- 37-
- Gold talents would have been so designated, and they would have amounted to the
incredible figure of about 675,000 pounds.
Such aid could only lead to defeat, since Jehovah was not with Israel. Of this even their
hiring themselves out for a foreign warfare in which they were not in any wise concerned
affords fresh evidence. Had Amaziah possessed spiritual insight, he would not have
sought such help. As it was, "a prophet" was commissioned to warn him that if he went to
battle relying on such aid he should surely succumb.* God would show that He had
power not only to help, but also to cast down. The answer of the king was characteristic.
It indicated that while he rightly appraised the character of these mercenaries,** he was
chiefly concerned about the money which had been spent upon them.
- The very difficult verse, 2 Chronicles 25:8, is generally explained by supposing that al
"not," or alw has dropped out from the second clause, and that the verse should read, "But
rather go thou, do - that the LORD may not make thee fall - " This, however, seems an
arbitrary solution, and we would propose to render the verse as it stands, translating sa yk
by "or else" (see Ewald, Lehrb. d. hebr. Spr. p. 861, first line): "Or else (viz. if thou wilt
persist), go thou, do, be strong," etc.
** He styles them (ver. 9) "the band of Israel," the same expression as in 2 Chronicles
22:1; 2 Kings 13:20; and often in the same sense.
The dignified reply of the man of God, pointing him upwards to Him who could give far
more than this, at least silenced the king, and he dismissed his auxiliaries. But the matter
ended not there. Disappointed, no doubt, of their hope of plunder and ravage, the
Ephraimires returned to their homes "in burning anger" (2 Chronicles 25:10). Josephus,
although telling the story with his usual embellishments, adds what seems a historical
notice to the effect that these Israelites laid waste the land as far as Beth-horon, taking
much cattle, and slaying 3,000 men (Ant. ix. 9, I). If this account be trustworthy, we can
scarcely be mistaken in tracing to this the later war between Judah and Israel, with its
disastrous consequences to Amaziah. If Amaziah had hitherto proved himself anything
but what his name implied, "the strong one of Jehovah" [or perhaps, "Jehovah
strengthens"], his true character was soon to appear, alike in his success and in his defeat.
The dismissal of the Israelitish auxiliaries did not delay the preparations for the war. The
south-eastern limit of "the land" may be roughly marked by the lower end of the Dead
Sea., Here, east of the mountain of rock-salt (the Khashm Usdum), stretches southward
that continuation of the Jordan-gorge (the Ghor) known as "the Valley of Salt" (the
Sabkah). The valley, which extends about eight miles (about three hours), trends
southwards to the white chalk cliffs,* which rise 50 to 150 feet. They are formed from the
debris washed down from the higher soil of the Arabah - here especially that part of "the
plain" which stretches from Jericho downwards on both sides of the Jordan as far as the
Elanitic Gulf of the Red Sea.**
(^)