2 Kings 9:30

30 And Jehu came into Jezreel. Forsooth when his entering was heard (And when she heard him coming), Jezebel painted her eyes with (the) ointment of lecherous women, and adorned her head; and she beheld by a window

2 Kings 9:30 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 9:30

And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it
And of what he had done to Joram:

and she painted her face;
or put "stibium" on her eyes; a sort of paint, to make them look beautiful perhaps the same with powder of lead ore, the Moors now use to tinge their eyebrows with, and make them look black, which they reckon graceful, (See Gill on Ezekiel 23:40), this custom now obtains among the white Indians, who, to heighten the lustre of their complexion, and render their eyes more languishing, put a little black about them ^F14:

and tired her head;
dressed her head in the most elegant manner; not with a view to tempt Jehu, which she could not expect, being an aged woman; but for grandeur and majesty, and in the pride and haughtiness of her spirit, which she retained to the last, and resolved to keep up and show in her extremity and calamity:

and looked out at a window;
in a bravado, as fearless of Jehu, and to dash him out of countenance if she could; or she might hope, by such a graceful and majestic appearance she made, that he would be moved to spare her life; though this does not so well agree with what follows as the former.

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FOOTNOTES:

F14 Agreement of Customs between East Indians and Jews, art. 15. p. 65.

2 Kings 9:30 In-Context

28 And his servants putted him on his chariot, and brought him into Jerusalem; and they buried him in a sepulchre with his fathers, in the city of David.

29 In the eleventh year of Joram, the son of Ahab, king of Israel, Ahaziah reigned upon Judah (Ahaziah began to reign upon Judah).

30 And Jehu came into Jezreel. Forsooth when his entering was heard (And when she heard him coming), Jezebel painted her eyes with (the) ointment of lecherous women, and adorned her head; and she beheld by a window

31 Jehu entering by the gate, and she said, Whether peace may be to Zimri, that killed his lord?/that slew his lord? (Jehu entering by the gate, and she said, Can there be peace for Zimri, who killed his lord?)

32 And Jehu raised up his face to the window, and said, What woman is this? And twain either three chamberlains bowed themselves to him, and said to him, This is that Jezebel.