2 Kings 10:22

And he said unto him that was over the vestry, Bring forth vestments for all the worshippers of Baal. And he brought them forth vestments.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(22) The vestry.—The word (meltāhāh) occurs here only. The Targum has chests (qumtrayyâ—i.e., κάμπτραι, “caskets”; comp. Latin, capsa). The LXX. does not translate the word.

The Syriac has, “And he said to the treasurer” (gizbârâ). The Vulg., “And he said to those who were over the vestments.” Thenius thinks the word merely means “cell” or “storechamber,” like lishkāh, the root of which may be cognate (1Chronicles 28:12). It is said that there is an Ethiopie word, meaning “linen robe,” which is connected with this curious term. Thus it would be literally “vestry.”

Brought them forth vestments.—Literally, the vestments—viz., those which were customary on such occasions. Thenius supposes that festival attire from Jehu’s palace is meant, rather than from the wardrobe of the Baal temple. But it seems more natural to understand that Jehu simply gives directions that all the priests and prophets should be careful to wear their distinctive dress at the festival, which was to be a specially great one. (Comp. Herod. v. 5; Sil. Ital. iii. 24 seq.)

Benson Commentary

2 Kings 10:22. He said, Bring forth vestments — Sacred garments, such as were used by the priests, and others of God’s ministers in his service; whence idolaters borrowed the custom of using such garments in the worship of their false gods. For all the worshippers of Baal — It can hardly be supposed, that absolutely all the people that worshipped Baal, and were now assembled, are included here, and had vestments brought them; because the people in general wore no distinct garments in their worship, whether of Jehovah or Baal, but the priests and other ministers only.

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

The vestry - The sacred robes of the Baal priests seem to have been of linen, and were probably white. The vestry here mentioned may, probably, be the robe-chamber of the royal palace, from which the king gave a festal garment to each worshipper.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

22. Bring forth vestments for all the worshippers of Baal—The priests of Baal were clad, probably, in robes of white byssus while they were engaged in the functions of their office, and these were kept under the care of an officer in a particular wardrobe of Baal's temple. This treacherous massacre, and the means taken to accomplish it, are paralleled by the slaughter of the Janissaries and other terrible tragedies in the modern history of the East.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Vestments; sacred garments; such as were used by the priests and others of the Lord’s ministry in God’s worship; and from thence the devil borrowed this custom in his worship.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And he said unto him that was over the vestry,.... That had the care of the garments, in which the priests of Baal ministered:

bring forth vestments for all the worshippers of Baal; not for the priests only, but for all that worshipped; and this he ordered for the greater solemnity of this service, as he would have it thought; but, in truth, that the worshippers of Baal might be separated, and distinguished from the worshippers of the Lord, that not one of them might be among them:

and he brought them forth vestments; out of the chamber or wardrobe in which they were, and they put them on.

Geneva Study Bible

And he said unto him that was over the vestry, Bring forth vestments for all the worshippers of Baal. And he brought them forth vestments.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

22. he said unto him that was over the vestry] The vestry must have belonged to the house of Baal; we cannot suppose that the king’s wardrobe-keeper had a stock of robes to supply such a multitude of worshippers. Probably because of the control which had been exercised there by the house of Ahab, Jehu could give orders in Baal’s temple and have them obeyed. It appears from the narrative that vestments were not used only by the priests, but by all the worshippers as well. Perhaps there was some distinction between the character and material of the robes.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 22. - And he said unto him that was over the vestry. The word translated "vestry" (מֶלְתָּחָה) occurs only in this place; but its meaning is sufficiently ascertained, first, from the context, and secondly, from the cognate Ethiopic altah, which means "a linen garment." Linen garments were regarded as especially pure, and were generally affected by the priests of ancient religions, and preferred by the worshippers. Heathen temples had almost always "vestries" or "wardrobes" attached to them, where garments considered suitable were laid up in store. Bring forth vestments for all the worshippers of Baal. It may be doubted whether "all the worshippers of Baal" could have been supplied with robes out of the temple vestry, which would ordinarily contain only vestments for the priests. But Jehu may have had the supply kept up from the robe-room of the palace, which would be practically inexhaustible. The gift of garments to all comers, which was certainly not usual, must have been intended to render the festival as attractive as possible. And he brought them forth vestments. The keeper of the wardrobe obeyed the order given him, and supplied vestments to all the worshippers. 2 Kings 10:22

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

על־המּלתּחה אשׁר is the keeper of the wardrobe (Arab. praefectus vestium), for the ἁπ. λεγ. מלתּחה signifies vestiarium (Ges. Thes. p. 764). The reference is not to the wardrobe of the king's palace, out of which Jehu had every one who took part in the feast supplied with a festal dress or new caftan (Deres., Then., etc.), but the wardrobe of the temple of Baal, since the priests of Baal had their own sacred dresses like the priests of almost all religions (as Silius has expressly shown in his Ital. iii.-24-27, of the priests of the Gadetanic Hercules). These dresses were only worn at the time of worship, and were kept in a wardrobe in the temple.