2 Samuel 10:17

17 It was told David; and he gathered all Yisra'el together, and passed over the Yarden, and came to Helam. The Aram set themselves in array 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.

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FOOTNOTES:

F2 Travels p. 140, 141.

2 Samuel 10:17 In-Context

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

16 Hadad`ezer sent, and brought out the Aram who were beyond the River: and they came to Helam, with Shovakh the captain of the host of Hadad`ezer at their head.

17 It was told David; and he gathered all Yisra'el together, and passed over the Yarden, and came to Helam. The Aram set themselves in array against David, and fought with him.

18 The Aram fled before Yisra'el; and David killed of the Aram [the men of] seven hundred chariots, and forty thousand horsemen, and struck Shovakh the captain of their host, so that he died there.

19 When all the kings who were servants to Hadad`ezer saw that they were put to the worse before Yisra'el, they made shalom with Yisra'el, and served them. So the Aram feared to help the children of `Ammon any more.