The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Chronicles — Section 268

the annals of ShBlmaneser III. contains & similar statement, tb&t in the eighteenth year of his reign, after conquering H&zael of Damascus, he received the tl'ibute of tho Tyrian, the Sidonian, and of" Yahua the son of Khumri" (Schrader, • Keilinschriften,' p. 210). (2) His station. Originn.lly an officer, probably the Bblest general, nnd there- fore field-marshal of Jehoram's army (2 Kings ix. 6). God culls his instruments fron:i 9:11 ranks and occupations. Those who have served him most efficiently in the Chnst1Bn. Church have ~ot unfrequently be~n drawn from the army. 'l'he profession of a soldier need not hmder one from bemg & servant of God. (3) His character. Energetic, active, decisive, Bmbitious, unscrupulous, bloodthirsty, cruel, and fanatical, "the worst type of a son of Jacob, the 'supplanter,' as he is caJied, without the noble and princely qualities of Israel, the most unlovely and the most coldly commended of all the heroes of his country" (Stanley, 'Jewish Church,' p. 338). God's selection of a man to be his instrument docs not imply a commendation of his character-witness Pharaoh, Saul, Nebuchadnezzar, Herod. (4) His designation. 'l'o be king over Israel This first communicated at Horeh to Elijah, who received at the same time a commis- Bion to see J ehu's anointing to the throne carried out-a commission afterwards executed by Elisha (2 Kings viii. 29; ix. 6). (6) His usurpation. In this he was assisted by his brother-officers (2 Kings ix. 13). '!'hough designated and anointed by Elisha. to the throne of Israel, more tha.n likely, a.sin the case of Jeroboam (1 Kings xi. 31), the project of dethroning Jehora.m had already floated before his mind. (6) His commis- sion. To execute Divine vengeance on the house of .A.ha.b by extirpating it, root a.nd branch, from the la.nd. Rough work, it needed a rough instrument. 3. The work carried through by God. By means of his instrument. 'l'he Chronicler recognizes (vers. 7, 8) tha.t Jehu wa.s God's sword. How far Jehu himself was under the dominion of this thought may be hazardous to affirm. But, in a.ny case, he lost no time in dis- charging the bloody business entrusted to his hand. With a swiftness and relentless severity that suggested leonine ferocity as much as religious zeal, he posted to J ezreel and began the work of butchery. First he drove a.n arrow through the heart of Jeho- ra.m (2 Kings ix. 24); next procured the death of Jezebel by commanding two of her servants, his minions, to throw her from the pa.lace window (2 Kings ix. 33); and finally caused the seventy sons of .Ahab in Samaria to be beheaded (2 Kings x. 7). III. THE MURDER OF THE PRINCES OF JUDAH. (Ver. 8.) 1. Wno these were. (1) Sons of the brethren of .A.haziah. Not the brethren of .A.haziah (2 Kings x. 13), since these ha.d all been slain by the Arabian m:ira.uders (eh. xxi. 17), but the children of these brothers, and therefore Ahaziah's nephews. That they were forty-two in number cannot be pronounced impossible, since it is not known how many elder brothers Ahazia.h ha.d. (2) Princes of Judah, who were doubtless remoter branches of the royal house, a.nd held important offices in the court. Possibly these should be included in the number forty-two mentioned a.hove. 2. When they were killed. (1) When Jehu wa.s executing judgment on the house of Ahab (ver. 8). Though not responsible for being connected with the house of Ahab, tha.t they were so proved the ea.use of their destruction. Their sad fate was an illustration of two truths-tba.t the innocent often suffer with and for the guilty (Job ix. 23), and tha.t no one ca.n predict how far the disastrous consequences of one false step ma.y reach. Ha.d Jehora.m not married .A.tha.liah, these princes ha.d not fallen victims to Jehu's sword. (2) When Jehu wa.s on the way from Jezreel, where be had perpetrated three murders, to Samaria., where he had committed one massacre by deputy, a.n<l whither he was going to a.dd another (2 Kings L 25). Having fallen in with the princes of Judah, Jehu ordered his attendants to ta.ke them alive. Their resii,ta.nce, it is supposed, led to their immediate slaughter. One massacre more wa.s nothing to Jehu. Besides, tbe destruction of forty-two princes, mostly boys, was a. trifle to that he was contemplating-the whole- sale sacrifice of Baal's worshippers in the house of Ba.a.I. (3) When Aha.ziab's nephews were on the way to J ezreel to pay a. visit to the court at J ezreel, " to salute the children of the queen and the children of the king" (2 Kings x. 13). One never knows where he ma.y be overtaken by death; hence the necessity of being a.lwa.ys ready. 3. Where they were killed. .At the pit or cistern of the shearing-house, or " house of gathering" (2 Kings x. 13) ; at ". the shepherds' house of meeting" (Chaldee Version, 'l'heniu.s, Bii.hr)-a. house which served the shepherds of the region round a.bout for assembling; or at the house where the shepherds tied up their sheep for shearing en. xxn. 1-12.J TUE SECOND BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES. 269