2 Kings 9:30

30 When Jezebel heard that Jehu had arrived in Jezreel, she made herself up - put on eyeshadow and arranged her hair - and posed seductively at the 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 His aides drove on to Jerusalem. They buried him in the family plot in the City of David.

29 In the eleventh year of the reign of Joram son of Ahab, Ahaziah had become king of Judah.

30 When Jezebel heard that Jehu had arrived in Jezreel, she made herself up - put on eyeshadow and arranged her hair - and posed seductively at the window.

31 When Jehu came through the city gate, she called down, "So, how are things, 'Zimri,' you dashing king-killer?"

32 Jehu looked up at the window and called, "Is there anybody up there on my side?" Two or three palace eunuchs looked out.