2 Samuel 8:3-14

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

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Samuel 8:9-14

Here is, 1. The court made to David by the king of Hamath, who, it seems was at this time at war with the king of Zobah. He hearing of David's success against his enemy, sent his own son ambassador to him (2 Sam. 8:9, 10), to congratulate him on his victory, to return him thanks for the favour he had done him in breaking the power of one he was in fear of, and to beg his friendship. Thus he not only secured but strengthened himself. And David lost nothing by taking this little prince under his... 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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 8:9

When Toi king of Hamath ,.... Which was another small kingdom in Syria, perhaps lately erected to defend themselves against Hadadezer, and this the first king of it, at least the first we hear of; his name is Tou in 1 Chronicles 18:9 ; where in the Targum he is called king of Antioch. Hamath lay to the north of the land of Canaan; See Gill on Numbers 34:8 , it is said F20 Cartwright's Preacher's Travels, p. 6. to be three days' journey from Tripoli, and that it stands in the midway... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 8:10

Then Toi sent Joram his son unto King David ,.... Who is called Hadoram in 1 Chronicles 18:10 ; though the Syriac and Arabic versions read Joram there: to salute him : to inquire of his welfare after his fatigue in the battles he had had with the Moabites and Syrians, and to wish him all happiness and prosperity for the future: and to bless him ; to congratulate him on his victory, and to wish him success in all after wars he might be engaged in; and particularly to give him thanks... read more

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