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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comKeil and Delitzsch Commentary - 2 King 9:11 - 9:11
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Jehu's Conspiracy against Joram. - 2Ki 9:11. When Jehu came out again to his comrades in arms, after the departure of the pupil of the prophets, they inquired הֲשָׁלֹום, i.e., “is it all well? why did this madman come to thee?” not because they were afraid that he might have done him some injury (Ewald), or that he might have brought some evil tidings (Thenius), but simply because they conjectured that he had brought some important news. They called the prophet מְשֻׁגָּע, a madman, in derision, with reference to the ecstatic utterances of the prophets when in a state of holy inspiration. Jehu answered evasively, “Ye know the man and his muttering,” i.e., ye know that he is mad and says nothing rational. שִׂיהַ includes both meditating and speaking.
2Ki 9:12
They were not contented with this answer, however, but said שֶׁקֶר, i.e., thou dost not speak truth. Jehu thereupon informed them that he had anointed him king over Israel in the name of Jehovah.
2Ki 9:13
After hearing this, they took quickly every man his garment, laid it under hi upon the steps, blew the trumpet, and proclaimed him king. The clothes, which consisted simply of a large piece of cloth for wrapping round the body (see at 1Ki 11:29), they spread out in the place of carpets upon the steps, which served as a throne, to do homage to Jehu. For these signs of homage compare Mat 21:7 and Wetstein, N. Test. ad h. l. The difficult words הַמַּעֲלֹות אֶל־גֶּרֶם, as to the meaning of which the early translators have done nothing but guess, can hardly be rendered in any other way than that proposed by Kimchi (lib. rad.), super ipsosmet gradus, upon the steps themselves = upon the bare steps; גֶּרֶם being taken according to Chaldee usage like the Hebrew עֶצֶם in the sense of substantia rei, whereas the rendering given by Lud. de Dieu, after the Arabic jarm, sectio - super aliquem e gradibus, is without analogy in Hebrew usage (vid., L. de Dieu ad h. l., and Ges. Thes. p. 303).
(Note: The objection raised by Thenius, that it is only in combination with personal pronouns that the Chaldaic גְרַם signifies self either in the Chaldee or Samaritan versions, is proved to be unfounded by לְגֶרֶם in Job 1:3 (Targ.). Still less can the actual circumstances be adduced as an objection, since there is no evidence to support the assertion that there was no staircase in front of the house. The perfectly un-Hebraic conjecture הַמַּעֲלֹות אֶל־גֶּרֶם, “as a figure (or representation) of the necessary ascent” (Thenius), has not the smallest support in the Vulgate rendering, ad similitudinem tribunalis.)
The meaning is, that without looking for a suitable place on which to erect a throne, they laid their clothes upon the bare steps, or the staircase of the house in which they were assembled, and set him thereon to proclaim him king.
2Ki 9:14-15
Thus Jehu conspired against Joram, who (as is related again in the circumstantial clause which follows from הָיָה וְיֹורָם to אֲרָם מֶלֶךְ; cf. 2Ki 8:28-29) had been keeping guard at Ramoth in Gilead, i.e., had defended this city against the attacks of Hazael, and had returned to Jezreel to be healed of the wounds which he had received; and said, “If it is your wish (נַפְשְׁכֶם), let no fugitive go from the city, to announce it in Jezreel (viz., what had taken place, the conspiracy or the proclamation of Jehu as king).” It is evident from this, that the Israelites were in possession of the city of Ramoth, and were defending it against the attacks of the Syrians, so that שָׁמַר in 2Ki 9:14 cannot be understood as relating to the siege of Ramoth. The Chethîb לַגִּיד for לְהַגִּיד is not to be altered according to the Keri, as there are many examples to be found of syncope in cases of this kind (vid., Olshausen, Lehrb. d. Hebr. Spr. p. 140).