Wesley Corpus

Chapter IX A prophet commissions Jehu to take upon him the government, and destroy the house of Ahab, ver. 1 - 10. Jehu communicates this to his captains, ver. 11 - 15. Marches to Jezreel, ver. 16 - 20. Kills Joram, ver. 21 - 26. Ahaziah, ver. 27 - 29. And Jezebel, ver. 30 - 37. Ramoth - The kings of Israel and Judah were both absent, and Jehu, as it seems, was left in chief command. I may avenge,&c. - That they were idolaters was bad enough: yet that is not mentioned here: the controversy God has with them, is for being persecutors. Nothing fills the measure of the iniquity of any prince so as this doth, nor brings a surer or sorer ruin. Mad fellow - They perceived him to be a prophet by his habit, and gestures, and manner of speech. And these prophane soldiers esteemed the prophets mad - men. Those that have no religion, commonly speak of those that are religious with disdain, and look upon them as crack - brained. They said of our Lord, He is beside himself; of St. Paul, that much learning had made him mad. The highest wisdom is thus represented as folly, and they that best understand themselves, as men beside themselves. They hasted - God putting it into their hearts thus readily to own him. Under him - Under Jehu. A ceremony used in the eastern parts towards superiors, in token of reverence to his person, that they would not have his feet to touch the ground, and that they put themselves and their concerns under his feet, and into his disposal. The stairs - In some high and eminent place, whence he might be seen and owned by all the soldiers, who were called together upon this great occasion. Portion of Naboth - The very sight of that ground was enough to make Jehu triumph and Joram tremble. The circumstances of events are sometimes so ordered by Divine providence, as to make the punishment answer the sin, as face answers face in a glass. Whoredoms, &c.