2 Samuel 10:8

8 And the Ammonites came out and drew up in battle array at the entrance of the gate, and ¹the Syrians of Zobah and of Rehob and ²the men of Tob and Maacah were by themselves in the open country.

2 Samuel 10:8 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 10:8

And the children of Ammon came out
Either out of Rabbah their metropolis, as Josephus ^F21; or rather out of Medeba, as it seems from ( 1 Chronicles 19:7 ) ; a city that lay on the borders of their country, and was a frontier town, see ( Numbers 21:30 ) ;

and put the battle in array, at the entering in of the gate;
of the city of Medeba; they were first within the city, but, upon the approach of Joab and his army, they came out and drew up in a line of battle at the gate of it:

and the Syrians of Zoba, and of Rehob, and Ishtob, and Maacah, [were]
by themselves in the field;
at some distance from the city, the Ammonites not choosing to trust: mercenaries in it; and perhaps they placed these ambush in the field, to get Joab between two fires, as we now express it.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F21 Antiqu. l. 7. c. 6. sect. 2.

2 Samuel 10:8 In-Context

6 When the Ammonites saw that they had become a stench to David, the Ammonites sent and hired the Syrians of Beth-rehob, and the Syrians of Zobah, 20,000 foot soldiers, and the king of Maacah with 1,000 men, and the men of Tob, 12,000 men.

7 And when David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the host of the mighty men.

8 And the Ammonites came out and drew up in battle array at the entrance of the gate, and the Syrians of Zobah and of Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah were by themselves in the open country.

9 When Joab saw that the battle was set against him both in front and in the rear, he chose some of the best men of Israel and arrayed them against the Syrians.

10 The rest of his men he put in the charge of Abishai his brother, and he arrayed them against the Ammonites.

Cross References

• 1. [See ver. 6 above]
• 2. [See ver. 6 above]