2 Kings 14:28

how he recovered Damascus We are told (2 Samuel 8:6) that garrisons were placed in Damascus by David, and that the Syrians became servants to David. Having been once in the possession of the Israelites, the reconquest by Jeroboam II. may be spoken of as a recovery. A sort of occupation of Damascus was also granted by Ben-hadad to Ahab (1 Kings 20:34), when the Israelite king was permitted to make streets for himself in the Syrian city.

and Hamath, which belonged [R.V. had belonged] to Judah We find (2 Samuel 8:9-11) that Toi the king of Hamath was one of David's tributaries, and from 1 Kings 4:21-24 it is clear that in Solomon's days Hamath was part of his possessions. In 2 Chronicles 8:4 we learn that Solomon built -store cities" in Hamath. The revolt of the ten tribes gave Hamath a chance of freedom again, of which the people probably availed themselves, and remained independent till the conquest by Jeroboam here spoken of. This event brought the city into the hand of Israel.