Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Kings 14:7
He slew of Edom in the valley of salt ten thousand, and took Selah by war, and called the name of it Joktheel unto this day.
7. He slew of Edom ] The Chronicler in 2Ch 25:5-10 gives an account of Amaziah’s military preparations, before the expedition against Edom. He tells us that he gathered and marshalled his men of war, from twenty years old and upward, to the number of 300,000 choice men. To these he hired mercenary troops out of Israel, another 100,000. But a man of God forbade him to take the Israelites with him, as the Lord was not with Israel. Though grieved at the loss of the hundred talents, which he had paid for this body of allies, Amaziah separated them and sent them back again, wherefore their anger was greatly kindled against Judah, and they returned home in great wrath. After this with his own troops only Amaziah undertook the war with Edom, in which he was successful. According to Josephus ( Ant. IX. 9. 1) the first planned expedition was against the Amalekites and Gebalites as well as the Edomites. On Gebal, a city of Phnicia, see note on 1Ki 5:18.
in the valley of salt ] The R.V. prints both ‘Valley’ and ‘Salt’ with capitals to mark it as a proper name. The LXX. has a transliteration of the two words . The Valley of Salt lay at the south of the Dead Sea, and was on the border of the Edomite territory. We read that the Edomites had revolted from Judah in the days of Joram (2Ki 8:20-22), and it seems they had not as yet been reduced to subjection.
ten thousand ] Beside the 10,000 slain in the battle, the Chronicler mentions 10,000 more who were taken captive, and cast headlong from the rock so ‘that they all were broken in pieces’ (2Ch 25:12).
and took Selah [R.V. Sela ] by war ] Sela which signifies ‘a rock’ is probably the city which was known in later times as ‘Petra’. It was a city of Edom, not far from Mount Hor, about 2 days’ journey northward from the top of the gulf of Akabah. The Chronicler says nothing about Sela, but mentions ‘the rock’ as the place from which the 10,000 captives were cast down. It may have been from the height on which Sela stood and took its name, that the execution of the captives took place.
called the name of it Joktheel ] This name, which is a trisyllable (Jokthe-l) is interpreted by Gesenius as ‘a Deo subactum’. It might with propriety be given by Amaziah to a city won by him after the direction which God had given him to put away the Israelite mercenaries. He would consider that the victory was a direct gift from God.
unto this day ] That Sela continued to be called Jokteel at the time when the book of Kings was compiled is in the highest degree improbable. We know that Edom reconquered some of the lost territory very soon (2Ch 28:17) and during the captivity made inroads into the south of Judah as far as Hebron (Joseph. Ant. xii. 8.6). But in this passage the compiler takes the words of an earlier writer, exactly as they stood, and that earlier record was made before Sela was recovered and before the name Joktheel had fallen into disuse.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Amaziahs Idumaean war is treated at length by the writer of Chronicles (marginal reference).
The Valley of Salt is usually identified with the broad open plain called the Sabkah, at the southern end of the Dead Sea – the continuation of the Ghor or Jordan gorge. At the north-western corner of this plain stands a mountain of rock-salt, and the tract between this mountain and the sea is a salt-marsh. Salt springs also abound in the plain itself, so that the name would be fully accounted for. It is doubted, however, whether the original of the word valley, commonly used of clefts and ravines, can be applied to such a sunk plain as the Sabkah; and it is certainly most unlikely that 10,000 prisoners would have been conveyed upward of eighty miles (the distance of the Sabkah from Petra), through a rough and difficult country, only in order to be massacred. On the whole, it is perhaps most probable that the Valley of Salt yet remains to be discovered, and that its true position was near Selah or Petra (see Jdg 1:36 note). Amaziah gave to Petra the name Joktheel, subdued by God, in a religious spirit as an acknowledgment of the divine aid by which his victory was gained. The name failed to take permanent hold on the place, because the Edomites, on not long afterward recovering their city, restored the old appellation (2Ch 28:17; compare Isa 16:1, and Amo 1:11).
Unto this day – The writer of Kings evidently gives the exact words of his document, composed not later than the reign of Ahaz, before whose death the Edomites had recovered Petra.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 7. He slew of Edom to the valley of salt] This war is more circumstantially related in 2Ch 25:5, c. The Idumeans had arisen in the reign of Joram king of Judah, and shaken off the yoke of the house of David. Amaziah determined to reduce them to obedience he therefore levied an army of three hundred thousand men in his own kingdom, and hired a hundred thousand Israelites, at the price of one hundred talents. When he was about to depart at the head of this numerous army, a prophet came to him and ordered him to dismiss the Israelitish army, for God was not with them: and on the king of Judah expressing regret for the loss of his hundred talents, he was answered, that the Lord could give him much more than that. He obeyed, sent back the Israelites, and at the head of his own men attacked the Edomites in the valley of salt, slew ten thousand on the spot, and took ten thousand prisoners, all of whom he precipitated from the rock, or Selah, which was afterwards called Joktheel, a place or city supposed to be the same with Petra, which gave name to Arabia Petraea, where there must have been a great precipice, from which the place took its name of Selah or Petra.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Of Edom, i.e. of the Edomites, or the children of Seir, as they are called, 2Ch 25:11; either because they dwelt in Seir; see Gen 36:8; or because these people were confederates. And he invaded these people because they were subjects to his kingdom, from which they had revolted in Jorams days, 2Ki 8:20.
The valley of salt; which was the land of Edom; of which see 2Sa 8:13; Psa 60:1.
Selah, or,
the rock; the chief city of that part of Arabia, called by other authors Petra, which signifies a rock, because it was built upon a rock, 2Ch 25:12.
Joktheel, which signifies the obedience of God, i.e. given him by God as a reward of his obedience to Gods message by the prophet, 2Ch 25:8,9.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
7. He slew of Edom in the valley ofsalt ten thousandIn the reign of Joram the Edomites hadrevolted (see 2Ki 8:20). ButAmaziah, determined to reduce them to their former subjection, formeda hostile expedition against them, in which he routed their army andmade himself master of their capital.
the valley of saltthatpart of the Ghor which comprises the salt and sandy plain to thesouth of the Dead Sea.
Selahliterally, “therock”; generally thought to be Petra.
Joktheelthat is,”given” or “conquered by God.” See the history ofthis conquest more fully detailed (2Ch25:6-16).
2Ki14:8-16. JOASH DEFEATSHIM.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
He slew of Edom in the valley of Salt ten thousand,…. Of which valley, [See comments on 2Sa 8:13], the Edomites having revolted from Judah in the days of Joram, 2Ki 8:20. Amaziah undertook to reduce them with an army of 300,000 choice men; and, besides these, hired also of Israel 100,000 valiant men, for one hundred talents of silver; but at the instance of a prophet of the Lord he dismissed the latter, and went against Edom only with his men, and slew of the Edomites 10,000, besides other 10,000 he took alive, and cast headlong from a rock, which came into his hands, see 2Ch 25:5,
and took Selah by war; which signifies a rock, the same with Petra, the metropolis of Arabia Petraea, the country of the Edomites. The city itself was not a rock, nor built on one, but was situated in a plain, surrounded with rocks and mountains, as Strabo z and Pliny a relate, from whence it seems to have its name; and by the Syrians called Recem, where Rocan a king of Midian reigned b, called in the Greek version of Nu 31:8, Recon; though Vitringa c is of opinion, that not Petra, the metropolis of Edom, is meant, but Maalehakrabbim, Jos 15:3, which lay on the south border of Judea, near the salt sea:
and called the name of it Joktheel; which signifies “the obedience of God”; in memory of his obedience to the prophet of the Lord, in consequence of which he obtained this victory: and the name continued unto this day: the time of the writing this book.
z Geograph. l. 16. p. 536. a Nat. Hist. l. 6. c. 28. b Hieron. de loc. Heb. fol. 93. M. & 94. A. Vid. Joseph. Antiqu. l. 4. c. 7. sect. 1. c Comment. in Jesaiam, c. 16. 1.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(7) He slew.Rather, he it was that smote.
The valley of salt.Comp. 2Sa. 8:13. El-Ghr, the salt plain of the Dead Sea, which Amaziah would traverse in marching against Edom.
Ten thousand.The number slain in one conflict.
Selah.Heb., the Slac, i.e., the crag. The Hebrew name of the famous rock-hewn town of Petra.
By war.Or, in the battle. After the decisive engagement, Amaziahs troops forced their way through the narrow defile leading to the Edomite capital, probably meeting no great resistance.
Joktheel.A town of Judah bore this name (Jos. 15:38). The name probably means Gods ward, referring to the wonderful strength of the natural position of the town. Others explain, subjugated of God.
Unto this dayi.e., unto the time when the original document was written, from which the writer derived this notice.
The reduction of the capital implies that of the country. The defeat of Jehoram (2Ki. 8:20, seq.) was thus avenged. Chronicles gives a more detailed account of the re-conquest of Edom, and its consequences (2Ch. 25:5-16). it is there related that Amaziah hired a large force of mercenaries from the northern kingdom, but sent them home again at the bidding of a prophet. On their way back they attacked and plundered certain of the cities of Judah. The fall of Selah was followed by a massacre of captives. The gods of Edom, which Amaziah carried off, proved a snare to him. (See the Notes on the passage.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
7. Slew of Edom The Edomites had cast off the yoke of Judah in the days of Jehoram, (2Ki 8:20,) and had so strengthened themselves that, according to 2Ch 25:5-6, Amaziah considered it necessary to lead an army of four hundred thousand men against them. See the parallel passage in Chronicles for a fuller record of this Edomite war.
Valley of salt The broad, open plain at the lower end of the Dead Sea, which virtually forms the southern termination of the Ghor, or great Jordan valley. It is appropriately called the Salt Valley from the salt mountain at its northwestern extremity, and the brackish springs and streams that are found in it. In this same valley David once smote the Edomites. See note on 2Sa 8:13.
Selah More properly written, as in Isa 16:1, Sela; Hebrew, , or , the rock. The capital city of the Edomites, situated in Mount Seir, two days’ journey south of the Valley of Salt, at the eastern base of Mount Hor. By the Greek writers it is called Petra. Strabo and Pliny describe it as a narrow valley, shut in by precipitous rocks and inaccessible mountains, but having a stream running through it fed by copious fountains and supplying water for the irrigation of gardens. After the Mohammedan conquest its site was long unknown, but, discovered A.D. 1812 by Burckhardt, it has since been many times visited and described by travellers. Its site and ruins are represented as among the most wonderful things of the Orient. It is a city whose most imposing remains consist of tombs and temples sculptured in the solid rock. And not the least remarkable thing, according to Robinson, is the colour of the rocks. “They present an endless variety of bright and living hues, from the deepest crimson to the softest pink, verging also sometimes to orange and yellow.” The principal entrance to the city is from the east, through a wild, deep chasm, called the Sik, varying in width from twelve to fifty feet. At a point where this chasm takes a sharp turn stands the celebrated structure called the Khazneh, which, says Palmer, “in beauty of form and colouring surpasses all the other tombs and temples. The facade is of a deep but delicate rose colour, and that of the uncut rock around it varies from every shade of red to chocolate.” This writer plausibly conjectures that it represents “the museum of Petra, the philharmonic institution of the place.” The other principal remains are the theatre, the tomb with three rows of columns, the ruined bridges, and the triumphal arch. “In looking at the wonders of this ancient city,” writes Robinson, “one is at a loss whether most to admire the wildness of the position and natural scenery, or the taste and skill with which it was fashioned into a secure retreat, and adorned with splendid structures, chiefly for the dead.”
Called the name of it Joktheel The name signifies subdued by God, but does not seem to have been commonly applied to the place for any considerable length of time, for it does not again occur, and Isaiah calls the place by its old name, Sela. 2Ki 16:1. The phrase unto this day, indicates, therefore, that this record of Amaziah’s conquest was written during the Jewish rule over Edom, and before the time of Ahaz, when the Edomites had again thrown off the Hebrew yoke. 2Ch 28:17.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
2Ki 14:7. Took Selahand called the name of it Joktheel As selang in the Hebrew signifies a rock, and exactly answers to the Greek word Petra, the generality of commentators with good reason have agreed, that this Selah is the same with Petra, the metropolis of Arabia Petraea, whence the whole country, which also was very rocky, took its name. He gave it the name of Joktheel, which signifies obedience to God, probably as having obliged the inhabitants to observe the laws and statutes of Moses. See Grotius and Wells’s Geography.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
2Ki 14:7 He slew of Edom in the valley of salt ten thousand, and took Selah by war, and called the name of it Joktheel unto this day.
Ver. 7. In the valley of Salt. ] Near to the Lake Asphaltites, which yielded much salt. a See 2Sa 8:13 .
Ten thousand.
And took Selah.
a Justin.
b Jun. Lap.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
He slew. The account in Chronicles supplies additional particulars. See 2Ch 25:5-11.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Edom
See 2Ch 25:5-16.
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
am 3177, bc 827
slew: 2Ki 8:20-22, 2Ch 25:11, 2Ch 25:12
the valley of salt: Some suppose that the Valley of Salt was south of the Dead, or Salt Sea, towards the land of Edom; and others suppose it to be the Valley of Salt, about three or four miles south-east of Palmyra, which now supplies, in a great measure, the surrounding country with salt. 2Sa 8:13, 1Ch 18:12, Psa 60:1, *title
Selah: or, the rock, Selah is generally supposed to be the same as Petra, which in Greek signifies a rock, the celebrated capital of Arabia Petrea. Strabo places it three or four days’ journey from Jericho, and five days’ journey from the forest of palm trees on the Red Sea. Pliny places it 600 miles from Gaza, and 125 from the Persian Gulf; but Cellarius and Reland very justly consider that the numbers have been changed, and that we ought to read 125 miles from Gaza, and 600 from the Persian Gulf. Eusebius places Beerothbenejaakan 30 miles west from Petra, and Elath ten miles east; and Burckhardt discovered the ruins of this ancient city in a valley called Wady Mousa.
Joktheel: Jos 15:38
Reciprocal: Gen 27:40 – serve Isa 16:1 – from Oba 1:3 – thou
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Ki 14:7. He slew of Edom That is, of the Edomites, or the children of Seir, as they are called 2Ch 25:1. The Edomites, after having been subject to Judah from the time of David, who subdued them, revolted in the days of Jehoram, (2Ki 8:10,) and now Amaziah endeavoured to reduce them: and having, at the command of God, abandoned the help of the Israelites, although he had purchased it with a large sum, (2Ch 25:7-10,) he and the men of Judah gained a great victory over them, and made the following slaughter. In the valley of Salt Which was in the land of Edom. And took Selah Or, the rock, as the word signifies. This city, called by other authors Petra, which also means a rock, was the metropolis of all that part of Arabia, termed from hence Arabia Petra, or Arabia the rocky. And called the name of it Joktheel Which word signifies, the obedience of God; so he named it, either, because, having taken it, he established in it, as some think, the laws and statutes of Moses; or rather, because he considered it as given him by God, as a reward of his obedience to Gods message by the prophet, requiring him to dismiss all the forces which he had hired of the Israelites.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
14:7 He slew of {c} Edom in the valley of salt ten thousand, and took Selah by war, and called the name of it Joktheel unto this day.
(c) For the Idumeans, whom David had brought to subjection, rebelled in the time of Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Amaziah’s wars 14:7-14
God blessed Amaziah by allowing him to subdue the Edomites who had revolted from Judean control during the reign of Judah’s king Jehoram (cf. 2Ch 25:5-16). The Valley of Salt lay south of the Salt (Dead) Sea in the Arabah. Sela was the capital of Edom at this time.
Amaziah’s heart became proud because of this victory. He concluded that his superior power had gained it rather than God’s might. This led him to challenge Israel in battle. King Jehoash’s parable (2Ki 14:9-10) hurt Amaziah’s pride (cf. Jotham’s fable, Jdg 9:8-15). Instead of backing down he insisted on a confrontation. God permitted this situation to punish Amaziah, because after subduing the Edomites, he had brought some of their idols into Jerusalem and worshipped them (2Ch 25:14; 2Ch 25:20). The army of Israel took Amaziah prisoner (2Ki 14:13-14). It was probably then that Amaziah’s son Azariah began to reign in Jerusalem as his father’s coregent (790 B.C.). McFall believed Azariah’s coregency began in 792 or 791. [Note: Leslie McFall, "A Translation Guide to the Chronological Data in Kings and Chronicles," Bibliotheca Sacra 148:589 (January-March 1991):3-45.] Azariah continued as coregent until his father Amaziah died (in 767 B.C.).