Verse 1. Seventy sons, as he had many wives. Gedeon had 70. Calmet.—Grand-children might also be included. D.—But this is not necessary. Calmet.—City, Hebrew “of Jezrahel,” a word which has probably been substituted instead of “Israel,” which is more conformable to the Septuagint and Vulg. Those who adhere to the Hebrew pretend that the princes had all fled from Jezrahel.—Children. This is the sense generally given to Nutritios Achab, which literally signifies, “nursing-fathers (preceptors, counsellors, and so forth) of Achab,” verse 5. The king’s children were perhaps educated in the most noble families, (verse 6.) and in the best cities, 2 Chronicles 11:23. Isaias (49:23) foretelling the happiness of the Israelites after the captivity, says, that kings and queens will nurse them.
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Verse 3. Master. Jehu would lead them into a snare, and insultingly challenges them to battle, shewing how little he feared their power. Calmet.—He speaks ironically. D.
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Verse 8. Morning, that all the people might see them. Calmet.—Jehu did not choose to admit the Samaritans into the city during the night. Menochius.
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Verse 9. Just executioners of the divine wrath. D.—You know what is right. Menochius.—You are now in the same predicament with myself. Bible.—All the chief men had thus rendered themselves odious to the people, who could not choose them for leaders. He captiously infers, from his astonishing success, ( Calmet.) that his conduct is pleasing to God. Menochius.—All the people seeing that so many had armed ( Tirinus.) against the house of Achab, might conclude that what they did was just. Bible.
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Verse 11. Chief men, probably including those perfidious wretches, who had so basely betrayed their trust, and slain the 70 sons of Achab, “the nobles of the kingdom, his kinsmen, and friends.” Chal. Arab.—Friends. Some copies of the Septuagint have connoisseurs, of magicians. Leviticus 19:31.—Priests, princes of the court (2 Kennicott. 8:18) and those who offered sacrifice to idols, ( Calmet.) being of Achab’s descendants. Menochius.—He afterwards inveigled all the priests of Baal, to their entire ruin, verse 19. Bible.
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Verse 12. Cabin. Hebrew Beth-heked, ( Bible.) a term which the Septuagint do not translate. It means, “house of tying,” as the sheep were tied to be shorn. Menochius.—Eusebius places it in the great plain, 15 miles from Legion. Calmet.—It was not a despicable hut, ( Bible.) but like the houses where Nabal and Absalom shore their sheep, 1 Kennicott. 25. and so forth Tirinus.
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Verse 13. Brethren. The Arabs had destroyed all his brothers by the same mother; (2 Chronicles 22:1) but these were near relations, and they durst not deny the fact. Menochius.—In 2 Chronicles 22:8, they are styled princes of Juda, and sons of the brethren of Ochozias. Jehu must have used surprising diligence ( Calmet.) and secrecy ( Bible.) to prevent the many important transactions and changes which had lately taken place from being known at Jerusalem, or even at Bethheked, verse 12 which was so little distant from Samaria. Calmet.—Queen. The wife of Joram, or the children of Jezabel, ( Menochius.) with whom they were connected by affinity and friendship, to their great detriment. Bible.
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Verse 14. Alive. That they might not attempt to defend themselves, ( Menochius.) as they might hope that Jehu would, at least, spare their lives. Bible.—Of them, as they were in some degree related to Achab, ( Menochius.) or might endeavour to obstruct his dominion. Tirinus.
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Verse 15. Jonadab, a holy personage. Jeremiah 35:6. The Rechabites were a sort of religious, descended from Jethro and the Cinites. Calmet.—They dwelt in the country, and fed sheep, and so forth Numbers 10:29. Tirinus.—John of Jerus. (chapter 25.) says that Jonadab was a disciple of Eliseus, and followed his institute in all things, except continency. Menochius.—Blessed him, wishing his peace and prosperity. Menochius.—It is not clear whether Jehu or Jonadab pronounced this blessing. Bible.—Heart. Art thou friendly to my cause?—Thy hand, in sign of concord, and to help him up into his chariot. Calmet.—It was of great consequence to obtain the approbation of a man Bible. who must have been so revered by the people. Menochius.—Jehu acted with the utmost policy. Bible.
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Verse 18. I will worship him more. Jehu sinned in thus pretending to worship Baal, and causing sacrifices to be offered to him: because evil in not to be done, that good may come of it. Romans 3:8. Challoner. Worthington.—S. Jerom, and so forth excuse him from mortal sin, as his intention was good. Tirinus.—If he had not thus dissembled, he could not have so effectually destroyed the adorers of Baal, who would have concealed themselves. But God rewarded his zeal, and not his falsehood. Calmet.—He might speak ironically; though Theodoret, and so forth admit a lie. Menochius.
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Verse 19. Servants. The number had greatly decreased under Joram. Menochius.
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Verse 20. Proclaim. Lit. “sanctify (Heb.) a prohibition” to work, or to be absent, ( Calmet.) “and they proclaimed it.”
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Verse 21. Other. Lit. “from top to top.” Hebrew “from mouth to mouth,” Bible. like a vessel brimfull. Calmet.—Every corner was filled. All the priests and prophets made their appearance, through zeal to re-establish the honour of their idol, and for fear of death. Menochius.
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Verse 22. Wardrobe, of vestments used in the service of Baal. The worship chiefly consisted in such outward pomp. The priests were probably adorned like those at the pillars of Hercules, who were from the same country. Sil. Ital. iii. velantur corpora lino, and so forth
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Verse 24. Life. These 80 were stationed at the doors, while the rest slaughtered the unhappy idolaters, ( Menochius.) who were all by themselves, like the reprobate separated from the elect, at the last day. Bible.
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Verse 25. Soldiers. Hebrew “runners, (or foot-guards, 3 Kennicott. 1:5,) and chief officers.” Exodus 14:7.—Out. Hebrew “cast out” their carcasses, or “rushed out (themselves) into the city,” which was styled “the temple of Baal;” or “penetrated into the fortress” and inmost recesses of that structure. Osiander.—We read of such a fortress. Judges 9:46. Bible.—In every city where there was a temple of Baal, the fabric and idols were demolished. Salien.
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Verse 27. A jakes, or necessary. Bible.—See 1 Ezra 6:11. Daniel 2:5.
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Verse 29. Dan. This wicked policy, which was designed to prevent his subjects from submitting again to the kings of Juda, proved his ruin.
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Verse 30. Generation. So Joachaz, Joas, Jeroboam II. and Zacharias, succeeded to the throne. This small temporal reward he obtained for the little good which he had done; while, on the other hand, he was punished for his manifold transgressions. Osee (1:4,) reproaches him even for the blood which he had spilt in Jezrahel; for, though Achab and Joram were guilty, was Jehu innocent? Can this murder of Ochozias be justified? Calmet.—“What advantage was it to him that he received some little transitory reward of a temporal kingdom, for his obedience in exterminating the house of Achab; which he indeed exhibited to gratify his own lust of dominion?” Saint Augustine c. mend. ii. chapter 2. This holy doctor observes, that moral good works are thus rewarded. Worthington.
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Verse 32. Weary. Hebrew “to retrench or destroy.” Hazael took occasion, from the absence of Jehu ( Calmet.) from Galaad, and the disturbances on the west of the Jordan, to dismember the provinces on the east, and to commit the horrid ravages foretold by Eliseus. Calmet. 8:12. Bible.
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Verse 33. Aroer. See Joshua 13:25. This was a most severe scourge, ( Menochius.) as all the eastern tribes were lost to Israel. Bible.