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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Samuel 8:1-8

God had given David rest from all his enemies that opposed him and made head against him; and he having made a good use of that rest, has now commission given him to make war upon them, and to act offensively for the avenging of Israel's quarrels and the recovery of their rights; for as yet they were not in full possession of that country to which by the promise of God they were entitled. I. He quite subdued the Philistines, 2 Sam. 8:1. They had attacked him when they thought him weak (2 Sam.... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 8:1

And after this it came to pass ,.... After David had rest from his enemies for a time, and after the conversation he had had with Nathan about building the house of God, and after the message sent to him from the Lord by that prophet, forbidding him to build, and David's prayer to the Lord upon it, the following events happened; and which are recorded to show that David's rest from his enemies did not last long, and that he had other work to do than to build the house of God: that David... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 8:2

And he smote Moab ,.... He next went against that, and invaded it, the people of it being always troublesome and distressing to the children of Israel; and though the king of it had shown some favour to David, yet it was when he considered him as an enemy to Saul, and Saul to him; but things having taken a different turn, his and his people's enmity against David and his people appeared; wherefore he went and fought them, and made them his subjects, whereby was fulfilled the prophecy of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 8:3

And David also smote Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah ,.... Called sometimes Aramzobah, and was a part of Syria, as its name shows. Benjamin, of Tudela F8 Itinerar. p. 59. takes it to be the same with Haleb or Aleppo; Josephus F9 Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 7. c. 5. sect. 1.) calls it Sophene; but that is placed by Ptolemy F11 Geograph. l. 5. c. 13. beyond the Euphrates; whereas this country must be between that river and the land of Israel, and was contiguous to it, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 8:4

And David took from him a thousand chariots , and seven hundred horsemen ,.... "Chariots" are not in the text here, it is only 1700 "horsemen"; but it is supplied from 1 Chronicles 18:4 ; where the word is expressly mentioned, and there the horsemen are said to be seven thousand as in the Septuagint version here, and in Josephus F13 Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 7. c. 5. sect. 1.) ; which may be reconciled by observing, with Kimchi and Abarbinel, that here the chief officers are meant,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 8:5

And when the Syrians of Damascus came to succour Hadadezer king of Zobah ,.... These seem to have had no king at this time, or, if they had, Hadadezer was their king, which is not improbable; and Nicholas of Damascus F15 Apud Joseph. ib. (l. 7. c. 5.) sect. 2. ; an Heathen writer, is clear for it, whom he calls Adad, who, he says, reigned over Damascus, and the other Syria without Phoenicia, who made war with David king of Judea, and was routed by him at Euphrates: and he seems to be... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 8:6

Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus ,.... Which was Coele-Syria, and lay between Libanus and Antilibanus, the chief city of which was Damascus; which Curtius F17 Hist. l. 3. c. 8. calls Damascus of Syria, being the head of it, Isaiah 7:8 ; in the principal places of which he put garrisons of soldiers to keep the country in subjection to him; or he put commanders or governors, as the Targum, in the, chief cities, and so Ben Gersom and R. Isaiah interpret it: and the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 8:7

And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer ,.... That were found with them, which they had in their hands; these must be supposed to be with the principal officers of his army; or golden chains, as Aquila, or golden bracelets on their arms, as the Septuagint; the Syriac version is "quivers of gold", such as they put arrows into, and so Jarchi and R. Isaiah understand it of such, and refer to Jeremiah 51:11 ; and so Josephus F18 Ut supra, (Antiqu. l. 7. c.... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 8:8

And from Betah, and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer ,.... Which, in 1 Chronicles 18:8 , are called Tibhath and Chun, they having different names; or their names might be changed upon this conquest of them, and the one might be the names they went by with the Syrians, and the other the Israelites called them by; the latter is the same with Berothah in Ezekiel 47:16 ; and the Barathena of Ptolemy F19 Geograph. l. 5. c. 19. , placed by him near Mesopotamia; in the Arabic version of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Samuel 8:1

David took Metheg-ammah - This is variously translated. The Vulgate has, Tulit David fraenum tributi , David removed the bondage of the tribute, which the Israelites paid to the Philistines. Some think it means a fortress, city, or strong town; but no such place as Metheg-ammah is known. Probably the Vulgate is nearest the truth. The versions are all different. See the following comparison of the principal passages here collated with the parallel place in 1 Chr: - 2 Samuel 1... read more

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