Shmuel Bais 10:17

17 And when it was told Dovid, he gathered kol Yisroel together, and crossed over Yarden, and came to Chelam. And the Syrians set themselves in array against Dovid, and fought against him.

Shmuel Bais 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.

Shmuel Bais 10:17 In-Context

15 And when the Syrians saw that they were defeated before Yisroel, they gathered themselves together.

16 And Hadadezer sent, and brought out the Syrians that were beyond the Nahar; and they came to Chelam; and Shovach the Sar Tzeva (commander of the army) of Hadadezer went before them.

17 And when it was told Dovid, he gathered kol Yisroel together, and crossed over Yarden, and came to Chelam. And the Syrians set themselves in array against Dovid, and fought against him.

18 And the Syrians fled before Yisroel; and Dovid slaughtered the men of seven hundred chariots of the Syrians, and forty elef parashim, and struck down Shovach the Sar of his Tzeva (army), who died there.

19 And when all the melachim that were avadim (vassals) to Hadadezer saw that they were defeated before Yisroel, they made shalom with Yisroel, and served them. So the Syrians feared to help the Bnei Ammon any more.