Historical chapter commentary
Verse 1. One. The Rabbins say Jonas; who at this rate, must have been very young, as he prophesied 50 years afterwards, under Jeroboam II. Calmet.—Eliseus did not go himself, to avoid giving umbrage, and in obedience to God’s order. Menochius.
Verse 2. Brethren. The captains, verse 5.
Verse 3. Bottle. See 1 Kennicott. 10:1. Elias had received orders to anoint Jehu, 3 Kennicott. 19:16. Calmet.—There. The utmost expedition was necessary, that Joram might be surprised, as well as Ochozias, and their devoted families. Menochius.
Verse 7. Jezabel, who had persecuted the prophets unto death, 3 Kennicott. 18:4.
Verse 8. Israel. See Deuteronomy 32:36 and 3 Kennicott. 14:10 for an explanation of these expressions. Calmet.
Verse 10. Field, between the inner and the outer wall. Her body shall be left exposed to be eaten by the dogs.
Verse 11. Madman. The extravagant motions of the false prophets caused even the true ones to be treated with contempt. Warriors are but too apt to give way to sentiments of irreligion, ( Menochius.) and to despise men who lead a retired and penitential life. Bible.—How often were Ezechiel and Jeremias treated as fools, (Ezekiel 33:30. Jeremias 29:26. Calmet.) as well as our divine Saviour? The pagans looked upon those who were inspired by Apollo in the same light. Bible.—Ut primum cessit furor & rabida ora quierunt, Virg. Æneid vi. “What authority has this fury, which you call divine, that the insane should behold what escapes the observation of the wise, and that he who has lost common (human) sense should possess divine?” ea videat insanus, & is qui humanos sensus amiserit, divinos assecutus sit? Cicero Divin. ii.
Verse 12. False. We know not who he was, or what he said; though, from his conduct, we judge that he was one of the prophets. Hence they so readily acquiesced in saluting Jehu king. Bible.
Verse 13. Garment, out of respect, as the multitude honoured Jesus Christ, Matthew 21:7. The pagans sometimes did the like when they carried their idols in procession. Plut. in Alcib. The king of Persia walked on carpets in the court of the guards, who were styled immortal. Athen. 12.—Trumpet, according to custom, 3 Kennicott. 1:40. Calmet.
Verse 14. Conspired, with the captains. Menochius.—Besieged, as it is observed above. Calmet. 25:29. Hebrew “had kept ( Bible.) or observed;” watching the motions of Hazael, lest he should return, or succour the citadel.
Verse 17. Watchman. Such were very common, (2 Kennicott. 18:24. 1 Maccabees 12:26) and as the army was at Ramoth, the attention of the people would be drawn that way. Calmet.—Troop. Septuagint “the dust of the,” and so forth Menochius.
Verse 18. Peace? As this expression sufficiently vindicated the designs of Jehu, he would not suffer the messenger to return before him. Bible.
Verse 20. Furiously. The Chal. and Arab. say, “he marcheth slowly.” But the whole conduct of Jehu was marked with eagerness and severity, like that of Cato of Utica, (Grotius) and the utmost expedition was requisite.
Verse 22. Jehu? The king supposed that he had meet with some defeat, ( Calmet.) of that he wished to announce the good tidings in person. Menochius. Salien, A.Calmet. 902.—Vigour? How can Israel prosper? Bible.
Verse 23. Hand. Or ordered his charioteer to flee with all speed. Menochius.
Verse 25. Sitting. Hebrew “rode together after,” as if they were two abreast. Calmet.—Burden, or dreadful misfortune. Menochius.
Verse 26. Children. We do not read these words before, or that the children of Naboth were slain; but it is very usual to supply in one place what has been omitted in another, and Achab was not required to make restitution, ( Calmet.) as there were no heirs probably left. Menochius. Worthington.
Verse 27. House. Septuagint retain “Baithgan,” the original term, as if it were the name of that road. Menochius.—Ochozias wanted to reach the palace by the garden, which was the source of the miseries of Achab’s family.—There. Being brought back from Samaria, 2 Chronicles 22:9. ( Calmet.) or lurking in that kingdom, ( Menochius.) and slain by Jehu as being the grandson of Jezabel. Great troubles took place in Juda, in consequence of his death. Calmet.
Verse 29. Eleventh, or rather the twelfth, (Calmet. 8:25. Houbigant) unless he had been associated with his father on the throne a year before his death. Calmet. D.
Verse 30. Stone, or antimony, to make the eyes look black and large. If ( Calmet.) Jezabel thought that she would thus command respect or love, (Abulensis) she was extremely imprudent and rash, in her present condition. Pride might suggest that she ought not to appear unadorned. Calmet. Tirinus.—The women of the Eastern countries delight much in painting, (Pliny xi. 37. and xxxiii. 6.) and some men have not been ashamed to follow their example. S. Cyp.—Sardanapalus had his eyes and his eye-lids painted. Athen. xii. The Arabs, and so forth think that this black colour protects the eyes against the sun-beams. Valle ii. Ep. 17. To express the affection of Jezabel, Hebrew has, “she placed her eyes in antimony,” (fuc, or puc, whence the Latin fucus is visibly derived) as if she plunged them in it. Calmet.
Verse 31. Master. Being convinced that she could not gain the affections of Jehu, ( Bible.) and thinking that he would not lay hands on a woman, ( Menochius.) she insolently, or in despair, ( Bible.) upbraids him as a new Zambri, who might expect a similar fate, 3 Kennicott. 16. Calmet.—The name of Zambri was used proverbially to denote an ungrateful rebel; as with us Judas is used for a traitor. Tirinus.
Verse 32. This. “Who dares address me with such provoking language?” Hebrew “Who with me, who?” will punish the wretch? The eunuchs, who had hitherto waited upon Jezabel, immediately shewed their readiness to take part with her enemy: so little dependence can be placed on servants in the hour of adversity, when they have long been witnesses of their masters’ crimes.—Hoofs. Hebrew “and the horses, and he trod her under foot.” Bible.—Jehu shewed the example. Menochius.
Verse 34. Bury. He had forgotten the prediction of Elias, verse 36. Salien.—Daughter of Ethbaal, wife of Achab, mother of Joram king of Israel, and mother-in-law of Joram king of Juda, and grandmother of his son Ochozias. Calmet.—Her great connexions seemed to entitle her to the rights of sepulture. Bible.
Verse 35. Hands. All the rest had been presently devoured, or carried off by dogs. Bible.—Her precious jewels had been plundered by the soldiers. Menochius.
Verse 36. Field, or space between the walls, 3 Kennicott. 21:23. Calmet.
Verse 37. Jezabel? So fallen ( Menochius.) and degraded, though once possessed of so much power and beauty! sic transit gloria mundi. Hebrew and Septuagint “that they shall not say, This is Jezabel!” Bible.—No monument shall recall her to the remembrance of men. Calmet.—Her body cannot be recognized. This will be the fate of the greatest mortal beauties, a few days after their departure. S. Francis Borgia durst not take an oath that the corpse which he had to attend, was that of the late beautiful empress Isabella: so much was it already disfigured. This sight was the beginning of his conversion, and of that eminent sanctity to which he attained, by despising all that the world can give or take away. Bible.—The Spanish interpreters call Achab’s widow, Isabella: and she seems to have been the sister, or relation, of Dido, who founded Carthage about this time; ( Tirinus.) Salien says in the 16th year of Jehu. A.Calmet. 887. Bible.
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