2 Samuel 10:6-19

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 10:14

And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled ,.... In whom they put great confidence: then they fled also before Abishai ; without engaging at all with him, as it seems: and entered into the city ; out of which they came, either Rabbah or Medeba, for their safety: so Joab returned from the children of Ammon ; did not stay to lay siege to their city, the season of the year not being proper for it, winter drawing near; see 2 Samuel 11:1 , and came to Jerusalem... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 10:15

And when the Syrians saw that they were smitten before Israel ,.... Considered it in their minds, and conversed with one another about it, and fearing what would be the consequence of it: they gathered themselves together ; not only the forces got together again, that fled before Joab, but all the kings of Syria united their forces together, as appears from 2 Samuel 10:19 ; supposing that David would avenge himself on them for assisting the Ammonites against him; and therefore judged... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 10:16

And Hadarezer sent ,.... The same with Hadadezer, 2 Samuel 8:3 , who was at the head of this confederacy, and to whom the rest of the kings of Syria were servants, 2 Samuel 10:19 , and brought out the Syrians that were beyond the river ; the river Phrat or Euphrates, as the Targum; so the Arabic version and Josephus F25 Ut supra, (Antiqu. l. 7. c. 6.) sect. 3. , who says, that he hired them: and they came to Helam ; which, according to the same writer, was king of the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 10:17

And when it was told David ,.... What preparations the Syrians were making to fight him, and where they were: he gathered all Israel together ; all the fighting men in the country: and passed over Jordan, and came to Helam : which, according to Bunting F2 Travels, &c.; p. 140,141. , was twenty miles from Jerusalem. David seems to have gone himself in person to this war: and the Syrians set themselves in array against David, and fought with him ; they formed themselves... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 10:18

And the Syrians fled before Israel ,.... After an obstinate and bloody fight between them: and David slew the men of seven hundred chariots of the Syrians ; the word "men" is rightly supplied, for chariots could not be said to be slain, but the men in them; in 1 Chronicles 19:17 , they are said to be seven thousand, here seven hundred; which may be reconciled by observing, that here the chariots that held the men are numbered, there the number of the men that were in the chariots... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 10:19

And when all the kings that were servants to Hadarezer ,.... That were subject to him, and at his beck and command, at least were hired by him into his service: saw that they were smitten before Israel ; could not stand their ground against them, being too powerful for them: they made peace with Israel, and served them ; became tributaries to them, whereby the promise of the land of Canaan made to Abraham and his seed, as reaching to the river Euphrates, had its accomplishment, ... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Samuel 10:6

The children of Ammon saw that they stank - That is, that their conduct rendered them abominable. This is the Hebrew mode of expressing such a feeling. See Genesis 34:30 . The Syrians of Bethrehob - This place was situated at the extremity of the valley between Libanus and Anti-libanus. The Syrians of Zoba were subject to Hadadezer. Maacah was in the vicinity of Mount Hermon, beyond Jordan, in the Trachonitis. Ish-tob - This was probably the same with Tob, to... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Samuel 10:7

All the host of the mighty - All his worthies, and the flower of his army. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Samuel 10:8

At the entering in of the gate - This was the city of Medeba, as we learn from 1 Chronicles 19:7 . read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Samuel 10:9

Before and behind - It is probable that one of the armies was in the field, and the other in the city, when Joab arrived. When he fronted this army, the other appears to have issued from the city, and to have taken him in the rear; he was therefore obliged to divide his army as here mentioned; one part to face the Syrians commanded by himself, and the other to face the Ammonites commanded by his brother Abishai. read more

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