7 And when David H1732 heard H8085 of it, he sent H7971 Joab, H3097 and all the host H6635 of the mighty men. H1368
These be the names H8034 of the mighty men H1368 whom David H1732 had: The Tachmonite H8461 that sat H3427 in the seat, H7675 H3429 chief H7218 among the captains; H7991 the same was Adino H5722 the Eznite: H6112 he lift up his spear against eight H8083 hundred, H3967 whom he slew H2491 at one H259 time. H6471 And after H310 him was Eleazar H499 the son H1121 of Dodo H1734 the Ahohite, H266 one of the three H7969 mighty men H1368 with David, H1732 when they defied H2778 the Philistines H6430 that were there gathered together H622 to battle, H4421 and the men H376 of Israel H3478 were gone away: H5927 He arose, H6965 and smote H5221 the Philistines H6430 until H3588 his hand H3027 was weary, H3021 and his hand H3027 clave H1692 unto the sword: H2719 and the LORD H3068 wrought H6213 a great H1419 victory H8668 that day; H3117 and the people H5971 returned H7725 after H310 him only to spoil. H6584 And after H310 him was Shammah H8048 the son H1121 of Agee H89 the Hararite. H2043 And the Philistines H6430 were gathered together H622 into a troop, H2416 where was a piece H2513 of ground H7704 full H4392 of lentiles: H5742 and the people H5971 fled H5127 from H6440 the Philistines. H6430 But he stood H3320 in the midst H8432 of the ground, H2513 and defended H5337 it, and slew H5221 the Philistines: H6430 and the LORD H3068 wrought H6213 a great H1419 victory. H8668 And three H7969 H7970 of the thirty H7970 chief H7218 went down, H3381 and came H935 to David H1732 in the harvest time H7105 unto the cave H4631 of Adullam: H5725 and the troop H2416 of the Philistines H6430 pitched H2583 in the valley H6010 of Rephaim. H7497 And David H1732 was then in an hold, H4686 and the garrison H4673 of the Philistines H6430 was then in Bethlehem. H1035 And David H1732 longed, H183 and said, H559 Oh that one would give me drink H8248 of the water H4325 of the well H953 of Bethlehem, H1035 which is by the gate! H8179 And the three H7969 mighty men H1368 brake through H1234 the host H4264 of the Philistines, H6430 and drew H7579 water H4325 out of the well H953 of Bethlehem, H1035 that was by the gate, H8179 and took H5375 it, and brought H935 it to David: H1732 nevertheless he would H14 not drink H8354 thereof, but poured it out H5258 unto the LORD. H3068 And he said, H559 Be it far H2486 from me, O LORD, H3068 that I should do H6213 this: is not this the blood H1818 of the men H582 that went H1980 in jeopardy of their lives? H5315 therefore he would H14 not drink H8354 it. These things did H6213 these three H7969 mighty men. H1368 And Abishai, H52 the brother H251 of Joab, H3097 the son H1121 of Zeruiah, H6870 was chief H7218 among three. H7992 And he lifted up H5782 his spear H2595 against three H7969 hundred, H3967 and slew H2491 them, and had the name H8034 among three. H7969 Was he not most honourable H3513 of three? H7969 therefore he was their captain: H8269 howbeit he attained H935 not unto the first three. H7969 And Benaiah H1141 the son H1121 of Jehoiada, H3077 the son H1121 of a valiant H2428 man, H376 H381 of Kabzeel, H6909 who had done many H7227 acts, H6467 he slew H5221 two H8147 lionlike men H739 of Moab: H4124 he went down H3381 also and slew H5221 a lion H738 in the midst H8432 of a pit H953 in time H3117 of snow: H7950 And he slew H2026 an Egyptian, H4713 a goodly H4758 man: H376 and the Egyptian H4713 had a spear H2595 in his hand; H3027 but he went down H3381 to him with a staff, H7626 and plucked H1497 the spear H2595 out of the Egyptian's H4713 hand, H3027 and slew H5221 him with his own spear. H2595 These things did H6213 Benaiah H1141 the son H1121 of Jehoiada, H3077 and had the name H8034 among three H7969 mighty men. H1368 He was more honourable H3513 than the thirty, H7970 but he attained H935 not to the first three. H7969 And David H1732 set H7760 him over his guard. H4928 Asahel H6214 the brother H251 of Joab H3097 was one of the thirty; H7970 Elhanan H445 the son H1121 of Dodo H1734 of Bethlehem, H1035 Shammah H8048 the Harodite, H2733 Elika H470 the Harodite, H2733 Helez H2503 the Paltite, H6407 Ira H5896 the son H1121 of Ikkesh H6142 the Tekoite, H8621 Abiezer H44 the Anethothite, H6069 Mebunnai H4012 the Hushathite, H2843 Zalmon H6756 the Ahohite, H266 Maharai H4121 the Netophathite, H5200 Heleb H2460 the son H1121 of Baanah, H1196 a Netophathite, H5200 Ittai H863 the son H1121 of Ribai H7380 out of Gibeah H1390 of the children H1121 of Benjamin, H1144 Benaiah H1141 the Pirathonite, H6553 Hiddai H1914 of the brooks H5158 of Gaash, H1608 Abialbon H45 the Arbathite, H6164 Azmaveth H5820 the Barhumite, H1273 Eliahba H455 the Shaalbonite, H8170 of the sons H1121 of Jashen, H3464 Jonathan, H3083 Shammah H8048 the Hararite, H2043 Ahiam H279 the son H1121 of Sharar H8325 the Hararite, H2043 Eliphelet H467 the son H1121 of Ahasbai, H308 the son H1121 of the Maachathite, H4602 Eliam H463 the son H1121 of Ahithophel H302 the Gilonite, H1526 Hezrai H2695 the Carmelite, H3761 Paarai H6474 the Arbite, H701 Igal H3008 the son H1121 of Nathan H5416 of Zobah, H6678 Bani H1137 the Gadite, H1425 Zelek H6768 the Ammonite, H5984 Naharai H5171 the Beerothite, H886 armourbearer H5375 H3627 to Joab H3097 the son H1121 of Zeruiah, H6870 Ira H5896 an Ithrite, H3505 Gareb H1619 an Ithrite, H3505 Uriah H223 the Hittite: H2850 thirty H7970 and seven H7651 in all.
And when David H1732 heard H8085 of it, he sent H7971 Joab, H3097 and all the host H6635 of the mighty men. H1368 And the children H1121 of Ammon H5983 came out, H3318 and put the battle H4421 in array H6186 before the gate H6607 of the city: H5892 and the kings H4428 that were come H935 were by themselves in the field. H7704 Now when Joab H3097 saw H7200 that the battle H4421 was set against him before H6440 and behind, H268 he chose out H977 of all the choice H977 of Israel, H3478 and put them in array H6186 against H7125 the Syrians. H758 And the rest H3499 of the people H5971 he delivered H5414 unto the hand H3027 of Abishai H52 his brother, H251 and they set themselves in array H6186 against H7125 the children H1121 of Ammon. H5983 And he said, H559 If the Syrians H758 be too strong H2388 for me, then thou shalt help H8668 me: but if the children H1121 of Ammon H5983 be too strong H2388 for thee, then I will help H3467 thee. Be of good courage, H2388 and let us behave ourselves valiantly H2388 for our people, H5971 and for the cities H5892 of our God: H430 and let the LORD H3068 do H6213 that which is good H2896 in his sight. H5869 So Joab H3097 and the people H5971 that were with him drew nigh H5066 before H6440 the Syrians H758 unto the battle; H4421 and they fled H5127 before H6440 him. And when the children H1121 of Ammon H5983 saw H7200 that the Syrians H758 were fled, H5127 they likewise fled H5127 before H6440 Abishai H52 his brother, H251 and entered H935 into the city. H5892 Then Joab H3097 came H935 to Jerusalem. H3389 And when the Syrians H758 saw H7200 that they were put to the worse H5062 before H6440 Israel, H3478 they sent H7971 messengers, H4397 and drew forth H3318 the Syrians H758 that were beyond H5676 the river: H5104 and Shophach H7780 the captain H8269 of the host H6635 of Hadarezer H1928 went before H6440 them. And it was told H5046 David; H1732 and he gathered H622 all Israel, H3478 and passed over H5674 Jordan, H3383 and came H935 upon them, and set the battle in array H6186 against them. So when David H1732 had put the battle H4421 in array H6186 against H7125 the Syrians, H758 they fought H3898 with him. But the Syrians H758 fled H5127 before H6440 Israel; H3478 and David H1732 slew H2026 of the Syrians H758 seven H7651 thousand H505 men which fought in chariots, H7393 and forty H705 thousand H505 footmen, H376 H7273 and killed H4191 Shophach H7780 the captain H8269 of the host. H6635 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.
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).