2 Chronicles 8:3

3. Hamath-zobah] The two kingdoms of Hamath and Zobah are distinguished from one another (1Ch_18:3; 1Ch_18:9 = 1Sa_8:3; 1Sa_8:9), Hamath apparently being north of Zobah. It is probable however that Hamath as the name of a city belonged to more than one place, and Hamath-Zobah may be a southern namesake of the well-known Hamath the great (Amo_6:2).

Though Solomon was a “man of rest” (1Ch_22:9) his reign was not wholly free from war (cp. 1Ki_11:14; 1Ki_11:13).

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.

2Ch 8:3 And Solomon went to Hamathzobah, and prevailed against it.

Ver. 3. And prevailed against it.] King James, when he first entered England at Berwick, himself gave fire to, and shot off a piece of ordinance, in which cannon he might seem to have discharged war out of England; so did Solomon out of Israel, by this one expedition.

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.

8:3 This verse is the only reference in Chronicles of Solomon’s military accomplishments; he was known as a man of peace (1 Chr 22:9). The kingdoms of David and Solomon extended to Hamath-zobah in the far north on the Orontes River. King Toi, the ruler of Hamath, sought David’s support against Hadadezer, king of Zobah (1 Chr 18:9-10). Hadadezer was also referred to as the king of Zobah-Hamath (1 Chr 18:3). Solomon conducted an expedition against this territory to maintain the stability of his kingdom’s northern border.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

And Solomon went to Hamath-zobah--Hamath was on the Orontes, in CÅ“le-Syria. Its king, Toi, had been the ally of David; but from the combination, Hamath and Zobah, it would appear that some revolution had taken place which led to the union of these two petty kingdoms of Syria into one. For what cause the resentment of Solomon was provoked against it, we are not informed, but he sent an armed force which reduced it. He made himself master also of Tadmor, the famous Palmyra in the same region. Various other cities along the frontiers of his extended dominions he repaired and fitted up, either to serve as store-places for the furtherance of his commercial enterprises, or to secure his kingdom from foreign invasion (see on Ch2 1:14; Kg1 9:15).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 3. Hamath-zobah] "Emessa, on the river Orontes." - Calmet.

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

(3) And Solomon went.—Marched (2Sa_12:29).

Hamath-zobah.—That is, Hamath bordering on Zobah. (Comp. 1Ch_18:3.) Solomon’s conquest of the kingdom of Hamath, which had been on terms of amity with David, is not mentioned in 1 Kings 9; nor indeed anywhere else in the Old Testament. Thenius (on 2Ki_14:25) supposes that the text describes not a conquest of Hamath itself, but only the annexation of part of its territory; viz., a part of the highly fruitful plain of Cœle-Syria, called by the Arabs Ard-el-Beqâa. This appears to be correct.

Against it.—Or, over it (a late construction, 2Ch_27:5; Dan_11:5).

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

And built Tadmor in the wilderness,.... Of which See Gill on Kg1 9:18.

and all the storehouses which he built in Hamath; a country in Syria, which he made himself master of, and where he laid up store of provision and ammunition to keep it, should any attempt be made to rescue it out of his hands. According to an Arabic writer (a), Solomon in the twenty fourth year of his reign having demolished Antioch, built seven cities, of which Tadmor was one.

(a) Abulpharag. Hist. Dynast. dyn. 3. p. 53.

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

Hamath-zobah - Usually identified with the “great Hamath” Amo 6:2; the capital of Coele-Syria; but probably a town of Zobah otherwise unknown, which revolted from Solomon, and was reduced to subjection.

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

Emath, or Emesa, on the Orontes. This city had belonged to Thou, who cultivated the friendship of David, 2 Kings viii. 9. But after the death of these princes, it had given some offence to Solomon, who took it, as well as Palmira, or Thadmor, though not perhaps in person.

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).

Hamath-zobah. Hamath (when the name occurs separately) was a place both of great geographical note (occupying, whether regarded as a larger region or a town, an important position in the northern end of that broad valley of Coele-Syria which separates Lebanon and Antilebanon, and through which passed the river Orontes) and of great historical note from the time of the Exodus to that of Amos. The town, or city, is to be understood to be the Great Hamath. (Amo_6:2) But the kingdom, or district, or county, was almost conterminous with Coele-Syria. Zobah, also a portion of Syria, amounted to a small kingdom, and is read of alike in Saul"s and in David"s times, as in Solomon"s time. It probably lay to the north-east of Hamath (1Sa_14:47; 2Sa_8:8, 2Sa_8:7, 2Sa_8:8, 10 10:9, 16, 19; 1Ch_18:4 1Ch_19:16) But Hamath-zobah of this verse was probably a place called Hamath, in the region of Zobah, in which also two other cities are mentioned, Berothai and Tibhath, or Betah (2Sa_8:8; 1Ch_18:8) These two kingdoms of Hamath and Zobah, contiguous as they were, seem as though they purposed to compliment one another Zobah by naming one of its towns Hamath, and vice versa It is said that the Assyrian inscriptions show that they remained, after Solomon, distinct kingdoms.

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

Solomon attacked Hamathzobah

Solomon represents his whole fighting army. AT: "Solomon's army attacked the town of Hamathzolbah" (See: Synecdoche and How to Translate Names)

He built Tadmor in the wilderness

Tadmor was a city north of Israel, in modern-day Syria. The author writes of Solomon commanding the people to build Tadmor as if Solomon himself built it. AT: "Solomon caused the town of Tadmor in the wilderness to be rebuilt" or "Solomon commanded, and the people built the town of Tadmor in the wilderness" (See: Synecdoche)

Tadmor

Tadmor was a city north of Israel, in modern-day Syria. (See: How to Translate Names)

store cities

"storage cities" or "supply cities." These are cities where the government stored food or supplies.

Hamath

Hamath was a region north of Israel, in modern-day Syria. (See: How to Translate Names)

translationWords

desert

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.