17:14 -8).

* But see on those numbers the remarks in Vol. 5. of this History.

Besides raising a native Judaean army, Amaziah had recourse to the novel device of hiring

100,000 Israelitish mercenaries, at the enormous cost of 100 talents - presumably silver talents,*

amounting to about. 37,500 pounds of our money.

* 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 t o 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 o f 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 auxi liaries. 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.**

* It is at least doubtful whether these cliffs are identical with the Akrabbim, or "scorpion-stairs,"

of Numbers 34:4; Joshua 15:3; Judges 1:36.

** At present the part south of the bounding ridge of chalk-hills bears specially the name, Arabah.

Our description of the country is based chiefly on Robinson's Bibl. Res. ii:pp. 121 -173; Badeker-

Socin's Pal., p. 181, etc., notices in other works (so far as accessible) being also taken into

consideration, Riehm's Hand-Worterb. gives, as generally, a very good, albeit brief, summary of

information.