284 BATTLES OF THE BIBLE.

Lord is able to give thee much more than this.” The
king did as the prophet desired, and he was successful
in his expedition. He smote the children of Seir in the
valley of Salt.

Johnnie. Was that the name of the valley ?

Grandfather. Yes; it was so called either from the
salt springs that were in it, or from its salt mines,
They took ten thousand of the Edomites prisoners, and put
them to death, by throwing them from the top of the rock
on which their chief city was built. Selah was the name
of the city, which, in the Hebrew tongue, signifies
rock, supposed to be the same with Petra, capital of
Arabia Petrea.

Marianne. Threw them from the top of the rock,
grandfather? That was cruel. I never heard of people
being put to death in that way.

George. It was not cruel, for it would not be a very
painful death, and it was very common. ‘The Greeks
did it, and the Romans cast malefactors from the Tarpeian
rock.

Grandfather. And other nations besides have practised
it, but we don’t find that way of putting to death com-
mon among the Jews. Why they fixed on it at this
time we are not told. Possibly it may have been in re-
taliation. The Edomites may at a former time have
done it to them.

Johnnie. But, grandfather, did Amaziah give all the
silver to the Israelites that he had promised them ?

Grandfather. He did; but they took great offence at