20 They were helped against them, and the Hagrites were delivered into their hand, and all who were with them; for they cried to God in the battle, and he was entreated of them, because they put their trust in him.
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
They put their trust in him - Or, as the Targum says, "Because they trusted במימריה bemeymriah, in his Word."
And they were (h) helped against them, and the Hagarites were delivered into their hand, and all that [were] with them: for they cried to God in the battle, and he was intreated of them; because they put their trust in him.
(h) That is, by the Lord who gave them the victory.
And they were helped against them,.... The Israelites were helped against the Ishmaelites, to fight with them, and overcome them; either by their brethren of the house of Israel, as the Targum, those on this side Jordan; or rather by the Lord, to whom they cried, and who was entreated by them as follows:
and the Hagarites were delivered into their hand, and all that were with them; they and their confederates and auxiliaries, the Ituraeans, &c.
for they cried to God in the battle; which at first seems to have gone against them; and they prayed to God, as the Targum, while they were fighting, that he would appear for them, and give them victory:
and he was entreated of them; he received their prayer, as the same paraphrase; he heard them, and answered them:
because they put their trust in him; in his power and providence, and not in their own strength, courage, and military skill; the Targum is,"because they trusted in his word.''
The Israelites, with God's help, gained the victory. יעזרוּ, "it was helped to them," i.e., by God "against them" - the Hagarites and their allies. שׁעמּהם contracted from עמּהם אשׁר. נעתּור is not an uncommon form of the perf. Niph., which would not be suitable in a continuous sentence, but the inf. absol. Niph. used instead of the third pers. perf. (cf. Gesen. Hebrews. Gramm. 131, 4): "and (God) was entreated of them, because they trusted in Him." From these words we may conclude that the war was a very serious one, in which the possession of the land was at stake. As the trans-Jordanic tribes lived mainly by cattle-breeding, and the Arabian tribes on the eastern frontier of their land were also a shepherd people, quarrels could easily arise as to the possession of the pasture grounds, which might lead to a war of extermination.
Helped - By God, 1-Chronicles 5:22, who gave them extraordinary courage and success.
*More commentary available at chapter level.