheless he continued the worship of the calves
2 Kings 10:29
wherefore Israel was distressed by the king of Syria
2 Kings 10:32 and
the chapter is concluded with the reign and death of Jehu
2 Kings 10:34.
2 Kings 10:1 Now
Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote and sent letters to Samaria
to the rulers of Jezreel
[a] to the
elders
and to those who reared Ahab’s sons
saying:
YLT
1And Ahab hath seventy sons
in Samaria
and Jehu writeth letters
and sendeth to Samaria
unto the heads of
Jezreel
the elders
and unto the supporters of Ahab
saying
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 consult about a successor
or how to oppose Jehu
and to frustrate his designs: but the Septuagint version
is
"to the rulers of Samaria"
which seems most likely to be the
true reading:
to the elders; the civil magistrates of the city of
Samaria:
and to them that brought up Ahab's children: who had the
care of their education; who either always dwelt at Samaria
being the royal
city
or were sent with their charge thither
when Joram went to Ramothgilead
for safety
supposing he should be worsted by the Syrians; or they fled thither
with them upon the death of Joram:
saying; as follows.
2 Kings 10:2 2 Now as soon as this letter
comes to you
since your master’s sons are with you
and you have
chariots and horses
a fortified city also
and weapons
YLT
2`And now
at the coming in
of this letter unto you
and with you [are] sons of your lord
and with you
[are] the chariots and the horses
and a fenced city
and the armour
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
to arm themselves and people with in their defence.
2 Kings 10:3 3 choose the best qualified
of your master’s sons
set him on his father’s throne
and fight for
your master’s house.
YLT
3and ye have seen the best
and the uprightest of the sons of your lord
and have set [him] on the throne
of his father
and fight ye for the house of your lord.'
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
sarcastic and sneering manner dares them to do it.
2 Kings 10:4 4 But they were exceedingly
afraid
and said
“Look
two kings could not stand up to him; how then can we
stand?”
YLT
4And they fear very greatly
and say
`Lo
the two kings have not stood before him
and how do we stand --
we?'
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 they stand before an armed body of men Jehu had with him? this shows the
pusillanimity of these men to make use of such an argument as this:
how then shall we stand? that is
before Jehu;
but they were in much better circumstances than the two kings
as they are
truly represented in 2 Kings 10:2.
2 Kings 10:5 5 And he who was in
charge of the house
and he who was in charge of the city
the elders
also
and those who reared the sons
sent to Jehu
saying
“We are
your servants
we will do all you tell us; but we will not make anyone king. Do
what is good in your sight.”
YLT
5And he who [is] over the
house
and he who [is] over the city
and the elders
and the supporters
send
unto Jehu
saying
`Thy servants we [are]
and all that thou sayest unto us we
do; we do not make any one king -- that which [is] good in thine eyes do.'
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 education of
the king's sons committed to them:
sent to Jehu
saying
we are thy servants
and will do all that
thou shall bid us. They were ready to do homage
and swear allegiance to him as
their king
and obey all his commands as faithful subjects:
we will not make any king; or set up any on the
throne
no
not any of the sons or grandsons of Ahab:
do thou that which is good in thine eyes
we will never
oppose thee.
2 Kings 10:6 6 Then he wrote a second
letter to them
saying: If you are for me and will obey my voice
take
the heads of the men
your master’s sons
and come to me at Jezreel by this
time tomorrow. Now the king’s sons
seventy persons
were with the great
men of the city
who were rearing them.
YLT
6And he writeth unto them a
letter a second time
saying
`If ye [are] for me
and to my voice are
hearkening
take the heads of the men -- the sons of your lord
and come unto
me about this time to-morrow
to Jezreel;' and the sons of the king [are]
seventy men
with the great ones of the city those bringing them up.
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 meaning with
the heads along with them:
(now the king's sons
being seventy persons
were with the great
men of the city
which brought them up;) they were in their
houses
and under their tuition
and so had an authority over them
and could
dispose of them at pleasure; they were not ordinary persons to whose care they
were committed
but the principal men of the city.
2 Kings 10:7 7 So it was
when the letter
came to them
that they took the king’s sons and slaughtered seventy persons
put their heads in baskets and sent them to him at Jezreel.
YLT
7And it cometh to pass
at
the coming in of the letter unto them
that they take the sons of the king
and
slaughter seventy men
and put their heads in baskets
and send unto him to
Jezreel
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 firstfruits
as Abarbinel observes.
2 Kings 10:8 8 Then a messenger came and
told him
saying
“They have brought the heads of the king’s sons.” And he
said
“Lay them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until morning.”
YLT
8and the messenger cometh
in
and declareth to him
saying
`They have brought in the heads of the sons
of the king
' and he saith
`Make them two heaps at the opening of the gate
till the morning.'
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 at the evening they were
brought; and he ordered them to be taken out of the baskets
and laid in two
heaps at the entering of the gate of the city
that they might be taken notice
of
and publicly viewed by the people that passed and repassed the gate; and
where they met in great numbers
either on account of the market there
or
court of judicature there held
especially in mornings; and here they were to
remain till the morning
though not without a guard
that they might still be
more exposed to view; NoldiusF16Ebr. Conc. Part. p. 68. No. 340.
renders it
"without the door of the gate"
for they were brought at
night
when the gate was shut.
2 Kings 10:9 9 So it was
in the morning
that he went out and stood
and said to all the people
“You are
righteous. Indeed I conspired against my master and killed him; but who killed
all these?
YLT
9And it cometh to pass in
the morning
that he goeth out
and standeth
and saith unto all the people
`Righteous are ye; lo
I have conspired against my lord
and slay him -- and
who smote all these?
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 charge me with treason and murder:
but who slew all these? not he
but the chief
men of Samaria
and therefore must be more guilty than he
having shed the
blood of so many persons
who had not offended against God and man to so great
a degree as Joram; this he said to lessen his own sin
and wipe off the
reproach of it
that his character might appear fairer in the eyes of the
people
concealing
at the same time
his orders for the slaying of them.
2 Kings 10:10 10 Know now that nothing
shall fall to the earth of the word of the Lord which the Lord spoke
concerning the house of Ahab; for the Lord has done what He spoke by
His servant Elijah.”
YLT
10Know ye now
that nothing
doth fall of the word of Jehovah to the earth that Jehovah spake against the
house of Ahab
and Jehovah hath done that which He spake by the hand of His
servant Elijah.'
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 family for their sins; and
therefore neither he nor others were to be blamed for what was done
since they
were only instruments made use of by the Lord
who both foretold all this
and
gave orders for the execution of it:
for the Lord hath done that which he spake by his servant Elijah; see 1 Kings 21:21.
2 Kings 10:11 11 So Jehu killed all who
remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel
and all his great men and his close
acquaintances and his priests
until he left him none remaining.
YLT
11And Jehu smiteth all those
left to the house of Ahab in Jezreel
and all his great men
and his
acquaintances
and his priests
till he hath not left to him a remnant.
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 some of them at least were those very men
that cut off the heads of his sons in complaisance to Jehu:
and his kinsfolks: more distantly related to him or his
acquaintance and familiars
his associates in sin and wickedness:
and his priests: who officiated for him and offered his
sacrifices to Baal; the priests he kept in his palace
and ate at his table:
until he left him none remaining; either of his kindred or
his priests
that is
that were at Jezreel; for there were others at Samaria
2 Kings 10:17.
2 Kings 10:12 12 And he arose and departed
and went to Samaria. On the way
at Beth Eked[b] of the
Shepherds
YLT
12And he riseth
and cometh
in and goeth to Samaria; he [is] at the shepherds' shearing-house in the way
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 gathering of the
shepherds;'where they used to meet and converse together; with some it is the
proper name of a place
Betheked
a country village between Jezreel and
Samaria. Jerom speaksF17De loc. Heb. fol. 89. K. of a village of
this name
situated in a large plain
about fifteen miles from a place called
Legion
which village he takes to be this here.
2 Kings 10:13 13 Jehu met with the brothers
of Ahaziah king of Judah
and said
“Who are you?” So they answered
“We
are the brothers of Ahaziah; we have come down to greet the sons of the
king and the sons of the queen mother.”
YLT
13and Jehu hath found the
brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah
and saith
`Who [are] ye?' and they say
`Brethren of Ahaziah we [are]
and we go down to salute the sons of the king
and the sons of the mistress.'
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
who they were:
and they answered
we are the brethren of Ahaziah; the sons of
his brethren:
and we go down to salute the children of the king
and the
children of the queen; meaning either the children of Ahab and Jezebel
or of Joram and
his queen; for they knew nothing of the death of Joram and Jezebel
and the
revolution made in the kingdom
and therefore with great simplicity tell who
they were
and where they were going
and on what account.
2 Kings 10:14 14 And he said
“Take them
alive!” So they took them alive
and killed them at the well of Beth Eked
forty-two men; and he left none of them.
YLT
14And he saith
`Catch them
alive;' and they catch them alive
and slaughter them at the pit of the
shearing-house
forty and two men
and he hath not left a man of them.
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 within the commission of Jehu
to slay them
at least as he thought; though his chief view might be
lest they
should make any pretensions to the crown
being descended from that house
or
should hereafter attempt to avenge the death of their relations; but by the
judgment of God they were cut off as idolaters.
2 Kings 10:15 15 Now when he departed from
there
he met Jehonadab the son of Rechab
coming to meet him; and he
greeted him and said to him
“Is your heart right
as my heart is toward
your heart?” And Jehonadab answered
“It is.” Jehu said
“If it is
give
me your hand.” So he gave him his hand
and he took him up to him
into the chariot.
YLT
15And he goeth thence
and
findeth Jehonadab son of Rechab -- to meet him
and blesseth him
and saith
unto him
`Is thy heart right
as my heart [is] with thy heart?' and Jehonadab
saith
`It is;' -- `Then it is; give thy hand;' and he giveth his hand
and he
causeth him to come up into him into the chariot
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 them
Jeremiah 35:6 this
good man hearing of Jehu's coming to the throne
and of his destruction of the
idolatrous family of Ahab
and of his zeal for the worship of God
and against
idolatry
came forth from his tent to meet him
and congratulate him upon it:
and he saluted him; Jonadab saluted Jehu
according to
Abarbinel; or "blessed him"F18ויברכהו
"et benedixit ei"
V. L. Montanus.
wished him all happiness in his
kingdom
and success in the reformation of it; though most understand it of
Jehu's saluting Jonadab
which seems best to agree with the following:
and said to him
is thy heart right
as my heart is with thy heart? that is
hast
thou the same cordial affection and sincere respect for me as I have for thee?
and Jehonadab answered
it is: to which some join the
next clause
and read
"and it is"; which is doubling the answer
for
the confirmation of it
as Kimchi says; though he also observes
that the latter
may be interpreted as the answer of Jehu
by way of interrogation
"is
it?":
then give me thine hand; and to the same purpose
is our version:
if it be
and he gave him his hand; Jonadab gave
Jehu his hand as a token of sincere friendshipF19"Ipse pater
dextram Anchises"
&c. Virgil. Aeneid. l. 3. prope finem. Vid. Servium
in ib. Vid. Cornel. Nepot. Vit. Themistocl. l. 2. c. 8. & Datam. l. 14. c.
10.
and cordial respect
and for the confirmation of the covenant between
them
as Ben Melech; who also observes
that Jehu might bid him give him his
hand to help him up into the chariot
since it follows:
and he took him up to him into the chariot; to ride with
him to Samaria; the company of such a man
so famous for wisdom and goodness
he knew would give him much countenance among the people
and sanction to what
he did.
2 Kings 10:16 16 Then he said
“Come with
me
and see my zeal for the Lord.” So they had him ride in
his chariot.
YLT
16and saith
`Come with me
and look on my zeal for Jehovah;' and they cause him to ride in his chariot.
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 assisted Jonadab in getting
into it.
2 Kings 10:17 17 And when he came to
Samaria
he killed all who remained to Ahab in Samaria
till he had destroyed
them
according to the word of the Lord which He spoke to Elijah.
YLT
17And he cometh in to
Samaria
and smiteth all those left to Ahab in Samaria
till his destroying
him
according to the word of Jehovah that He spake unto Elisha.
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 show the exact fulfilment of prophecy
see 1 Kings 21:21.
2 Kings 10:18 18 Then Jehu gathered all the
people together
and said to them
“Ahab served Baal a little
Jehu will serve
him much.
YLT
18And Jehu gathereth the
whole of the people
and saith unto them
`Ahab served Baal a little -- Jehu
doth serve him much:
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 he was hearty in the worship of Baal
and should
show a greater respect to it
and more constantly attend it
than Ahab had
done; and this he said with a view to draw them to the temple of Baal
and
there destroy them
as the sequel shows; and in which he is not to be
justified
however good his intention was; for evil is not to be done that good
may come.
2 Kings 10:19 19 Now therefore
call to me
all the prophets of Baal
all his servants
and all his priests. Let no one be
missing
for I have a great sacrifice for Baal. Whoever is missing shall not
live.” But Jehu acted deceptively
with the intent of destroying the worshipers
of Baal.
YLT
19and now
all the prophets
of Baal
all his servants
and all his priests
call ye unto me; let not a man
be lacking
for a great sacrifice I have for Baal; every one who is lacking --
he doth not live;' and Jehu hath done [it] in subtilty
in order to destroy the
servants of Baal.
All
that were employed in the several parts of religious worship given him
and in
performing any rite and ceremony belonging to it; in invocation of him
and
singing praises to him
as the prophets; in offering sacrifices to him
as the
priests; or in assisting them in their service
who may be meant by his
servants or ministers:
for I have a great sacrifice to do to Baal; by which
though he might mean a sacrifice of his prophets
priests
servants
and
worshippers
he would have it otherwise understood
and his design was to
deceive
which cannot be justified:
whosoever shall be wanting
he shall not live: but be put to
death; this he said
pretending his great zeal for Baal
when his view was by
this threatening to get all his worshippers together to destroy them
that none
might escape as follows:
but Jehu did it in subtlety
to the intent that he might destroy
the worshippers of Baal: the Targum renders it
"with wisdom"; but Jarchi and
Ben Gersom much better
"in deceit"; the word signifies
supplantation
such as Esau charged Jacob with.
2 Kings 10:20 20 And Jehu said
“Proclaim a
solemn assembly for Baal.” So they proclaimed it.
YLT
20And Jehu saith
`Sanctify a
restraint for Baal;' and they proclaim [it].
And Jehu said
proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal
.... Such as
with the Jews was an holy convocation
when they were forbidden and restrained
from doing any work on that day; and such a day Jehu would have appointed and
proclaimed for Baal
that the people might be at leisure to attend:
and they proclaimed it; according to his order
in Samaria.
2 Kings 10:21 21 Then Jehu sent throughout
all Israel; and all the worshipers of Baal came
so that there was not a man
left who did not come. So they came into the temple[c] of Baal
and the temple of Baal was full from one end to the other.
YLT
21And Jehu sendeth into all
Israel
and all the servants of Baal come in
and there hath not been left a
man who hath not come in; and they come in to the house of Baal
and the house
of Baal is full -- mouth to mouth.
And Jehu sent through all Israel
.... Persons to proclaim
this solemn assembly:
and all the worshippers of Baal came
so that there was not a man
left that came not; some no doubt came cheerfully
having no suspicion of him
and
the rather
as he might have been a worshipper of Baal in the times of Ahab;
and as for what he had done to Baal's priests
they might consider that only as
they were in connection with Ahab's family
whom to destroy was his political
interest; and they were glad at heart their new king was so affected to Baal
and fond to see such a grand solemnity as they expected this to be; and others
that might be suspicious of him
yet as they must die if they did not appear
and there was a possibility they might live
chose therefore to come:
and they came into the house of Baal; the temple
which Ahab had built for him in Samaria
1 Kings 16:32.
and the house of Baal was full from one end to the other; not only the
body of the temple
but all the outward court
every mouth
or corner
as in
the original text: and this single house might be sufficient for all in the
land; since the number of them might be greatly lessened by the ministry of
Elijah and Elisha
as well as by the destruction the former made of the
prophets of Baal; and by the schools of the prophets set up in various places
from whence prophets were sent out to instruct the people; and by Joram's
putting away the image of Baal
which no doubt lessened the number of his
worshippers.
2 Kings 10:22 22 And he said to the one in
charge of the wardrobe
“Bring out vestments for all the worshipers of Baal.”
So he brought out vestments for them.
YLT
22And he saith to him who
[is] over the wardrobe
`Bring out clothing to all servants of Baal;' and he
bringeth out to them the clothing.
And he said unto him that was over the vestry
.... That had
the care of the garments
in which the priests of Baal ministered:
bring forth vestments for all the worshippers of Baal; not for the
priests only
but for all that worshipped; and this he ordered for the greater
solemnity of this service
as he would have it thought; but
in truth
that the
worshippers of Baal might be separated
and distinguished from the worshippers
of the Lord
that not one of them might be among them:
and he brought them forth vestments; out of the chamber or
wardrobe in which they were
and they put them on.
2 Kings 10:23 23 Then Jehu and Jehonadab
the son of Rechab went into the temple of Baal
and said to the worshipers of
Baal
“Search and see that no servants of the Lord are here with
you
but only the worshipers of Baal.”
YLT
23And Jehu goeth in
and
Jehonadab son of Rechab
to the house of Baal
and saith to the servants of
Baal
`Search and see
lest there be here with you of the servants of Jehovah --
but
the servants of Baal by themselves.'
And Jehu went
and Jehonadab the son of Rechab
into the house of
Baal
.... Who no doubt was led into the secret
and knew the design of
Jehu
or he would not have gone into such an idolatrous place:
and said unto the worshippers of Baal
search and look
that there
be here with you none of the servants of the Lord
but the worshippers of Baal
only; pretending a great regard to the purity of their worship and
sacrifices
that they might not be profanedF20"----procul
o
procul este profani". Virgil. Aeneid. 6. ver. 258. by the company of such
who were not worshippers of Baal
but of Jehovah; whereas his view was to
prevent any of the worshippers of God perishing with them
who might out of
curiosity go in among them
to behold the manner of their service.
2 Kings 10:24 24 So they went in to offer
sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had appointed for himself eighty men
on the outside
and had said
“If any of the men whom I have brought
into your hands escapes
whoever lets him escape
it shall be his life
for the life of the other.”
YLT
24And they come in to make
sacrifices and burnt-offerings
and Jehu hath set for himself in an out-place
eighty men
and saith
`The man who letteth escape [any] of the men whom I am
bringing in unto your hand -- his soul for his soul.'
And when they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings
.... To Baal
all things being ready for them:
Jehu appointed eighty men without; without the temple of
Baal
at the several doors and avenues of it:
and said
if any of the men whom I have brought into your hands
escape
he that letteth him go
his life shall be for the life of him; should be put
to death for it in his room; the life of a watchman set to guard should go for
the life of one that escaped.
2 Kings 10:25 25 Now it happened
as soon
as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering
that Jehu said to the
guard and to the captains
“Go in and kill them; let no one come out!”
And they killed them with the edge of the sword; then the guards and the
officers threw them out
and went into the inner room of the temple of
Baal.
YLT
25And it cometh to pass at
his finishing to make the burnt-offering
that Jehu saith to the runners
and
to the captains
`Go in
smite them
let none come out;' and they smite them by
the mouth of the sword
and the runners and the captains cast [them] out; and
they go unto the city
to the house of Baal
And it came to pass
as soon as he had made an end of offering the
burnt offering
.... The chief of the priests of Baal
whose office it was to do
this service:
that Jehu said to the guard
and to the captains
go in and slay
them
let none come forth; this he said to the eighty men set to guard
the temple
and the officers over them; and perhaps they might also have a
reinforcement
since such a number seems scarcely sufficient to destroy so many
as were here; though indeed it must be considered they were armed men:
and they smote them with the edge of the sword; put them all
to death:
and the guard and the captains cast them out; those that
were slain
as the Targum
their dead bodies; but it can hardly be thought they
would be at the trouble of casting them out
when the house was to be pulled
down
and made a jakes (a common sewer or dung house) of
as follows; rather
therefore it should be rendered
"they cast" or "flung
themselves"F21וישלכי "et
proripuerunt se"
De Dicu. with great force
and in great haste
as
Kimchi
and rushed out of the temple
being eager to do as follows:
and went to the city of the house of Baal; to pull it
down; to some city near Samaria where was a temple of Baal; or rather this may
design the buildings about the temple of Baal
in which the priests and their
families lived
and were so large that they might be called a city of
themselves.
2 Kings 10:26 26 And they brought the sacred
pillars out of the temple of Baal and burned them.
YLT
26and bring out the
standing-pillars of the house of Baal
and burn them
And they brought forth the images out of the house of Baal
and
burnt them. Lesser images
the images of other deities
or what were placed
as decorations of the temple.
2 Kings 10:27 27 Then they broke down the sacred
pillar of Baal
and tore down the temple of Baal and made it a refuse dump to this
day.
YLT
27and break down the
standing-pillar of Baal
and break down the house of Baal
and appoint it for a
draught-house unto this day.
And they broke down the temple of Baal
.... Which
some take to be Belus
others Saturn
others the sun
which seems most
probable:
and broke down the house of Baal; his temple
demolished
it:
and made it a draught house until this day; a common
sewer
a jakes; a fit place for dunghill gods to be thrown into
and an idol
temple to be turned into.
2 Kings 10:28 28 Thus Jehu destroyed Baal
from Israel.
YLT
28And Jehu destroyeth Baal
out of Israel
Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel. His images and
temples being served thus in all places
throughout the land of Israel
where
there were any.
2 Kings 10:29 29 However Jehu did not turn
away from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat
who had made Israel sin
that
is
from the golden calves that were at Bethel and Dan.
YLT
29only -- the sins of
Jeroboam son of Nebat
that he caused Israel to sin
Jehu hath not turned aside
from after them -- the calves of gold that [are] at Beth-El
and in Dan.
Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat
who made
Israel to sin
.... Which is the common character given of that king
a blot
never to be wiped off:
Jehu departed not from after them
to wit
the golden calves that
were in Bethel
and that were in Dan: he did not abstain from
the worship of them
partly because he might not think it idolatry
because God
was worshipped in them; hence he calls the worshippers of the calves the
servants of the Lord
2 Kings 10:23
and
partly that he might not displease the princes of the people of Israel
who
generally gave in to the worship of them; but chiefly lest the kingdom of
Israel should return to the house of David
the worship of the calves being a
piece of state policy
to keep them from going to Jerusalem to worship
lest
thereby they should be drawn off from their allegiance to the king of Israel.
2 Kings 10:30 30 And the Lord said to Jehu
“Because you have done well in doing what is right in My sight
and
have done to the house of Ahab all that was in My heart
your sons shall
sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.”
YLT
30And Jehovah saith unto
Jehu
`Because that thou hast done well
to do that which [is] right in Mine
eyes -- according to all that [is] in My heart thou hast done to the house of
Ahab -- the sons of the fourth [generation] do sit for thee on the throne of
Israel.'
And the Lord said unto Jehu
.... By a prophet
he not
being one himself; and this is generally supposed
by the JewsF23Seder
Olam Rabba
c. 19.
to be Jonah the son of Amittai:
because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in
mine eyes: in rooting out the idolatry of Baal
which was right in the
sight of God
and was materially a good work
though it might not be done from
a good principle
nor every step taken in doing it justifiable:
and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in
mine heart: that he had decreed within himself should be done
and had
foretold by his prophets would be done
the doing of which was acceptable and
well pleasing to him:
thy children of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of
Israel; as they did
namely
Jehoahaz
Joash
Jeroboam
and Zachariah
though the last reigned but six months
just enough to fulfil this promise.
2 Kings 10:31 31 But Jehu took no heed to
walk in the law of the Lord
God of Israel with all his heart; for he did not depart from the sins of
Jeroboam
who had made Israel sin.
YLT
31And Jehu hath not taken
heed to walk in the law of Jehovah
God of Israel
with all his heart
he hath
not turned aside from the sins of Jeroboam
that he caused Israel to sin.
But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord God of Israel
with all his heart
.... As to his moral conversation
he was not careful that it was
according to the law of God
and what he did agreeable to it
it was not sincerely
and from the right principle:
for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam
which made Israel
to sin; which he would
if he had had a cordial respect to all the
commandments of the law.
2 Kings 10:32 32 In those days the Lord began to cut
off parts of Israel; and Hazael conquered them in all the territory of
Israel
YLT
32In those days hath Jehovah
begun to cut off [some] in Israel
and Hazael smiteth them in all the border of
Israel
In those days the Lord began to cut Israel short
.... To bring
their dominions into a narrower compass; this was done in the days of Jehu
though he was so active and courageous
wherefore the hand of God was the more
seen in it:
and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel; which
bordered on his country
when he did what Elisha foretold he would
2 Kings 8:12.
2 Kings 10:33 33 from the Jordan eastward:
all the land of Gilead—Gad
Reuben
and Manasseh—from Aroer
which is by
the River Arnon
including Gilead and Bashan.
YLT
33from the Jordan
at the
sun-rising
the whole land of Gilead
of the Gadite
and the Reubenite
and the
Manassahite (from Aroer
that [is] by the brook Arnon)
even Gilead and Bashan.
From Jordan eastward
.... This was principally
the coast on which Hazael smote them
to the east of the land of Canaan:
all the land of Gilead
the Gadites
and the Reubenites
and the
Moabites; the country on the other side Jordan
given to these tribes by
Moses
at their request
which were before the kingdoms of Sihon and of Og:
from Aroer
which is by the river Arnon
even Gilead and Bashan: countries
which the Israelites first conquered
and were the first they lost.
2 Kings 10:34 34 Now the rest of the acts
of Jehu
all that he did
and all his might
are they not written in the
book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
YLT
34And the rest of the matters
of Jehu
and all that he did
and all his might
are they not written on the
book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel?
Now the rest of the acts of Jehu
and all that he did
and all his
might
are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of
Israel? Of the preceding kings from the times of Jeroboam
in which their
several acts were recorded
and his also.
2 Kings 10:35 35 So Jehu rested with his
fathers
and they buried him in Samaria. Then Jehoahaz his son reigned in his
place.
YLT
35And Jehu lieth with his
fathers
and they bury him in Samaria
and reign doth Jehoahaz his son in his
stead.
And Jehu slept with his fathers
.... Died as they did:
and they buried him in Samaria; where Omri and Ahab
his
predecessors
were buried
1 Kings 16:28.
and Jehoahaz his son reigned in his stead; who reigned
seventeen years
2 Kings 13:1.
2 Kings 10:36 36 And the period that Jehu
reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.
YLT
36And the days that Jehu hath
reigned over Israel [are] twenty and eight years
in Samaria.
And the time that Jehu reigned was twenty and eight years. Which was
longer than any king of Israel had reigned.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)