that had brought misfortune upon the country.

The sons of Esau thereupon dispatched a messenger in
secret to their friend Agnias, king of Africa, begging his aid
against the sons of Seir. He granted their request, and
sent them troops consisting of foot-soldiers and mounted
men. The sons of Seir, on their part, also sought allies, and
they secured the help of the children of the East, and of the
Midianites, who put warriors at their disposal. In the encounters
that ensued between the hostile forces, the sons of
Esau were defeated again and again, partly on account of
treachery in their own ranks, for their men sometimes deserted
to the enemy while the combat was on. At last, however,
in the battle that took place in the desert of Paran, the
sons of Esau gained a decisive victory. They massacred all