mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten. 23For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another. 24And when Judah came to the watch-tower of the wilderness, they looked upon the multitude; and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and there were none that escaped. 25And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches and [1]dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in taking of the spoil, it was so much. 26And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of [2]Beracah; for there they blessed the LORD: therefore the name of that place was called The valley of Beracah, unto this day. 27Then they returned, every
assault was probably made by the inhabitants of the invaded district before the main army from Jerusalem arrived (see the Introd. pp. xlix, l). G. A. Smith (Hist. Geography, p. 272) points out that the country between En-gedi and Tekoa is well suited for attack by surprise.
23. For the children of Ammon] Render, And the children of Ammon. The sudden attack of the "liers in wait" caused a panic and a suspicion of treachery among the allies; so at Gideon's surprise of Midian every man turned his sword against his fellow (Judg. vii. 22).
utterly to slay] Lit. to devote, or put to the ban (Heb. ḥerem); i.e. to undertake the partial or total destruction of the foe and his possessions as a sacred duty to be performed in honour of God—cp. Lev. xxvii. 28, 29, and Driver's note on Ex. xxii. 20 in this series. Cp. 1 Chr. iv. 41.
24. to the watch-tower] Rather "to the outlook-point," i.e. some spot from which they were able to survey the scene of the disaster in the valley by which the enemy were advancing.
25. they found among them in abundance both riches and dead bodies] The Heb. text is faulty. Following the LXX. εὖρον κτήνη πολλὰ καὶ ἀποσκευὴν καὶ σκῦλα, read probably they found much cattle and goods and garments.
26—30 (no parallel in Kings). The Sequel of the Deliverance.
26. valley of Beracah] A deserted village Bereikūt (south of Tekoa) where there are some very ancient ruins seems to preserve the name.
