“They assembled,” says v. 5, “all these Kings together at the Waters of Merom, to fight against Israel.” That “they assembled [convenerunt],” Masius thinks, can be taken for “they made a pact,” or “they were bound by mutual pacts and pledges among themselves,” because the Hebrew word sometimes signifies this, and the Syriac and some Greeks rendered [it] συνέβαλον [synebalon]. But the 70 render [it] συνῆλθον [synēlthon, “they came together”]; and this is the more usual meaning of the Hebrew word. And although the Latin text too could be explained to Masius’s sense — since “pacts” are also called “agreements [conventa]” — yet I prefer to take [it] of an assembling, or the coming-together of all to the appointed place, especially since in the Hebrew is added [that] they set up camp together, thus: “And all these Kings were gathered together, and came, and encamped together at the Waters of Merom.” Although it must not be denied [that] by the same word it is hinted that those Kings came together thither by great counsel and various pacts — as was also noted by Arias, and [in] Psalm 2 thus: “The kings of the earth stood up, and the princes assembled together.”
Concerning the Waters of Merom there are two [main] opinions. The first, of Eusebius (in the book On Places): [that] they are not far from Dothaim [Dothan] — namely, twelve miles from Samaria, toward the North; because there [is] the village Mecha. The second: [that] it is that place of the Jordan which lies between its rise (concerning which above, ch. 3, part 2, q. 3) and the lake of Genezareth (concerning which here, q. 2), and is called by our [writers] “Samechonitis,” by the Talmud “Saichonitis.” The third opinion Masius attributes to Josephus — as if he reckoned [that] “the Waters of Merom” in this place is not the name of a river or lake, but of a city. And indeed, [speaking] expressly of these Kings, he [Josephus] says: στρατοπεδεύουσι πρὸς βηρώθῃ πόλει Γαλιλαίας τῆς ἄνω, Κεδέσους οὐ πόῤῥω [stratopedeuousi pros Bērōthē polei Galilaias tēs anō, Kedesous ou porrō], that is: “they set their camp at Beroth, a city of upper Galilee, not far from Cades [Kedesh].” But it is truer, as Arias says, [that] “the Waters of Merom” are not denied by Josephus, but [that] a city named from them is placed beside them, which is called “Berothe,” or rather “Merothe” — since in the Hebrew the “Waters of Merom” are called “me Merom.” Yet in Benjamin’s Itinerary the city Berytus is said to have been formerly called “Beeroth.” But whence they were so called — since “Merom” imports “height,” and means “from on high” or “from a higher place” — the answer is twofold. The first, of Arias: because this lake is higher than the other, [the] Genesaretic. The second: because it lies in the higher places of Galilee, from the upper part of the Jordan, which is considered from its beginning. And so also (Judg. 5:18) [they] are called “the fields” or “region of Merome.” But in the 70 it is read here τὸ ὕδωρ Μαρών [to hydōr Marōn]. Whence, perhaps, in like manner, [there is] a city in Ptolemy, in Chalcidice, [called] Μαρωνείας [Marōneias]. But why the enemies of the Israelites wished to assemble in this place — no one would doubt the cause to be [that] they judged it an opportunity for the battle and victory which they sought. But because, as I said, its name imports a certain “height” and superiority, Arias not badly conjectures [that] a happy omen of victory was here caught at by those superstitious and blind Gentiles.
(col. 1063)