The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Chronicles — Section 307

that they would carry with them bis precious talents. 2. Answe,·ed. The man of God might lrnvc replied (1) that even if he kept his allies his hundred talents were lost, while he would certainly lose the battle in addition; or (2) that if he parted with his hirelings he would prove victorious, which would more than compensate for the loss_ of h~s t.alents; but the man of God responded (3) ~hat Jehovah, if he pleased, could give him much more than a hundred talent,s. He said no~ indeed, tba.t Jehovah would give him more than he would lose, because considerations of money do not enter into questions of right and wrong. The moral quality of a.n action is not determined by its financial results. Simply the prophet stated that Jehovah could give the king much more than a hundred talents, which wa.s true, since the silver and the gold were his (1 Chron. xxix. 11, 12; Hag. ii. 8), a.nd he gave them to whomsoever he would (Prov. xxx. 8; Eccles. v. 19; Ps. cx.xvii. 1, 2). IV. FIELD OPERATIOKS. (Vers. 10-12.) 1. The dismissal of the mercenaries. The army out of Ephraim was separated from his own troops and sent home to Israel, Whether the king, in discharging them, was actuated by cupidity, the desire of getting back his t.alents with interest, or by fear, the dread of losing the battle,-the step he took was right, being such as the man of God demanded, prudent as the issue of the campaign showed, and bold as the situation required. It wa.s certain to excite the ire of the northern warriors, and according to the Chronicler it did: "they returned home in fierce anger." Well-doing on the pa.rt of good men may stir the wrath of others, to whom it may at times appear insulting; nevertheless, the path of duty must be adhered to, though it should lead to the estrangement of friends no less than to the loss of <luca.ts. 2. The advance of the army <if Judah. Ama.ziah took courage, added to his faith fortitude, a.s Christians are exhorted to do in the campaign of life (2 Pet. i. 5), and led his forces out with no ally but Jehovah, as far as the Valley of Sa.It (2 Sam. viii. 13 ; 1 Chron. xviii 12}-a plain about two miles broad, south of the Dead Sea., absolutely devoid of vegetation, now ca.lled El-Ghor (Robinson). There he encountered the Edomites, or children of Mount Seir, who had revolted from Judah in the days of Jehoram (eh. xxL 8; 2 Kings viii 20), and whose subjugation was the object of the present campaign. 3. The defeat of the Edomites. (1) The destruction of their army. '.fen thousand soldiers were killed, ten thousand prisoners taken. (2) The capture of their capitaL Selah, "Rock" (Isa. xvi. 1), the well-known Petra. or Rock city, was taken, and its name changed to Joktheel, or "conquered by God" (2 Kings xiv. 7). This remarkable city was situated in a valley (Es Sik, "the cleft;" called by the Arabs Wady Musa) running from north to south, about three quarters of a mile long, and enclosed on all sides by precipitous sandstone rocks of variegated hues, rising in some parts to a height of eight hundred or a thousand feet. (For a. description of Petra, see Stanley's' Sinai and Palestine,' pp. 87, etc.; 'Picturesque Palestine,' vol. iii, pp. 214, etc.; 'Forty Days in the Desert,' p. 128.) (3) The slaughter of their people. If Ama.ziah's prisoners were hurled from the cliffs of Petra, their death must have been Bimply appalling. V. UNFRIENDLY RETALIATIONS. (Ver. 13.) 1. By whom, The soldiers of the Israelitish army sent back by Amaziah. The Samaritans, whose aid Zerubbabel declined, "weakened the hands of the people of Judah and troubled them in building" (Ezra iv. 4); and the unbelieving world would oppose, harass, and hinder the Church of Christ even more than it does, were it separated as it should be from the Church's midst (John xv. 19). But better the world's opposition, hatred, and revenge, with God's help, favour, and blessing, than the world's co-operation, friendship, a.nd approba- tion, with God's displeasure, withdrawal, and antagonism. 2. For what 1 For not being allowed to go to battle with Judah against Edom. An insufficient cause, since they lost nothing of their pa.y, while they saved their lives. Their honour, it may be supposed, wa.s wounded; and the world holds a. wound to one's honour to be a greater stroke than a buffet to one's person or a. loss to one's purse. But Christ's followers ought not to take their code of morals from the world I 3. On whom 1 The cities of Juruih and their inhabitants, from Samaria. unto Beth-boron, now Beit-Ur (eh. viii. 6). Though these had no part in the offence, they must nevertheless share in the penalty. If Amaziah had done the soldiers wrong, Amaziah should have given them redress in his own person. But nations have hardly yet learnt to discriminate between offending sovereigns and offenceless subjects. When those quarrel they can only heal their c,n. x..w. 1-28,] THE SECOND BOOK OF 'rHE CHRONICLES. 301