Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to:
2 Kings
Book: 2 Kings
Chapter: 10
Overview:
Ahab's sons and
Ahaziah's brethren
Put to
Death.
(1-14) Jehu
destroys the worshippers of
Baal.
(15-28) Jehu follows
Jeroboam's sins.
(29-36)
1-14 In the most awful events, though attended
By the basest
crimes of
Man, the
Truth and
Justice of God are to be noticed;
and he never did nor can command any thing unjust or
unreasonable.
Jehu destroyed all that remained of the
House of
Ahab; all who had been partners in his wickedness. When we think
upon the sufferings and miseries of mankind, when we look
forward to the resurrection and last
Judgment, and think upon
the vast number of the wicked waiting their awful sentence of
Everlasting Fire; when the whole sum of
Death and misery has
been considered, the solemn question occurs, Who slew all these?
The answer is,
Sin. Shall we then harbour
Sin in our bosoms, and
seek for happiness from that which is the cause of all misery?
15-28 Is thine
Heart right? This is a question we should often
Put to ourselves. I make a fair profession, have gained a
reputation among men, but, is my
Heart right? Am I sincere with
God?
Jehonadab owned
Jehu in the work, both of revenge and of
reformation. An upright
Heart approves itself to
God, and seeks
No more than his acceptance; but if we aim at the applause of
men, we are upon a false foundation. Whether
Jehu looked any
further we cannot
Judge. The
Law of
God was express, that
idolaters were to be
Put to
Death. Thus
Idolatry was abolished
for the present out of
Israel. May we desire that it be rooted
out of our hearts.
29-36 It is justly questionable whether
Jehu acted from a good
principle, and whether he did not take some false steps in doing
it; yet
No services done for
God shall go unrewarded. But true
Conversion is not only from gross
Sin, but from all
Sin; not
only from false gods, but from false worships. True
Conversion
is not only from wasteful sins, but from gainful sins; not only
from sins which hurt our worldly interests, but from those that
support and befriend them; in forsaking which is the great trial
whether we can deny ourselves and trust
God.
Jehu showed great
care and zeal for rooting out a false religion, but in the true
religion he cared not, took
No heed to please
God and do his
duty. Those that are heedless, it is to be feared, are
graceless. The people were also careless, therefore it is not
strange that in those days the
Lord began to cut
Israel short.
They were short in their duty to
God, therefore
God cut them
short in their extent, wealth, and power.