Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Samuel 8:5
And when the Syrians of Damascus came to succor Hadadezer king of Zobah, David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.
5. the Syrians of Damascus ] The kingdom of which Damascus was the capital was the most powerful branch of the Aramaeans or Syrians, and played an important part in the history of Israel. It did not long remain subject to them. In Solomon’s reign a certain Rezon established himself at Damascus, and proved a troublesome enemy (1Ki 11:23-25). Benhadad I. was bribed by Asa to break his league with Baasha and invade the Israelite territory (1Ki 15:18), and actually built a Syrian quarter in Samaria (1Ki 20:34). His son and successor Ben-hadad II. besieged Samaria (1Ki 20:1), but was defeated, and compelled to submit to Ahab (1Ki 20:34). But the defeat and death of Ahab at Ramoth-gilead again gave Syria the upper hand (1 Kings 22); and in the reign of Jehoram Samaria was once more besieged by them, and only saved by a miraculous interposition (2Ki 6:24 to 2Ki 7:20). The rising power of Assyria now began to threaten Syria, but in spite of the defeats he suffered from it, the usurper Hazael, succeeding in repulsing the combined forces of Judah and Israel at Ramoth-gilead (2Ki 8:28-29), ravaged the trans-Jordanic territory of Israel (2Ki 10:32-33), captured Gath, and threatened Jerusalem, which only escaped on payment of a heavy ransom (2Ki 12:17-18), and seriously reduced the power of the Northern Kingdom (2Ki 13:3-7). Joash, however, recovered the lost territory (2Ki 13:25), and Jeroboam II. extended his conquests to Damascus (2Ki 14:28). Three quarters of a century later Syria reappears as the ally of Israel against Judah. Rezin, king of Damascus, made a league with Pekah to depose Ahaz and set up a creature of their own in his stead (2Ki 16:5; Isa 7:1-9); but their attempt to take Jerusalem failed, and Ahaz persuaded Tiglath-pileser, king of Assyria, to attack Syria. Rezin was slain and Damascus destroyed (2Ki 16:7-9). Damascus now disappears from the O.T. history; but by the fourth century b. c. it had been rebuilt. and has maintained its prosperity down to the present day. It is situated in a fertile plain watered by the river Barada, which is probably the Abana of Scripture, to the E. of the great mountain chain of the Anti-Libanus, on the edge of the desert. Travellers describe it as “embosomed in a wide forest of fruit trees, intersected and surrounded by sparkling streams, in the midst of an earthly paradise.” This natural beauty and fertility, combined with its importance as a centre of trade, have secured the permanence of its prosperity for nearly 4,000 years. See Robinson’s Biblical Researches, III. 443 ff; Stanley’s Sinai and Palestine, p. 414 ff.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Syrians of Damascus – The Syrians (Aram), whose capital was Damascus, were the best known and most powerful. Damascus (written Darmesek in marginal references, according to the late Aramean orthography) is first mentioned in Gen 15:2. According to Nicolaus of Damascus, cited by Josephus, the Syrian kings name was Hadad.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
The Syrians of Damascus, i. e. who were subject to Damascus, the chief city of Syria.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
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 o; 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 the first king of Damascus, which he joined to the kingdom of Zobah, and all the kings of Damascus afterwards were called by the same name; though Josephus p, who also speaks of Adad being king of Damascus and of the Syrians, yet makes him different from this Hadadezer, to whose assistance he says he came:
David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men; that is, of the Syrians of Damascus.
o Apud Joseph. ib. (l. 7. c. 5.) sect. 2. p Ibid.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
After destroying the main force of Hadadezer, David turned against his ally, against Aram-Damascus, i.e., the Aramaeans, whose capital was Damascus. Dammesek (for which we have Darmesek in the Chronicles according to its Aramaean form), Damascus, a very ancient and still a very important city of Syria, standing upon the Chrysorrhoas ( Pharpar), which flows through the centre of it. It is situated in the midst of paradisaical scenery, on the eastern side of the Antilibanus, on the road which unites Western Asia with the interior. David smote 22,000 Syrians of Damascus, placed garrisons in the kingdom, and made it subject and tributary. are not governors of officers, but military posts, garrisons, as in 1Sa 10:5; 1Sa 13:3.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(5) Syrians of Damascus.So called from their capital, this being the most powerful branch of the Syrian race.
Two and twenty thousand men.Josephus (Ant. vii. 5, 2) quotes from the historian Nicolaus a mention of the defeat of Hadad at this place by David.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
5. Syrians of Damascus Damascus was the metropolis of the Syrian empire, (see note on Gen 15:2,) and confederate with Zobah. According to Josephus, the king of Syria who reigned at this time at Damascus was called Hadad.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
(5) And when the Syrians of Damascus came to succour Hadadezer king of Zobah, David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men. (6) Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus: and the Syrians became servants to David, and brought gifts. And the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went. (7) And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem. (8) And from Betah, and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, king David took exceeding much brass.
The victories of David in those instances, and the treasures of gold and brass, pleasing as they are in the account, are abundantly heightened in that principal circumstance here spoken of, that the Lord Jehovah preserved David whithersoever he went. Reader! what a sweet thought is it, to be always under the eye, upheld by the arm, directed by the hand, and beloved in the heart of our blessed and all powerful Jesus! And yet it is no more than what is really the case. Such honor have all his saints. For, if I am God’s property, I shall be God’s care. Surely if Jesus hath purchased me with his blood, it must imply, that from so dear a price, the object of his purchase must be dear to him also; and he will preserve it whithersoever it goeth.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
2Sa 8:5 And when the Syrians of Damascus came to succour Hadadezer king of Zobah, David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.
Ver. 5. And when the Syrians of Damascus came. ] Either by the command of Hadadezer, who had subdued them – compare 1Ki 11:23 – or else out of a pragmatical humour, to meddle where they had not to do. See Pro 26:17 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
men. Hebrew. ‘ish. App-14.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
And when: 1Ki 11:23-25, 1Ch 18:5, 1Ch 18:6, Isa 7:8
came: Job 9:13, Psa 83:4-8, Isa 8:9, Isa 8:10, Isa 31:3
Zobah: From 2Ch 8:3, we learn that Zobah was the district in which Tadmor or Palymyra was situated; and consequently lay between the land of Israel and the Euphrates. The capital was probably the same as the Sabe mentioned by Ptolemy as a city of Arabia Deserta.
Reciprocal: 2Sa 10:6 – Syrians of Bethrehob Eze 27:16 – Syria Rom 13:6 – attending
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Sa 8:5-6. The Syrians of Damascus That is, that were subject to Damascus, the chief city of Syria. Put garrisons in Syria of Damascus Hebrew, in Aram Damasek. This was that part of Syria which lay between Libanus and Antilibanus. The Syrians brought gifts By way of tribute, in token of their subjection. The Lord preserved David whithersoever he went Kept him from all the dangers to which he was exposed in these wars.