2 Kings 10:15

Contextual Overview

¹⁵When he left there, he found Jehonadab son of Rechab coming to meet him. He greeted him and then asked, “Is your heart one with mine?” ¹⁵ When he was departed there, he lighted on Yehonadav the son of Rechav coming to meet him; and he greeted him, and said to him, Is your heart right, as my heart is with your heart? Yehonadav answered, It is. If it be, give me your hand. He gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot. ¹⁵ And when he was departed thence, he lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him: and he saluted him, and said to him, Is thine heart right, as my heart is with thy heart? And Jehonadab answered, It is. If it be, give me thine hand. And he gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot. ¹⁵ And when he departed from there, he met Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him. And he greeted him and said to him, "Is your heart true to my heart as mine is to yours?" And Jehonadab answered, "It is." Jehu said, "If it is, give me your hand." So he gave him his hand. And Jehu took him up with him into the chariot. ¹⁵ After Jehu left there, he met Jehonadab son of Recab, who was also on his way to meet Jehu. Jehu greeted him and said, "Are you as good a friend to me as I am to you?" Jehonadab answered, "Yes, I am." Jehu said, "If you are, then give me your hand." So Jehonadab gave him his hand, and Jehu pulled him into the chariot. ¹⁵ When he left there, he met Jehonadab, son of Rekab, who had been looking for him. Jehu greeted him and asked, "Are you as committed to me as I am to you?" Jehonadab answered, "I am!" Jehu replied, "If so, give me your hand." So he offered his hand and Jehu pulled him up into the chariot. ¹⁵When Jehu went on from there, he met Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him. He greeted him and said to him, "Is your heart right, as my heart is with yours?" Jehonadab answered, "It is." Jehu said "If it is, give me your hand." He gave him his hand, and Jehu pulled him up into the chariot.¹⁵ Now when he had gone from there, he encountered Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him; and he greeted him and said to him, "Is your heart right, just as my heart is with your heart?" And Jehonadab answered, "It is." Jehu said, "If it is, give me your hand." And he gave him his hand, and he pulled him up to him into the chariot.¹⁵ And when he was departed thence, hee met with Iehonadab the sonne of Rechab comming to meete him, and he blessed him, and sayde to him, Is thine heart vpright, as mine heart is towarde thine? And Iehonadab answered, Yea, doubtlesse. Then giue me thine hande. And when he had giuen him his hande, he tooke him vp to him into the charet. ¹⁵Then he went from there and found Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him; and he blessed him and said to him, "Is your heart right, as my heart is with your heart?" And Jehonadab answered, "It is." Jehu said, "If it is, give me your hand." And he gave him his hand, and he took him up to him into the chariot.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

lighted on: Heb. found, 2 Kings 10:13, 2 Kings 9:21, *marg.

Jehonadab: Jeremiah 35:6, Jeremiah 35:8, Jeremiah 35:14-19, Jonadab

Rechab: 1 Chronicles 2:55

saluted: Heb. blessed, Genesis 31:55, Genesis 47:7, Genesis 47:10

Is thine heart right: 1 Chronicles 12:17, 1 Chronicles 12:18, John 21:15-17, Galatians 4:12

give me: Ezra 10:19, Ezekiel 17:18, Galatians 2:9

he took him: Jehu asked for the hand of Jehonadab not merely for the purpose of assisting him into the chariot, but that he might give him an assurance that he would assist him in the prosecution of his desires; for giving the hand is considered as a pledge of friendship and fidelity, or a form of entering into a contract, among all nations. Mr. Bruce relates, that when he entreated the protection of a sheikh, the great people who were assembled came, "and after joining hands, repeated a kind of prayer, of about two minutes long; by which they declared themselves and their children accursed, if ever they lifted their hands against me in the tell, (or field) in the desert, or on the river; or, in case that I, or mine, should fly to them for refuge, if they did not protect us at the risk of their lives, their families, and their fortunes, or, as they emphatically expressed it, to the death of the last male child among them." Another striking instance occurs in Ockley's History of the Saracens. Telha, just before he died, asked one of Ali's men if he belonged to the emperor of the faithful; and being informed that he did, "Give me then," said he, "your hand, that I may put mine in it, and by this action renew the oath of fidelity which I have already made to Ali." Acts 8:31

Reciprocal: 1 Kings 20:33 - and he caused 2 Kings 10:23 - Jehonadab Psalms 94:16 - rise up Jeremiah 35:2 - the house Lamentations 5:6 - given

Cross-References

Genesis 10:2
The sons of Yefet: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Yavan, Tuval, Meshekh, and Tiras.

Genesis 10:2
The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.

Genesis 10:2
The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras.

Genesis 10:2
The sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras.

Genesis 10:2
The sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras.

Genesis 10:2
the sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras;

Genesis 10:2
The sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras.

Genesis 10:2
The sonnes of Iapheth were Gomer and Magog, and Madai, and Iauan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.

Genesis 10:2
The sons of Japheth were Gomer and Magog and Madai and Javan and Tubal and Meshech and Tiras.

Genesis 10:2
Japheth's descendants had their own languages, tribes, and land. They were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. Gomer was the ancestor of Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah. Javan was the ancestor of Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim, who settled along the coast.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And when he was departed thence,.... From Betheked, or the shearing house:

he lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him; a Kenite, a descendant of Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, a wise and good man, as appears by the laws and rules he gave to his posterity, who continued to the times of Jeremiah, and were then observant of them, Jeremiah 35:6 this good man hearing of Jehu's coming to the throne, and of his destruction of the idolatrous family of Ahab, and of his zeal for the worship of God, and against idolatry, came forth from his tent to meet him, and congratulate him upon it:

and he saluted him; Jonadab saluted Jehu, according to Abarbinel; or "blessed him" r, wished him all happiness in his kingdom, and success in the reformation of it; though most understand it of Jehu's saluting Jonadab, which seems best to agree with the following:

and said to him, is thy heart right, as my heart is with thy heart? that is, hast thou the same cordial affection and sincere respect for me as I have for thee?

and Jehonadab answered, it is: to which some join the next clause, and read, "and it is"; which is doubling the answer, for the confirmation of it, as Kimchi says; though he also observes, that the latter may be interpreted as the answer of Jehu, by way of interrogation, "is it?",

then give me thine hand; and to the same purpose is our version,

if it be, and he gave [him] his hand; Jonadab gave Jehu his hand as a token of sincere friendship s, and cordial respect, and for the confirmation of the covenant between them, as Ben Melech; who also observes, that Jehu might bid him give him his hand to help him up into the chariot, since it follows,

and he took him up to him into the chariot; to ride with him to Samaria; the company of such a man, so famous for wisdom and goodness, he knew would give him much countenance among the people, and sanction to what he did.

r ויברכהו "et benedixit ei", V. L. Montanus. s "Ipse pater dextram Anchises", &c. Virgil. Aeneid. l. 3. prope finem. Vid. Servium in ib. Vid. Cornel. Nepot. Vit. Themistocl. l. 2. c. 8. & Datam. l. 14. c. 10.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Jehonadab (compare the margin) belonged to the tribe of the Kenites, one of the most ancient in Palestine Genesis 15:19. Their origin is unknown, but their habits were certainly those of Arahs. Owing to their connection with Moses (Numbers 24:21 note), they formed a friendship with the Israelites, accompanied them in their wanderings, and finally receivcd a location in the wilderness of Judah Judges 1:16. The character of this chief, Jonadab, is best seen in the rule which he established for his descendants Jeremiah 35:6-7 - a rule said to be still observed at the present day. It would seem that he sympathised strongly with Jehu’s proceedings, and desired to give the countenance of his authority, such as it was, to the new reign. According to the Hebrew text, Jehu “saluted” (or blessed) Jehonadab. According to the Septuagint and Josephus, Jehonadab “saluted” (or blessed) the king. Further, the Hebrew text runs - “And Jehonadab answered, It is, it is. Give (me) thy hand. And he gave (him) his hand, and took him up to him into the chariot.” Our translators appear to have preferred the Septuagint; but the Hebrew is more graphic. Jehu was no doubt glad to have the countenance of Jehonadab on his public entrance into Samaria. The ascetic had a reputation for sanctity, which could not fail to make his companionship an advantage to the but half-established monarch.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Kings 10:15. Jehonadab the son of Rechab — For particulars concerning this man, his ancestry, and posterity, see the notes on Jeremiah 35:0.

Is thine heart right — With me, in the prosecution of a reform in Israel; as my heart is with thy heart in the true religion of Jehovah, and the destruction of Baal?

It is. — I wish a reform in the religion of the country; I am his friend who shall endeavour to promote it.

Give me thine hand. — This has been generally considered as exacting a promise from Jehonadab; but does it mean any more than his taking him by the hand, to help him to step into his chariot, in which Jehu was then sitting? Jehonadab was doubtless a very honourable man in Israel; and by carrying him about with him in his chariot, Jehu endeavoured to acquire the public esteem. "Jehu must be acting right, for Jehonadab is with him, and approves his conduct."