And Amaziah strengthened himself, and led forth his people, and went to the valley of salt, and smote of the children of Seir ten thousand.
Valley of Salt. This ravine lies to the south of the Dead Sea. The arms of Amaziah, in reward for his obedience to the divine will, were crowned with victory-10,000 of the Edomites were slain on the field, and as many taken prisoners, who were put to death by precipitation "from the top of the rock." This rock might be situated in the neighbourhood of the battlefield, but more probably it formed one of the high craggy cliffs of Selah (Petra), the capital of the Edomites, where Amaziah marched directly from the valley of Salt, and which he captured (see the note at 2 Kings 14:7). The savage cruelty dealt out to them was either in retaliation for similar barbarities inflicted on the Hebrews, or to strike terror into so rebellious a people for the future. The mode of execution, by dashing against stones (Psalms 137:9), was common among ancient nations.