2 Kings 9 · Verse 13

2 Kings 9:13

Then they hasted, and took every man his garment, and put it under him on the top of the stairs, and blew with trumpets, saying, Jehu is king.
2 Kings 9:13, King James Version

2 Kings 9:13 in other translations

BSBQuickly, each man took his garment and put it under Jehu on the bare steps. Then they blew the ram’s horn and proclaimed, “Jehu is king!”
WEBThen they hurried, and each man took his cloak, and put it under him on the top of the stairs, and blew the trumpet, saying, “Jehu is king.”
ASVThen they hasted, and took every man his garment, and put it under him on the top of the stairs, and blew the trumpet, saying, Jehu is king.
YLTAnd they haste and take each his garment, and put it under him at the top of the stairs, and blow with a trumpet, and say, ‘Reigned hath Jehu!'
DARBYThen they hasted and took every man his garment, and put it under him on the very stairs, and blew with trumpets, and said, Jehu is king!
BBEThen straight away everyone took his robe and put it under him on the top of the steps, and, sounding the horn, they said, Jehu is king.
WebsterThen they hasted, and took every man his garment, and put it under him on the top of the stairs, and blew with trumpets, saying, Jehu is king.

What does 2 Kings 9:13 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
13. they hasted, and took every man his garment--the upper cloak which they spread on the ground, as a token of their homage to their distinguished commander (Mt 21:7). top of the stairs--from the room where the prophet had privately anointed Jehu. That general returned to join his brother officers in the public apartment, who, immediately on learning his destined elevation, conducted him to the top of the stairs leading to the roof. This was the most conspicuous place of an Oriental structure that could be chosen, being at the very top of the gate building, and fully in view of the people and military in the open ground in front of the building [Kitto]. The popularity of Jehu with the army thus favored the designs of Providence in procuring his immediate and enthusiastic proclamation as king, and the top of the stairs was taken as a most convenient substitute for a throne.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 13 Took every man his garment - This was a ceremony by which they acknowledged him as king; and it was by such a ceremony that the multitudes acknowledged Jesus Christ for the Messiah and King of Israel, a little before his passion: see Mat 21:7 (note), and the note there. The ceremony was expressive: "As we put our garments under his feet, so we place every thing under his authority, and acknowledge ourselves his servants." On the top of the stairs - The Chaldee, the rabbins, and several interpreters, understand this of the public sun-dial; which in those ancient times, was formed of steps like stairs, each step serving to indicate, by its shadow, one hour, or such division of time as was commonly used in that country. This dial was, no doubt, in the most public place; and upon the top of it, or on the platform on the top, would be a very proper place to set Jehu, while they blew their trumpets, and proclaimed him king. The Hebrew מעלות maaloth is the same word which is used 2Kgs 20:9-11, to signify the dial of Ahaz; and this was probably the very same dial on which that miracle was afterwards wrought: and this dial, מעלות maaloth, from עלה alah, to go up, ascend, was most evidently made of steps; the shadows projected on which, by a gnomon, at the different elevations of the sun, would serve to show the popular divisions of time. See the notes on 2Kgs 20:9 (note), etc.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Kings 9:11-15

Those who faithfully deliver the Lord's message to sinners, have in all ages been treated as madmen. Their judgment, speech, and conduct are contrary to those of other men; they endure much in pursuit of objects, and are influenced by motives, into which the others cannot enter. But above all, the charge is brought by the worldly and ungodly of all sorts, who are mad indeed; while the principles and practice of the…

Read the full comment on 2 Kings 9:11-15 →

2 Kings 9:13 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַֽיְמַהֲר֗וּvay.ma.ha.Ruand they hurriedH4116
וַיִּקְחוּ֙vai.yik.Chuand they tookH3947
אִ֣ישׁ'isheachH376
בִּגְד֔וֹbig.Dogarment hisH899
וַיָּשִׂ֥ימוּvai.ya.Si.muand they put [them]H7760
תַחְתָּ֖יוtach.Tavunder himH8478
אֶל\־'el-toH413
גֶּ֣רֶםGe.rem[the] bone ofH1634
הַֽמַּעֲל֑וֹתha.ma.'a.Lotthe stepsH4609
וַֽיִּתְקְעוּ֙vai.yit.ke.'Uand they gave a blastH8628
בַּשּׁוֹפָ֔רba.sho.Faron the trumpetH7782
וַיֹּאמְר֖וּvai.yo.me.Ruand they saidH559
מָלַ֥ךְma.Lakhhe is kingH4427
יֵהֽוּא\׃ye.Hu'JehuH3058

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Kings 9:13

  • 1 Kings 1:39

    And Zadok the priest took an horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, God save king Solomon.

  • Mark 11:7-8

    And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him. And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way.

  • 1 Kings 1:34

    And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel: and blow ye with the trumpet, and say, God save king Solomon.

  • Psalms 47:5-7

    God is gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet. Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding.

  • Matthew 21:7-8

    And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.

  • Psalms 98:6

    With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the Lord, the King.

  • 2 Samuel 15:10

    But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalom reigneth in Hebron.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
and took every.The spreading of garments in the street, before persons to whom it was intended to shew particular honour, was an ancient and very general custom; the garments in these cases being used for carpets. In the Agamemnon of Æschylus, the hypocritical Clytemnestra commands the maids to spread carpets before her returning husband, that on his descending from his chariot he may place his foot on "a purple-covered path." We also find this custom among the Romans. Plutarch relates, that when Cato of Utica left the Macedonian army, where he had become legionary tribune, the soldiers spread their clothes in the way.
Mt 21:7,8; Mr 11:7,8
on the top.The ancient fortified cities were generally strengthened with a citadel, (Jud 9:46, 51,) commonly built on an eminence, to which they ascended by a flight of stairs, (Ne 3:15.) It is extremely probable, therefore, that Ramoth-gilead, being a frontier town of Israel and Syria, had a tower of this nature; and that Jehu was proclaimed king on the top of the stairs by which they ascended the hill on which the tower stood, i.e., in the area before the door of the tower, and consequently the most public place in the city.
blew with trumpets.
2Sa 15:10; 1Ki 1:34,39; Ps 47:5-7; 98:6
is king. Heb. reigneth.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 2 Kings 9:12

    And they said, It is false; tell us now. And he said, Thus and thus spake he to me, saying, Thus saith the Lord, I have anointed thee king over Israel.

  • 2 Kings 9:13

    Then they hasted, and took every man his garment, and put it under him on the top of the stairs, and blew with trumpets, saying, Jehu is king.

  • 2 Kings 9:14

    So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. (Now Joram had kept Ramoth–gilead, he and all Israel, because of Hazael king of Syria.

Read all of 2 Kings 9

2 Kings 9:13 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Entonces tomaron prestamente su ropa, y púsola cada uno debajo de él en un trono alto, y tocaron corneta, y dijeron: Jehú es rey.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et ils se hâtèrent, et prirent chacun son vêtement, et les mirent sous lui sur les degrés mêmes; et ils sonnèrent de la trompette, et dirent: Jéhu est roi!
German
Elberfelder 1871		Da eilten sie und nahmen ein jeder sein Kleid und legten es unter ihn, auf die Stufen selbst; und sie stießen in die Posaune und sprachen: Jehu ist König!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Festinaverunt itaque, et unusquisque tollens pallium suum posuerunt sub pedibus ejus in similitudinem tribunalis, et cecinerunt tuba, atque dixerunt: Regnavit Jehu.