Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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2 Kings
Book: 2 Kings
Chapter: 9
Overview:
Elisha sends to
Anoint Jehu.
(1-10) Jehu and the captains.
(11-15) Joram and
Ahaziah slain
By Jehu.
(16-29) Jezebel eaten
By dogs.
(30-37)
1-10 In these and the like events, we must acknowledge the
secret working of
God, disposing men to fulfil his purposes
respecting them.
Jehu was anointed
King over
Israel,
By the
Lord's special choice. The
Lord still had a remnant of his
people, and would yet preserve his
Worship among them. Of this
Jehu was reminded. He was commanded to destroy the
House of
Ahab, and, as far as he acted in obedience to
God, and upon
right principles, he needed not to regard reproach or
opposition. The
Murder of
God's prophets is strongly noticed.
Jezebel persisted in
Idolatry and
Enmity to
Jehovah and his
servants, and her iniquity was now full.
11-15 Those who faithfully deliver the
Lord's message to
sinners, have in all ages been treated as
Madmen. Their
Judgment, speech, and conduct are contrary to those of other
men; they endure much in pursuit of objects, and are influenced
By motives, into which the others cannot enter. But above all,
the charge is brought
By the worldly and ungodly of all sorts,
who are mad indeed; while the principles and practice of the
devoted servants of
God, prove to be
Wise and reasonable. Some
Faith in the
Word of God, seems to have animated
Jehu to this
undertaking.
16-29 Jehu was a
Man of eager
Spirit. The
Wisdom of
God is seen
in the choice of those employed in his work. But it is not for
any
Man's reputation to be known
By his
Fury. He that has rule
over his own
Spirit, is better than the mighty.
Joram met
Jehu
in the portion of
Naboth. The circumstances of events are
sometimes ordered
By Divine
Providence to make the
Punishment
answer to the
Sin, as
Face answers to
Face in a
Glass. The way
of
Sin can never be the way of peace, Isa 57:21. What peace
can sinners have with
God?
No peace
So long as
Sin is persisted
in; but when it is repented of and forsaken, there is peace.
Joram died as a criminal, under the sentence of the
Law.
Ahaziah
was joined with the
House of
Ahab. He was one of them; he had
made himself
So By Sin. It is dangerous to join evil-doers; we
shall be entangled in guilt and misery
By it.
30-37 Instead of hiding herself, as one afraid of Divine
vengeance,
Jezebel mocked at fear. See how a
Heart, hardened
against
God, will brave it out to the last. There is not a surer
presage of ruin, than an unhumbled
Heart under humbling
Providence. Let those look at
Jezebel's conduct and fate, who
use arts to seduce others to commit wickedness, and to draw them
aside from the ways of
Truth and
Righteousness.
Jehu called for
aid against
Jezebel. When reformation-work is
On foot, it is
time to ask, Who sides with it? Her attendants delivered her up.
Thus she was
Put to
Death. See the
End of pride and cruelty, and
say, The
Lord is righteous. When we pamper our bodies, let us
think how vile they are; shortly they will be a
Feast for worms
under ground, or beasts above ground. May we all flee from that
wrath which is revealed from
Heaven, against all ungodliness and
unrighteousness of men.