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
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