서론
无标题
英文原文
We have in this chapter, I. A further account of Jehu's execution of his commission. He cut off, 1. All Ahab's sons, 2Ki 10:1-10. 2. All Ahab's kindred, 2Ki 10:11-14,17. 3. Ahab's idolatry: his zeal against this he took Jonadab to be witness to (2Ki 10:15,16), summoned all the worshippers of Baal to attend (2Ki 10:18-23) and slew them all (2Ki 10:24,25), and then abolished that idolatry, 2Ki 10:26-28. II. A short account of the administration of his government. 1. The old idolatry of Israel, the worship of the calves, was retained, 2Ki 10:29-31. 2. This brought God's judgments upon them by Hazael, with which his reign concludes, 2Ki 10:32-36.
1-14
Death of Ahab's Sons; the Death of Ahaziah's Brethren (884 BC)
亚哈众子之死；亚哈谢弟兄之死（主前884年）
¹ 亚哈在撒玛利亚有七十个儿子。耶户写信送到撒玛利亚，给耶斯列的首领，就是长老，并教养亚哈众子的人，说：
² 你们那里既有你们主人的众子和车马、器械、坚固城，
³ 接了这信，就可以在你们主人的众子中选择一个贤能合宜的，使他坐他父亲的位，你们也可以为你们主人的家争战。
⁴ 他们却甚惧怕，彼此说：二王在他面前尚且站立不住，我们怎能站得住呢？
⁵ 家宰、邑宰，和长老，并教养众子的人，打发人去见耶户，说：我们是你的仆人，凡你所吩咐我们的都必遵行，我们不立谁作王，你看怎样好就怎样行。
⁶ 耶户第二次写信说：你们若归顺我，听从我的话，明日这时候，要将你们主人众子的首级带到耶斯列来见我。那时王的儿子七十人都住在教养他们那城中的尊贵人家里。
⁷ 信一到，他们就把王的七十个儿子杀了，将首级装在筐里，送到耶斯列耶户那里。
⁸ 有使者来告诉耶户说：他们将王众子的首级送来了。耶户说：将首级在城门口堆作两堆，搁到明日。
⁹ 次日早晨，耶户出来，站着对众民说：你们都是公义的，我背叛我主人，将他杀了；这些人却是谁杀的呢？
¹⁰ 由此可知，耶和华指着亚哈家所说的话一句没有落空，因为耶和华藉他仆人以利亚所说的话都成就了。
¹¹ 凡亚哈家在耶斯列所剩下的人，和他的大臣、密友、祭司，耶户尽都杀了，没有留下一个。
¹² 耶户起身往撒玛利亚去。在路上、牧人剪羊毛之处，
¹³ 遇见犹大王亚哈谢的弟兄，问他们说：你们是谁？回答说：我们是亚哈谢的弟兄，现在下去要问王和太后的众子安。
¹⁴ 耶户吩咐说：活捉他们！跟从的人就活捉了他们，将他们杀在剪羊毛之处的坑边，共四十二人，没有留下一个。
我们上文留下耶户安然据有耶斯列，胜过了约兰与耶洗别；如今我们必须留意他下一步的行动。他知道亚哈全家必被剪除，因此着手进行这血腥的工作，并没有行诡诈，也没有半途而废（参耶48:10）。
一、他藉亚哈众子自己的监护人之手，在撒玛利亚将他们尽都斩首。亚哈有七十个儿子（或孙子），恰是基甸之数（士8:30）。如此众多承袭其名的后裔，本可使他的家族世代相传，如今却一举尽绝。这样满袋的箭矢，仍不能保护他的家免于神的报应。人口繁多的家族，若是邪恶，断不可指望长久兴盛。亚哈这些儿子此时都在撒玛利亚——一座坚固的城——或许是因与亚兰争战之故被带到那里以求安全，或是听闻耶户作乱的消息。同他们在一处的有耶斯列的首领，就是朝中的大臣，他们到撒玛利亚来，或为自保，或为商议对策。其中年幼仍受教养的，都有师傅随侍，这些人受托照其出身与身分施以相称的教育；但恐怕他们也照其父家的拜偶像之风教养他们，使他们都成了巴力的敬拜者。耶户不愿带兵到撒玛利亚去除灭他们，乃要使神的手在此事上格外显明，便使他们的监护人成了他们的凶手。1. 他送去一道挑战，邀那些拥护亚哈家的人为他们出头（王下10:2,3）：“你们这些诚心拥戴亚哈家、全然站在它一边的人，如今正是你们为它出头的时候。撒玛利亚是坚固的城，在你们手中；你们有军兵可供调遣；你们可在王室中拣选最合适的人作你们的首领；你们知道不必拘泥于长子，除非他是你们主人众子中最贤能合宜的。你们若有胆量，就显出来，立他们中的一个坐他父亲的位，舍命舍家为他争战。”他并非真愿他们这样行，也不指望他们如此，乃是借此责备他们的怯懦，以及他们全然无力与神的旨意相抗。“你们若敢就做，看看会有什么下场。”凡背弃了自己信仰的人，往往连同信仰一并失去了理智与勇气，理当为此受责。2. 他借此使他们俯首称臣。他们明智地自忖：“二王在他面前尚且站立不住，反倒成了他烈怒下的祭物；我们怎能站得住呢？”（王下10:4）于是他们送去降书：“我们是你的仆人，是你的臣属，凡你所吩咐我们的，无论是非，都必遵行，绝不另立他人与你相争。”他们看出与他相争毫无益处，因此顺服他乃是上策。我们更有充分的理由如此自我说服，去顺服那位大能的神。多少君王伟人因其罪恶在他的烈怒面前仆倒；我们怎能站得住呢？我们岂要惹主发怒呢？我们比他还有能力吗？不能，我们若不屈服，就必折断。3. 此事更进一步，竟使这些受托监护之人成了他们所监护之人的行刑者（王下10:6）：你们若归顺我，明日这时候，要将你们主人众子的首级带来给我。耶户虽知此事必行，自己却不愿亲手去做，谁能料到他竟指望这些人去做呢？他们岂能辜负如此的托付？岂能对主人的儿子如此残忍？看来，他们在向方升之日的谄媚屈膝竟卑下至此，真就做了：他们斩了这七十位王子的首级，装在筐里送给耶户为礼（王下10:7）。由此当学：不可信赖朋友，也不可倚靠那不受良心约束的引路人。一个对神不忠的人，断难指望他对君王忠诚。但要留意神在他们的不义之中所显的公义。耶斯列的这些长老，先前曾恶意盲从耶洗别的命令杀害拿伯（王上21:11）。她大概以自己能驾驭他们为荣；如今同样卑劣的心性，使他们对耶户也一样顺从，乐于遵命杀害亚哈众子。愿无人妄图擅权独断，免得自己滚动的石头，迟早有一日反转压向自己。君王若使百姓为奴，正是走上促其反叛的捷径；他们若像耶洗别那样强逼人的良心，便失去了对人的掌控。那些斩下的首级送到耶户面前时，他狡猾地责备这些行此报应的行刑者。首级堆作两堆放在城门口，正是审判之处。在那里他在神与世人面前宣告百姓无罪（王下10:9，你们都是公义的），又借撒玛利亚的首领如今所行的，相对地为自己开脱：“我不过杀了一个；他们却杀了这一切人。我所行的乃是出于谋划与故意；他们所行的不过是出于顺从与暗含的听命。撒玛利亚的百姓，以及亚哈家的任何亲友，都不可为我所行的指责我，既然他们自己的长老、孤儿的亲监护人，竟也做了这事。”那些行了卑劣之事的人，常想藉牵连他人去行更卑劣之事，来减轻自己的羞辱。但（其二）他将这一切归于神公义的审判（王下10:10）：耶和华藉以利亚所说的话都成就了。神并非任何人罪行的主使者，然而即便人出于败坏动机所行的，神也使之成就他自己的旨意，荣耀他自己的名；人在不义之事上，神却是公义的。当亚述被作为神怒气的杖、公义的器具时，他心里却不这样意念，他意念的并不如此（赛10:7）。
二、他进而除灭亚哈家一切所剩的人，不单是他的后裔，凡与他有任何关系的也都在内：他全家的官员、谋臣，以及在他手下任职的人，此处称为他的大臣（王下10:11），他一切的亲友熟人，就是与他同谋作恶的人，并他的祭司，就是供他偶像之事差遣的家庭祭司，他们曾坚固他的手，使他不离开自己的恶道。在耶斯列行了这事后，他又在撒玛利亚照样而行（王下10:17），杀尽亚哈在撒玛利亚所剩下的人。这是血腥的工作，如今无论如何不可援为先例。当让有罪的人受罚，却不可使无辜者为他们陪葬。或许这类可怕的除灭乃是预表一切不敬虔之人最终的灭亡。神有一把在天上蘸饱的刀，必临到他所咒诅之民，且要被血充满（赛34:5,6）。那时他的眼必不顾惜，也不怜恤。
三、护理的安排使亚哈谢的弟兄正撞在他要行的路上，他正进行这一处决之时，便将他们也杀了（王下10:12-14）。亚哈谢的弟兄已被亚拉伯人所杀（代下22:1），但这里所指的是他弟兄们的众子，正如那里所解明的（王下10:8），他们被称为犹大的首领，并服事亚哈谢。有几样缘由使他们落在耶户此时所行的报应之下。1. 他们是亚哈家的枝子，因系出于亚他利雅，故在他的使命之内。2. 他们已沾染了亚哈家的罪恶。3. 他们此时正前去向亚哈家的王子请安，要问王和太后约兰与耶洗别的众子安，这表明他们与他们不单有姻亲之联，也有情感之系。这些首领共四十二人，既被定为献祭的羊，便庄严地被杀在剪羊毛处的坑边。耶和华所行的审判使他被人认识。
英文原文
Death of Ahab's Sons; the Death of Ahaziah's Brethren (884 BC)
¹ And Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, unto the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to them that brought up Ahab's children, saying,
² Now as soon as this letter cometh to you, seeing your master's sons are with you, and there are with you chariots and horses, a fenced city also, and armour;
³ Look even out the best and meetest of your master's sons, and set him on his father's throne, and fight for your master's house.
⁴ But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, two kings stood not before him: how then shall we stand?
⁵ And he that was over the house, and he that was over the city, the elders also, and the bringers up of the children, sent to Jehu, saying, We are thy servants, and will do all that thou shalt bid us; we will not make any king: do thou that which is good in thine eyes.
⁶ Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, If ye be mine, and if ye will hearken unto my voice, take ye the heads of the men your master's sons, and come to me to Jezreel by to morrow this time. Now the king's sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, which brought them up.
⁷ And it came to pass, when the letter came to them, that they took the king's sons, and slew seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent him them to Jezreel.
⁸ And there came a messenger, and told him, saying, They have brought the heads of the king's sons. And he said, Lay ye them in two heaps at the entering in of the gate until the morning.
⁹ And it came to pass in the morning, that he went out, and stood, and said to all the people, Ye be righteous: behold, I conspired against my master, and slew him: but who slew all these?
¹⁰ Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the LORD, which the LORD spake concerning the house of Ahab: for the LORD hath done that which he spake by his servant Elijah.
¹¹ So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his kinsfolks, and his priests, until he left him none remaining.
¹² And he arose and departed, and came to Samaria. And as he was at the shearing house in the way,
¹³ Jehu met with the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, Who are ye? And they answered, We are the brethren of Ahaziah; and we go down to salute the children of the king and the children of the queen.
¹⁴ And he said, Take them alive. And they took them alive, and slew them at the pit of the shearing house, even two and forty men; neither left he any of them.
We left Jehu in quiet possession of Jezreel, triumphing over Joram and Jezebel; and we must now attend his further motions. He knew the whole house of Ahab must be cut off, and therefore proceeded in this bloody work, and did not do it deceitfully, or by halves, Jer 48:10.
I. He got the heads of all the sons of Ahab cut off by their own guardians at Samaria. Seventy sons (or grandsons) Ahab had, Gideon's number, Jdg 8:30. In such a number that bore his name his family was likely to be perpetuated, and yet it is extirpated all at once. Such a quiver full of arrows could not protect his house from divine vengeance. Numerous families, if vicious, must not expect to be long prosperous. These sons of Ahab were now at Samaria, a strong city, perhaps brought thither upon occasion of the war with Syria, as a place of safety, or upon notice of Jehu's insurrection; with them were the rulers of Jezreel, that is, the great officers of the court, who went to Samaria to secure themselves or to consult what was to be done. Those of them that were yet under tuition had their tutors with them, who were entrusted with their education in learning, agreeable to their birth and quality, but, it is to be feared, brought them up in the idolatries of their father's house and made them all worshippers of Baal. Jehu did not think fit to bring his forces to Samaria to destroy them, but, that the hand of God might appear the more remarkably in it, made their guardians their murderers. 1. He sent a challenge to their friends to stand by them, 2Ki 10:2,3. "You that are hearty well-wishers to the house of Ahab, and entirely in its interests, now is your time to appear for it. Samaria is a strong city; you are in possession of it; you have forces at command; you may choose out the likeliest person of all the royal family to head you; you know you are not tied to the eldest, unless he be the best and meetest of your master's sons. If you have any spirit in you, show it, and set one of them on his father's throne, and stand by him with your lives and fortunes." Not that he desired they should do this, or expected they would, but thus he upbraided them with their cowardice and utter inability to contest with the divine counsels. "Do if you dare, and see what will come of it." Those that have forsaken their religion have often, with it, lost both their sense and their courage, and deserve to be upbraided with it. 2. Hereby he gained from them a submission. They prudently reasoned with themselves: "Behold, two kings stood not before him, but fell as sacrifices to his rage; how then shall we stand?" 2Ki 10:4. Therefore they sent him a surrender of themselves: "We are thy servants, thy subjects, and will do all that thou shalt bid us, right or wrong, and will set up nobody in competition with thee." They saw it was to no purpose to contend with him, and therefore it was their interest to submit to him. With much more reason may we thus argue ourselves into a subjection to the great God. Many kings and great men have fallen before his wrath, for their wickedness; and how then shall we stand? Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? No, we must either bend or break. 3. This was improved so far as to make them the executioners of those whom they had the tuition of (2Ki 10:6): If you be mine, bring me the heads of your master's sons by to-morrow at this time. Though he knew it must be done, and was loth to do it himself, one would think he could not expect they should do it. Could they betray such a trust? Could they be cruel to their master's sons? It seems, so low did they stoop in their adoration to the rising sun that they did it; they cut off the heads of those seventy princes, and sent them in baskets a present to Jehu, 2Ki 10:7. Learn hence not to trust in a friend nor to put confidence in a guide not governed by conscience. One can scarcely expect that he who has been false to his God should ever be faithful to his prince. But observe God's righteousness in their unrighteousness. These elders of Jezreel had been wickedly obsequious to Jezebel's order for the murder of Naboth, 1Ki 21:11. She gloried, it is likely, in the power she had over them; and now the same base spirit makes them as pliable to Jehu and as ready to obey his orders for the murder of Ahab's sons. Let none aim at arbitrary power, lest they be found rolling a stone which, some time or other, will return upon them. Princes that make their people slaves take the readiest way to make them rebels; and by forcing men's consciences, as Jezebel did, they lose their hold of them. When the separated heads were presented to Jehu, he slyly upbraided those that were the executioners of this vengeance. The heads were laid in two heaps at the gate, the proper place of judgment. There he acquitted the people before God and the world (2Ki 10:9, You are righteous), and, by what the rulers of Samaria had now done, comparatively acquitted himself: "I slew but one; they have slain all these: I did it by conspiracy and with design; they have done this merely in compliance and with an implicit obedience. Let not the people of Samaria, nor any of the friends of the house of Ahab, ever reproach me for what I have done, when their own elders, and the very guardians of the orphans, have done this." It is common for those who have done something base to attempt the mitigation of their own reproach by drawing others in to do something worse. But, (2.) He resolves all into the righteous judgment of God (2Ki 10:10): The Lord hath done that which he spoke by Elijah. God is not the author of any man's sin, but even by that which men do from bad principles God serves his own purposes and glorifies his own name; and he is righteous in that wherein men are unrighteous. When the Assyrian is made the rod of God's anger, and the instrument of his justice, he meaneth not so, neither does his heart think so, Isa 10:7.
II. He proceeded to destroy all that remained of the house of Ahab, not only those that descended from him, but those that were in any relation to him, all the officers of his household, ministers of state, and those in command under him, called here his great men (2Ki 10:11), all his kinsfolks and acquaintance, who had been partners with him in his wickedness, and his priests, or domestic chaplains, whom he employed in his idolatrous services and who strengthened his hand that he should not turn from his evil way. Having done this in Jezreel, he did the same in Samaria (2Ki 10:17), slew all that remained to Ahab in Samaria. This was bloody work, and is not now, in any case, to be drawn into a precedent. Let the guilty suffer, but not the guiltless for their sakes. Perhaps such terrible destructions as these were intended as types of the final destruction of all the ungodly. God has a sword, bathed in heaven, which will come down upon the people of his curse, and be filled with blood. Isa 34:5,6. Then his eye will not spare, neither will he pity.
III. Providence bringing the brethren of Ahaziah in his way, as he was going on with this execution, he slew them likewise, 2Ki 10:12-14. The brethren of Ahaziah were slain by the Arabians (2Ch 22:1), but these were the sons of his brethren, as it is there explained (2Ki 10:8), and they are said to be princes of Judah, and to minister to Ahaziah. Several things concurred to make them obnoxious to the vengeance Jehu was now executing. 1. They were branches of Ahab's house, being descended from Athaliah, and therefore fell within his commission. 2. They were tainted with the wickedness of the house of Ahab. 3. They were now going to make their court to the princes of the house of Ahab, to salute the children of the king and the queen, Joram and Jezebel, which showed that they were linked to them in affection as well as in affinity. These princes, forty-two in number, being appointed as sheep for the sacrifice, were slain with solemnity, at the pit of the shearing-house. The Lord is known by these judgments which he executeth.
15-28
Interview between Jehu and Jehonadab; the Worshippers of Baal Destroyed (884 BC)
耶户与约拿达的会面；巴力的敬拜者被剿灭（主前884年）
¹⁵ 耶户从那里前行，恰遇利甲的儿子约拿达来迎接他，耶户问他安，对他说：你的心与我的心相合，像我的心与你的心一样吗？约拿达回答说：是。耶户说：若是这样，你向我伸手。他就伸手；耶户拉他上车。
¹⁶ 耶户说：你和我同去，看我为耶和华怎样热心。于是请他坐在车上。
¹⁷ 到了撒玛利亚，就把撒玛利亚亚哈家剩下的人都杀了，直到灭尽，正如耶和华对以利亚所说的。
¹⁸ 耶户招聚众民，对他们说：亚哈事奉巴力还冷淡，耶户却更热心。
¹⁹ 现在我要给巴力献大祭，应当叫巴力的众先知和一切拜巴力的人，并巴力的众祭司，都到我这里来，不可缺少一个；凡不来的必不得活。耶户这样行，是用诡计要杀尽拜巴力的人。
²⁰ 耶户说：要为巴力宣告严肃会。于是宣告了。
²¹ 耶户差人走遍以色列地；凡拜巴力的人都来齐了，没有一个不来的。他们进了巴力庙，巴力庙中从前边直到后边都满了人。
²² 耶户对掌管礼服的人说：拿出礼服来，给一切拜巴力的人穿。他就拿出礼服来给了他们。
²³ 耶户和利甲的儿子约拿达进了巴力庙，对拜巴力的人说：你们察看察看，在你们这里不可有耶和华的仆人，只可容留拜巴力的人。
²⁴ 耶户和约拿达进去，献平安祭和燔祭。耶户先安派八十人在庙外，说：我将这些人交在你们手中，若有一人脱逃，谁放的，必叫他偿命。
²⁵ 耶户献完了燔祭，就对护卫兵和众军长说：你们进去杀他们，不容一人出来。护卫兵和军长就用刀杀他们，将尸首抛出去，便到巴力庙的城去了。
²⁶ 将巴力庙中的柱像都拿出来烧了，
²⁷ 毁坏了巴力柱像，拆毁了巴力庙作为厕所，直到今日。
²⁸ 这样，耶户在以色列中灭了巴力。
耶户全力推进他的工作，这里他正是：
I. 拉拢一位善人的友谊，就是 利甲的儿子约拿达（王下10:15、16）。这约拿达虽然已向世界治死，极少参与世上的事务（从他给后裔的吩咐可见，那吩咐他们在三百年后仍虔诚遵守，就是不可喝酒、不可住城，耶35:6等），然而在这一场合，他却出来迎接耶户，要在神所召他去做的工上鼓励他。善人的赞许，乃是大人物若有智慧便会看重、并以之自重的事。大卫曾祷告说：愿敬畏你的人归向我（诗119:79）。这约拿达虽非先知、祭司或利未人，亦非君王或官长，我们却可推想他因智慧与敬虔而极为卓著，又因他所过那克己、虔敬的生活而普遍受人尊敬：耶户虽是个军人，却认识他、尊敬他。耶户起初并未想要差人去请他，但当遇见他时（虽然此刻他驾车很可能仍像往常一样急速），却停下来与他说话；这里告诉我们他们之间的对话。1. 耶户向他问安；他 为他祝福（原文如此），将那当归与这等严肃敬虔之大榜样的尊重与善意献给了他。2. 约拿达向他确证，自己是真诚地与他同心、衷心盼望他成功的。耶户表明 自己的心与他相合， 说他对约拿达其人怀有真诚的爱戴，对他拿细耳人的冠冕心存敬重，并愿知道约拿达对他、以及对神加在他头上那王者尊荣的冠冕，是否也怀有同样的爱戴与喜悦：你的心与我相合吗？ 这是我们当常常向自己发出的问题。「我有冠冕堂皇的外表，在人面前博得了名声，但 我的心正直吗？ 我在神面前是否诚实而存内里的真诚？」约拿达以言语向他保证（是的），又向他伸手作为内心的凭据，向他降服（伸手如此译，代下30:8），与他同心立约，并在他如今所行报应与改革的工上都承认他、与他联合。3. 耶户拉他上车，带他同往撒玛利亚。耶户尊荣他，将他接到车上同坐（约拿达素不惯坐车，更何况与王同坐）；但他从耶户、并从耶户对他当前工作的认可上，所得的尊荣更大。一切清醒之人见约拿达与耶户同车，便都会对耶户高看一眼。这并非头一次有人的虔敬被用来服务他人的权谋，也并非头一次有心计的人藉着将善人拉入自己阵营而壮大自身。约拿达不谙属肉体的智慧之伎俩，他 凭着诚实与敬虔的真诚为人处世； 因此，耶户若是神的仆人、是巴力的仇敌，约拿达便要作他忠实的朋友。耶户说：「那么，来吧，你和我同去，看我为耶和华怎样热心； 你就会看见有理由来支持我的事业了。」这话通常被认为是耶户说得不妥的，且使人有理由怀疑他的心在所行之事上并未向神纯正，又怀疑他所宣称为耶和华而发的热心，其实是为他自己、为自己的高升而发的热心。因为，（1.）他自夸此事，说话好像神与人都该大大感激他似的。（2.）他要叫这热心被人看见、被人注意，正如法利赛人所行的一切都是为要叫人看见。一颗正直的心只求在神面前蒙悦纳，此外别无所求。我们若以人的称赞为念，以博取人的称赞为最高目的，便是立在一个虚假的根基上了。耶户究竟有没有更进一层的存心，我们无从判断；然而无论如何，约拿达与他同去，并且很可能在他进一步执行使命时激励并协助了他（王下10:17），剿灭撒玛利亚一切属亚哈的人。一个人可以憎恶残暴，却仍爱公义；可以远不渴慕流血，却仍可 在恶人的血中洗脚（诗58:10）。
II. 谋划除灭一切拜巴力的人。事奉巴力是亚哈家昭彰的大罪：这偶像崇拜的根虽已被拔除，但仍存留许多受其玷染、又有可能玷染他人的人。神的律法明明规定他们当被处死；但他们人数众多，又分散于全国各处，加之或许已因耶户起初的举动而惊惶，要将他们一一查出实属难事，而要将他们一个一个地起诉处决更是没完没了。因此耶户的计策是要将他们一并尽行剪除。1. 他用诡计、用诈术，把他们都召聚到巴力庙中。他假称要比亚哈更甚地敬拜巴力（王下10:18）。他或许是在讥讽，或是要试探众民，看他们是否会反对这样的决意，是否会怨恨他扬言要加重前王的征敛，说：「若是这样，我们与耶户无份，与宁示的子孙无干。」但这话更像是有意要欺骗拜巴力的人而说的，若是如此，便不能算为正当了。神的真理并不需要任何人的谎言。他颁布通告，命令一切拜巴力的人都来与他一同向巴力献祭（王下10:19、20），不单是众先知与祭司，乃是全国各处一切拜巴力的人；这些人远不如以利亚时代那样多了。耶户的友党，我们可以想见，是知道他所谋划之事的，并不以为忤；但那些盲信痴迷的拜巴力之徒，却开始自以为得福，以为如今要重见昌盛的好日子了。约兰 曾 除掉巴力柱像（王下3:2）。耶户若肯将它复立，他们便得着了所求的，于是从各处欢欢喜喜地上撒玛利亚来共襄盛典；他们见巴力庙中挤满了人（王下10:21），见巴力的祭司穿着礼服（王下10:22），又见自己或许也佩戴着某种标记以表明与巴力的关系而欢喜，因为有礼服赐给一切拜巴力的人。2. 他留意不容一个事奉耶和华的人混在他们中间（王下10:23）。这事他们当作是为防备外人亵渎巴力的敬拜而设的；殊不知这其实是一个为陷害他们而设的圈套。无怪乎那些任凭自己被巴力欺哄的人（一切拜偶像的人都被他们的偶像所欺哄），也照样被耶户欺哄以致灭亡。3. 他下令将他们尽行剪除，约拿达也在此事上与他联合（王下10:23）。当严加查察、唯恐有事奉神的人或为作伴或出于好奇混入其中——唯恐有麦子掺杂在那些稗子里——又有八十人被派把守巴力庙的一切出入口，免得一人逃脱之后（王下10:24），护卫兵便奉命进去将他们尽都杀于刀下，将 他们的血与他们的祭物搀杂， 这是一种公义的报应，正如他们自己有时所行的；他们在盲目的虔敬中，用刀枪自割自刺，直到身体流血（王上18:28）。这事便照样行了，而行这事虽看似残忍，但顾及他们罪行的性质，却实在是公义的。那名为忌邪者的耶和华，乃是忌邪的神。 4. 拜偶像的人既如此被除灭，那偶像崇拜本身也就被彻底废除了。巴力庙周围的建筑（其数目之多、规模之大，以致这里称之为一座 城），即巴力的祭司及其家眷所居之处，都被拆毁了；庙中那些为装饰巴力之殿的小像、柱像、画像或神龛，连同巴力本身的大像，都被拿出来烧了（王下10:26、27），巴力庙也被拆毁，作为粪堆、成了全城公用的污水沟，使其记念可被涂抹、或留下臭名。这样，巴力的敬拜便从以色列中被彻底除灭了，至少在当时如此，虽然它一度盛行到这般地步，以致以色列千万人中只剩下七千人未曾向巴力屈膝，而那些人还是隐藏着的。神也必这样除灭外邦人的一切神祇，并迟早要胜过它们一切。
英文原文
Interview between Jehu and Jehonadab; the Worshippers of Baal Destroyed (884 BC)
¹⁵ And when he was departed thence, he lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him: and he saluted him, and said to him, Is thine heart right, as my heart is with thy heart? And Jehonadab answered, It is. If it be, give me thine hand. And he gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot.
¹⁶ And he said, Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD. So they made him ride in his chariot.
¹⁷ And when he came to Samaria, he slew all that remained unto Ahab in Samaria, till he had destroyed him, according to the saying of the LORD, which he spake to Elijah.
¹⁸ And Jehu gathered all the people together, and said unto them, Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu shall serve him much.
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, he shall not live. But Jehu did it in subtilty, to the intent that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal.
²⁰ And Jehu said, Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal. And they proclaimed it.
²¹ And Jehu sent through all Israel: and all the worshippers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that came not. And they came into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was full from one end to another.
²² And he said unto him that was over the vestry, Bring forth vestments for all the worshippers of Baal. And he brought them forth vestments.
²³ And Jehu went, and Jehonadab the son of Rechab, into the house of Baal, and said unto the worshippers of Baal, Search, and look that there be here with you none of the servants of the LORD, but the worshippers of Baal only.
²⁴ And when they 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.
²⁵ And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, Go in, and slay them; let none come forth. And they smote them with the edge of the sword; and the guard and the captains cast them out, and went to the city of the house of Baal.
²⁶ And they brought forth the images out of the house of Baal, and burned them.
²⁷ And they brake down the image of Baal, and brake down the house of Baal, and made it a draught house unto this day.
²⁸ Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.
Jehu, pushing on his work, is here,
I. Courting the friendship of a good man, Jehonadab the son of Rechab, 2Ki 10:15,16. This Jehonadab, though mortified to the world and meddling little with the business of it (as appears by his charge to his posterity, which they religiously observed 300 years after, not to drink wine nor dwell in cities, Jer 35:6, etc.), yet, upon this occasion, went to meet Jehu, that he might encourage him in the work to which God had called him. The countenance of good men is a thing which great men, if they be wise, will value, and value themselves by. David prayed, Let those that fear thee turn to me, Ps 119:79. This Jehonadab, though no prophet, priest, or Levite, no prince or ruler, was, we may suppose, very eminent for prudence and piety, and generally respected for that life of self-denial and devotion which he lived: Jehu, though a soldier, knew him and honoured him. He did not indeed think of sending for him, but when he met him (though it is likely he drove now as furiously as ever) he stopped to speak to him; and we are here told what passed between them. 1. Jehu saluted him; he blessed him (so the word is), paid him the respect and showed him the good-will that were due to so great an example of serious godliness. 2. Jehonadab assured him that he was sincerely in his interest and a hearty well-wisher to his cause. Jehu professed that his heart was right with him, that he had a true affection for his person and a veneration for the crown of his Nazariteship, and desired to know whether he had the same affection for him and satisfaction in that crown of royal dignity which God had put upon his head: Is thy heart right? a question we should often put to ourselves. "I make a plausible profession, have gained a reputation among men, but is my heart right? Am I sincere and inward with God?" Jehonadab gave him his word (It is), and gave him his hand as a pledge of his heart, yielded to him (so giving the hand is rendered, 2Ch 30:8), concurred and covenanted with him, and owned him in the work both of revenge and of reformation he was now about. 3. Jehu took him up into his chariot and took him along with him to Samaria. He put some honour upon him, by taking him into the chariot with him (Jehonadab was not accustomed to ride in a chariot, much less with a king); but he received more honour from him, and from the countenance he gave to his present work. All sober people would think the better of Jehu when they saw Jehonadab in the chariot with him. This was not the only time in which the piety of some has been made to serve the policy of others, and designing men have strengthened themselves by drawing good men into their interests. Jehonadab is a stranger to the arts of fleshly wisdom, and has his conversation in simplicity and godly sincerity; and therefore, if Jehu be a servant of God and an enemy to Ball, he will be his faithful friend. "Come then" (says Jehu), "come with me, and see my zeal for the Lord; and then thou wilt see reason to espouse my cause." This is commonly taken as not well said by Jehu, and as giving cause to suspect that his heart was not right with God in what he did, and that the zeal he pretended for the Lord was really zeal for himself and his own advancement. For, (1.) He boasted of it, and spoke as if God and man were mightily indebted to him for it. (2.) He desired it might be seen and taken notice of, like the Pharisees, who did all to be seen of men. An upright heart approves itself to God and covets no more than his acceptance. If we aim at the applause of men, and make their praise our highest end, we are upon a false bottom. Whether Jehu looked any further we cannot judge; however Jehonadab went with him, and, it is likely, animated and assisted him in the further execution of his commission (2Ki 10:17), destroying all Ahab's friends in Samaria. A man may hate cruelty and yet love justice, may be far from thirsting after blood and yet may wash his feet in the blood of the wicked, Ps 58:10.
II. Contriving the destruction of all the worshippers of Baal. The service of Baal was the crying sin of the house of Ahab: that root of this idolatry was plucked up, but multitudes yet remained that were infected with it, and would be in danger of infecting others. The law of God was express, that they were to be put to death; but they were so numerous, and so dispersed throughout all parts of the kingdom, and perhaps so alarmed with Jehu's beginnings, that it would be a hard matter to find them all out and an endless task to prosecute and execute them one by one. Jehu's project therefore is to cut them all off together. 1. By a wile, by a fraud, he brought them together to the temple of Baal. He pretended he would worship Baal more than ever Ahab had done, 2Ki 10:18. Perhaps he spoke this ironically, or to try the body of the people whether they would oppose such a resolution as this, and would resent his threatening to increase his predecessor's exactions, and say, "If it be so, we have no part in Jehu, nor inheritance in the son of Nimshi." But it rather seems to have been spoken purposely to deceive the worshippers of Baal, and then it cannot be justified. The truth of God needs not any man's lie. He issued a proclamation, requiring the attendance of all the worshippers of Baal to join with him in a sacrifice to Baal (2Ki 10:19,20), not only the prophets and priests, but all, throughout the kingdom, who worshipped Baal, who were not nearly so many as they had been in Elijah's time. Jehu's friends, we may suppose, were aware of what he designed, and were not offended at it; but the bigoted besotted Baalites began to think themselves very happy, and that now they should see golden days again. Joram had put away the image of Baal, 2Ki 3:2. If Jehu will restore it, they have what they would have, and come up to Samaria with joy from all parts to celebrate the solemnity; and they are pleased to see the house of Baal crowded (2Ki 10:21), to see his priests in their vestments (2Ki 10:22), and themselves perhaps with some badges or other to notify their relation to Baal, for there were vestments for all his worshippers. 2. He took care that none of the servants of the Lord should be among them, 2Ki 10:23. This they took as a provision to preserve the worship of Baal from being profaned by strangers; but it was a wonder that they did not, by this, see themselves brought into a snare and discern a design upon them. No marvel if those that suffer themselves to be deceived by Baal (as all idolaters were by their idols), are deceived by Jehu to their destruction. 3. He gave order for the cutting of them all off, and Jehonadab joined with him therein, 2Ki 10:23. When a strict search was made lest any of the servants of God should, either for company or curiosity, have got among them—lest any wheat should be mixed with those tares, and when eighty men were set to stand guard at all the avenues to Baal's temple, that none might escape (2Ki 10:24), then the guards were sent in to put them all to the sword and to mingle their blood with their sacrifices, in a way of just revenge, as they themselves had sometimes done, when, in their blind devotion, they cut themselves with knives and lancets till the blood gushed out, 1Ki 18:28. This was accordingly done, and the doing of it, though seemingly barbarous, was, considering the nature of their crime, really righteous. The Lord, whose name is jealous, is a jealous God. 4. The idolaters being thus destroyed, the idolatry itself was utterly abolished. The buildings about the house of Baal (which were so many and so stately that they are here called a city), where Baal's priests and their families lived, were destroyed; all the little images, statues, pictures, or shrines, which beautified Baal's temple, with the great image of Baal himself, were brought out and burnt (2Ki 10:26,27), and the temple of Baal was broken down, and made a dunghill, the common sink, or sewer, of the city, that the remembrance of it might be blotted out or made infamous. Thus was the worship of Baal quite destroyed, at least for the present, out of Israel, though it had once prevailed so far that there were but 7000 of all the thousands of Israel that had not bowed the knee to Baal, and those concealed. Thus will God destroy all the gods of the heathen, and, sooner or later, triumph over them all.
29-36
Jehu's Inconsistency (884 BC)
耶户的不彻底（主前884年）
²⁹ 只是耶户不离开尼八的儿子耶罗波安使以色列人陷在罪里的那罪，就是伯特利和但的金牛犊。 ³⁰ 耶和华对耶户说："因你在我眼中行看为正的事，并且照我心意中所愿的待亚哈家，你的子孙必坐以色列的国位，直到第四代。" ³¹ 只是耶户不尽心遵守耶和华以色列神的律法，不离开耶罗波安使以色列人陷在罪里的那罪。 ³² 在那些日子，耶和华开始割削以色列；哈薛在以色列的一切边界攻击他们， ³³ 乃是约旦河东、基列全地、迦得人、流便人、玛拿西人，从亚嫩河边的亚罗珥起，直到基列和巴珊。
³⁴ 至于耶户其余的事，凡他所行的，和他的大能，岂不都写在以色列诸王纪上吗？ ³⁵ 耶户与他的列祖同睡，葬在撒玛利亚；他儿子约哈斯接续他作王。 ³⁶ 耶户在撒玛利亚作以色列王共二十八年。
这里就是耶户作王的全部记载，虽然他在位二十八年。其进展并未相应于其开端的荣耀。这里有：
I. 神对耶户所作之事的称许。许多人大概非议他诡诈野蛮——称他为叛徒、篡位者、杀人凶手，并预言他家必不久长——如此发迹的家族很快必亡；但神说：作得好（王下10:30），那么别人说什么就无关紧要了。1. 神宣布他所行的是正的。他是否出于好原则而作，他是否在行事中走了些错路，固然大有可疑之处；然而（神说）：你在我眼中行看为正的事，作得好。根除拜偶像之人和偶像之事，在神眼中是正的，因为这是他必同样确实严厉追讨的罪：这事正合我心意，合我一切所愿、所设计。耶户把这事贯彻到底。2. 神应许给他赏赐：他的子孙直到第四代必坐在以色列的国位上。这超过那王国任何其他尊位或王朝的情形；亚哈家虽有四王——暗利、亚哈、亚哈谢、约兰——但后二人是兄弟，所以只到第三代，全家全部不过延续约四十五年；而耶户家在他以外还有四代，共约一百二十年。当注意：为神所作的服事，没有一样不会得赏赐。
II. 耶户在他进一步当行的事上漫不经心。由此显明他的心在神面前并不正——他的改革有偏颇。1. 他没有除尽一切的恶。他离开了亚哈的罪，却没有离开耶罗波安的罪——抛弃了巴力，却仍紧抱牛犊。拜巴力诚然是更大的恶，在神眼中更为可憎；但拜牛犊也是大恶；真正的归正不仅在于脱离粗鄙之罪，更在于脱离一切之罪——不仅在于脱离假神，更在于脱离虚假的敬拜方式。拜巴力削弱、缩小以色列，使他们仰赖西顿人，所以他很容易舍弃这一项；但拜牛犊是一种出于策略的拜偶像之事，原是为政治上的理由而起、而维持的——为防止十支派归回大卫家——所以耶户紧抱这一项不放。真正的归正不仅在于脱离浪费之罪，更在于脱离有利可图之罪——不仅在于脱离那些损害世俗利益的罪，更在于脱离那些支持、有助于世俗利益的罪；脱离这等罪的，正是大试验，能验证我们能否舍己、信靠神。2. 他除去了恶，却不在意善（王下10:31）：*他不尽心遵行耶和华以色列神的律法。*他废除了拜巴力，却没有维持对神的敬拜，也没有遵行神的律法。他曾为根除假信仰大显热心与谨慎；但在真信仰上：（1）他不显谨慎，毫不留心，任意放荡，毫不挂虑讨神的喜悦、尽自己的本分，不留心圣经、不留心先知、不留心自己的良心，而是冒险而行。粗心大意的人，恐怕是没有恩典的人；因为心里若有好的原则，必使人谨慎周全，渴慕讨神喜悦，并小心不行什么冒犯神的事。（2）他不显热心；他在信仰上所作的，不是从心里作，不是尽心作，而是作了好像没有作一样，毫无生气、毫不关切。看来他是个自己宗教不多的人，神却仍用他作为以色列改革的器皿。可惜对人有益的人，不常是自己也好的人。
III. 他在位期间临到以色列的审判。我们有理由恐怕，耶户既自己不留心遵行神的律法，百姓也大体上和他一样漫不经心——无论在敬虔上还是在日常行为上。普世的敬虔衰落、亵渎增多；因此我们接下来听见的话并不为怪：在那些日子，耶和华开始割削以色列（王下10:32）。邻国四方侵凌他们；他们在向神当尽的本分上短少，神就在他们的版图、财富和权势上割削他们。亚兰王哈薛比谁都更搅扰祸害他们，在以色列的一切边界攻击他们，特别是约旦河东与他相近、最易受攻击的地带；他不断侵入，使之荒凉。如今流便人和迦得人为他们列祖拣选约旦河东那分地而受苦——那是摩西所责备的（民32:1-42）。如今哈薛行了以利沙预见并预言他将行的事。然而他虽如此行，神仍向他并他的国怀怒，正如我们在摩1:3-4所见：因为大马士革人用打粮的铁器打过基列，所以神说：我必降火在哈薛的房屋，烧灭便哈达的宫殿。
末后，耶户作王的结语（王下10:34-36）。一般地提到他的大能；但因为他不留心事奉神，他伟大事业的纪念物公正地被埋葬在遗忘之中。
英文原文
Jehu's Inconsistency (884 BC)
²⁹ Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them, to wit, the golden calves that were in Beth-el, and that were in Dan.
³⁰ And the LORD said unto Jehu, Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes, and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart, thy children of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.
³¹ But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin.
³² In those days the LORD began to cut Israel short: and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel;
³³ From Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the river Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan.
³⁴ Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, and all that he did, and all his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
³⁵ And Jehu slept with his fathers: and they buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son reigned in his stead.
³⁶ And the time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty and eight years.
Here is all the account of the reign of Jehu, though it continued twenty-eight years. The progress of it answered not to the glory of its beginning. We have here,
I. God's approbation of what Jehu had done. Many, it is probable, censured him as treacherous and barbarous—called him a rebel, a usurper, a murderer, and prognosticated ill concerning him, that a family thus raised would soon be ruined; but God said, Well done (2Ki 10:30), and then it signified little who said otherwise. 1. God pronounced that to be right which he had done. It is justly questionable whether he did it from a good principle and whether he did not take some false steps in the doing of it; and yet (says God), Thou hast done well in executing that which is right in my eyes. The extirpating of idolaters and idolatry was a thing right in God's eyes, for it is an iniquity he visits as surely and severely as any: it was according to all that was in his heart, all he desired, all he designed. Jehu went through with his work. 2. God promised him a reward, that his children of the fourth generation from him should sit upon the throne of Israel. This was more than what took place in any of the dignities or royal families of that kingdom; of the house of Ahab there were indeed four kings, Omri, Ahab, Ahaziah, and Joram, but the last two were brothers, so that it reached but to the third generation, and that whole family continued but about forty-five years in all, whereas Jehu's continued in four, besides himself, and in all about 120 years. Note, No services done for God shall go unrewarded.
II. Jehu's carelessness in what he was further to do. By this it appeared that his heart was not right with God, that he was partial in his reformation. 1. He did not put away all the evil. He departed from the sins of Ahab, but not from the sins of Jeroboam—discarded Baal, but adhered to the calves. The worship of Baal was indeed the greater evil, and more heinous in the sight of God, but the worship of the calves was a great evil, and true conversion is not only from gross sin, but from all sin—not only from false gods, but from false worships. The worship of Baal weakened and diminished Israel, and made them beholden to the Sidonians, and therefore he could easily part with that; but the worship of the calves was a politic idolatry, was begun and kept up for reasons of state, to prevent the return of the ten tribes to the house of David, and therefore Jehu clave to that. True conversion is not only from wasteful sins, but from gainful sins—not only from those sins that are destructive to the secular interest, but from those that support and befriend it, in forsaking which is the great trial whether we can deny ourselves and trust God. 2. He put away evil, but he did not mind that which was good (2Ki 10:31): He took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord God of Israel. He abolished the worship of Baal, but did not keep up the worship of God, nor walk in his law. He had shown great care and zeal for the rooting out of a false religion; but in the true religion, (1.) He showed no care, took no heed, lived at large, was not at all solicitous to please God and to do his duty, took no heed to the scriptures, to the prophets, to his own conscience, but walked at all adventures. Those that are heedless, it is to be feared, are graceless; for, where there is a good principle in the heart, it will make men cautious and circumspect, desirous to please God and jealous of doing any thing to offend him. (2.) He showed no zeal; what he did in religion he did not do with his heart, with all his heart, but did it as if he did it not, without any liveliness or concern. It seems, he was a man that had little religion himself, and yet God made use of him as an instrument of reformation in Israel. It is a pity but that those that do good to others should always be good themselves.
III. The judgment that came upon Israel in his reign. We have reason to fear that when Jehu took no heed himself to walk in God's law the people were generally as careless as he, both in their devotions and in their conversations. There was a general decay of piety and increase of profaneness; and therefore it is not strange that the next news we hear is, In those days the Lord began to cut Israel short, 2Ki 10:32. Their neighbours encroached upon them on every side; they were short in their duty to God, and therefore God cut them short in their extent, wealth, and power. Hazael king of Syria was, above any other, vexatious and mischievous to them, smote them in all the coasts of Israel, particularly the countries on the other side Jordan, which lay next him, and most exposed; on these he made continual inroads, and laid them waste. Now the Reubenites and Gadites smarted for the choice which their ancestors made of an inheritance on that side Jordan, which Moses reproved them for, Nu 32:1-42 Now Hazael did what Elisha foresaw and foretold he would do. Yet, for doing it, God had a quarrel with him and with his kingdom, as we may find, Am 1:3,4. Because those of Damascus have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron, therefore (says God) I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, which shall devour the palaces of Benhadad.
Lastly, The conclusion of Jehu's reign, 2Ki 10:34-36. Notice is taken, in general, of his might; but, because he took no heed to serve God, the memorials of his mighty enterprises and achievements are justly buried in oblivion.
本章中，我们有：I. 关于耶户执行其委任的进一步记述。他剪除了：1. 亚哈所有的儿子，2Ki 10:1-10。2. 亚哈所有的亲族，2Ki 10:11-14,17。3. 亚哈的拜偶像；他为自己反对这事的热忱，带约拿达作见证（2Ki 10:15,16），召集所有敬拜巴力的人前来（2Ki 10:18-23），并将他们全都杀戮（2Ki 10:24,25），随后废除了那种拜偶像，2Ki 10:26-28。II. 关于他施政的一段简短记述。1. 以色列旧有的拜偶像，即敬拜牛犊，仍被保留下来，2Ki 10:29-31。2. 这使神的审判借哈薛临到他们；他的统治也以此作结，2Ki 10:32-36。