Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Samuel 10:15

And when the Syrians saw that they were smitten before Israel, they gathered themselves together.

Partly, to wipe out the stain of cowardice which they had now contracted; partly, to prevent that vengeance which they supposed David would execute upon them for their last attempt; and partly, to shake off the yoke that David had lately put upon them.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

And when the Syrians saw that they were smitten before Israel,…. Considered it in their minds, and conversed with one another about it, and fearing what would be the consequence of it:

they gathered themselves together; not only the forces got together again, that fled before Joab, but all the kings of Syria united their forces together, as appears from 2Sa 10:19; supposing that David would avenge himself on them for assisting the Ammonites against him; and therefore judged it advisable to raise a large army, that they might be in a condition to receive him.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

The Aramaeans, however, gathered together again after the first defeat, to continue the war; and Hadarezer, the most powerful of the Aramaean kings, sent messengers to Mesopotamia, and summoned it to war. It is very evident, not only from the words “he sent and brought out Aram, which was beyond the river,” but also from the fact that Shobach, Hadarezer’s general ( Shophach according to the Chronicles), was at the head of the Mesopotamian troops, that the Mesopotamian troops who were summoned to help were under the supreme ruler of Hadarezer. This is placed beyond all possible doubt by 2Sa 10:19, where the kings who had fought with Hadarezer against the Israelites are called his “servants,” or vassals. (2Sa 10:16) might be translated “and their army came;” but when we compare with this the of 2Sa 10:17, we are compelled to render it as a proper name (as in the Septuagint, Chaldee, Syriac, and Arabic) – “and they (the men from beyond the Euphrates) came (marched) to Helam” – and to take as a contracted form of . The situation of this place has not yet been discovered. Ewald supposes it to be connected with the Syrian town Alamatha upon the Euphrates (Ptol. Geogr. v. 15); but this is not to be thought of for a moment, if only because it cannot be supposed that the Aramaeans would fall back to the Euphrates, and wait for the Israelites to follow them thither before they gave them battle; and also on account of 2Sa 8:4 and 1Ch 18:3, from which it is evident that Helam is to be sought for somewhere in the neighbourhood of Hamath. For we find , “David came to them” (The Aramaeans), in the Chronicles: so that the author of the Chronicles has omitted the unknown place, unless indeed has been written by mistake for .

Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament

      15 And when the Syrians saw that they were smitten before Israel, they gathered themselves together.   16 And Hadarezer sent, and brought out the Syrians that were beyond the river: and they came to Helam; and Shobach the captain of the host of Hadarezer went before them.   17 And when it was told David, he gathered all Israel together, and passed over Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in array against David, and fought with him.   18 And the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew the men of seven hundred chariots of the Syrians, and forty thousand horsemen, and smote Shobach the captain of their host, who died there.   19 And when all the kings that were servants to Hadarezer saw that they were smitten before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served them. So the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any more.

      Here is, 1. A new attempt of the Syrians to recover their lost honour and to check the progress of David’s victorious arms. The forces that were lately dispersed rallied again, and gathered themselves together, v. 15. Even the baffled cause will make head as long as there is any life in it; the enemies of the Son of David do so, Mat 22:34; Rev 19:19. These, being conscious of their insufficiency, called in the aid of their allies and dependencies on the other side of the river (v. 16), and, being thus recruited, they hoped to make their part good against Israel, but they knew not the thoughts of the Lord, for he gathered them as sheaves into the floor; see Mic. iv. 11-13. 2. The defeat of this attempt by the vigilance and valour of David, who, upon notice of their design, resolved not to stay till they attacked him, but went in person at the head of his army over Jordan (v. 17), and, in a pitched battle, routed the Syrians (v. 18), slew 7000 men, who belonged to 700 chariots, and 40,000 other soldiers, horse and foot, as appears by comparing 1 Chron. xix. 18. Their general was killed in the battle, and David came home in triumph, no doubt. 3. The consequence of this victory over the Syrians. (1.) David gained several tributaries, v. 19. The kings, or petty princes, that had been subject to Hadarezer, when they saw how powerful David was, very wisely made peace with Israel, whom they found they could not make war with, and served them, since they were able to give them protection. Thus the promise made to Abraham (Gen. xv. 18), and repeated to Joshua (ch. i. 4), that the borders of Israel should extend to the river Euphrates, was performed, at length. (2.) The Ammonites lost their old allies: The Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon, not because they had an unrighteous cause (justifying a crime which was a breach of the law of nations), but because they found it was an unsuccessful cause. It is dangerous helping those that have God against them; for, when they fall, their helpers will fall with them.

      Jesus Christ, the Son of David, sent his ambassadors, his apostles and ministers, after all his servants the prophets, to the Jewish church and nation; but they treated them shamefully, as Hanun did David’s ambassadors, mocked them, abused them, slew them; and it was this that filled the measure of their iniquity, and brought upon them ruin without remedy (Mat 21:35; Mat 21:41; Mat 22:7; 2Ch 26:16); for Christ takes the affronts and injuries done to his ministers as done to himself and will avenge them accordingly.

Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary

Syrians Defeated, 2Sa 10:15-19 AND 1Ch 19:16-19

It was now the turn of the Syrians to be alarmed at the belligerancy they had evoked from Israel. They tried to amass sufficient forces for a successful resistance by hiring themselves mercenaries also. They solicited their fellow Aramaeans from across the Euphrates. The leading king of the Syrians was Hadar-ezer of Zobah. It was seen from the summary chapter studied previously (2Sa 8:3-8; 1Ch 18:3-8) how thoroughly these countries were defeated and the great store of spoil taken by David.

The Syrians did not, however, intend to be defeated. They had the very best military leadership available in Shobach (Shophach in Chronicles) at the head. David amassed the army of Israel, crossed the Jordan and headed northeastward to the attack. The army of the Syrians was thoroughly routed at a site called Helam This was north of Tob, about thirty-three straight-line miles east of the Sea of Chinneroth (or Galilee), fifty-five south of Damascus. Seven hundred of the dreadful chariots were destroyed, with their drivers, and forty thousand cavalry men and infantry were slain. Shobach, the vaunted captain himself, was killed in the battle, Syria sued for peace and subjected themselves to Israel. They were of no more help to the Ammonites, who were now left to face Israel alone.

Lessons to emphasize: 1) Friendship with the world will never accrue to the good of God’s people; 2) God’s people are always opposed on every side by the forces of Satan; 3) the victory can be assured always when the resoluteness stated by Joab is present; 4) like David’s enemies, the enemies of the Lord and His people will be utterly vanquished, and the meek shall inherit the earth (Mat 5:5)

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

The Final Defeat of the Syrians

v. 15. And when the Syrians saw that they were smitten before Israel, in the battle near Rabbah, they gathered themselves together, anxious to wipe out the disgrace of their defeat.

v. 16. And Hadarezer, the mightiest Syrian king, sent, and brought out the Syrians that were beyond the river, in Mesopotamia: and they came to Helam, in the neighborhood of Hamath: and Shobach, the captain of the host of Hadarezer, went before them.

v. 17. And when it was told David, he gathered all Israel together, all the men that were trained for warfare, and passed over Jordan, and came to Helam. The importance which David attached to this campaign is seen from the fact that he took command in person, for he had lost none of his military ability. And the Syrians set themselves in array against David and fought with him.

v. 18. And the Syrians fled before Israel, unable to withstand the fury of their attack; and David slew the men of seven hundred chariots of the Syrians, and forty thousand horsemen, and smote Shobach, the captain of their host, who died there, he was so severely wounded that he did not survive the battle.

v. 19. And when all the kings that were servants, vassals, to Hadarezer saw that they were smitten before Israel, they made peace with Israel and served them, became tributary to them together with their former lord. So the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any more. “Nothing is here said of the wars with Damascus and Edom, to which Joab turned in the south, while David was gaining his victories in the north, because the narrative is here occupied with the fortunes of Rabbah only because of their connection with those of Uriah. ” (Lange. ) Thus Jehovah crowns the work, the battle of those who trust in Him with His blessing and good fortune. The Ammonites experienced what many others have since found out, namely, that those who begin a war without cause will in the end have the greatest misfortune on account of their crime.

Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann

(15) And when the Syrians saw that they were smitten before Israel, they gathered themselves together. (16) And Hadarezer sent, and brought out the Syrians that were beyond the river: and they came to Helam; and Shobach the captain of the host of Hadarezer went before them. (17) And when it was told David, he gathered all Israel together, and passed over Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in array against David, and fought with him. (18) And the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew the men of seven hundred chariots of the Syrians, and forty thousand horsemen, and smote Shobach the captain of their host, who died there. (19) And when all the kings that were servants to Hadarezer saw that they were smitten before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served them. So the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon anymore.

Here is a second battle, and the issue of it the same. Yes! The nations of the earth may join and wage war against the Lord, and against his Anointed; but they must all submit, and bow down to the cross. Here was that remarkable promise to Abraham now fulfilled: Gen 15:18 , etc. And as this was all typical of the complete salvation by the Lord Jesus, we look forward with the most firm, unshaken assurance, that the hour will come, when the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever. Rev 11:15 . Amen. Even so, Lord Jesus.

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

2Sa 10:15 And when the Syrians saw that they were smitten before Israel, they gathered themselves together.

Ver. 15. They gathered themselves together. ] That they might be broken in pieces, Isa 8:9 as all Immanuel’s enemies must.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

am 2968, bc 1036, An, Ex, Is, 455

gathered: Psa 2:1, Isa 8:9, Isa 8:10, Mic 4:11, Mic 4:12, Zec 14:2, Zec 14:3, Rev 19:19-21

Reciprocal: 1Ki 11:23 – Hadadezer

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

2Sa 10:15-16. They gathered themselves together Fearing David would fall upon them for assisting his enemies, they resolved to be beforehand with him, and therefore levied a new army to invade his territories. And Hadarezer Who was king of Aram Zoba, in Mesopotamia; sent and brought out the Syrians that were beyond the river That is, beyond Euphrates, which was the bound of his territories eastward, 2Sa 8:3.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments