2 Samuel 10:17

17 And when this was told David, he gathered all Israel together, and passed over the Jordan, and came to Helam: and the Syrians set themselves in array against David, and fought against 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 Then the Syrians seeing that they had fallen before Israel, gathered themselves together.

16 And Adarezer sent and fetched the Syrians, that were beyond the river, and brought over their army: and Sobach, the captain of the host of Adarezer, was their general.

17 And when this was told David, he gathered all Israel together, and passed over the Jordan, and came to Helam: and the Syrians set themselves in array against David, and fought against him.

18 And the Syrians fled before Israel, and David slew of the Syrians the men of seven hundred chariots, and forty thousand horsemen: and smote Sobach the captain of the army, who presently died.

19 And all the kings that were auxiliaries of Adarezer, seeing themselves overcome by Israel, were afraid and fled away, eight and fifty thousand men before Israel. And they made peace with Israel: and served them, and all the Syrians were afraid to help the children of Ammon any more.