2 Chronicles 26:7

And God helped him against the Philistines,.... He did not do all before related of himself, and by his own strength, but by the help of God; the Targum is"the Word of the Lord helped him:" and against the Arabians that dwelt in Gurbaal; the same with Gerar, according to the Targum; which also belonged to the Philistines, and had a king in Abraham's time, Genesis 20:1, the same with Askelon, another of the five principalities of the Philistines: and the Mehunims; or the Minaeans, as the Septuagint, and whom Pliny (n) makes mention of among the Arabians; they seem to be the Scenite Arabs; see 2 Chronicles 20:1, or rather, as the Targum, those that dwelt in the plain of Maon, which was in Arabia Petraea. (n) Nat. Hist. l. 6. c. 28.

26:1-15 As long as Uzziah sought the Lord, and minded religion, God made him to prosper. Those only prosper whom God makes to prosper; for prosperity is his gift. Many have owned, that as long as they sought the Lord, and kept close to their duty, they prospered; but when they forsook God, every thing went cross. God never continues either to bless the indolent or to withhold his blessing from the diligent. He will never suffer any to seek his face in vain. Uzziah's name was famed throughout all the neighbouring countries. A name with God and good people makes truly honourable. He did not delight in war, nor addict himself to sports, but delighted in husbandry.

(7) The Philistines, and . . . the Arabians. —They are named together in 2Chronicles 17:11 also. Their seat, Gur-Baal, only mentioned here, is unknown. The Targum makes it Gerar; the LXX. apparently Petra (in Edom). The reading Gedor-Baal has been proposed. The Mehunims (Heb., Me’ûnîm) are the Maonites, or people of Maon (Ma’ân), near Mount Seir. (See Note on 2Chronicles 20:1.) (The Syriac and Arabic omit from “wall of Ashdod” 2Chronicles 26:6, to “gifts to Uzziah,” 2Chronicles 26:8.)

As against the Philistines, so also against the Arabians, who dwelt in Gur-baal, God helped him, and against the Maanites, so that he overcame them and made them tributary. Gur-baal occurs only here, and its position is unknown. According to the Targum, the city Gerar is supposed to be intended; Lxx translate ἐπὶ τῆς Πέτρας, having probably had the capital city of the Edomites, Petra, in their thoughts. The מעוּנים are the inhabitants of Maan; see on 1 Chronicles 4:41 .