Daily Tanach Thursday 22nd Shevat, Sefer Melachim 2 Chapter 9 Part 2: Yeihu becomes king

* The article below is an excerpt from the above Sefer
  • Yeihu is instructed to decimate the household of Achav: The lad instructed Yeihu that G-d has commanded him to decimate the house of Achav, to avenge the blood of the prophets and of Hashem’s servants who were killed by Izevel. Hashem stated, “The entire house of Achav shall perish; and I will cut off from Achav all males. I shall do to the house of Achav just as I did to the house of Yeravam, the son of Nevat, and to the house of Baasha the son of Achiyah. The dogs will eat Izevel in the territory of Yizrael and no one will bury her.”
  • The lad flees: After the lad had concluded his mission of relaying the prophecy, he opened the door and fled, as he was instructed by his master Elisha.
  • Yeihu is questioned as to what the meeting was about: Yeihu went out to meet the rest of his colleagues, and one of them asked him as to if everything is well and as to why the madman came to him. [They wanted to know what type of prophecy he received from the prophet and if it was good or bad.[1] He referred to him as a madman, as prophets are occasionally referred to as crazy, as it is common for prophets to act like the insane during their prophecy.[2]] Yeihu replied that they should not pay any attention to his words as they already know his personality [and that he is crazy[3]]. However, his colleagues accused Yeihu of lying to them and insisted on hearing what the lad had to say. So, with lack of choice, Yeihu told them that the lad relayed to him a prophecy that Hashem has anointed him as king over Israel.
  • The ministers appoint Yeihu as king: When the ministers, who were the colleagues of Yeihu, heard of the prophecy, they hurriedly took their garments and placed them under Yeihu, on the top step [to help lift him up, so he sits higher than them as is befitting of a king[4]]. They then sounded the shofar and proclaimed Yeihu as king.

[1] Metzudos Dovid 9:11

[2] Radak 9:11

[3] Rashi 9:11

[4] Metzudos Dovid 9:12

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