2 Kings — Chapter 9

Take the little vessel of oil, and pour it upon his head, and say: Thus saith the Lord: I have anointed thee king over Israel. Then open the door, and flee, and not stay. Lapide: The anointing of Jehu as king by Elisha's disciple shows that the prophetic office in Israel was superior in dignity to the royal, since the prophet appointed and deposed kings. The furtive manner of the anointing — done secretly and in haste — shows the need for prudence when righting public wrongs, lest the work miscarry through premature disclosure.

Thou shalt smite the house of Achab thy master, and I will revenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord, at the hand of Jezabel. Lapide: God's explicit command to Jehu to exterminate the house of Ahab for the blood of the prophets shows that God is the vindicator of those who suffer for His sake. The blood of martyrs and prophets slain by the wicked is never unavenged; God keeps perfect account. This passage is among Lapide's proofs for the doctrine of divine retributive justice in history.

He said: Throw her down headlong. And they threw her down: and the wall was sprinkled with her blood, and the hoofs of the horses trod upon her. Lapide: The death of Jezebel, thrown from the window and devoured by dogs, was the exact fulfilment of the prophecy of Elijah (III Reg. xxi). She who had served and promoted the worship of Baal, slaughtered the prophets of God, and persecuted Elijah, died the death of the most vile — eaten by dogs. Her example is a terrible warning against apostasy, the persecution of God's servants, and the tyranny of the wicked woman who rules over a weak man.