The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 167

expect.." And fight for your master'• house. nil, and have let their &otion be gnlded by There hRd been e. civil war before the the conrse of events. But, taken nback by dynasty of Omri sncceeded in settling itself ,T ehu's directness 11,nd plainness of speech, on the throne (1 Kings xvi. 21, 22). Jehu it did not occur to them to be diplomntic; believes, or affects to believe, that there will they felt driven into a corner, o.nd com- now be e.nother. He docs not deprec11,te it, pelled to make their choice at once. Either but invit.es it. Probably he felt tolerablv they must resist Jehu in o.rms or thoy must confident that the garrison of Samaria, even submit to him. If thoy submitted, they had if called upon by the mnnicipality, would beet (they thought) do it with e. good grace. not ventnre to take up arms against the Accordingly, hie letter produced a reply, army of Ramoth-Gilead, which had decla.red more favourable than he can possibly have ib!eif in his favour. Still, supposing that expected-" They were hie servants," or it did, he was not fearful of the result. "his slaves," ready to do o.11 his pleasure ; Ver. 4.-But they were exceedingly afraid. they would not set up a king, or in a.ny They were men of peace, not men of wa.r- way dispute his succession; they submitted BOCustomed to discharge the duties of judges themselves wholly to hie will. Do thou nnd magistrates, not of commandants a.ud [they said] that which is good in thine eyes; generals. They could not count on the i.e. "take who.t steps thou pleasest to con- obedience even of the troops in Samaria., firm thyself in the kingdom." much less on that of any others who might Ver. 6.-Then he wrote a letter the seoond be in garrison elsewhere. They would natu- time to them, saying; rather, a second time. rally have been afraid of taking up arms The reply of the Samaritan authorities gave under almost any circnmstanoes. What, Jehu an opportunity, of which he was not however, caused them now snch excessive slow to take advantage. They might have fear was probably the tone which Jehu had been contented with their negative response, adopted-his" scornful challenge," as it has " We will not make any man king;" but been called. He evidently entertained no they had gone beyond it-they had de- fenr himself. He dared them to do that parted from the line of neutrality, and had which he pretended to recommend them to placed themselves unreservedly on Jehu's do. They mnet have felt that he was laugh- side. "We are thy servants," they he.d ing o.t them in his sleeve. And said, Behold, said, " o.nd will do all that thou shalt bid two kings stood not before him : how then ns." It is always re.eh to promise absolute shall we stand! The kings intended nre obedience to a human being. To volunteer Joro.m and Ahaziah, who had confronted such a promise, when it is not enn asked, Jehu, and had met their deaths. What is the height of folly. If ye be mine- were they that they shonld succeed where o.e they ho.d said they were, when they "two kings" had failed? The argnmeut was called themeelvea hie "slo.vee "-and if ye fa\lacioue, e.nd a mere cloak for cowardice. will hearken unto my voioe-i.e. obey me, The two kings had been taken by surprise, do o.s I require-take ye the heads of the and treacherously murdered. Their fate men your master's sous, and come to me to could prove nothing concerning the prob- Jezreel. 'fhe So.mo.rite.n authorities were able ieene of a civil war, had the "princes" ordered to bring the heads with them, tho.t ventured to commence it. It must be ad- they might be seen o.nd connted. In the mitted, however, that the chance of success East generally, the hee.de of rebels and pre- was but slight. tenders, by whatever death they may have Ver. 5.-A.nd he that was over the house died, a.re cut off, brought to the sovereign, --i.e. the officer in charge of the royal and t!Jen exposed in some public place, in pa.lace (comp. 1 Kings iv. 6)-o.nd he that order that tho public o.t large may be certi- was over the oity. There would be a single fied that the men are ree.lly dead (comp. 1 "governor of the city"-not. the command- Sam. xxxi. 9). By to-morrow this time; As ant of the garrison, but the chief civil ruler, Jezreel was not more than about twenty nearly corresponding to a modern" mayor" miles from So.maria, the order could be exe- (see 1 Kings xxii. 26). The elders also cuted by tho.t time. It neceesite.ted, how- (comp. ver. l ). The "governor" of a town ever, very prompt measures, o.nd gave the was assisted by a council of "elders." And authorities but little time for coneitlerntion. the bringers np of the children ( see the Now the king's sons, being seventy persons, comment on ·rnr. l). Sent to .Tehu, saying, were with the great men of the oity, whioh We are thy servants, and will do all tho.t brought them up (comp. ver. 1). thou she.It bid us ; we will not make any Ver. 7.-A.nd it came to pass, when the king. Jc,hu's letter bad the effect which letter came to them, that they took the king'a he intended, of making the authorities of sons, and slew seventy persona. Having Samaria decwe themsel vee. They might, committed themselves by their answer to oerhaps, have tomporized, have sent o.n o.m- Jehu'e first lett.er, the Samarita.n great men higuone answer, or have sent no au•wer at seemed to themselves to have no choice, on Oil, X, 1-36.] THE SECOND BOOK OF TIIE KINGS. 209