2 Kings 10:21

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.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(21) Sent through all Israel.—The Vatican LXX. adds, “saying: And now all his servants, and all his priests, and all his prophets, let none be wanting; because I make a great sacrifice. Whoever shall be wanting he shall not live.” This is another instance (comp. 2Kings 9:16) of the insertion in the text of a marginal note belonging to another place. The note preserves the reading of the first half of 2Kings 10:19 according to another MS. (See Thenius ad loc.)

Was full from one end to another.—Right as to the sense. The figure is taken from a full vessel; as if we were to say, “The house was brimful.” The rim of a vessel was its mouth. The rim of the contents reached the rim of the vessel. Schulz explains “head to head” (comp. the margin); Gesenius, “from corner to corner” (comp. 2Kings 21:16); LXX. literally, στόμα εἰς στόμα “mouth to mouth.”

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

10:15-28 Is thine heart right? This is a question we should often put to ourselves. I make a fair profession, have gained a reputation among men, but, is my heart right? Am I sincere with God? Jehonadab owned Jehu in the work, both of revenge and of reformation. An upright heart approves itself to God, and seeks no more than his acceptance; but if we aim at the applause of men, we are upon a false foundation. Whether Jehu looked any further we cannot judge. The law of God was express, that idolaters were to be put to death. Thus idolatry was abolished for the present out of Israel. May we desire that it be rooted out of our hearts.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

In order to understand how such numbers could find room, we must remember that the ancient temples had vast courts around them, which could contain many thousands.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

19. call unto me all the prophets of Baal—The votaries of Baal are here classified under the several titles of prophets, priests, and servants, or worshippers generally. They might be easily convened into one spacious temple, as their number had been greatly diminished both by the influential ministrations of Elijah and Elisha, and also from the late King Joram's neglect and discontinuance of the worship. Jehu's appointment of a solemn sacrifice in honor of Baal, and a summons to all his worshippers to join in its celebration, was a deep-laid plot, which he had resolved upon for their extinction, a measure in perfect harmony with the Mosaic law, and worthy of a constitutional king of Israel. It was done, however, not from religious, but purely political motives, because he believed that the existence and interests of the Baalites were inseparably bound up with the dynasty of Ahab and because he hoped that by their extermination he would secure the attachment of the far larger and more influential party who worshipped God in Israel. Jehonadab's concurrence must have been given in the belief of his being actuated solely by the highest principles of piety and zeal.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

There was not a man left that came not; either,

1. Because they thought Jehu was serious and sincere in his professions; it being natural and usual for men too easily to believe what they wish to be true. And for the priests which Jehu destroyed before, 2 Kings 10:11, they might think that was done only because of their nearness and relation to Ahab and his family. Or,

2. For fear of their lives; for certain death was threatened to all that did not come, 2 Kings 10:19, which considering Jehu’s fierce and bloody temper, they knew would be executed; whereas, if they did come, there was more than a possibility of the sparing of their lives; for Jehu was known to be indifferent and unconcerned in matters of religion, one that had served Baal when his prince Ahab lived and did so and forsook it when the next prince Joram did; and therefore it was doubtful whether Jehu had not in good earnest returned to his first love, to that religion which he had formerly embraced, and only deserted in complacency to others. Or,

3. By God’s just providence, deceiving their minds and inclining their hearts to come to their own destruction.

Into the house, i.e. the temple.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And Jehu sent through all Israel,.... Persons to proclaim this solemn assembly:

and all the worshippers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that came not; some no doubt came cheerfully, having no suspicion of him, and the rather, as he might have been a worshipper of Baal in the times of Ahab; and as for what he had done to Baal's priests, they might consider that only as they were in connection with Ahab's family, whom to destroy was his political interest; and they were glad at heart their new king was so affected to Baal, and fond to see such a grand solemnity as they expected this to be; and others that might be suspicious of him, yet as they must die if they did not appear, and there was a possibility they might live, chose therefore to come:

and they came into the house of Baal; the temple which Ahab had built for him in Samaria, 1 Kings 16:32.

and the house of Baal was full from one end to the other; not only the body of the temple, but all the outward court, every mouth, or corner, as in the original text: and this single house might be sufficient for all in the land; since the number of them might be greatly lessened by the ministry of Elijah and Elisha, as well as by the destruction the former made of the prophets of Baal; and by the schools of the prophets set up in various places, from whence prophets were sent out to instruct the people; and by Joram's putting away the image of Baal, which no doubt lessened the number of his worshippers.

Geneva Study Bible

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.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

21. And Jehu sent through all Israel] Here the LXX. adds the words of the notice; ‘saying, And now all ye worshippers, and all his priests and all his prophets, let no one be absent, for I am about to make a great sacrifice: whosoever shall be absent, he shall not live’. Similarly after ‘And all the worshippers of Baal came’ there is inserted ‘and all his priests and all his prophets’. These amplifications are no evidence that the Hebrew text ever had more than now stands in it. The LXX. often exhibits a desire to round off a narrative in a way very unlike Hebrew.

not a man left that came not] They had been largely encouraged in previous reigns, but now they were to be elevated above all others. Hence all that desired to be popular with the new king and could establish their claim to be counted Baalites, would reckon it a good chance, and come without fail.

the house of Baal] ‘House’ is the constant word for ‘temple’ in the Old Testament, and no doubt this building was as magnificent as the architectural skill of Tyrian workmen, and the zeal of the house of Ahab, with whom architecture seems to have been a passion, could make it. Hence it would be large enough to contain in its spacious courts an immense number of worshippers. For ‘house’ used of Solomon’s temple, see 1 Kings 8:13; 1 Kings 8:16-19, and constantly in the history of David and Solomon.

from one end to another] The Hebrew phrase is ‘mouth to mouth’ but there is no need to understand, with margin of A.V. ‘so full that they stood mouth to mouth’ which they only could have done in pairs. As in other languages, ‘mouth’ is used in Hebrew for any opening, as of a sack (Genesis 42:27), of a cave (Joshua 10:18; Joshua 10:22; Joshua 10:27), and so any doorway or entrance. Hence here ‘from one entrance to the other’. Almost the same phrase is used Ezra 9:11 (as will be seen from margin of A.V.), of a land filled ‘from one end to the other’.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 21. - And Jehu sent through all Israel; i.e. through the whole of his own kingdom, from Dan on the north to Bethel on the south. And all the worshippers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that came not. Duty and inclination for once coincided. The king's command made it incumbent on them, they would argue, to attend; and attendance would, they supposed, result in a time of excitement and enjoyment, which they were not disposed to miss. The death-penalty threatened for non-attendance (ver. 19) was scarcely needed to induce them all to come. And they came into the house of Baal. Ahab had erected a temple to Baal in Samaria shortly after his marriage with Jezebel (1 Kings 16:22). Like the other temples of the time, in Judaea, in Egypt, and in Phoenicia, it was not a mere "house," but contained vast courts and corridors fitted for the reception of immense numbers. And the house of Baal was full from one end to another; literally, from brim to brim; i.e. brimful - "metaphora sumpta a vasibus humore aliquo plenis." 2 Kings 10:21

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

The temple of Baal was filled לפה פּה, "from one edge (end) to the other." פּה in this sense is not to be derived from פּאה, a corner (Cler., Ges.), but signifies mouth, or the upper rim of a vessel. Metaphora sumta a vasibus humore aliquo plenis: Vatabl.