- 55-
And now that came to pass which had been predicted by the prophet in punishment
of the alliance with Ahab. Happily, it found the people prepared by the religious
revival which had passed over the land. As we infer from the tenor of the whole
narrative, the Moabites, the Ammonites, and "with them certain of the Meunites,"^93
made an unexpected raid "from beyond the Sea" - that is, the Dead Sea - "from
Edom."^94
They could come swooping round the southern end of the Dead Sea, or passing over
by the southern ford, just opposite Engedi, the ancient Hazazon-tamar - probably the
oldest city in the world. The name Engedi, "the spring of the goat," is derived from
the manner in which its fertilizing spring seems to leap in its descent. The older
name, Hazazon-tamar - either "rows of palms," or "the cutting of the palm-trees" -
originated from the palms which once grew there in great luxuriance. But the site is
now desolate, and where once palms flourished, and the most precious wine of
Judaea was grown, only naked terraces shelve up the mountain-side. The plain or
rather slope is described^95 as extending about a mile and a half from north to south,
being bounded on either side by a Wady with perennial water. Engedi touches the
outrunners of the mountains of Judah.
Several hundred feet up the slope, about a mile and a half from the shore of the Dead
Sea, the little streamlet which has given the place its name, dashes down in thin but
high cataracts. Below these falls, and in the center of the plain, are the ruins which
mark the site of the ancient city. As in the time of Abraham the Assyrian hordes
(Genesis 14), so now these marauding invaders, had swarmed across - scarcely an
army, rather a multitude of wild nomads. Along the plain, up the slope to the crest of
the mountain, through the wadys, they crowded. It seemed a countless host, as their
wild war-shouts resounded from hill-top and valley, or their dark forms covered the
heights, whence they gazed across the wilderness towards the rich and coveted cities
of Judah. So it seemed to the terrified fugitives, who brought exaggerated tidings of
their numbers to Jehoshaphat. And only a distance of fifteen hours separated these
plundering tribes from Jerusalem. Not a moment was to be lost. The first measure
was to invoke the aid of the LORD. A fast was proclaimed throughout Judah - a day
of humiliation for national sins and of prayer in the time of their great need (comp.
Judges 20:26; 1 Samuel 7:6; Joel 2:15). Jehoshaphat himself took his place in the
most prominent part of the temple, "before the new court" - either one newly
constructed, or else renovated, and probably intermediate between "the great" or
outer court, and "the court of the priests" (comp. 2 Chronicles 4:9). If so, it probably
represented what at a later period was known as "the court of the women," and
Jehoshaphat stood on the height afterwards covered by the steps leading up to the
court of the priests, where the Levites who conducted the musical part of the temple-
services were stationed. There, within sight and hearing of all, like Solomon of old,
(^)