2 Samuel 10:8

8 egressi sunt ergo filii Ammon et direxerunt aciem ante ipsum introitum portae Syrus autem Soba et Roob et Histob et Maacha seorsum erant in campo

2 Samuel 10:8 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 10:8

And the children of Ammon came out
Either out of Rabbah their metropolis, as Josephus ^F21; or rather out of Medeba, as it seems from ( 1 Chronicles 19:7 ) ; a city that lay on the borders of their country, and was a frontier town, see ( Numbers 21:30 ) ;

and put the battle in array, at the entering in of the gate;
of the city of Medeba; they were first within the city, but, upon the approach of Joab and his army, they came out and drew up in a line of battle at the gate of it:

and the Syrians of Zoba, and of Rehob, and Ishtob, and Maacah, [were]
by themselves in the field;
at some distance from the city, the Ammonites not choosing to trust: mercenaries in it; and perhaps they placed these ambush in the field, to get Joab between two fires, as we now express it.

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FOOTNOTES:

F21 Antiqu. l. 7. c. 6. sect. 2.

2 Samuel 10:8 In-Context

6 videntes autem filii Ammon quod iniuriam fecissent David miserunt et conduxerunt mercede Syrum Roob et Syrum Soba viginti milia peditum et a rege Maacha mille viros et ab Histob duodecim milia virorum

7 quod cum audisset David misit Ioab et omnem exercitum bellatorum

8 egressi sunt ergo filii Ammon et direxerunt aciem ante ipsum introitum portae Syrus autem Soba et Roob et Histob et Maacha seorsum erant in campo

9 videns igitur Ioab quod praeparatum esset adversum se proelium et ex adverso et post tergum elegit ex omnibus electis Israhel et instruxit aciem contra Syrum

10 reliquam autem partem populi tradidit Abisai fratri suo qui direxit aciem adversum filios Ammon