THE NATIONS AT WAR

Hadad, the king of Edom, who had failed to gain fame
and honor in the Egyptian campaign, was favored by fortune
in another war, a war against Moab. The Moabites shrank
from meeting Hadad alone, and they made an alliance with
the Midianites. In the thick of the fight the Moabites fled
from the field of battle, leaving the Midianites to their fate,
and these deserted allies of theirs were cut down to a
man by Hadad and his Edomites. The Moabites saved their
skins, and suffered only the inconvenience of having to pay
tribute. To avenge the faithlessness practiced against them,
the Midianites, supported by their kinsmen, the sons of
Keturah, gathered a mighty army, and attacked the Moabites
the following year. But Hadad came to their assistance,