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those regions. But, in such circumstances, the Ammonites and Moabites would
naturally turn to attack their treacherous allies, and thus the first scene in the strange
drama of this internecine battle would be enacted. Mutual distrust once awakened,
and passions kindled, we can easily understand how "every one helped to destroy
another" - the havoc being probably increased by the peculiar character of the
country, which here abounds in steep precipices and sudden rocky heights and
descents.
While this strange battle was proceeding, Judah had advanced, to the sound of hymns
of praise, beyond Tekoa, far as the last watch-tower, where usually an outlook was
kept over the wilderness, so that timely tidings might be brought of any sudden raid
by the wild tribes of the East. As "they looked unto the multitude," which they had
erst descried in the dim distance, there was "not an escaping," no hasty flight, as in
such circumstances might have been expected, and it seemed as if only dead bodies
were left strewing the ground. Possibly the Judaeans had, on reaching the height of
Tekoa, caught sight of the host, and then lost it again when descending into the
wady.^101
When, on ascending once more, they stood at the watch-tower, they would see what
formerly had been "a. multitude," now only dead bodies, nor could they, from the
conformation of the district, discern any fugitives. It now only remained for Judah to
seize the spoil^102 of the battle in which Jehovah had gained the victory.
For three days the removal of the spoil continued. On the fourth, the host of Judah
gathered in a valley, to the north-west of Tekoa, which from the solemn thanksgiving
there made received the name of "Berakhah," "blessing," in the sense of praise and
thanksgiving. It is deeply interesting to find that after the lapse of so many centuries
this memorial of Jehovah's deliverance and of Jehoshaphat's and Judah's solemn
thanksgiving still continues. Many masters have since held possession of the land:
Assyrian, Roman, Moslem, Christian, and Turk: but the old name of the valley of
blessing remains in the modern name Bereikut.^103
And from "the valley of blessing" Jehoshaphat and his people returned, as in
procession, to the Temple, there again to praise the LORD, Who had, as ever, been
faithful to His promise. And this gratitude of a believing people is one of the most
true and beautiful results of the religious revival which Judah had experienced. It
almost sounds like heaven's antiphon to Jerusalem's praise, when we read that "the
terror of Elo-him" was upon all the kingdoms of the lands round about Judah, and
that "his God" gave Jehoshaphat "rest round about."^104
(^)