Rashi on the Former Prophets

And to the custodian of Achov’s children. Those who brought up his children.

And with you are the chariot[s] and the horses. And they have strength to wage war.

Two kings. Yorom and Achazyohu.

The sons of the king [number] seventy men, and the great men of the city, etc. All this was written in the letter, “And I know their count, seventy men, and they are with the elders of the city who are raising them.

In pots. [In] pots.

Piles. Mounds. [And Targum Yonoson rendered] דְּגוּרִין [=mounds], moncels, in O.F.

“You are righteous.” In your eyes you are all righteous, and you consider me as being wicked because I killed the king. But look, now I revolted against my master and killed him. But who killed all these? I did not kill them. But from these you will know then that it is a decree of the King upon them, and whoever kills them is righteous and fulfills the commandment of the Omnipresent.

The gathering place of the shepherds. [Targum Yonoson] renders בֵּית כְּנִישַׁת רָעֲיָא [=the house where shepherds gather].
Gathering. An expression of binding, the place where shepherds gather.

And the queen’s sons. Ezevel.

And said to him. [I.e.,] Yeihu [said to him].
“Is your heart upright.” Wholehearted in what I am doing, as I am wholeheartedly with your heart?
And Yehonodov said, “It sure is, give me your hand.” And hold it and take me up to you, to the chariot.

With cunning. With guile, an expression of “וַיַּעְקְבֵנִי [=he beguiled me].”

“Sanctify an assembly.” [I.e.,] announce an assembly, that they assemble in the temple of the Baal.

Of the wardrobe. [Targum] Yonoson rendered, “לְדִמְמָנָא עַל קוֹמַטְרַיָּא [=to the one appointed over the wardrobe],” chests and boxes in which they wrap and store the ceremonial garments of the Baal worshipers.

You will forfeit your life for his life. The life of the guard shall be [forfeit] for the life of the one who escapes.

Threw them out. [Targum Yonoson] (renders), “וְרָמוּ רָהֲטַיָּא וְגַבְרַיָּא קְטִילִין [=and the couriers and the mighty warriors cast cadavers],” they cast down the cadavers of the Baal worshipers.

Into an outhouse. An expression meaning a privy, and similarly [it states], “to eat their excrement [=חוראיהם].”

However, from the sins of Yerovom, etc. Out of fear, that the kingdom return to the House of Dovid, as Yerovom had feared.

Adonoy said to Yeihu. Through Yonah.
Four generations of your sons. Four generations [as reward] for your having destroyed the house of Achov, which reigned for four generations: Omri, Achov, Achazyoh, and Yehorom.

To show His disgust. As in, “קַצְתִּי בְּחַיָּי [=I am disgusted with my life].”