Synopsis of the Chapter
David's wars and victories over the Philistines, Moabites, Syrians, Idumeans, Ammonites, and Amalekites are recounted, and in verse 15, his officials.
Verse 12: In the Valley of Salt ¶
12. IN THE VALLEY OF SALT — where there were salt works in which salt was produced. Hear Adrichomius in his description of the tribe of Judah, number 211: "The Valley of Salt, in Hebrew Gemela, otherwise called Mela; in which David struck eighteen thousand Idumeans, and returning erected a triumphal arch. In the same place Joab destroyed twelve thousand; and Amaziah killed ten or twenty thousand Idumeans, and cast another ten thousand from the rock and cliff of Jekteel." See 2 Kings 8; Psalms 58, 59; 1 Chronicles 18; 2 Chronicles 25; 4 Kings 14; Jerome on Genesis 14 in the Hebrew places; on 2 Kings 8, and 1 Chronicles 18. This valley was therefore fatal and, so to speak, ill-fated for the Idumeans.
Verse 16: Ahimelech the Son of Abiathar ¶
16. AHIMELECH THE SON OF ABIATHAR — in Hebrew it is Abimelech; the Septuagint has Achimelech. For the Hebrew letters chet and bet are similar and close to each other. Now Ahimelech here is in the genitive case: for Abiathar the son of Ahimelech was the priest, that is, the Pontiff of David together with Zadok; unless you prefer that this Ahimelech was the son of Abiathar, who in place of his father when elderly or otherwise occupied, served from time to time in the pontificate together with Zadok, as the sons of Eli and Samuel did, 1 Kings 2:12 and chapter 8:1. And that it happened thus is sufficiently gathered from chapter 24:6.