(23) Stood up against.--'Amad 'al, a late usage. (So 1Chronicles 21:1.)

Utterly to slay.--To exterminate (hacharim), devote to destruction.

Made an end of.--Finished with. (See on 2Chronicles 20:22, "begin with," and compare Genesis 44:12.)

Every one helped . . . another.--Literally, they helped, each against (or, in the case of) his fellow, for destruction (mashchith, 2Chronicles 22:4; Ezekiel 5:16).

Verse 23. - This verse proceeds to explain how this resulted in a kind of triangular duel on large scale.

20:20-30 Jehoshaphat exhorted his troops to firm faith in God. Faith inspires a man with true courage; nor will any thing help more to the establishing of the heart in shaking times, than a firm belief of the power, and mercy, and promise of God. In all our trust in the Lord, and our praises of him, let us especially look at his everlasting mercy to sinners through Jesus Christ. Never was an army so destroyed as that of the enemy. Thus God often makes wicked people destroy one another. And never was a victory celebrated with more solemn thanksgivings.For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir,.... Supposing that they had acted a treacherous part by them, and took on the side of their enemies:

utterly to slay and destroy them; as they did:

and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir; so that there were none left of them:

everyone helped to destroy one another; in their confusion mistook one another, either for Edomites or Jews, like the Midianites in the times of Gideon.