Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Kings 10:23
And Jehu went, and Jehonadab the son of Rechab, into the house of Baal, and said unto the worshipers of Baal, Search, and look that there be here with you none of the servants of the LORD, but the worshipers of Baal only.
23. Search, and look, &c.] Not only did he manifest anxiety that all the Baal-worshippers should be present, but that none of the rest of the people should be included in the destruction. As the worshippers would be full of the thought that they were to become possessed of special privileges in the new reign, they were sure to be the best agents in excluding any who could not shew that he had belonged to Baal’s congregation before. Josephus strangely says ‘When he had come into the house with his friend Jonadab he gave commandment to search lest any alien or stranger should be among them. For he did not wish a foreigner to take part in their sacrifices’.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The presence of persons belonging to another religion was usually regarded by the ancients as a profanation of the rites. In the case of the Greek mysteries such intrusion is said to have been punished by death. Consequently Jehu could give these injunctions without arousing any suspicion.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 23. None of the servants of the Lord] Though he was not attached to that service, yet he would tolerate it; and as he was led to suppose that he was fulfilling the will of Jehovah in what he was doing, he would of course treat his worship and worshippers with the more respect.
He might have ordered the search to be made on pretense of expelling any of those whom they would consider the profane, especially as this was “a solemn assembly for Baal,” as was the custom with the heathen when any extraordinary exhibition of or for their god was expected; thus Callimachus, (Hymn to Apollo,) after imagining the temple and its suburbs to be shaken by the approach of Apollo, cries out, , , , . To prevent any suspicion of his real design, such might have been Jehu’s plea, else alarm must have been excited, and perhaps some would have escaped.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The Baalites possibly did not know Jehonadab, and therefore suspected nothing; or if any of the more crafty sort suspected any thing, it was now too late to amend their error.
Look that there be here with you none of the servants of the Lord; because their presence will offend Baal, and deride or pollute his worship; whence profane persons have been oft excluded from solemn acts of worship, both by Jews and heathens. So this did not raise their suspicion.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And Jehu went, and Jehonadab the son of Rechab, into the house of Baal,…. Who no doubt was led into the secret, and knew the design of Jehu, or he would not have gone into such an idolatrous place:
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; pretending a great regard to the purity of their worship and sacrifices, that they might not be profaned t by the company of such who were not worshippers of Baal, but of Jehovah; whereas his view was to prevent any of the worshippers of God perishing with them, who might out of curiosity go in among them, to behold the manner of their service.
t “—-procul, o procul este profani”. Virgil. Aeneid. 6. ver. 258.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Jehu then came with Jehonadab to the temple, and commanded the worshippers of Baal to be carefully examined, that there might not be one of the worshippers of Jehovah with (among) them. When the priests of Baal were preparing to offer sacrifice, Jehu had eighty men of his guards stationed before the temple, and laid this injunction upon them: “Whoever lets one of the men escape whom I bring into your hands (we must read instead of ), his life shall answer for his (the escaped man’s) life. , as in 1Ki 20:39.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(23) And Jehu went . . . into the housei.e., into the outer court before the temple, where all the worshippers were waiting.
That there be here with you none of the servants of the Lord.This precaution of Jehus suggests suspicion to a modern reader, but it would suggest the very contrary to the Baal-worshippersviz., an extraordinary reverence for Baal; a dread lest some profane person should be present in his sanctuary.
Servants of the Lord.Worshippers of Jehovah.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2Ki 10:23 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.
Ver. 23. And Jehonabad the son of Rechab. ] His presence might well have made the Baalites suspect a plot; for they knew him an utter enemy to their idolatry, and saw him now in great favour with Jehu; but they were besotted, as was before noted, and went on without fear or wit, as an ox to the slaughter, and as a fool to the stocks.
Search and look that there be here with you none.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jehonadab: 2Ki 10:15
the worshippers: Mat 13:30, Mat 13:41, Mat 25:32, Mat 25:33
Reciprocal: 2Sa 3:6 – Abner
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Ki 10:23. And Jehonadab Whom the Baalites, possibly, did not know, and therefore suspected nothing inimical to their worship: or, if any of the more sagacious began to suspect any thing, it was now too late to amend their error. Look that there be here with you none of the servants of the Lord Intimating that their presence would offend Baal, and pollute his worship. Jehus real intention, however, was, that none but the worshippers of Baal should be slain, and therefore he caused this search to be made, lest any other Israelite, out of curiosity, or from any other motive, should have entered the temple.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
10:23 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 {i} servants of the LORD, but the worshippers of Baal only.
(i) Thus God would have his servants preserved and idolaters destroyed, as in his law he gives express command, De 13:5.