19 And when all the kings H4428 that were servants H5650 to Hadarezer H1928 saw H7200 that they were smitten H5062 before H6440 Israel, H3478 they made peace H7999 with Israel, H3478 and served H5647 them. So the Syrians H758 feared H3372 to help H3467 the children H1121 of Ammon H5983 any more.
Then David H1732 put H7760 garrisons H5333 in Syria H758 of Damascus: H1834 and the Syrians H758 became servants H5650 to David, H1732 and brought H5375 gifts. H4503 And the LORD H3068 preserved H3467 David H1732 whithersoever he went. H1980
And it came to pass in the days H3117 of Amraphel H569 king H4428 of Shinar, H8152 Arioch H746 king H4428 of Ellasar, H495 Chedorlaomer H3540 king H4428 of Elam, H5867 and Tidal H8413 king H4428 of nations; H1471 That these made H6213 war H4421 with H854 Bera H1298 king H4428 of Sodom, H5467 and with Birsha H1306 king H4428 of Gomorrah, H6017 Shinab H8134 king H4428 of Admah, H126 and Shemeber H8038 king H4428 of Zeboiim, H6636 and the king H4428 of Bela, H1106 which is H1931 Zoar. H6820 All these were joined together H2266 in the vale H6010 of Siddim, H7708 which H1931 is the salt H4417 sea. H3220 Twelve H6240 H8147 years H8141 they served H5647 H853 Chedorlaomer, H3540 and in the thirteenth H7969 H6240 year H8141 they rebelled. H4775 And in the fourteenth H6240 H702 year H8141 came H935 Chedorlaomer, H3540 and the kings H4428 that were with him, and smote H5221 the Rephaims H7497 in Ashteroth Karnaim, H6255 and the Zuzims H2104 in Ham, H1990 and the Emims H368 in Shaveh Kiriathaim, H7741
And Adonibezek H137 said, H559 Threescore and ten H7657 kings, H4428 having their thumbs H931 H3027 and their great toes H7272 cut off, H7112 gathered H3950 their meat under my table: H7979 as I have done, H6213 so God H430 hath requited H7999 me. And they brought H935 him to Jerusalem, H3389 and there he died. H4191
And Benhadad H1130 the king H4428 of Syria H758 gathered H6908 all his host H2428 together: H6908 and there were thirty H7970 and two H8147 kings H4428 with him, and horses, H5483 and chariots: H7393 and he went up H5927 and besieged H6696 Samaria, H8111 and warred H3898 against it.
And when the servants H5650 of Hadarezer H1928 saw H7200 that they were put to the worse H5062 before H6440 Israel, H3478 they made peace H7999 with David, H1732 and became his servants: H5647 neither would H14 the Syrians H758 help H3467 the children H1121 of Ammon H5983 any more.
I have pursued H7291 mine enemies, H341 and overtaken H5381 them: neither did I turn again H7725 till they were consumed. H3615 I have wounded H4272 them that they were not able H3201 to rise: H6965 they are fallen H5307 under my feet. H7272
Thou, H607 O king, H4430 art a king H4430 of kings: H4430 for the God H426 of heaven H8065 hath given H3052 thee a kingdom, H4437 power, H2632 and strength, H8632 and glory. H3367
Standing G2476 afar G3113 off G575 for G1223 the fear G5401 of her G846 torment, G929 saying, G3004 Alas, G3759 alas, G3759 that great G3173 city G4172 Babylon, G897 that mighty G2478 city! G4172 for G3754 in G1722 one G3391 hour G5610 is G2064 thy G4675 judgment G2920 come. G2064
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 2 Samuel 10
Commentary on 2 Samuel 10 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 10
2Sa 10:1-5. David's Messengers, Sent to Comfort Hanun, Are Disgracefully Treated.
2. Then said David, I will show kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness unto me—It is probable that this was the Nahash against whom Saul waged war at Jabesh-gilead (1Sa 11:11). David, on leaving Gath, where his life was exposed to danger, found an asylum with the king of Moab; and as Nahash, king of the Ammonites, was his nearest neighbor, it may be that during the feud between Saul and David, he, through enmity to the former, was kind and hospitable to David.
3. the princes of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun—Their suspicion was not warranted either by any overt act or by any cherished design of David: it must have originated in their knowledge of the denunciations of God's law against them (De 23:3-6), and of David's policy in steadfastly adhering to it.
4. Hanun took David's servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards—From the long flowing dress of the Hebrews and other Orientals, the curtailment of their garments must have given them an aspect of gross indelicacy and ludicrousness. Besides, a knowledge of the extraordinary respect and value which has always been attached, and the gross insult that is implied in any indignity offered, to the beard in the East, will account for the shame which the deputies felt, and the determined spirit of revenge which burst out in all Israel on learning the outrage. Two instances are related in the modern history of Persia, of similar insults by kings of haughty and imperious temper, involving the nation in war; and we need not, therefore, be surprised that David vowed revenge for this wanton and public outrage.
5. Tarry at Jericho—or in the neighborhood, after crossing the fords of the Jordan.
2Sa 10:6-14. The Ammonites Overcome.
6-14. when the children of Ammon saw that they stank before David—To chastise those insolent and inhospitable Ammonites, who had violated the common law of nations, David sent a large army under the command of Joab, while they, informed of the impending attack, made energetic preparations to repel it by engaging the services of an immense number of Syrian mercenaries.
Beth-rehob—the capital of the low-lying region between Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon.
Zoba—(see on 2Sa 8:3).
of king Maacah—His territories lay on the other side of Jordan, near Gilead (De 3:14).
Ish-tob—that is, "the men of Tob"—the place of Jephthah's marauding adventures (see also 1Ch 19:6; Ps 60:1, title). As the Israelite soldiers poured into the Ammonite territory, that people met them at the frontier town of Medeba (1Ch 19:7-9), the native troops covering the city, while the Syrian mercenaries lay at some distance encamped in the fields. In making the attack, Joab divided his forces into two separate detachments—the one of which, under the command of his brother, Abishai, was to concentrate its attack upon the city, while he himself marched against the overwhelming host of mercenary auxiliaries. It was a just and necessary war that had been forced on Israel, and they could hope for the blessing of God upon their arms. With great judgment the battle opened against the mercenaries, who could not stand against the furious onset of Joab, and not feeling the cause their own, consulted their safety by flight. The Ammonites, who had placed their chief dependence upon a foreign aid, then retreated to entrench themselves within the walls of the town.
14. So Joab returned and came to Jerusalem—Probably the season was too far advanced for entering on a siege.
2Sa 10:15-19. The Syrians Defeated.
16. Hadarezer sent and brought out the Syrians that were beyond the river—This prince had enjoyed a breathing time after his defeat (2Sa 8:3). But alarmed at the increasing power and greatness of David, as well as being an ally of the Ammonites, he levied a vast army not only in Syria, but in Mesopotamia, to invade the Hebrew kingdom. Shobach, his general, in pursuance of this design, had marched his troops as far as Kelam, a border town of eastern Manasseh, when David, crossing the Jordan by forced marches, suddenly surprised, defeated, and dispersed them. As a result of this great and decisive victory, all the petty kingdoms of Syria submitted and became his tributaries (see on 1Ch 19:1).