2 Samuel 10:17

17 When it was told David, he gathered all Israel together, and crossed the Jordan, and came to Helam. The Arameans arrayed themselves against David and fought with him.

2 Samuel 10:17 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 10:17

And when it was told David
What preparations the Syrians were making to fight him, and where they were:

he gathered all Israel together;
all the fighting men in the country:

and passed over Jordan, and came to Helam:
which, according to Bunting {b}, was twenty miles from Jerusalem. David seems to have gone himself in person to this war:

and the Syrians set themselves in array against David, and fought with
him;
they formed themselves in a line of battle, and attacked him first, being eager to fight, and perhaps confident of victory, because of their numbers.


FOOTNOTES:

F2 Travels p. 140, 141.

2 Samuel 10:17 In-Context

15 But when the Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they gathered themselves together.
16 Hadadezer sent and brought out the Arameans who were beyond the Euphrates; and they came to Helam, with Shobach the commander of the army of Hadadezer at their head.
17 When it was told David, he gathered all Israel together, and crossed the Jordan, and came to Helam. The Arameans arrayed themselves against David and fought with him.
18 The Arameans fled before Israel; and David killed of the Arameans seven hundred chariot teams, and forty thousand horsemen, and wounded Shobach the commander of their army, so that he died there.
19 When all the kings who were servants of Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel, and became subject to them. So the Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites any more.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.