Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition) (continued)
Seventy of Ahab's Children Beheaded. 2 KINGS XI. Jehoash is Made King. harmony with the Mosaic law, and worthy of a constitutional king of Israel. It was done, however, not from reprobable tr.at this number comprehended the whole pos-
terlty of A)iab. Their being all assembled in that capital might arise from their being left there on tlie king's deligious, but purely political motives, because he believed that the existence and interests of tlie Baalites were Inseparably bound up witli the dynasty of Ahab, and because he hoped that by their extermination he would secure the attachment of the far larger and more influential party who worshipped God in Israel. Jehonadab's concurrence must have been given In the belief of his being actuated solely by the highest principles of piety and parture for Ramoth-gilead, or from their taking refuge in ome of the strongholds of that city on the news of Jehu's conspiracy. It may be inferred from the tenor of Jehu's letters that their first intention was to select the fittest of the royal family and set him up as king, or perhaps this Challenge of Jehu was designed as a stroke of policy on his part to elicit their views, and try whether they were zeal. !iS< Bring forth vestments for all the worshippers of Baal—Tlie priests of Baal were clad, probably, in robes of white byssus, while they were engaged in the functions of their oflice, and these were kept under the care of an oflicer, in a particular wardrobe of Baal's tem-
Inclined to be pacific or hostile. The bold character of the mm, and th,e rapid success of his conspiracy, terrified the civic authorities of Samaria and Jezreel into submission.
5. he that was over the house—The governor or chamberlain of the palace, the brlngers-up of the chilc Uien —Anciently, and still also in many Eastern countries, the ple. This treacherous massacre, and tli means taken to accomplish it, are paralleled by the slaugliter of tlie Janissaries and other terrible tragedies in the modern history of the East. S9. Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam . . . Jehu departed not from after them—Jehu had no intention of carrying his zeal for tlie Lord beyond a certain point, and as he considered it impolitic to encourage his subjects to travel to Jerusalem, he re-established the symbolic worship of the calves. principal grandees were charged with the support and education of the royal princes. Tliis involved a heavy expense which they were forced to bear, but for which they endeavoured to find some compensation in the advantages of tlielr connection with tlie court. 6. take ye the heads of the men, yonr master's sons—The barbarous practice of a successful usurper slaughtering all who may have claims to the throne, has been frequently exemplified in the ancient and modern histories of the East. 8. lay ye them in two heaps at tlie entering in of tlie gate, Ac—The exhibition of the heads of enemies is always considered a glorious tropliy. Sometimes a pile of heads is erected at the gate of the palace ; and a head of peculiarly striking appearance selected to grace the summit of tlie pyramid. 9. said to all the people, Ye be righteous, <tc.—A great concourse was assembled to gaze OB this novel and ghastly spectacle. The speech which Jehu addressed to the spectators was artfully framed to Impress their minds with the idea that so wholesale a massacre, done without his order or connivance, was the secret result of the Divine judgments denounced on the CHAPTER XI.
Ver. 1-3. Jehoash Saved from Athaliah's Massacre. 1. AthtQiah-(see on 2 Chronicles 22. 2). She had possessed great influence over her son, who, by her counsels, had ruled in the spirit of the house of Aliab. destroyed all the seed-royal—all connected with the royal family who might have urged a claim to the throne, and who had escaped the murderous hands of Jehu (2 Chronicles 21. 2-4; 22. 1 ; ch. 10. 13, 14). This massacre slie was incited to perpetrate—partly from a determination not to let David's family outlive hers—partly as a measure of self-defence to secure herself against the violence of Jehu, who was bent on destroj'Ing the wliole of Ahab's posterity to which she belonged (ch. 8. 18-26); but chiefly from personal ambition to rule, and a desire to establish the worship of Baal. Such was the sad fruit of the unequal alliance between the son of tlie pious Jehoshaphat and a daugliter of the idolatrous and wicked house of Ahab. /3. Jehosheba—or Jehoshabeath (2 Chronicles 22. 11). daughter of King Joram—not by Athaliah , but by a secondary wife, stole him from among the king's sons wlilch were slain—either from among the corpses, he being considered dead, or out of tlie palace nursery, hid him in the bed-chamber-For the use of the priests, which was in some part of the temple (u. 3), and of which Jehoiada and his wife had the sole charge. What is called, however, the bed-chamber in the East is not the kind of apartment that we understand by the name, but a small closet, into which are flung during the day the mattresses and other bedding materials spread on the floors or divans of the sitting-rooms by day. Such a lumber-room was well suited to be a convenient place for the recovery of his wounds, and a hiding-place for the royal infant and his nurse. house of Ahab; and the effect of it was to prepare the public mind for hearing, without horror, of a similar revolting tragedy which was soon after perpetrated, viz., the extinction of all the influential friends and supporters of the dynasty of Ahab, Including thoseof theroyal h<)use of Judah. 13. We are the "brethren of Ahaslah i.e., not full, but step-brothers, sons of Jehoram by various concubines. Ignorant of the revolution that had taken place, they were travelling to Samaria on a visit to their royal relatives of Israel, when they were seized and put to death, from the apprehension that they might probably Btlmnlate and strengthen the party that still remained folthful in their allegiance to Ahab's dynasty, children of the qnecn—t. e., of the queen-mother, or regent, Jezebel. 15-18, Jehonadab the son of Recliab—(see 1 Chronicles 2. 55). A person who, from his piety and sindple primitive manner of life (Jeremiah 35.), was highly esteemed, and possessed great influence in the country. Jeha saw In a moment the advantage that his cause would gftrti from the friendship and countenance of this venerable man In the eyes of the people, and accordingly paid him the distinguished attention of inviting him to a seat In his chariot, give me thine hand—Not simply to aid him In getting up, but for a far more significant and important purpose—the giving, or rather Joining hands, being the recognized mode of striking a league or covenant, as well as of testifying fealty to a new sovereign; accordingly, It Is said, " he (.^brfonadab) gave him (Jehu) his hand."
4-12. He is Made King. 4. In the seventh year—viz., of the reign of Athaliah, and the rescue of Jehoash. Jehoiada sent and fetched the rulers, &c.—He could scarcely have obtained such a general convocation except at the time, or on pretext, of a public and solemn festival. Having revealed to them the secret of the young king's preservation, and entered into a covenant with tliem for the o\»>rthrow of tlie tyrant, he then arranged with them the plei. and time of carrying their plot Into execution (see ou 2 Chronicles 22.10-12; 23). The conduct of Jehoiaa», wno acted the leading and clilef part in tills conspiracy, admits of an easy and full Justification; for, while Athaliah was a usurper, and belonged to a race devoted by Divine denunciation to destruotloii, even his own wife had a better and stronger cliilrr to the throne; the sovereignty of Judah had been divinely appropriated
18-29. He Destroys the Worshippers of Baal. 19. call unto me all the prophets of Baal—The votaries of Baal are here classified under the several titles of prophets, priests, and servants, or worshippers generally. They might be easily convened Into one spacious temple, as their number had been greatly diminished both by the Influential ministrations of Elijah and Elisha, and also from the late King Joram's neglect and discontinuance of the worship. Jehu's appointment of a solemn sacrifice In honour of Kaal, and a summons to all his worshippers to Join In its celebration, was a deep-laid plot, which hehad WBOlved upon for their extinction • a measure in perfect to the family of David, and therefore the young prince on whom it was proposed to confer the crown, possessed an