The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 166

EXPOSITION. the LXX. expressly stat:e (d,rl<1u11'.,11 l11 OHAl'TER X. ~a.µa.p,/'f ,rpb, ,,..1, • lipxo,,,,-u "2a.µ ct- Vere. 1-36.-TBE REIGN OF JEHU OVER Pd a.,); bnt the reading "Jezreel" co.n scarcely have arisen out of " Samllria" lsB.t.EL. (',NJl11' out of pioe'), since the difference Vers. 1-28.-The revolution initiated of the two words is so great. Most probably by the destruction of Joram and Jezebel is the original word was "Israel" (~t<ii!I•), here tre.ced through its second an~ its third which is easily oonnpted into " J ezreel" stages. The immediate question, after Jo- (,~J1i1•). The rulers of Samaria, the capital, ram's death, was-Would any member of might well be called " the rnlers of Israel." his family rise up as e. claimant of the To the elders ; rather, even the eld,ers. Not throne, and dispute the succession with distinct persons from the "rnlers," bnt the Jehu? Ahab had seventy male descendants, same under another name (see 1 Kings xxi. 8, 13; and compare the Revised Version). all of them resident in Se.maria. : would And to them that brought up Ahab's children there be any one among their number bold -i.e. the tntors, or governors, nnder whose enough to come forward and assert his charge they were placed-saying- hereditary right ? J ehu rege.rded this as Ver. 2.-Now e.ssoon as this letter oometh to you. In the East at this time, and in the most pressing and imminent danger, most parts of it to the present day, letters wherefore his first step was to challenge can only be sent by special messengers. such action, and either precipite.te it or There is no public post. Kings and privo.te crush it. In vers. 1-11 is related the action individuals must eqna.lly find persons who taken by him, so far as the descendants of will undertake to carry and deliver their Ahab were concerned, and his success in despatches. Even the post organized by Darius Hystaspis was not one that went ridding himself of all rive.ls possessed of so daily, but only one kept ready for the king strong e. claim. Vere. 12-14 relate his to use when he had occasion for it. Seeing dealings with another body of Ahab's re- your master's sous are with you. "Your Intions, belonging to the neighbouring king- master's sons" must mean Joram's sons: dom of Judah. Iu vers. 15-28 au account by which we learn that, unlike his brother Ahaziah (eh. i 17), J oram had male offspring is given of the still more bloody and more who survived him, and were now with the sweeping measures by which he cowed the rest of Ahab's descendants, at Samaria. party opposed to him, and firmly established And there are with you ohariots and horses, his dynasty in the Israelite kingdom. a fenced oity also, and armour ; Ii tera.ll y, Vere. 1-11.-Tha destruction of the the chariots, and the hO'l"se,, a fenced eity also, and the armour. The ma.in cha.riot ,eventy so,u of Ahab. force of the country, and the chief arsenal. Ver. 1.-And Ahab had seventy sons in containing both armour and arms, were Samaria. By "sons" we must understand naturally at Samaria, the capital, e.nd might "ma.le descendants." Most of the" seventy" thus be regarded &.8 ut the disposition of were probably bis griinrl sous ( see var. 3) : the Samaritan mnnicipality. Jehu scorn- some may have been great-grandsons. They fully challenges them to make use of their lived in Samaria: since Se.me.rie. we.s the resources age.inst him. He is quite ready principal residence of the court, J ezreel being for a contest. Let them do their worst. simply e. country palace-the "Versailles," The LXX. have "fenced cities" (,ro,\m as it has been called, or "Windsor" of the oxvpa.C) instead of '' a fenced city:" but the Iara.elite kings. And J'ehu wrote letters, existing Hebrew text is probably right. and sent to Samaria, unto the rulers of Jez- Samaria. we.s the only fortified town in their reel. "Jezreel" is almost certainly a corrupt possession. reading. The" rulers of Jezreel" wonld be Ver. 3.-Look even out the best and at Jezrecl: e.nd, if Jehu wished to commu- meetest of your mli.ster's sons, and set him nicate with them, he would not need to on hiB father's throne. "Choose," i.e., "write." Had any chance taken them to "among the sons of Jorom the strongest, the Samnria-a vr,ry improbable ciroumst11noe boldest, and the o.blest, e.nd make him king -they would have had no authority there, in his father's room : te.ke him for your and to address them would have been use- leader age.inst me ; do not hesitate and beat less. Jehu's letters were, no doubt, e.d- about the bush ; but o.t once make up your dreesed to the rulllf's of Samaria ; and 80 minds, and let me kuow wh11t I have io  208 THE SECOND BOOK OF THE KINGS. [oR, X, 1-36,