2 Samuel 10:13

13 So Yo'av and the people who were with him drew near to the battle against the Aram: and they fled before him.

2 Samuel 10:13 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 10:13

And Joab drew nigh, and the people that were with him, unto
the battle against the Syrians
Fell upon them; attacked them first, began the battle with them; rightly judging, that if they, being hired soldiers, were closely pressed, they would give way, which would discourage the Ammonites, who depended much upon them; and the fight, according to Josephus ^F24, lasted some little time, who says, that Joab killed many of them, and obliged the rest to turn their backs and flee, as follows:

and they fled before him:
the Syriac and Arabic versions in this verse, and in all others in this chapter where the word "Syrians" is used, have "Edomites", reading "Edom" instead of "Aram", the letters (r) "R" and (d) "D" in the Hebrew tongue being very similar.

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FOOTNOTES:

F24 Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 7. c. 6. sect. 2.)

2 Samuel 10:13 In-Context

11 He said, If the Aram be too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the children of `Ammon be too strong for you, then I will come and help you.

12 Be of good courage, and let us play the man for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the LORD do that which seems him good.

13 So Yo'av and the people who were with him drew near to the battle against the Aram: and they fled before him.

14 When the children of `Ammon saw that the Aram were fled, they likewise fled before Avishai, and entered into the city. Then Yo'av returned from the children of `Ammon, and came to Yerushalayim.

15 When the Aram saw that they were put to the worse before Yisra'el, they gathered themselves together.