2 Samuel 8:9

9 When To`i king of Hamat heard that David had struck all the host of Hadad`ezer,

2 Samuel 8:9 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 8:9

When Toi king of Hamath
Which was another small kingdom in Syria, perhaps lately erected to defend themselves against Hadadezer, and this the first king of it, at least the first we hear of; his name is Tou in ( 1 Chronicles 18:9 ) ; where in the Targum he is called king of Antioch. Hamath lay to the north of the land of Canaan; (See Gill on Numbers 34:8): it is said ^F20 to be three days' journey from Tripoli, and that it stands in the midway to Aleppo, on a very goodly plain, replenished with corn and cotton wool, but very much in ruins, and falls more and more to decay: at this day (says my author, who travelled in those parts in the beginning of the seventeenth century) there is scarce one half of the wall standing, which hath been very fair and strong. The king of this place

heard that David had smitten all the host of Hadadezer;
the news of which soon reached him, he being in the neighbourhood.

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FOOTNOTES:

F20 Cartwright's Preacher's Travels, p. 6.

2 Samuel 8:9 In-Context

7 David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadad`ezer, and brought them to Yerushalayim.

8 From Betach and from Berotai, cities of Hadad`ezer, king David took exceeding much brass.

9 When To`i king of Hamat heard that David had struck all the host of Hadad`ezer,

10 then To`i sent Yoram his son to king David, to Greet him, and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadad`ezer and struck him: for Hadad`ezer had wars with To`i. [Yoram] brought with him vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and vessels of brass:

11 These also did king David dedicate to the LORD, with the silver and gold that he dedicated of all the nations which he subdued;