The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 181

Vers. 1-14.-Destruction of Ahab's house. Jebu was not a man to do thingR by halves. Whatever matter be had in hand, be pushed with unhesitating feet to his goal. His motto was, "If it were then done when 'tie done, then 'twere well it were done quickly." This vigorous determination is a feature in his character worthy of com- mendation. It is not so clear that the craft and guile he employed in securing his ends were, even from an Old Testament standpoint, justifiable. _I. THE CRAFTY MESSAGE. No small amount of craft, 8.8 this chapter shows, mingled with Jebu's headlong zeaL 1. The seed royal in Samaria. The direct posterity of Ahab--here called Ahab's sons-amounted to seventy persons. Some may have been his own children, others the children of Jehoram, or of his other sons. '!'hey resided at Samaria, and were under the care of nobles responsible for their education and up-bringing. On them, too, ihe judgment of God was to fall. In itself it was a common Oriental practice for the founder of a new dynasty to put to death the descendants and blood-relations of his predecessor (cf. 1 Kings xv. 29; xvi. 11; eh. xi. 1; x.xv. 7). This was to protect the new ruler from blood-vengeance. In the present case the destruction was by direct command of Heaven. The principle of corporate responsibility for sins committed is recognized and acted on throughout the Old Testament (see Mozley's 'Ruling Ideas of the Old Testament'). It embodies a truth of permanent validity (Matt. xxiii 34, 35). Nevertheless, a pathos attends a fate like that of .Ahab's sons. "Whirled down," as Carlyle says of other unfortu- nates, " so soddenly to the abyss; as men are, suddenly, by the wide thunder of the mountain avalanche, awakened not by them, awakened far off by others I" 2. The crafty letter. Having struck his first blow, Jehu lost no time in delivering his second, But instead of openly advancing to Sa.maria., and demanding the surrender of the seventy sons, be proceeds by gnile. His policy was, not to put the nobles and elders in Samaria in opposition to him, but to gain them to his side. His further object was to implicate those persons in his deeds, by ma.king them the direct agents in the slaughter of Ahab's sons. 'l'he manner in which he accomplished these ends shows no little skill. He first sends a letter to the great men in the capital, offering them a challenge to open war. He recounts to them their advantages-the presence of their master's sons, a fortififd city, horses, chariots, armour, etc.; then bide them select the one of Ahab's descendants whom they think most suitable, and make him king, and fight for their master's house. This put the nobles in the dilemma, either of getting up an improvised resistance to Jehu, or of making unconditional submission. No time was given them to consider. '!'hey must decide at once, and that, in circumstances like theirs, meant only submission. 3. The submissive reply. The course taken by the nobles aud elders was what Jehu anticipated. A terrible panic took possession of them. They saw how vain it was to attempt war with the most popular and energetic general in the army, backed as he was by the support of other captains. They had no head, and, notwithstanding Jehu's sarcastic list of their advantages, no proper means of defence. The fact that two kings-not to speak of Jezebel-had already fallen before this "scourge of God" added to their dismay. With the unanimity of despair, "he that was over the house, and he tba.t was over the city, the elders also, and the bringers up of the children," nndited a humble epistle, sent it to Jehu, and put them- selves entirely in his hands, offering to do whatever he bade them, Necessity ie a terrible tyrant. How many things men yield to force and fear which they would not yield to reason or persuasion I II. THE TREACHEBOUB KABBA.CHE. 1. The new demand. Jehu took the lea.cl.ere at their word, and sent them the conditions of his acceptance of their submission, If OIi, X, 1-36.] THE SECOND BOOK OF TUE KINGS. 223