2 Kings 8:20

(20) In his days Edom revolted.—The connection of ideas is this: Although Jehovah was not willing to extirpate Judah, yet He suffered it to be seriously weakened by the defections recorded in 2Ki_8:20-22.

Made a king over themselves.—Josephus says they slew the vassal king appointed over them by Jehoshaphat (1Ki_22:48). Edom appears to have been subject to the hegemony of Judah from the time of the disruption under Rehoboam.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Ki 8:20 In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves.

Ver. 20. In his days Edom revolted.] And so fulfilled old Isaac’s prophecy, {Gen 27:40} for the punishment of this idolatrous tyrant, who had lately imbrued his hands in the blood of his six brethren, with others their partisans, and set up high places in the mountains of Judah, &c. {2Ch 21:2; 2Ch 21:10-11}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Ki 8:20. In his days Edom revolted — After they had been subject to Judah one hundred and fifty years, ever since the time of David, who subdued that country. This was a great dishonour to him. Hereby, however, the prophecy of Isaac (Gen 27:40) was fulfilled.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Which had been subject from David’s time, until this time of Jehoram.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

20. Edom revolted] In Solomon’s time, Hadad (1Ki_11:14) recovered the kingdom of Edom, which had been overthrown by David (2Sa_8:14). But by the time of Jehoshaphat the Edomites were again subject to Judah (1Ki_22:47) and appear to have continued so until the time of the revolution here mentioned.

made a king over themselves] i.e. They deposed the deputy of Judah, and made one of their own royal family king, or chose a king of their own.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah,.... Who had been tributary to Judah ever since the times of David, for the space of one hundred and fifty years:

and made a king over themselves; for though they are said to have kings, those were only deputy kings, as in Kg1 22:47 and now the prediction of Isaac began to be accomplished, Gen 27:40.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Edom, which had been reduced by David 2Sa 8:14; 1Ki 11:15-16, but had apparently revolted from Solomon 1Ki 11:14, was again subjected to Judah in the reign of Jehoshaphat 2 Kings 3:8-26. The Edomites had, however, retained their native kings, and with them the spirit of independence. They now rose in revolt, and fulfilled the prophecy Gen 27:40, remaining from henceforth a separate and independent people (Jer 25:21; Jer 27:3; Amo 1:11, etc.). Kings of Edom, who seem to be independent monarchs, are often mentioned in the Assyrian inscriptions.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

King. The one under Josaphat was dependant, chap. iii. 9., and 3 Kings xxii. 48. Thus the prediction of Jacob was verified, (Genesis xxvii. 40.; Calmet) and Joram punished. (Haydock)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

From under the hand of Judah; under which they had been from David’s time, 2Sa 8:14. Compare 1Ki 22:47.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

20. Edom revolted — This was a determined and successful effort on the part of the Edomites to break away from the thraldom which had oppressed them ever since the days of David. See note on 1Ki_22:47.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah. Edom had been conquered by Joab in the time of David, and had been treated with great severity, all the males, or at any rate all those of full age, having been put to death. (1Ki_11:15, 1Ki_11:16) On the death of David, Edom seems to have revolted under a prince named Hadad, and to have reestablished its independence. It had been again sub-jeered by the time of Jehoshaphat, who appointed a governor over it, (1Ki_22:47) and treated it as a portion of his own territories. (2Ki_3:8) Now the yoke was finally thrown off, as had been prophesied. (Gen_27:40) Edom became once more a separate kingdom, and was especially hostile to Judah. In the reign of Ahaz the Edomites "smote Judah" and carried away many captives. (2Ch_28:17) When the Chaldaeans attacked and besieged Jerusalem, they cried, "Down with it, down with it, even to the ground!". (Psa_137:7) They looked on with joy at the capture of the holy city, (Oba_1:12) and "stood in the crossway, to cut off such as escaped". (Oba_1:14) After the return from the Captivity, they were still Judah"s enemies, and am especially denounced as such by the Prophet Malachi. (Mal_1:3-5) In the Maccabee wars, we find them always on the Syrian side, (RAPC 1Ma 4:29, 61 5:3 6:31 2Ma 10:15, etc.) doing their best to rivet the hateful yoke of the heathen on their suffering brethren. As Idumaeans, the Herodian family must have been specially hateful to the Jews. And made a king over themselves. The king mentioned in 2Ki_3:9, 26 was probably a mere vassal king under Jehoshaphat.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Nevertheless the divine chastisement was not omitted. The ungodliness of Joram was punished partly by the revolt of the Edomites and of the city of Libnah from his rule, and partly by a horrible sickness of which he died (Ch2 21:12-15). Edom, which had hitherto had only a vicegerent with the title of king (see Kg2 3:9 and Kg1 22:48), threw off the authority of Judah, and appointed its own king, under whom it acquired independence, as the attempt of Joram to bring it back again under his control completely failed. The account of this attempt in Kg2 8:21 and Ch2 21:9 is very obscure. "Joram went over to Zair, and all his chariots of war with him; and it came to pass that he rose up by night and smote the Edomites round about, and indeed the captains of the war-chariots, and the people fled (i.e., the Judaean men of war, not the Edomites) to their tents." It is evident from this, that Joram had advanced to Zair in Idumaea; but there he appears to have been surrounded and shut in, so that in the night he fought his way through, and had reason to be glad that he had escaped utter destruction, since his army fled to their homes. צעירה is an unknown place in Idumaea, which Movers, Hitzig, and Ewald take to be Zoar, but without considering that Zoar was in the land of Moab, not in Edom. The Chronicles have instead שׂריו עם, "with his captains," from a mere conjecture; whilst Thenius regards צעירה as altered by mistake from שׂעירה ("to Seir"), which is very improbable in the case of so well-known a name as שׂעיר. הסּביב is a later mode of writing for הסּובב, probably occasioned by the frequently occurring word סביב. "To this day," i.e., to the time when the original sources of our books were composed. For the Edomites were subjugated again by Amaziah and Uzziah (Kg2 14:7 and Kg2 14:22), though under Ahaz they made incursions into Judah again (Ch2 28:17). - At that time Libnah also revolted. This was a royal city of the early Canaanites, and at a later period it was still a considerable fortress (Kg2 19:8). It is probably to be sought for in the ruins of Arak el Menshiyeh, two hours to the west of Beit-Jibrin (see the Comm. on Jos 10:29). This city probably revolted from Judah on the occurrence of an invasion of the land by the Philistines, when the sons of Joram were carried off, with the exception of the youngest, Jehoahaz (Ahaziah: Ch2 21:16-17).

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

Edom revolted from under

"Edom rebelled against"

the hand of Judah

Here the word "hand" refers to the control of Judah, and "Judah" refers specifically to the king of Judah. AT: "the control of the king of Judah" (See: Metonymy)

they set a king over themselves

"they appointed a king to rule over themselves"

Then Jehoram crossed over

What was "crossed over" can be stated clearly. AT: "Then Jehoram crossed the enemy lines" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

translationWords

Edom

commander

chariot

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

And appointed a king over themselves. From the time of Dovid they did not have a king, as it is stated, “There was no king in Edom,.” [and] “And he appointed governors in Edom.” Eight kings reigned in Edom before a king reigned in Yisroel, they are listed in the Book of Bereishis. Corresponding to them, eight kings reigned in Yisroel: Ish-Boshes, Dovid, Shlomo, Rechovom, Aviyom, Asa, Yehoshophot, and Yehorom, while Edom had no king. What is written above that the king of Edom went with Yehorom son of Achov, and with Yehoshophot, to war against the king of Mo’av [can be explained that] he was not a real king, but a governor, who is also referred to as a king, as it is stated, “There was no king in Edom, the governor was king.” The governor served instead of a king.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.