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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - 2 King 10:15 - 10:28
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The Baal-Worship Discontinued.
v. 15. And when he was departed thence, after the slaughter of the forty-two relatives of Ahaziah, he lighted on Jehonadab, the son of Rechab, coming to meet him, Jer_35:1-19, whether by accident or on purpose is not indicated. And he saluted him and said to him, Is thine heart right, zealous, upright, fully agreeing in feeling and in purpose, as my heart is with thy heart? And Jehonadab answered, it Isaiah The two were of the same opinion concerning the necessity of eradicating idolatry in the land. If it be, give me thine hand. And he gave him his hand. And he took him up to him into the chariot, thus honoring him highly before all the people.
v. 16. And he, Jehu, said, Come with me and see my zeal for the Lord. So they made him ride In his chariot, not by force, of course, but by friendly persuasion and invitation.
v. 17. And when he came to Samaria, he slew all that remained unto Ahab in Samaria, all the relatives living in this city, till he had destroyed him, according to the saying of the Lord which He spake to Elijah, 1Ki_21:21.
v. 18. And Jehu gathered all the people together and said unto them, hiding his real purpose under a pretense of zeal for idolatrous worship, Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu shall serve him much, this statement being intended to disarm all suspicion.
v. 19. Now, therefore, call unto me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests; let none be wanting; for I have a great sacrifice to do to Baal. Whosoever shall be wanting, every one of the prophets and priests of Baal who would be missing, he shall not live. But Jehu did it in subtlety, as a stratagem, to the intent that he might destroy the worshipers of Baal, by lulling them into security and then slaying them.
v. 20. And Jehu said, Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal. And they proclaimed it, inviting all the people of the country to partake in this great meeting.
v. 21. And Jehu sent through all Israel. And all the worshipers of' Baal came, believing that they would receive full recognition from Jehu, so that there was not a man left that came not. And they came into the house of Baal, eager to take part in this solemn assembly; and the house of Baal was full from one end to another. Men regarded Jehu's entire conspiracy as a mere military revolution, and not as a reformation of the Church.
v. 22. And he said unto him that was over the vestry, the man in charge of the vestments of the Baal-worship, Bring forth vestments for all the worshipers of Baal, to render them all the more conspicuous in the great assembly. And he brought them forth vestments.
v. 23. And Jehu went, and Jehonadab, the son of Rechab, into the house of Baal, and said unto the worshipers of Baal, Search and look that there be here with you none of the servants of the Lord but the worshipers of Baal only, for he wanted no servant of Jehovah to be killed by mistake.
v. 24. And when they, the servants of Baal, went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings, Jehu appointed fourscore men without and said, If any of the men whom I have brought into your hands escape, he that letteth him go, his life shall be for the life of him, they were answerable with their very lives for the destruction of the idolaters.
v. 25. And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, when the preparations for the customary sacrifices were completed, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, Go in and slay them; let none come forth. The members of the royal guard here attended to the duties enjoined upon them by the king of being executioners. And they smote them with the edge of the sword, with a relentless punishment; and the guard and the captains cast them out, throwing the corpses aside as they pressed forward, and went to the city of the house of Baal, they entered the temple proper, the sanctuary of Baal.
v. 26. And they brought forth the images out of the house of Baal, the idolatrous statues, and burned them.
v. 27. And they brake down the image of Baal, his own picture, which was probably of stone, and brake down the house of Baal, and made it a draught-house unto this day, the turning of the temple into a public place of this kind making it forever unclean and abominable.
v. 28. Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel, removing the worst idolatry from the midst of the northern kingdom. It was a judgment of God, a type of the last great punishment which will come upon the idolatrous world.