But the soldiers of the army which Amaziah sent back, that
they should not go with him to battle,
&e.] The 100,000 men hired out of Israel, whom he dismissed before he went against Edom:
fell upon the cities of Judah, from Samaria even unto Bethhoron;
which, though it formerly belonged to Ephraim, had been taken by the men of Judah; they did not fall on these as they returned home, for then it would have been said from Bethhoron to Samaria: but after they had returned home, they meditated this piece of revenge for the ill treatment of them, as they reckoned it:
and smote three thousand of them;
of the inhabitants of the cities, who rose up and opposed them:
and took much spoil;
out of them, and went their way with it.