Verses 1-19

The War with Ammon and Syria

2. His father shewed kindness unto me] Occasion not stated.

3. The city] i.e. their capital, Rabbah. The Ammonites probably were thinking of the severity with which David had treated the neighbouring Moabites (2 Samuel 8:2).

4. Shaving the beard is the greatest insult that can be offered to an Oriental. The Arabs regard it as we should regard flogging or branding.

6. Hired] cp. 1 Kings 15:18-20. Beth-rehob] near Laish or Dan (Judges 18:28). King Maacah] RV 'the king of Maacah.' Maacah was a small Syrian kingdom on the border of eastern Manasseh. Ish-tob] RV 'the men of Tob.' See on Judges 11:3.

8. Came out] from Rabbah.

Were by themselves] This implies distrust and disunion between the allies.

9. Joab took advantage of the division of the enemy to attack them in detail. Abishai kept the Ammonites in check while Joab crushed the Syrians, and then the two brothers combined their forces and fell on the Ammonites.

14. So Joab returned] The great strength of Rabbah rendered it hopeless to attempt to carry it by assault, and so Joab rested his army during the winter: see on 2 Samuel 11:1.

16. The river] i.e. the Euphrates. Helam] position unknown.

18. Forty thousand horsemen] 1 Chronicles 19:18; 'forty thousand footmen.'

19. All the kings that were servants to Hadarezer] cp. 1 Kings 20:16.