Then there came some that told. — And they (i.e., messengers; Vulg., “nuntii”) came and told.
Cometh. — Is come.
The Sea. — The Dead Sea, east of which lay the territories of Ammon and Moab; while to the south of it, not far from Petra, was Maon.
On this side Syria. — Heb., from Aram; and so LXX. and Vulg. But Edom is probably the true reading — a name often confused with Aram. As the invaders marched round the southern end of the Dead Sea, they were naturally described as coming from Edom. The Syr. and Arab. have: from the other side of the Red Sea.
Hazazon-tamar. — See Genesis 14:7.
Engedi (Ain-jidy), midway on the western coast of the Dead Sea (see 1 Samuel 23:29), about thirty-six miles from Jerusalem. The Syr. and Arab, have Jericho for Hazazon-tamar (? meadow of palms). Jericho was also called “city of palms.”