Matthew Henry on 2 Samuel 10:6-14
Here we have, I. The preparation which the Ammonites made for war, Sa2 10:6. They saw they had made themselves very odious to David and obnoxious to his just displeasure. This they might easily have foreseen when they abused his ambassadors, which was no other than a challenge to war, and a bold defiance of him. Yet, it seems, they had not considered how unable they were, with their thousands, to meet his; for now they found themselves an unequal match, and were forced to hire forces of other nations into their service. Thus sinners daringly provoke God, and expose themselves to his wrath, and never consider that he is stronger than they, Co1 10:22. The Ammonites gave the affront first, and…
Read the whole note in the consoleJamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Samuel 10:6
THE AMMONITES OVERCOME. (Sa2 10:6-14)
when the children of Ammon saw that they stank before David--To chastise those insolent and inhospitable Ammonites, who had violated the common law of nations, David sent a large army under the command of Joab, while they, informed of the impending attack, made energetic preparations to repel it by engaging the services of an immense number of Syrian mercenaries.
Beth-rehob--the capital of the low-lying region between Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon.
Zoba--(see on Sa2 8:3).
of king Maacah--His territories lay on the other side of Jordan, near Gilead (Deu 3:14).
Ish-tob--that is, "the men of Tob"--the place of Jephthah's marauding adventures (see also C…
Read the whole note in the consoleAdam Clarke on 2 Samuel 10:9
Before and behind - It is probable that one of the armies was in the field, and the other in the city, when Joab arrived. When he fronted this army, the other appears to have issued from the city, and to have taken him in the rear; he was therefore obliged to divide his army as here mentioned; one part to face the Syrians commanded by himself, and the other to face the Ammonites commanded by his brother Abishai.
John Gill on 2 Samuel 10:11
