2 Kings 8:21 - Exposition

So Joram went over to Zair. Naturally, Joram did not allow Edom to become independent without an attempt to reduce it. He invaded the country in full force, taking up a position at a place called Zair, which is not otherwise known. Zair ( צָעִיר ) can scarcely be Zoar ( צוֹעַר ), which, wherever it was, was certainly not in Edom; and it is hardly likely to be a corruption of "Seir" ( צָעִיר ), since the utterly unknown צעיר would scarcely be put by a copyist in the place of the well-known שׂעיר . Moreover, if Mount Seir were intended, it would probably have had the prefix הַר , as in 1 Chronicles 4:42 ; 2 Chronicles 20:10 , 2 Chronicles 20:22 , 2 Chronicles 20:23 ; Ezekiel 35:2 , Ezekiel 35:3 , Ezekiel 35:7 , Ezekiel 35:15 . "Seir" alone is poetical rather than historical, especially in the language of the later books of the Old Testament. And all the chariots with him ; or, all his chariots (Revised Version). The article has the force of the possessive pronoun. And he rose by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him about. Josephus understands the writer to mean that Joram made his invasion by night, and smote the Edomites on all sides ('Ant. Jud.,' 9.5. § 1); but it seems better to suppose, with most modern commentators, that the meaning is the following: Soon after Joram invaded the country, he found himself surrounded and blocked in by the Edomite troops, and could only save himself by a night attack, which was so far successful that he broke through the enemy's lines and escaped; his army, however, was so alarmed at the danger it had run, that it at once dispersed and returned home . And the captains of the chariots ; i.e. the captains of the Edomite chariots. They too were "smitten," having probably taken the chief part in trying to prevent the escape. And the people fled into their tents ; i.e. dispersed to their homes. Compare the cry of Jeroboam ( 1 Kings 12:16 ), "To your tents, O Israel!"