Do they rejoice over nothing?
Rashi: They rejoiced over their grandeur and wealth ? it is nothing, for it will not last.
Radak: Their serenity and good will not last. If so, they rejoice over nothing.
Malbim: They rejoiced to hear Yonah's Nevu'ah that Hashem will save them because He did not speak to eradicate them (refer to 6:13:2:2, 6:13:2:2 1 ). I.e. they rejoiced over the lack of a decree against them. Based on this, they thought that they overpowered the enemy and returned the border of Yisrael without Hashem's word 2 . I.e. the salvation was not miraculous, for it was not via a Dibur for their benefit, rather, just because there was no bad word against them.
I.e. even though they rejoiced over Yonah's Nevu'ah that Hashem will save them, they erred to think that the salvation was via their strength. (PF)
What horns did they take?
Rashi: Strength and Gevurah to gore the poor with horns.
Radak, Malbim: This is like a Re'em 1 that gores with its horns. They say that they made horns to gore nations, for Yaravam ben Yo'ash overpowered Yisrael's enemies. "He returned the border of Yisrael from Levo Chamas until Yam ha'Aravah, and returned Damesek and Chamas to Yehudah, like Hashem's word via Yonah ben Amitai? Ki Ra'ah Hashem Es Oni Yisrael Moreh Me'od v'Efes Atzur v'Efes Azuv v'Ein Ozer l'Yisrael; v'Lo Diber Hashem Limchos Es Shem Yisrael mi'Tachas ha'Shamayim 2 va'Yoshi'em b'Yad Yaravam ben Yo'ash" (Melachim II, 14:25?27). They say that they did so with their strength. This is wrong ? it was Hashem's mercy. He gave to them strength to overpower their enemies!
Bereishis Rabah 31:13 implies that it was too big to fit in Noach's ark.
Malbim: Even though Hashem knew that they will be exiled for their sins, the decree of Galus was not finalized in the days of Yaravam ben Yo'ash, until the days of Amos ? "in another 65 years, Efrayim will cease to be a nation" (Yeshayah 7:8). Hashem saw that they are very afflicted. If He will leave them in the hand of nature and chance, they will perish. This was not yet the time for this! Therefore, He needed to save them via Yaravam.
