Matthew Henry on 2 Samuel 10:15–end
Here is, 1. A new attempt of the Syrians to recover their lost honour and to check the progress of David's victorious arms. The forces that were lately dispersed rallied again, and gathered themselves together, Sa2 10:15. Even the baffled cause will make head as long as there is any life in it; the enemies of the Son of David do so, Matt, Sa2 22:34; Rev 19:19. These, being conscious of their insufficiency, called in the aid of their allies and dependencies on the other side of the river (Sa2 10:16), and, being thus recruited, they hoped to make their part good against Israel, but they knew not the thoughts of the Lord, for he gathered them as sheaves into the floor; see Mic 4:11-13. 2. The d…
Read the whole note in the consoleJamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Samuel 10:14
So Joab returned and came to Jerusalem--Probably the season was too far advanced for entering on a siege.
Adam Clarke on 2 Samuel 10:14
The Syrians were fled - They betook themselves to their own confines, while the Ammonites escaped into their own city.
John Gill on 2 Samuel 10:15
And when the Syrians saw that they were smitten before Israel,.... Considered it in their minds, and conversed with one another about it, and fearing what would be the consequence of it:
they gathered themselves together; not only the forces got together again, that fled before Joab, but all the kings of Syria united their forces together, as appears from 2 Samuel 10:19; supposing that David would avenge himself on them for assisting the Ammonites against him; and therefore judged it advisable to raise a large army, that they might be in a condition to receive him.
Keil & Delitzsch on 2 Samuel 10:15-16
The Aramaeans, however, gathered together again after the first defeat, to continue the war; and Hadarezer, the most powerful of the Aramaean kings, sent messengers to Mesopotamia, and summoned it to war. It is very evident, not only from the words "he sent and brought out Aram, which was beyond the river," but also from the fact that Shobach, Hadarezer's general (Shophach according to the Chronicles), was at the head of the Mesopotamian troops, that the Mesopotamian troops who were summoned to help were under the supreme ruler of Hadarezer. This is placed beyond all possible doubt by Sa2 10:19, where the kings who had fought with Hadarezer against the Israelites are called his "servants," o…
