2 Samuel 10:6

6 When the Ammonites realized that they had become a stench to David, they hired twenty thousand Aramean foot soldiers from Beth-rehob and Zoba, as well as a thousand men from the king of Maacah and twelve thousand men from Tob.

2 Samuel 10:6 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 10:6

And when the children of Ammon saw that they stank before
David
Or had made themselves odious to him, as it is rendered in ( 1 Chronicles 19:6 ) ; were abominable to him, that he was incensed against them, and enraged at them, and was determined to be avenged on them for the affront given, of which they had certain information: but instead of seeking to appease him, and give him satisfaction for the affront,

the children of Ammon sent, and hired the Syrians of Bethrehob;
a place near Hamath, ( Numbers 13:21 ) ; there was a city of this name in the tribe of Asher, out of which the Canaanites could not be driven, and perhaps now inhabited by Syrians, or by a people so called, ( Joshua 19:28 ) ( Judges 1:31 ) ;

and the Syrians of Zoba, twenty thousand footmen:
that is, out of both places; this place Hadadezer was king of, with whom David had fought before, and beat, and who owed him a grudge on that account, and was ready to assist the Ammonites against him, ( 2 Samuel 8:3-5 ) ,

and of King Maacah a thousand men;
that is, of the king of Maacah, which was a place in the tribe off Manasseh, from whence the inhabitants could not be expelled, ( Joshua 13:11 Joshua 13:13 ) ; and seems now to have been inhabited by Syrians, and therefore is called Syriamaachah, ( 1 Chronicles 19:6 ) ;

and of Ishtob twelve thousand men;
which is thought to be the same with the land of Tob, whither Jephthah fled, and dwelt in it, when ill used by his brethren, ( Judges 11:3 Judges 11:5 ) ; these mercenary soldiers were in all thirty three thousand men; ( 1 Chronicles 19:6 1 Chronicles 19:7 ) , it is said, chariots and horsemen, even thirty two thousand; these were hired with a thousand talents of silver.

2 Samuel 10:6 In-Context

4 So Hanun took David’s servants, shaved off half of each man’s beard, cut off their garments at the hips, and sent them away.

5 When this was reported to David, he sent messengers to meet the men, since they had been thoroughly humiliated. The king told them, “Stay in Jericho until your beards have grown back, and then return.”

6 When the Ammonites realized that they had become a stench to David, they hired twenty thousand Aramean foot soldiers from Beth-rehob and Zoba, as well as a thousand men from the king of Maacah and twelve thousand men from Tob.

7 On hearing this, David sent Joab and the entire army of mighty men.

8 The Ammonites marched out and arrayed themselves for battle at the entrance of the city gate, while the Arameans of Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah were by themselves in the open country.