1 Kings 11:24

1Ki 11:24 And he gathered men unto him, and became captain over a band, when David slew them [of Zobah]: and they went to Damascus, and dwelt therein, and reigned in Damascus.

Ver. 24. He gathered men unto him.] He rallied his master’s scattered forces, and therewith, after a while, he thrust out David’s garrison, and reigned in Damascus.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

To wit, the men whom he had gathered unto him.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 24. And reigned in Damascus.] Rezon was one of the captains of Hadadezer, whom David defeated. It seems that at this time Rezon escaped with his men; and; having lived, as is supposed, some time by plunder, he seized on Damascus, and reigned there till David took Damascus, when he subdued Syria, and drove out Rezon. But after Solomon's defection from God, Rezon, finding that God had departed from Israel, recovered Damascus; and joining with Hadad, harassed Solomon during the remaining part of his reign. But some think that Hadad and Rezon were the same person.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(24) When David slew them of Zobah.—The account of this war is found in 2Sa_8:1-13. The kingdom of Zobah was evidently a powerful state at that time, at war with the Syrian kingdom of Hamath, but holding supremacy over the Syrians of Damascus, and the “Syrians beyond the river” Euphrates; and (as the record shows) accumulating vast treasures of gold, silver, and brass. The establishment of Rezon (and Hadad?) at Damascus must have taken place later; for at the time we find that David “put governors in Damascus,” and reduced its inhabitants to a tributary condition. Possibly there may have been some rising early in the reign of Solomon; for in 2Ch_8:3, we find that Solomon had to “go up against Hamath-zobah,” with which expedition the foundation of Tadmor seems to be connected. But it is probable that the establishment of an independent power in Damaseus dated only from the later days of Solomon.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

24. and he gathered men unto him] The LXX. (Alex.) says ‘men were gathered unto him.’ This only indicates different vowel points to the same consonants. But the difference in the sense would point to Rezon as one whom his countrymen regarded as a leader.

and became captain over a band] (R.V. troop). The word is mostly used of martial gatherings, and organized forces, and this is the sense here. Rezon gathered, and trained his followers till they were able to dislodge the troops of Israel and establish themselves in Damascus.

when David slew them of Zobah] The two last words are necessary to complete the sense. It is clear that others beside Rezon fled away. It may have been that Hadadezer was an unpopular king. Out of the fugitives Rezon formed for himself a troop, and awaiting his time, came back and assumed the sovereignty.

and they went to Damascus] i.e. When an opportunity came about of entering into a city, they left what must before have been a wandering life of guerilla-warfare, and settled within walls.

and dwelt therein] Making a permanent settlement, and may have continued some time before Rezon was made king.

and reigned in Damascus] If this verb be correct, the sense is that this band of warriors seized the city, and made themselves in a body lords of the place and its people. But a very slight variation of the text would give the sense ‘they made them a king in D.’ which, of course, the narrative shews to have been Rezon. The Syriac has ‘and Rezon reigned in D.,’ while the Vulgate gives ‘and they made him king in D.’

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And he was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon,.... Not all the days of his life, see Kg1 5:4, but all his days, from his first going into idolatry, to the end of his life:

beside the mischief that Hadad did; and which, whatever it was, was not done till this time; for either, when he got leave from Pharaoh to go into his country, he lay hid there, waiting an opportunity to seize upon it; or by means of Pharaoh he got himself to be king of it, through the permission of Solomon, paying a tribute to him; but when Solomon was grown old, he revolted and refused to pay it, and rebelled against him, and gave him much trouble:

and he abhorred Israel, and reigned over Syria; not Hadad, but Rezon; he had an aversion to them, was a thorn in their side, and gave them much trouble, as well as had them in contempt, and bid them defiance, having made himself not only master of Damascus, but of all Syria.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

And (they) reigned - A very slight emendation gives the sense, “they made him king at Damascus.”

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Robbers, or (Hebrew and Septuagint) "a band" with whom he made depredations. (Haydock) --- Damascus, with David’s consent, on their admitting a garrison, (2 Kings viii. 6,) and consenting to pay tribute; (Menochius) or Razon might make himself master of this place, only after the apostacy of Solomon. His successors became very formidable to the Jews, particularly Razin, (4 Kings xv., and xvi.) who was slain by Theglathphalassar, 4 Kings v. 9. (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Over a band, to wit, of soldiers, who fled and dispersed themselves upon that defeat, 2Sa 10, and others who readily joined themselves with them, and lived by robbery, as many Arabians did.

They went to Damascus, when they were increased in number and strength, and took it, whilst Solomon was wallowing in luxury, and grown effeminate.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

24. He gathered men — Partly, perhaps, from among the fugitives that escaped the slaughter of David, and partly from disaffected portions of the kingdom.

Went to Damascus — This was probably towards the close of David’s life, when the garrisons which were put in that section had become thinned or called away, and there was nothing at Damascus to raise any considerable opposition to Rezon and his band, and so he dwelt and reigned there.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And he gathered men unto him and became captain over a band either of rebels before or of fugitives after the defeat, when David slew them of Zobah Of Zobah, not in Hebrews "Them" must mean the Syrian army: and they went to Damascus, and dwelt therein As David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus, (2Sa_8:6) this must have been some time after the defeat of the Syrians. But Keil argues that it cannot have been in the middle or later part of Solomon"s reign, inasmuch as Solomon must have been lord of Damascus, or he could not have built Palmyra. But it is not so incontrovertibly settled that Solomon did build Palmyra (see on 1Ki_9:18) as to make this argument of much weight. And even if it were, we might still fix the reign of Rezon at an earlier period of Solomon"s sway. See below, and reigned. i.e., the band or troop of Rezon, either in the confusion of the defeat, or in some subsequent time of anarchy, took possession of Damascus, and he, it would seem, usurped the crown. The word "reigned," however (plural), is somewhat remarkable. It may perhaps be accounted for by the plurals which precede it. The insertion of one "yod" (wkylmyw for wklmyw) gives the sense they made him king," which would certainly be preferable, if the emendation were not purely conjectural.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

A band - Of soldiers, who fled upon that defeat, 2 Sam. x, 18, and others who readily joined them, and lived by robbery; as many Arabians did. Damascus - And took it, whilst Solomon was wallowing in luxury.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.