2 Kings 8:22 - Exposition

Yet Edom revolted ; rather, and Edom revolted ; or, so Edom revolted . Joram's attempt having failed, the independence of the country was established. From under the hand of Judah unto this day. The successes of Amaziah and Azariah against Edom ( 2 Kings 14:7 , 2 Kings 14:22 ) did not amount to reconquests. Edom continued a separate country, not subject to Judaea, and frequently at war with it, until the time of John Hyrcanus, by whom it was subjugated. "Unto this day" means, at the most, until the time when the Books of Kings took their present shape, which was before the return from the Captivity. Then Libnah revolted at the same time. Libnah was situated on the borders of Philistia, in the Shefelah, or low country, but towards its eastern edge. Its exact position is uncertain; but it is now generally thought to be identical with the modern Tel-es-Safi , between Gath and Ekron, about long. 34° 50' E Int. 31° 38' N. It had been an independent city, with a king of its own, in the early Canaanite time ( Joshua 10:30 ; Joshua 12:15 ), but had been assigned to Judah ( Joshua 15:42 ), and had hitherto remained, so far as appears, contented with its position. Its people can scarcely have had any sympathy with the Edomites, and its revolt at this time can have had no close connection with the Edomite rebellion. Libnah's sympathies would be with Philistia, and the occasion of the revolt may have been the invasion of Judaea by the Philistines in the reign of Jehoram, of which the author of Chronicles speaks ( 2 Chronicles 21:16 ), and in which Jehoram's sons were carried off.