2 Samuel 8:3-8

Conquest of Zobah and Damascus

3. Hadadezer This name is written Hadarezerin ch. 2 Samuel 10:16-19, and in Chronicles, the letters d(ד) and r(ר) being easily confused in Hebrew. Hadadwas the name of the Syrian sun-god, and Hadadezerappears to be the true form, meaning "whose help is Hadad."

Zobah The exact position and limits of this kingdom are undetermined. It seems to have been north-east of Damascus and south of Hamath, between the Orontes and Euphrates. Saul waged wars with its "kings," who were probably independent chieftains (1 Samuel 14:47), but now it was consolidated under one ruler, and was a country of considerable wealth and power.

to recover his border The phrase cannot be thus rendered, but means probably either to renew his attack or to re-establish his power. The parallel passage in 1 Chronicles 18:3 has a different verb, meaning to set up his power. The subject of the sentence is Hadadezer, and the occasion referred to is probably that which is described more fully in ch. 2 Samuel 10:15-19. The Ammonites had hired the Syrians to help them against David, who defeated their combined forces. Hadadezer thereupon summoned the Syrians from beyond the Euphrates to his assistance, but was totally defeated.

at the river Euphrates Euphratesis not in the written text, but according to the Jewish tradition is to be read (see Introd. p. 15). But the addition is unnecessary. "The River" by itself was understood to mean the Euphrates. Cp. ch. 2 Samuel 10:16; Psalms 72:8.