Shmuel Bais 10:6

6 And when the Bnei Ammon saw that they became stench before Dovid, the Bnei Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beit-Rechov and the Syrians of Tzova, twenty elef foot soldiers, and of Melech Ma’akhah an elef ish, and of Ish-Tov, twelve elef ish.

Shmuel Bais 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.

Shmuel Bais 10:6 In-Context

4 Therefore, Chanun took the avadim of Dovid, and shaved off half of their zekanim (beards), and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.

5 When they told it unto Dovid, he sent to meet them, because the anashim were greatly humiliated; and HaMelech said, Tarry at Yericho until your zekanim be grown, and then return.

6 And when the Bnei Ammon saw that they became stench before Dovid, the Bnei Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beit-Rechov and the Syrians of Tzova, twenty elef foot soldiers, and of Melech Ma’akhah an elef ish, and of Ish-Tov, twelve elef ish.

7 And when Dovid heard of it, he sent Yoav, and all the tzava (host, army) of the Gibborim.

8 And the Bnei Ammon came out, arrayed for milchamah at the petach hasha’ar (city gate); and the Syrians of Tzova, and of Rechov, and Ish-Tov, and Ma’akhah, were by themselves in the sadeh.