Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Samuel 10:19
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.
19. the kings that were servants to Hadarezer ] His vassals and tributaries transferred their allegiance to David. According to ch. 2Sa 8:6 (assuming it to refer to the same war), the kingdom of Damascus was completely subjugated and secured by military stations. Both there and here it is implied that Hadadezer himself still maintained his independence in Zobah.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Servants to Hadarezer – This gives us an idea of the great power of Hadarezer, and consequently of the strength of Israel in Davids victorious reign.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 19. Made peace with Israel] They made this peace separately, and were obliged to pay tribute to the Israelites. Some copies of the Vulgate add here after the word Israel, Expaverunt et fugerunt quinquaginta et octo millia coram Israel; “and they were panic-struck, and fled fifty-eight thousand of them before Israel.” This reading is nowhere else to be found. “Thus,” observes Dr. Delaney, “the arms of David were blessed; and God accomplished the promises which he had made to Abraham, Ge 15:18, and renewed to Joshua, Jos 1:2; Jos 1:4.” And thus, in the space of nineteen or twenty years, David had the good fortune to finish gloriously eight wars, all righteously undertaken, and all honourably terminated; viz.
1. The civil war with Ish-bosheth.
2. The war against the Jebusites.
3. The war against the Philistines and their allies.
4. The war against the Philistines alone.
5. The war against the Moabites.
6. The war against Hadadezer.
7. The war against the Idumeans.
8. The war against the Ammonites and Syrians.
This last victory was soon followed by the complete conquest of the kingdom of the Ammonites, abandoned by their allies. What glory to the monarch of Israel, had not the splendour of this illustrious epoch been obscured by a complication of crimes, of which one could never have even suspected him capable!
WE have now done with the first part of this book, in which we find David great, glorious, and pious: we come to the second part, in which we shall have the pain to observe him fallen from God, and his horn defiled in the dust by crimes of the most flagitious nature. Let him that most assuredly standeth take heed lest he fall.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The kings that were servants to Hadarezer, to wit, for that time, or in that expedition to which he hired them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And when all the kings [that were] servants to Hadarezer,…. That were subject to him, and at his beck and command, at least were hired by him into his service:
saw that they were smitten before Israel; could not stand their ground against them, being too powerful for them;
they made peace with Israel, and served them; became tributaries to them, whereby the promise of the land of Canaan made to Abraham and his seed, as reaching to the river Euphrates, had its accomplishment, Ge 15:18;
so the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any more; who standing by themselves, they were soon and easily conquered by David’s forces, as recorded in the following chapters.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
“And when all the kings, the vassals of Hadarezer, saw that they were smitten before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and became subject to them; and Aram was afraid to render any further help to the Ammonites.” It might appear from the first half of this verse, that it was only the vassals of Hadarezer who made peace with Israel, and became subject to it, and that Hadarezer himself did not. But the last clause, “and the Aramaeans were afraid,” etc., shows very clearly that Hadarezer also made peace with the Israelites, and submitted to their rule; so that the expression in the first half of the verse is not a very exact one.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(19) Servants to Hadarezer.The vassal kings, who had been tributary to Hadarezer, now transferred their allegiance to David; but it is not said that Hadarezer himself became a tributary, though it is plain from 2Sa. 8:3-7, that he was greatly weakened and suffered the loss of large booty. From 1Ki. 11:23-24, it is plain that an escaped dependent of Hadarezer maintained himself in the territory of Damascus as an enemy of Israel; it is also stated in 1Ki. 4:21, that Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the Euphrates to the border of Egypt. It is therefore probable that Hadarezer also acknowledged the suzerainty of David and Solomon.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
19. They made peace The kings or chieftains under Hadarezer made peace. It seems that Hadarezer himself was not present at this war, so that in this treaty with Israel his officers acted for him.
The Syrians feared to help Ammon any more They had now suffered two disastrous defeats in attempting to help the Ammonites, the first in the field before Medeba, (2Sa 10:8; comp. 1 Chronicles 19,) and the second at Helam. But, as we have argued in the notes on 2Sa 10:6, and 2Sa 8:3, there was yet another engagement subsequent to these, but probably intimately connected with them, and not long after. Hadarezer went to recover his border along the Euphrates, and this act was too much like violation of the peace David had just made with his subject-kings, and hence the war with Hadarezer, the interference of the Syrians of Damascus, and the consequent subjection of all Syria to the kingdom of Israel, recorded in chapter 8.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
2Sa 10:19. When all the kings, &c. Thus the arms of David were blessed, and God accomplished the promises which he had made to Abraham, and renewed to Joshua. Gen 15:18. Jos 2:4. Thus, in the space of nineteen or twenty years, David was enabled to finish gloriously eight wars, all righteously undertaken, and all honourably terminated: namely, 1. The civil war with Ish-bosheth; 2. The war against the Jebusites; 3. Against the Philistines and their allies; 4. Against the Philistines alone; 5. Against the Moabites; 6. Against Hadadezer; 7. Against the Idumeans; 8. Against the Ammonites and Syrians. We shall soon see this last entirely completed by the conquest of the kingdom of the Ammonites, abandoned by their allies. What glory for the monarch of Israel, had not the splendor of this illustrious epocha been obscured by a complication of crimes, of which one could never have suspected him to be capable!
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
REFLECTIONS
READER! What a correspondence do we find, in all ages, in the circumstances of the people of God. The Lord said at the fall, that he would put enmity between the seed of the woman, and the seed of the serpent; and how evidently do the effects of it appear. In civil, as well as in religious life, what false constructions are frequently put upon the best intentioned actions. And what unjust, and base foundations do men of the world sometimes make, like the children of Ammon against David, to cover over their hatred to the people of God.
But principally, against thy gospel, blessed Jesus! how do the minds of all the carnal unite to treat thy gracious offers with contempt, and to abuse thy precious salvation. Is it because thy offers are of no value; or because men need them not? Alas! What but the most consummate blindness, can suggest the one; or the most horrid deception of the mind, could give rise to the other. But oh! thou blessed Redeemer, whether men will hear, or whether they will forbear, do thou graciously hold forth the sceptre of mercy to my soul! Break down all the strong holds of Satan; give me to see, to feel, to embrace, to rejoice in the fulness, preciousness, and everlasting value of thy rich, free, and finished redemption. And in all the gracious offers thou art making, of peace and friendship (as David did to the king of Ammon) to the souls of poor, ruined, and undone sinners; oh! Lord, accompany thine offers with thy saving power, and make them willing to be saved in thine own way and purpose. This, Lord, I know will be the case of all whom the Father hath given unto thee, and whose salvation thou hast purchased with thy blood and righteousness; but, blessed Jesus! cut short this work in righteousness: Make haste, my Beloved, and be thou as the roe, or the young hart upon the mountains of Bether.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
2Sa 10:19 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.
Ver. 19. So the Syrians feared. ] And perhaps engaged to fight no more in haste against Israel, as the beaten Parthians swore that they would fight no more against the Romans for ever. Vexatio dat intellectum.
servants: Gen 14:1-5, Jos 11:10, Jdg 1:7, 1Ki 20:1, Dan 2:37
feared: 2Sa 8:6, 1Ch 19:19, Psa 18:37, Psa 18:38, Psa 48:4, Psa 48:5, Isa 26:11, Rev 18:10
Reciprocal: Psa 119:67 – Before
2Sa 10:19. The kings that were servants to Hadarezer He being the most powerful prince in those parts, it appears there were several petty kings that were subject to him. They made peace with Israel, and served them As it is likely Hadarezer himself also did: whereby God fulfilled his promise to Abraham, (which was renewed to Joshua,) of enlarging the dominion of his posterity as far as Euphrates. See Gen 15:18; Jos 1:2-4. Wonderful to reflect on! kingdoms and vast tracts of country, which were promised by God, ages before, to the posterity of a man who had not one foot of property in them, we see here all falling, with a very particular exactness, under the dominion of one of the posterity of him to whom they had been promised! So faithful is God, and all his purposes will be fulfilled! Thus, in the space of nineteen or twenty years, David had the happiness of finishing gloriously eight wars, all righteously undertaken, and all honourably terminated; namely, 1st, The civil war with Ish-bosheth: 2d, The war against the Jebusites: 3d, Against the Philistines and their allies: 4th, Against the Philistines alone: 5th, Against the Moabites: 6th, Against Hadadezer: 7th, Against the Idumeans: 8th, Against the Ammonites and Syrians. We shall soon see this last entirely completed, by the conquest of the kingdom of the Ammonites, abandoned by their allies. What glory for the monarch of Israel, had not the splendour of this illustrious epocha been obscured by a complication of crimes, of which one could never have even suspected him! See Delaney.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments