Therefore a battle roar will arise among your people, and all your fortresses will be destroyed, as Shalman destroyed Beth Arbel in the day of battle. The mother was dashed in pieces with her children.
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 14. Tumult. Hebrew shaon; the din of war, ( Bible.) or cry of soldiers. Calmet.—Salmana, king of the Madianites, was destroyed by the house; that is, by the followers of him that judgeth Baal; that is, of Gedeon, who threw down the altar of Baal, and was therefore called Jerobaal. See Judges 6 and 8. Challoner.—Of him. Septuagint Rom. “of Jeroboam.” But Saint Jerome and so forth have, Jerobaal. Theodoret, “in the house of Arbeel.” Hebrew “as Salmana ruined the house of Arbela.” There were many places of this name; but none of great note, taken by Salmanasar. Some think that he took it before he was king. Yet this is all uncertain, and the Hebrew seems rather changed, so that we should read with the Alex. MS. Saint Jerome and so forth Jerobaal, who defeated the Madianites, and treated Succoth with great severity. Judges 8:15. Calmet.