Is plain that they were marohing northward, could be taken. We ga.ther from eh. xi. 1 and that Joab was only just in time to r,re• thut it was late in the year when Joan won vent e. Junotlon of the two armies. The this victory, and it wos pe.rt of the weakness Ammomtes, who were expeoting their allies, of ancient warfare that e. long campaign was e.nd )mew of their e.pproaob, had come out- beyond the power of either side. side of Rl\bbah, but had only posted them• Ver. 16.-Hadarezer (see note on eh. viii. selves in fighting order "e.t the entering in 3). He.darezer probably had been well of the gato." content to let ~ia subjects receive the pay Ver. 9.-The front of the battle. The of the _Ammomtes, and extend hie empire object of J oub was to prevent at e.ll hazards at their cost. But as paramount king in the junction of the Syrians with the Am- Are.m, the defeat of the mercenariea oblio-ed monites, and be wo.s only just in time to him to me.ke the we.r e. national affair, ;nd throw himself between them. Thie was undertake the management of it himself. resolute but d1mgerous policy, e.e, in ce.se of He therefore summons troops from all the defeat, he would have e. powerful enemy in Ara.mean states on both sides of the his ree.r. Apparently, however, he was Eupbre.tee, and places his own general, aware tbe.t hie real work le.y with the Shobach, in command, e.nd makes Helam Syrian mercenaries, who were dangerous the place of gathering. Helam. No such enough by themselves, e.nd would become place is known, and the word might mean more than a match for him if they were "their army," in which case the translation reinforced by the men of Rabbe.h. He would be, "and they came in full force." therefore leaves Abisbe.i with such troops The Vulgate takes it in this way, but makes as he could spa.re to watch the Ammonites, the verb tile causative singular, and trans- feeling sure the.t they would not he.ze.rd e.n lates, "and he brought their army." On attack unless they se.w matters going ill the other hand, the LXX., tile Syriac, and with him; e.nd., taking with him e.ll his the Cha.Idea make it a proper name here, as bravest men, "the choice men of lsre.el," he even the Vnlgate necessarily does in ver. 17, prepares with them to give battle to the where there can be no doubt. In the pa- Syrie.ns. rallel place (1 Chron. xix. 16, 17) it is omitted Ver. 11.-And he said, eto. Thenius re- in the first place, and in the second we find marks," We have here the briefest of war- in its stead, "upon them." Either, there- like exhortations, but one most full of point fore, the chronicler did not know of such a. e.nd meaning." Joe.b recognized the full place, or the text is corrupt. Ewald and danger of their situation ; for should he others suppose that Helam may be identified meet with any check in bis attack on this with Ala.mate.; bat we learn from 1 Chron. vast host of mercenaries, he we.s well e. ware xviii. 3 that the battle was fought near that the Ammonites, watching the battle Hamath, and Ala.mate. is on the Euphrates, with ee.ger interest, would, on the first news too far away for David to have made his of victory, rush upon Abishe.i with exulting attack there. fury ; e.nd the men with him, being only Ver. 17.-David . . . ga.thered all Israel ordinary troops, would be disheartened by together. Some commentators see in this Joe.b'e failure, so the.t without extra.ordinary an indication of dissatisfaction with Joab. bravery on their leader's pa.rt, they would Really it we.s a matter of course that in so give way, and all would be lost. great a war the king should place himself Ver. 12.-Be of good oourage, and let us at the head of his levies. For not only we.s play the men. The Hebrew employs two he possessed of great military genius, bat conjugations of the ea.me verb, literally, be his personal presence would make the men strong, and let UB show oursel·ves strong. And of Israel, a race of sturdy free men, e.ssemble need there was for bravery; for the welfare, in greater numbers, e.D.d would give them as he went on to show, of all Israel, and the contidence. If David himself went there honour of Israel's God, were in jeopardy. would be no shirking the war and finding Fine.Uy he adds, The Lord do that whioh excuses to stay o.t home, and in the camp eeemeth him good, They are the words not there would be prompt alacrity e.nd zeal. so much of confidence as of determined re- Ver, 18.-David slew, etc. (see note on solution. Come good or ill, he and Abishai oh. viii. 4), We have seen there that the would do their utmost. word translated "chariots" means any Ver. 14.-So Joab returned. It seems vehicle or animal for riding. The numbers etro.nge to us that Joab should have made here are seven hundred chariots with their no attempt to follow up his viotory. But charioteers, and forty thousand horsemen ; e.e the Ammonites were posted olose to the in oh. viii, 4 we have seventeen hundred g11te of their oity, they would withdraw into horsemen and twenty thousand footmen : it without lose ae soon as they learned that finally, in 1 Chron. xix. 18 we find seven their allies were defeated. '!'here was thus thousand cha.riots e.nd charioteers, and forty t]le oertaiµty of a 1oiig siege before R,abb~ tllo~san\l fQotwen. lt ~ i!)l.poesiblll to rir 264 THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. [en. x. 1-10,
<'Onc!le these conflicling numbers, but aa to Hadarozer; they now o.cknowlcilgcd the Dnn<l hR<l no cavalry, the numbers in eh. supremacy of David, aud paid to him the viii. 4 are the more probable, namely, tribut:e which they hnd previously pnid to seventeen hundred cavalry and ohariota, Zobeh, and would be bound to supply him And twenty thousand infantry. The Syrie.o with a contingent of men in cnse of a wnr Version gives 11B here very re1Lsone.blc num- in their neighbourhood. The wnre with bers, unmcly, "seven hundred <ihariots, Damascus and Edom, mentioned in eh, viii. four thouse.nd cavalry, and much people." 5, 13, probably followed imrnedintely upon Ver. 19.-The kingll ... served them. It Hadarczer's defeat, but are not referred to is e'l"iclent from this that the petty kings of hero, as the interest now centres in David'11 Rehob, Tob, and Me.ncah had been subject personal conduct.