to the worse before Israel, they sent messengers, and drew forth the Syrians that were beyond the River, with Shophach the captain of the host of Hadarezer at their head. 17And it was told David; and he gathered all Israel together, and passed over Jordan, and came upon them, and set the battle in array against them. So when David had put the battle in array against the Syrians, they fought with him. 18And the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew of the Syrians the men of seven thousand chariots, and forty thousand footmen, and killed Shophach the captain of the host. 19And when the servants of Hadarezer saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they made peace with David, and served him: neither would the Syrians help the children of Ammon any more.
16—19. The End of the Aramean War.
Three stages are apparent in the war with Zobah as related in Chron., (a) that in which David secured a position on the Euphrates, xviii. 3—8, (b) the stage during which troops from Zobah acted as auxiliaries to the Ammonites, xix. 6—15, (c) the final stage which ended in the conclusion of a formal peace, ib. 16—19. The actual facts of David's activities against the Arameans are by no means easy to ascertain, as may be seen in the commentaries on the more complex account which is given in Sam.
16. the Syrians that were beyond the River] i.e. the Syrians of "Mesopotamia"; cp. ver. 6, note. 2 Sam. x. 16 adds, and they came to Helam; the position of Helam however is unknown.
Shophach] In 2 Sam. x. 16 called "Shobach." The whole allied army was united under one general.
17. came upon them] or possibly read, as 2 Sam. x. 17, came to Helam. According to 2 Sam. x. the Syrian army assembled at Helam, and was there attacked by David.
18. seven thousand] 2 Sam. x. 18, seven hundred: an intentional change made by the Chronicler to enhance the achievement of David.
forty thousand footmen] 2 Sam. x. 18, forty thousand horsemen. Swarms of horsemen have usually formed the strength of armies raised on the eastern bank of the Euphrates; but the reading in Chron. may well be correct.
19. the servants] i.e. his vassals and tributaries; in 2 Sam. "all the kings that were servants to Hadarezer." We are not told what course Hadarezer himself took; possibly, being deserted by his allies, he ceased from hostilities without making any treaty with David.
