2 Kings 9:33 Kommentar

Hazael and Jehu were the men that were designed to be the instruments of God's justice in punishing and destroying the house of Ahab. Elijah was told to appoint them to this service; but, upon Ahab's humiliation, a reprieve was granted, and so it was left to Elisha to appoint them. Hazael's elevation to the throne of Syria we read of in the foregoing chapter; and we must now attend Jehu to the throne of Israel; for him that escapeth the sword of Hazael, as Joram and Ahaziah did, Jehu must slay, of which this chapter gives us an account. I. A commission is sent to Jehu by the hand of one of the prophets, to take upon him the government, and destroy the house of Ahab (Kg2 9:1-10). II. Here is his speedy execution of this commission. 1. He communicates it to his captains (Kg2 9:11-15). 2. He marches directly to Jezreel (Kg2 9:16-20), and there dispatches (1.) Joram king of Israel (Kg2 9:21-26). (2.) Ahaziah king of Judah (Kg2 9:27-29). (3.) Jezebel (Kg2 9:30-37).

INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 9 In this chapter we are told that one of the sons of the prophets was sent by Elisha to anoint Jehu king of Israel, and to order him to smite and destroy the whole house of Ahab, Kg2 9:1, which being done unto him, and the order received by Jehu, he acquainted his captains with it, Kg2 9:11, who set out with him immediately to Jezreel, Kg2 9:16, where he slew Joram king of Israel, Kg2 9:22, and Ahaziah king of Judah, Kg2 9:27, and Jezebel, the widow of Ahab, and mother of Joram, Kg2 9:30.

And the carcass of Jezebel shall be as dung upon the face of the field in the portion of Jezreel,.... For upon this spot her carcass fell when thrown out of the window of the king's palace, and here it was left; for the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which was in the portion of Jezreel, was next to the palace, Kg1 21:1, there seems to be some allusion to her name Jezebel, which signifies "where is dung?" so that they shall not say, this is Jezebel; there being nothing left of her to be seen or pointed to, nor any grave nor monument over it on which was such an inscription, here lies Jezebel; or that might lead posterity to say, this is Jezebel's grave. Now though the words of this verse are not recorded elsewhere, as the words of the Lord, by Elijah, yet as Jehu was present when they were spoken, and within the hearing of them, he now remembered them, and could repeat them, these circumstances bringing them fresh to his mind. Next: 2 Kings Chapter 10

Jehu, who had seen the woman who had spoken to him and had recognized her to be Jezebel, ordered the eunuchs who were beside her to throw her out of the window, and they immediately threw her with force and spattered the wall with her blood. Horses passed there and trampled her corpse, and, a little later, dogs lacerated her flesh, so that nobody could say, This was Jezebel.[Let us see] the symbolic meaning [of this passage]. Ahab was struck in battle and fell, and after his fall, his servants came to mourn and weep over him, and they placed him into the tomb of the kings with honor. But the same thing did not happen to Jezebel. After the eunuchs had thrown her to the ground and her bones were broken in the fall, horses trampled her and dogs lacerated her. The reason for this difference is that Ahab, even though he committed many crimes, showed repentance now and then. Jezebel, by contrast, did not only violate justice and cause rage with her abominable behavior but also drove her husband to crime and exhorted him to commit iniquities. And later, she never repented in the times of her prosperity or in those of calamity, nor [did she turn] away from her path of perversity. Even in the very time of her condemnation to death, she became furious like a madwoman. Therefore there were many reasons why justice should be particularly harsh against her. In addition, observe and understand how Jezebel, who had terrified prophets and enslaved kings, was thrown by slaves into shame and dishonor and was lacerated by the teeth of dogs. That happened so that the mouth of liars might be stopped, and they might not say, “Why does the way of the guilty prosper? Why do all who are treacherous thrive?”

Elisha sends one of the disciples of the prophets to Ramoth-gilead, to anoint Jehu king of Israel, Kg2 9:1-3. He acts according to his orders, and informs Jehu that he is to cut off the whole house of Ahab, Kg2 9:4-10. Jehu's captains proclaim him king, Kg2 9:11-14. He goes again Jezreel; where he finds Joram and Ahaziah king of Judah, who had come to visit him; he slays them both: the former is thrown into the portion of Naboth; the latter, having received a mortal wound, gives to Megiddo, and dies there, and is carried to Jerusalem, and buried in the city of David, Kg2 9:15-29. He commands Jezebel to be thrown out of her window; and he treads her under the feet of his horses; and the dogs eat her, according to the word of the Lord, Kg2 9:30-37.

So they threw her down - What a terrible death! She was already, by the fall, almost dashed to pieces; and the brutal Jehu trampled her already mangled body under his horse's feet!

JEHU IS ANOINTED. (2Ki. 9:1-23) Ramoth-gilead--a city of great importance to the Hebrew people, east of Jordan, as a fortress of defense against the Syrians. Jehoram had regained it (Kg2 8:29). But the Israelitish army was still encamped there, under the command of Jehu. Elisha . . . called one of the children of the prophets--This errand referred to the last commission given to Elijah in Horeb (Kg1 19:16). box of oil--(See Sa1 10:1).