2 Samuel 8:6

6 And David setted a stronghold in Syria of Damascus, and Syria was made serving David under tribute. And the Lord kept David in all things, to whatever things he went forth. (And David set up strongholds in Syria of Damascus, and the Syrians were made to serve David, and to pay tribute, or taxes, to him. And the Lord gave victory to David in all his battles, wherever he went.)

2 Samuel 8:6 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 8:6

Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus
Which was Coele-Syria, and lay between Libanus and Antilibanus, the chief city of which was Damascus; which Curtius ^F17 calls Damascus of Syria, being the head of it, ( Isaiah 7:8 ) ; in the principal places of which he put garrisons of soldiers to keep the country in subjection to him; or he put commanders or governors, as the Targum, in the, chief cities, and so Ben Gersom and R. Isaiah interpret it:

and the Syrians became servants to David, [and] brought gifts;
or paid him tribute by way of homage, acknowledging themselves his subjects:

and the Lord preserved David whithersoever he went;
he covered his head in the day of battle, and saved him from the hurtful sword.

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FOOTNOTES:

F17 Hist. l. 3. c. 8.

2 Samuel 8:6 In-Context

4 And when a thousand and seven hundred horsemen of his part were taken, and twenty thousand of footmen, David hocked all [the] drawing beasts in chariots; but David left of those an hundred chariots, that is, the horses of an hundred chariots. (And David took from him, or captured, a thousand and seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen, and he hocked all the drawing beasts for the chariots; but he left unharmed the horses for a hundred chariots.)

5 Also Syrians of Damascus came, that it should bear help to Hadadezer, king of Zobah; and David smote of (the) Syrians two and twenty thousand of men. (And the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer; and David struck down twenty-two thousand of the men of Syria.)

6 And David setted a stronghold in Syria of Damascus, and Syria was made serving David under tribute. And the Lord kept David in all things, to whatever things he went forth. (And David set up strongholds in Syria of Damascus, and the Syrians were made to serve David, and to pay tribute, or taxes, to him. And the Lord gave victory to David in all his battles, wherever he went.)

7 And David took golden armours and bands (And David took the gold arms, or the weapons), which the servants of Hadadezer had, and he brought those into Jerusalem.

8 And of Betah, and of Berothai (And from Betah, and Berothai), the cities of Hadadezer, David [the] king took full much brass.