A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Volume 3 · Commentary on 1 and 2 Kings · Chapter 10
2 Kings CHAP. X.
THIS Chapter is a farther Narrative of Jehu's Life and Death. His Actions in his Life are twofold; the firſt were lawful and laudable, from ver. 1, to ver. 27. the ſecond were unlawful and illaudable, a ſtain in his Eſcucheon, ver. 29, 30, 31.
Remarks upon his laudable Actions are Firſt, His Severity in extirpating Ahab's Poſterity and Kindred, according to God's command.
Mark 1. Ahab had Seventy Sons by ſeveral Wives in Samaria, ver. 1. as if he had bid defiance to that divine Threatning of Rooting out his Family, as if impoſſible, &c.
Mark 2. Jehu writes a trying Letter to the Grandees of that Royal City, that they would ſet up the likelieſt of all theſe Seventy Sons to ſucceed Joram in his Throne, and fight yet for him; thus he felt their Pulſes, whether for or againſt him, ver. 2, 3.
Mark 3. Thoſe Puſillanimous Peers truckle at a ſmall Intreaty to betray their Truſt, never conſulting (ſaith P. Martyr) either with the Word of God, or with his Prophets; nor do they ſend Embaſſadors, but immediately yield to him, ver. 4, 5.
Mark 4. Hereupon Jehu writes a ſecond Letter, ver. 6. to ſend him the Heads of thoſe Seventy Sons in a Basket, &c. As God had his holy Hand in their Puſillanimity, in order to Root out Ahab's Houſe, ſo likewiſe in this Retaliation; for as Ahab and Jezebel had, by a Letter ſent to the Elders of Jezreel, ſhed the Blood of Naboth and his Sons, ſo they ſhould have the Blood of all their Sons ſhed, by a Letter ſent from Jezreel to the Elders of Samaria, and all theſe Heads muſt be brought in Baskets, ver. 7. to Jezreel, becauſe Ahab had ſent from Samaria for ſome Baskets of Grapes out of Naboth's Vineyard at Jezreel.
Mark 5. Thoſe Seventy Princes Heads which the ſecond Letter (writ not in black but in blood) fetched from Samaria, Jehu bids the Meſſenger lay them all Night at the Gates of Jezreel, which was the place of Judicature, and which now were ſhut when they came, ver. 8. thus ſaith Vatablus; but Menochius renders this Reaſon, That Jehu durſt not truſt the Samaritans (that brought thoſe Heads) to be admitted into the City in the Night. Lavater ſaith beſt, ſaying, This was the place of greateſt Concourſe, both for Judgment and for Egreſs and Regreſs, where the People beheld next Morning this formidable Juſtice upon Ahab's Family, and ſo juſtifie Jehu in God's juſt Vengeance upon them.
Mark 6. Jehu comes in the Morning, ver. 9. and a vaſt Concourſe of People to behold this lamentable Spectacle: Some hard hearted Hannibal would have cried out, (as he once did upon the like occaſion) O formoſum Spectaculum, O brave ſight. 'Tis wittily ſaid, that this evil World is like thoſe heaps of Heads placed on both ſides the Gates of Jezreel, that had not ſo much as one heart among ſo many heads. Few hearts be for God, 1 John 5.19. But Jehu (ſaith Vatablus) makes an excellent Apology here, alledging, that neither he had ſlain his Maſter, nor they the Seventy Sons, but it was the Lord himſelf, for the Prophecy of Elijah was now fulfilled, and the Decree of God was hereby executed, ver. 10. and therefore let not this multitude (met here) fear God's Vengeance on the Innocent.
Mark 7. Jehu likewiſe ſlew all Ahab's Court-Creatures, ver. 11. ſuch as he had advanced to Wealth and Honour, and who had been Partners with him and Jezebel in their Sins, together with all their Kindred, excepting Joaſh King of Judah (ſaith Lavater) and Ahaziah's Brethren, which he ſlew afterwards, ver. 12, 13, 14. becauſe they were Nephews and near Kindred of Ahab's Houſe, 2 Chron. 22.8. for his immediate Brethren were all carried away by the Arabians, 2 Chron. 21.17. he ſlew alſo Ahab and Jezebel's Domeſtick Chaplains, who were Princes of all the other Prieſt (ſaith Sanctius) and who were fed at Ahab's Table, as 1 Kings 18.19. a fair warning this was to Baal's Priests.
Remark the Second, is, Jehu's Popularity after all this Severity, ver. 15, 16.
Mark 1. Jehonadab, a Rechabite of Jethro's Stock, 1 Chron. 2.55. a Man famous among the People (ſay Junius, Peter Martyr and Piſcator) both for his Prudence and his Piety, as both appeareth from this place, and from thoſe precious Precepts recorded, Jerem. 35.6. he hearing how Jehu was God's Inſtrument to execute Juſtice upon Ahab's Houſe, comes to congratulate him.
Mark 2. Jehu meets him, who (as Joſephus ſaith) was of his old Acquaintance, ſalutes him with all inſinuating Candor and Kindneſs, asking him, how he approved of his Perſon and preſent Proceedings. Jehonadab heartily anſwers with a double [It is, it is, Hebr.] to ſhew his Heart approved of his Actions, and he gave him his Hand alſo, as a ſign of his Approbation, even the right hand of Fellowſhip, Gal. 2.9.
Mark 3. Jehu did well in deſiring Jehonadab's Company, to countenance his Proceedings among the People, with whom he knew him to be had in great Veneration: So he hath him handed into his Chariot. N. B. 'Tis Piety as well as Policy to join friendſhip with the Religious.
Mark 4. Here begins Jehu's unſoundneſs to appear, in ſaying, [Come ſee my Zeal for the Lord.] Sincerity is moſt ſuſpicious of it ſelf, and better conceited of others, John 21.15, 16, 17. Jehu prefers himſelf before Jehondab, in ſaying before, [Is thine heart right, as mine heart is;] and he now, not queſtioning his own heart as he did Jonadab's, muſt have his Zeal ſeen. Oſtentation is an Evidence of Hypocriſy, it muſt be noted and noticed, &c. Secreſy is a good ſign of Sincerity.
Mark 5. His Actions were indeed Zeal and Juſtice, and not Cruelty, becauſe done according to God's Revealed Will, which is the Rule of all Righteouſneſs, Jonadab had only heard of his former Zeal againſt Ahab's Houſe; and now Jehu muſt have him ſee his following Zeal againſt Baal's Prieſts afterwards.
Mark 6. But before this he went to Samaria, and flew all the remainder of Abab's Allies, ver. 17. ſo that not one remained to Revenge the ſlaughter aforeſaid: This Zeal Jonadab ſaw, &c.
Remark the Third; Jehu's Zeal Jonadab likewiſe ſaw in aboliſhing the Worſhip of Baal, from ver. 18, to ver. 27. wherein,
Mark 1. Jehu's decoying all the Prieſts of Baal into his Net, pretending an extraordinary Sacrifice to Baal, but intending the Prieſts of Baal themſelves ſhould be made the Sacrifice, &c. N. B. This zealous Act of Jehu ſome learned Men judge laudable, as well as lawful; alledging, 1. That Solomon diſſembled his ſlaying of the living Child. 2. That Elijah called all Iſrael and the Worſhippers of Baal together accordingly. And, 3. Jehu did but ſeem to allow of Baal's Worſhip for a little ſpace, that he might the better manifeſt his ſpeedy diſlike and deteſtation of it, &c. N. B. But Auguſtin, the Schoolmen, Peter Martyr, &c. all concur, that this was a pernicious as well as an officious Lye, as it was a Profeſſion of Idolatry for the time, and a Confirmation of Baal's Worſhippers: So this act was a publick Scandal for the preſent, his Words being manifeſtly falſe, and ſpoken with a deſign to deceive, though with a pious Intention, which alone cannot excuſe from Sin, &c. and they anſwer the aforeſaid Objections; 1. 'Tis an unalterable Principle, that we muſt not do the leaſt evil of Sin, no, not for the procuring of the greateſt good, Rom. 3.8. 2. That act of Solomon, to diſcover the true Mother, &c. is expreſly called the Wiſdom of God, 1 Kings 3.28. wherein no indirect means were actually made uſe of 3. P. Martyr anſwers to that of Elijah, that he called not the Baalites to Sacrifice, but to ſee a Miracle, &c. beſides, in Elijah's Days, the Baalites did daily Sacrifice to Baal, but durſt not do ſo now; and if Jonadab did concur with Jehu herein, 'twas his human Infirmity.
Mark 2. Jehu, having gull'd and beguil'd the Prophets and Prieſts of Baal into his Trap, by proclaiming a ſolemn Aſſembly of every individual Perſon of them (upon pain of Death if any abſented) ver. 19, 20. So that the Houſe of Baal was top full, as that they ſtood mouth to mouth, Hebr. ver. 21. He calls for Baal's Sacred Veſtments, ver. 22. N. B. The Devil endeavour'd (ſaith Peter Martyr) to imitate God in Holy Vestments; this was a new and another pious Fraud (as the Phraſe is) to make the Worſhippers of Baal think that Jehu was ſerious and ſincere in his Profeſſion; Quod volumus, facilè credimus, 'Tis natural and uſual moſt eaſily to believe, what we deſire and wiſh to be true. 'Tis a wonder (ſaith Oſiander) that there ſhould now be ſo many Prieſts of Baal, that ſo great a number were here aſſembled, as to ſtand [peh la peh, Hebr.] face to face to fill the Houſe, ſeeing Elijah had cut off ſuch abundance of them, but Jezebel (ſaith he) had ſedulouſly recruited that ſlaughter: And 'tis alſo a wonder (ſaith Menochius) that ſo many Priests ſhould dare to come now to the Temple of Baal, when they had ſo many grounds of Suſpicion, that this was not done for their Approbation, much leſs to Reward them for their pains; as 1. They could not be ignorant how Jehu had ſlain Ahab's Houſhold Chaplains thoſe Prieſts of Baal, ver. 11. and had they not hence fair warning to fear Jehu? 2. Jonadab's Preſence with Jehu, ver. 23. might well have made them jealous of Jehu, for they knew him an utter Enemy to their Idolatry. 3. Jehu's ſearch for the Servants of the Lord among them, ver. 23. might likewiſe make them ſuſpect a deſign againſt them; but they were beſotted and infatuated by God (ſaith he) and went on without Wit or Fear, as an Ox to the Slaughter, and as a Fool to the Stocks, as before, &c.
Mark 3. As ſoon as the chief Prieſt of Baal (2 Chron. 23.17.) had made an end of his Sacrifice to Baal, Jehu commands Eighty Soldiers to ſlay them all, &c. ver. 24, 25. Thus (ſaith P. Martyr) thoſe Worſhippers of the Devil did ſymbolize with the Servants of God in ſacrificing; Faciunt & Veſpae favos, Drones mitate Bees, and Apes, Men. This was an Apiſh Imitation. And thus long (ſaith he) did Jehu delay his deſtroying them till their Sacrifice was done, becauſe all the Baalites were not at firſt come, but ſome dropped in every moment; and the Law of God commands that Idolaters ſhall be ſlain, Deut. 13.9. And when Jehu had deſtroyed the perſons, he falls upon the Things of Baal, ver. 26, 27. deſtroying Baal both ways out of Iſrael, ver. 28. Thoſe Gelilim, Heb. dirty or dungy Deities Jehu doom'd to the Jakes, as fitteſt for them.
Remark the Fourth, is, upon Jehu's illaudable and unlawful Actions, wherein.
Mark 1. He thus far did well, but had ill Aims and Ends in his well doing. N. B. While God's way and Jehu's lay together, he kept conſtant in fulfilling God's Will, ſo far as Matters tended to ſettle him in his Throne and Kingdom, but when thoſe two ways parted, then Jehu departs from God, ver. 29. there was malun opus in bona materia, Works materially good may not ever prove ſo formally and eventually: He made an end of Baal, but not of the golden Calves, which made an end of him; He did much, but not all, the ruſty hand of a Dial ſeems right at ſome time of day.
Mark 2. The Lord ſent ſome Prophet to promiſe him Proſperity to his Poſterity for four Generationss [becauſe he had done well] ver. 30. which was a Privilege not vouchſafed to any King of Iſrael after the Diviſion of the Kingdom. N. B. This ſhews God will not be indebted to any Man; none ſhall ſay, Obeying God is an hard Bargain; no… may we judge by outward ſucceſs (ſaith P. Martyr) for Jehu was an Idolater.
Mark 3. Jehu had a diſpenſatory Conſcience, following God well in ſuch Duties as ſuited with his Deſigns, but no farther, ver. 31. He did well in its Kind, but partially (ſaith Grotius) the Matter was not amiſs, but for the Motive, Manner and End no whit well becauſe (ſaith P. Martyr) it came not from his Heart. A Man may recover of a Fever, and die of a Dropſie: Jehu caſt off Baal, but kept Jerohoam's Calves, leſt it ſhould coſt him his Kingdom; A Region and Regiment was more in his Eye than Religion was.
Mark 4. Now begins Hazael to exerciſe thoſe bloody Butcheries upon Iſrael, ver 22. which Eliſha had foretold, Chap. 8.12. for Jehu's Calf-Worſhip: He conquer'd not only Ramoth-Gilead lately recover'd by Joram▪ but all that rich Country of Gilead, ver. 33. It was firſt got by Moſes, and now firſt loſt (ſaith P. Martyr) by Jehu, who reigned 28 years, and then died, ver. 34, 35, 36. a longer time than any of this Predeceſſons▪ his four Sons ſucceſſively ſucceed him; 1. Jehoaaz, 2. Joaſh, 3. Jerobram, and, 4. Zachariah.