Judges 3:13

Ammon and Amalek Moab and Ammon appear in alliance against Israel in 2 Chronicles 20:1; Psalms 83:6 f. includes Amalek also. The Amalekites were Bedouin of the deserts S. of Palestine, in the N. of the Sinaitic peninsula, cf. Numbers 13:29 and ch. Judges 1:16 n., Judges 6:3. The Dtc. editor generalizes the invasion (-and smote Israel"); perhaps he also enlarges the forces of the enemy.

the city of palm trees i.e. Jericho, see Judges 1:16. The district was once famous for its palms, balsam woods, and gardens (cf. the glowing description of Josephus, Wariv. 8, 3); now -a dozen isolated palms represent the splendid groves of the past," Bliss in DB. ii. 581. At this period the possession of Jericho enabled Eglon to pursue his conquests W. of the Jordan; the city evidently commanded the district; later on it belonged to the kingdom of David, 2 Samuel 10:5. But according to Joshua 6:24-26 JE Jericho was burnt to the ground and laid under a curse by Joshua, while 1 Kings 16:34 records the rebuilding of the city and the fulfilment of the curse in the time of Ahab. We must reconcile as best we can these conflicting statements.