‘ And when he had made an end of offering the present, he sent away the people who bore the present.'
Having offered the tribute, and having made the usual flowery speech, he went out of the king's presence with his servants, and left with them to see them on their way. But when they reached the ‘graven images' (probably ancient sculptured standing stones) at Gilgal, he sent them on their way, for he had a duty to perform and he did not want them involved. Some suggest that the graven images had been erected by the king of Moab as a kind of guard protecting the way to his land. This would add poignancy to their mention.