2 Samuel 10:15

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, Sa2 10:15. 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, Matt, Sa2 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 (Sa2 10:16), 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 4:11-13. 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 (Sa2 10:17), and, in a pitched battle, routed the Syrians (Sa2 10:18), slew 7000 men, who belonged to 700 chariots, and 40,000 other soldiers, horse and foot, as appears by comparing Ch1 19:18. 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, Sa2 10:19. 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 15:18), and repeated to Joshua (Jos 1:4), 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; compare Ch2 26:16); for Christ takes the affronts and injuries done to his ministers as done to himself and will avenge them accordingly.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

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.

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.

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.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

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 Sa2 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.

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

Together, expecting that David would punish them farther. (Menochius)

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).

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.

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

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 Sa2 10:19, where the kings who had fought with Hadarezer against the Israelites are called his "servants," or vassals. חילם ויּבאוּ (Sa2 10:16) might be translated "and their army came;" but when we compare with this the חלאמה ויּבא of Sa2 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 חילם as a contracted form of חלאם. 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 Sa2 8:4 and Ch1 18:3, from which it is evident that Helam is to be sought for somewhere in the neighbourhood of Hamath. For חלאמה ויּבא we find אליהם ויּבא, "David came to them" (The Aramaeans), in the Chronicles: so that the author of the Chronicles has omitted the unknown place, unless indeed אליהם has been written by mistake for חלאם.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

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.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

When the Arameans saw that they were being defeated by Israel

This can be stated in active form. AT: "when the Arameans realized that the Israelites were defeating them" (See: Active or Passive)

Hadarezer ... Shobak

These are the names of men. (See: How to Translate Names)

from beyond the Euphrates River

This means the east side of the Euphrates River.

They came to Helam

Here "came to" can be translated as "went to" or "gathered at" (See: Go and Come)

Helam

This is the name of a place. (See: How to Translate Names)

translationWords

Aram

Israel

Euphrates River

commander

head

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