2 Kings 9:13

Put it under him. The revelation of the prophetic message produced an immediate change in the relationships of the men gathered in Jehu’s headquarters. Before the contents of the message were known, they were all comrades together in arms, fellow officers in the service of their king. Now, suddenly, one of them stood apart from the rest — he was king and the others were his subjects. One was to receive homage, the others were to pay their respects to their king. So the officers immediately took off their outer garments and threw them down on the ground as a carpet for Jehu to walk on — a fitting tribute to the man whom the Lord had set up as king.

Top. Hebrew gerem. Literally, “bone,” or “strength.” The exact meaning of the phrase that has here been translated as “top of the stairs,” is not clear, but it may refer to some architectural term, possibly a raised landing or platform at the head of the stairs. From the courtyard where the officers were gathered there may have been a stairway leading upward to a landing or platform that could well be improvised as a throne on which the new king might take his position before his subjects. The officers probably made a carpet of state out of their outer garments up the stairway and on the platform, so that the king might have a fitting eminence from which to receive the plaudits of his subjects.

Blew with trumpets. This was a recognized part of a coronation ceremony (see 2 Samuel 15:10; 1 Kings 1:39; 2 Kings 11:14).

Jehu is king. There seems to have been an immediate and joyful acceptance of the general as king. Jehu evidently was held in high esteem among his fellow officers; at the same time there may have been general dissatisfaction with Joram and the house of Omri.