Verse 15
(15) Now three of the thirty captains.—Literally, and a three out of the thirty chiefs went down; a mode of description which appears to distinguish this trio from the former (1 Chronicles 11:11-14). The form of the verb, however, connects this exploit with the same war. (Comp. 2 Samuel 23:13-17.)
To the rock.—’Al haç-çûr (later use of ‘al, “on”). Samuel has “at (or towards) harvest,” ‘el qaçir. In Hebrew writing the phrases are very similar. Our phrase looks like a correction of that in Samuel. At any rate, the Syriac, Targum, Arabic, and probably the LXX., read qaçir in the MSS. of Samuel. Here the LXX. has “to the rock;” Syriac omits the phrase.
Cave of Adullam.—See 1 Samuel 22:1.
Encamped.—Were camping.
Valley of Rephaim.—See Joshua 15:8, Note. It lay south-west of Jerusalem, in the direction of Bethlehem. It may have got its name from the aboriginal Rephaim, Deuteronomy 3:11 (Authorised Version, giants), Joshua 17:15. It was a rich corn land (Isaiah 13:5). (Comp. 1 Chronicles 11:13.)
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