2 Kings 9:3

Then take the box of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, Thus saith the LORD, I have anointed thee king over Israel. Then open the door, and flee, and tarry not.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(3) Then.—And (both times).

Thus saith the Lord . . . over Israel.—Only the chief part of the message to Jehu is here given, to avoid publicity. (See infra, 2Kings 9:6-9.)

Over Israel.—Literally, unto Israel, both here and in 2Kings 9:12. But a great number of MSS., and all the versions in both places, read over Israel.

Tarry not.—So as to avoid all questioning, and to give greater force to the act.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

9:1-10 In these and the like events, we must acknowledge the secret working of God, disposing men to fulfil his purposes respecting them. Jehu was anointed king over Israel, by the Lord's special choice. The Lord still had a remnant of his people, and would yet preserve his worship among them. Of this Jehu was reminded. He was commanded to destroy the house of Ahab, and, as far as he acted in obedience to God, and upon right principles, he needed not to regard reproach or opposition. The murder of God's prophets is strongly noticed. Jezebel persisted in idolatry and enmity to Jehovah and his servants, and her iniquity was now full.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Flee, and tarry not - The probable object of these directions was at once to prevent questioning, and to render the whole thing more striking.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

3. I have anointed thee king over Israel—This was only a part of the message; the full announcement of which is given (2Ki 9:7-10).

flee, and tarry not—for fear of being surprised and overtaken by the spies or servants of the court.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

I have anointed thee king over Israel: this was not his whole message; but the rest of it is particularly declared 2 Kings 9:7-10, and is to be understood here.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Then take the box of oil, and pour it on his head,.... When in the chamber together alone:

and say, thus saith the Lord, I have anointed thee king over Israel; which was done, not with the anointing oil in the temple, which could not be come by; and with which, as Kimchi from their Rabbins says, only the kings of the house of David were anointed, and they only when there was a division, or the crown was translated to another family, as was the case now; but with common oil, or the oil of balsam, such as the prophet had in his house:

then open the door and flee, and tarry not; lest he should be examined by the captains, and come into danger; though before he went out he was to say what is recorded in 2 Kings 9:7.

Geneva Study Bible

Then take the box of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, Thus saith the LORD, I have anointed thee king over Israel. Then open the door, and flee, and tarry not.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

3. Thus saith the Lord, I have anointed thee] ‘God who would not countenance (by anointing) the erection of that usurped throne, would countenance the alteration. Or is it that by this visible testimony of divine ordination the courage of the Israelitish captains might be raised up, to second the high and bold attempt of him, whom they saw destined from heaven to rule?’ (Bp Hall.)

flee, and tarry not] The suddenness of the messenger’s arrival and departure would be sure to produce a deep impression on those who observed him.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 3. - Then take - rather, and take - the box of oil - rather, the flask of oil - and pour it on his head. Compare the consecration of Aaron to the high-priestly (Leviticus 8:12), and of Saul (1 Samuel 10:1) and David (1 Samuel 16:12) to the kingly office. The oil used was the holy anointing oil of the sanctuary (Exodus 30:25) - τὸ ἅγιον ἔλαιον, as Josephus says. And say, Thus faith the Lord, I have anointed thee king over Israel. This is an abbreviated form of the actual message, which is given in its entirety in vers. 7-10. The writer of Kings avoids all needless repetitions. Then open the door - the conference was to be with closed doors, that no one might either hear or see what took place - and flee, and tarry not. The Divine message delivered, all would have been done that needed to be done. There would be nothing to wait for. So the young man was to depart with the same haste with which he had come. 2 Kings 9:3

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

2 Kings 9:1-3 contain the instructions which Elisha gave to the pupil of the prophets. השׁמן פּך as in 1 Samuel 10:1. יהוּא שׁם ראה, look round there for Jehu. וגו הקמתו, let him (bid him) rise up from the midst of his brethren, i.e., of his comrades in arms. בּחדר חדר: the true meaning is, "into the innermost chamber" (see at 1 Kings 20:30). 2 Kings 9:3 contains only the leading points of the commission to Jehu, the full particulars are communicated in the account of the fulfilment in 2 Kings 9:6. "And flee, and thou shalt not wait." Elisha gave him this command, not to protect him from danger on the part of the secret adherents of Ahab (Theodoret, Cler.), but to prevent all further discussions, or "that he might not mix himself up with other affairs" (Seb. Schmidt).