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Ver. 12. And as he was at the shearing house.] Or, Slaughter house. Heb., Bethhekedi of the shepherds; locus ligaminis.
Ver. 13. And Jehu met with the brethren of Ahaziah.] That is, his nephews and near kindred: for his brethren were all carried away by the Arabians. (2 Chronicles 21:17)
Ver. 14. And slew them at the pit.] Because they also were of the house of Ahab, (2 Chronicles 22:8) and lest they should revenge the death of Ahaziah. See on 2 Kings 10:6. Neither left he any of them.] See on 2 Kings 10:11.
Ver. 15. He lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab.] A Kenite of Jethro’s stock, (1 Chronicles 2:55) famous for his piety and holy life, and highly esteemed of the people. See Jeremiah 35:6. Josephus saith, that he was of Jehu’s old acquaintance. Whether he were or not, now he desires his approbation, and therefore takes him along. Is thine heart right, as my heart is?] Here he prefers himself before Jonadab; whereas sincerity is better conceited of another, suspicious of itself. See John 21:15. And Jehonadab answered, It is.] Heb., It is and it is; i.e., Assuredly it is.
Ver. 16. Come with me, and see my zeal.] It is good policy to join friendship with the religious: as his counsel was to agree to Gregories Austin, if he were humble. But why should Jehu so desire that his zeal should be noted and noticed? Hypocrisy is very ostentatious. Drones make more noise than bees, though they make neither honey nor wax. It is reported of Mr John Fox, that as he was going along London streets, a woman of his acquaintance met with him; and as they discoursed together, she pulled out a Bible, telling him that she was going to hear a sermon; whereupon he said to her, If you will be advised by me, go home again. But, said she, when shall I then go? To whom he answered, When you tell no one of it. Act. and Mon., p. 107. Sic.(?) Gregory the First’s letter to Austin, Act. and Mon., 131. Sincere zeal desireth not to be seen of any save him who seeth in secret.
Ver. 17. He slew all that remained.] See on 2 Kings 10:11.
Ver. 18. But Jehu shall serve him much.] This he spake, that he might the better get together all Baal’s priests and worshippers. When a man for a little space only seemeth to allow a fault, that shortly after he may the better manifest his dislike by effecting some good, this is not to do evil that good may come thereof; but to do good in a prudent manner. Thus Solomon seemed to intend the dividing of the child, for the finding out of the true mother. And thus Constantius, father of Constantine the Great, that he might discern which of his courtiers were true and hearty Christians, proclaimed, that such as would not sacrifice to the heathen idols should be turned out of their offices, and those that would do so, should still enjoy them. This he pretended, but did the clean contrary; and gave this for a reason, How can any be faithful to me that, for preferment’s sake, turn from the living God to worship dumb idols? Euseb., De Vit. Const., lib. i. cap. 9, 10.
Ver. 19. All the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests.] Baal had his prophets, his priests, and his servants, as Jehovah had. His priests also had their vestments; (2 Kings 10:22) Faciunt et vespae favos: simiae imitantur homines.
Ver. 20. Proclaim a solemn assembly.] See on 2 Kings 10:18.
Ver. 21. And all the worshippers of Baal came.] It was wonder they should; since they could not but have heard of the slaughter of Ahab’s priests in Jezreel; but they were infatuated, and so fitted for destruction. With like boldness the Egyptians rushed into the Red Sea. (Exodus 14:23) And the house of Baal was full from one end to another.] Or, So full that they stood mouth to mouth; their mouths did even almost touch. It was wont to be so in our holy meetings, till the devil divided us, and made so many separatists among us, who run into by-corners. (Hebrews 10:25) Ab ore ad os, vel ab ora ad oram. -Vat.
Ver. 22. Bring forth vestments.] See on 2 Kings 10:19.
Ver. 23. And Jehonabad the son of Rechab.] His presence might well have made the Baalites suspect a plot; for they knew him an utter enemy to their idolatry, and saw him now in great favour with Jehu; but they were besotted, as was before noted, and went on without fear or wit, as an ox to the slaughter, and as a fool to the stocks. Search and look that there be here with you none.] This search also might well have made them suspect somewhat, were it not that in all those idolatrous services, the first care was to avoid the profane. Procul hinc, procul este profani, said the crier.
Ver. 24. To offer sacrifices and burnt offerings.] They would needs symbolise with the true servants of God in an apish imitation of all. See on ver. 2 Kings 10:19,22.
Ver. 25. Go in, and slay them.] This was lawful and warrantable; for idolaters were to die by the law. But the poor Protestants in France have been oft served in like sort by the Guises and other bloody persecutors, against all right and reason. And went to the city of the house of Baal.] That is, To a certain city near to Samaria, where Baal had a choice temple, saith Vatablus.
Ver. 26. And they brought forth the images, and burned them.] So they did here in King Edward VI’s reign; and the same day Musselburgh field in Scotland was won by the English.
Ver. 27. And brake down the house of Baal.] So Theodosius pulled down the idol temples, which Constantine had shut only, but Julian opened them again; and our Henry VIII demolished the abbeys and monasteries, using these words, Corvorum nidi sunt penitus disturbandi, ne iterum ad cohabitandum convolent: Those crows’ nests are to be utterly destroyed, that they be no more frequented and re-inhabited. And made it a draught house.] Or, Jakes or out house. Here the Masorites put a more cleanly word in their Keri in the margin; as if they would prompt to the Holy Ghost a more mannerly speech. [Hebrew Text Note] So they do in Deuteronomy 28:30 Jer 3:2. Less marvel, then, if they deal so with the words of Rabshakeh, Isaiah 36:12. Dr Rich.
Ver. 28. Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.] This was well, but not all; his golden calves made an end of him, though he made an end of Baal’s worship. Many will follow God in such duties as will suit with them and their designs, but no further. The rusty hand of a dial, at some time of the day, seemeth to go right.
Ver. 29. Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam…Jehu departed not.] Because if he had, it might have cost him his kingdom, to the settling whereof he had a hawk’s eye in all his reformations. Principes regionem potius quam religionem quaerunt, saith Chemnitius. It is said that Selymus, the great Turk, and Hismael, the Persian, did, under the colour and zeal of their religion, as they would have it, both pretend just causes of war; although their evil dissembled ambitious desires plainly declared unto the world, that they both shot at one and the same mark: namely, by confirming their power and strength, to extend the bounds of their great empires. Turk. Hist., fol. 515.
Ver. 30. And the Lord said unto Jehu,] sc., By some prophet, but by whom, it skilleth not. Because thou hast done well.] Well in its kind, for the matter not amiss; but for the motive, manner, and end, no whit well. To speak properly, Bonum non fit nisi ex integra causa, malum ex quolibet defectu. The children of the fourth generation.] This was a favour not vouchsafed to any other king of Israel, since the division of the kingdom. God will not be indebted to any man; nor shall those that do or suffer aught for him, complain of a hard bargain.
Ver. 31. With all his heart.] He had a dispensatory conscience, a rotten heart, and that was his ruin. A man may recover of a fever, and die of a dropsy; so he that leaveth some gross sin, yet huggeth a less, is an undone person. For he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam.] No, though the Lord had made him such large promises, as 2 Kings 10:30, compare 2 Corinthians 7:1. Nevertheless he may as well deserve—as did Galba, and our Richard III—to be reckoned in the rank of bad men, but good princes.
Ver. 32. The Lord began to cut Israel short.] By turning in the Syrians upon them, to waste their country. And Hazael smote them.] Exercising those inhuman cruelties upon them foretold by Elisha, (2 Kings 8:12) and that in Jehu’s lifetime, res Israelis fuerunt accisae, notwithstanding all his might. (2 Kings 10:34) For his calf worship, his puissance was turned into pusillanimity, and his glory into shame. The like befell Henry IV of France, after that he turned Papist.
Ver. 33. All the land of Gilead.] A rich and fruitful country: not Ramothgilead only, lately recovered by Joram; but all that region beyond Jordan, held by the Syrians for about sixty years after. (2 Kings 14:25)
Ver. 34. Are they not written?] See on 1 Kings 14:10.
Ver. 35. And Jehoahaz his son reigned.] By right of succession, as did after him Joash, Jeroboam, and Zachariah, by God’s appointment. Zuinghus held that all kingdoms now-a-days were elective, none properly successive and hereditary; wherein we deny not that he erred in facto, ut loquuntur, saith learned Rivet.
Ver. 36. Was twenty and eight years.] This was a longer time than any of his predecessors had reigned; his successors of his family reigned seventy-six years, which yet God calleth a little while, (Hosea 1:4) and threateneth to break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel, (Hosea 1:5) or, from the valley of Jezreel; that is, for the slaughter of Ahab’s house there made by Jehu, as Junius readeth and senseth it. Propter vallem Iezrehelis