Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Chronicles 21:9
Then Jehoram went forth with his princes, and all his chariots with him: and he rose up by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him in, and the captains of the chariots.
9. Then Jehoram went forth ] R.V. Then Jehoram passed over. The Heb. root rendered “pass over” means ( a) to pass over a sea or river or other landmark, ( b) to pass by persons. In the latter signification it is applied (as here) to the vanguard of an army which passes by the main body in order to take the lead; cp. Jos 6:7. In this case Jehoram pushed on with the vanguard (consisting of all his chariots) leaving the “people” (2Ki 8:21), i.e. the bulk of his army to follow. A disaster ensued. Jehoram was hemmed in by the Edomites, and though he cut his way through them by a night surprise, his success came too late, for the rest of the army, thinking that the vanguard was cut off, dispersed to their homes. This last fact, which explains the failure of the campaign, is omitted by the Chronicler. 2Ki 8:21 should read, And it came to pass, though he rose by night and smote the Edomites that the people fled to their tents.
with his princes ] In 2 Kin. to Zair. Nothing is known of such a place, but some place name is to be expected here.
and the captains of the chariots ] The clause is governed by the verb “compassed” (read perhaps el for eth in the Heb.).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
[See comments on 2Ch 21:5].
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(9) Then Jehoram went forth.And Jehoram passed over.
With his princes.Captains (im srv); Kings, to Zair, which appears to be a corruption of to Seir. The chronicler has substituted an intelligible for an obscure expression.
And he rose up by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him in.Literally, and it came to pass, he rose. Brief as the notice is, it is evident that the verse relates not a victory of Jehorams, but his desperate escape by cutting his way through the enemys troops, which had surrounded him and his forces. (See on 2Ki. 8:21, where it is added, and the people fled to their tents.) (Syriac. And Jehoram passed over with his captains; and all his chariots with him. And it came to pass that when he rose in the night, he destroyed the Edomites, and the captains of the chariots came with him.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2Ch 21:9 Then Jehoram went forth with his princes, and all his chariots with him: and he rose up by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him in, and the captains of the chariots.
Ver. 9. And smote the Edomites. ] But could not subdue them. They might be more troublesome, as Carthage was to Rome, when but half destroyed, than before he meddled with them.