2 Samuel 10

2 Samuel 10

Meyer - 2 Samuel 10:12 The Lord do that which seemeth Him good. Israel was arrayed against overwhelming odds. To human sight it must have appeared very improbable that Joab would be able to hold his own. However, he made the best arrangements he could; exhorted his men to be of good courage and do their utmost; and then piously left the issue to the God of battles. There are times in all lives when the case seems desperate. How can we meet with ten thousand him who cometh against us with twenty thousand! Heart and flesh fail. What resource is there, then, save in the flight of the lonely man to the only God? It is for God to act, since the help of man is vain. In your personal straits.— When patience is exhausted; when the last handful is taken from the barrel; when complicated trials meet and hem you in; when the iron gate and the keepers before the door appear to render escape impossible— then look up, God is marching with reinforcements to your aid. In your work and war for God in the world.— We too often act and speak as if success were to be won by the forces that we may be able to bring into the field, whereas God asks us for nothing more than fidelity and the right disposition of such forces as we can command; He will do all the rest. In your outlook on the conflict between good and evil.— It is quite true that there appears to be an infinite disparity between the one and the other. But there are other forces in the field than appear. There is another host of which God Himself is captain. When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord lifts up the standard. “There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven to thy help.” G Campbell Morgan -Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the Lord do that which seemeth Him good. -2 Sam. 10.12 This was the language of the highest patriotism. The difficulties had arisen as the result of another action of David which had been prompted by goodwill. He had sent to comfort Hanun, the new king of Ammon, upon the death of his father. The action had been replied to insultingly, with the result that Israel was forced into war with these children of Ammon, and the Syrians. As the battle was prepared for, Joab uttered these words to his brother Abishai. Observe the elements of patriot-ism as revealed in them. The first matter was personal to those called upon to fight. They were to be of good courage, and to play the men. All the arrangements for the conflict, and its issue, show how these men fulfilled this responsibility. But a deeper note is struck in what follows. They were to do all this for their people and for the cities of their God. There was to be nothing of the passion for personal aggrandisement in what they did. They were to act for the high purposes represented in the people of God, and the cities of God. Personal courage was to be inspired by relative considerations. Then came the deepest note of all. When, in view of the interests of the nation they had done all that was possible, then "Jehovah do what seemeth Him good." Men who thus prepare themselves for high enterprise, and then commit themselves wholly to the will of God are invincible. (Borrow Life applications from every chapter of the Bible) 2 Samuel 10:13 So Joab and the people who were with him drew near to the battle against the Arameans, and they fled before him. fled: 1Ki 20:13-21,28-30 1Ch 19:14,15 2Ch 13:5-16 ARAMEANS FLED So Joab and the people who were with him drew near to the battle against the Arameans, and they fled before him - This is an amazing passage for it does not even state that Joab (who surely was outnumbered) even lifted a sword or a spear against them. Once again is this not evidence that God was with David (his help - cf 2Sa 8:6, 14+) and with David's armies, so that the battle was the LORD'S. Had all of David's army (note verse 7 says "Joab and all the army, the mighty men") been annihilated here, the fate of David's reign (which God had promised by covenant would last) would not have endured! 2 Samuel 10:14 When the sons of Ammon saw that the Arameans fled, they also fled before Abishai and entered the city. Then Joab returned from fighting against the sons of Ammon and came to Jerusalem. AMMON ALSO FLED ISRAEL When the sons of Ammon saw that the Arameans fled, they also fled before Abishai and entered the city. Indeed, is not 2 Samuel 10:13-14 not a perfect fulfillment of God's promise in Deuteronomy 28:7+ - “The LORD shall cause your enemies who rise up against you to be defeated before you; they will come out against you one way and will flee before you seven ways." Then Joab returned from fighting against the sons of Ammon and came to Jerusalem - The victors return from the battle but the war was not over as the following passages describe. 2 Samuel 10:15 When the Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they gathered themselves together. gathered: Ps 2:1 Isa 8:9,10 Mic 4:11,12 Zec 14:2,3 Rev 19:19-21 ARAMEANS REGATHER THEIR FORCES When the Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they gathered themselves together. In the second campaign, Hadadezer enlisted the support of the Arameans beyond the Euphrates. 2 Samuel 10:16 And Hadadezer sent and brought out the Arameans who were beyond the River, and they came to Helam; and Shobach the commander of the army of Hadadezer led them. Hadarezer: 2Sa 8:3-8 1Ch 18:3,5 Related Passage: 1 Chronicles 19:16 When the Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they sent messengers and brought out the Arameans who were beyond the River, with Shophach the commander of the army of Hadadezer leading them. THE ARAMEANS ATTEMPT A SECOND TIME TO DEFEAT DAVID And Hadadezer sent and brought out the Arameans who were beyond the River (Euphrates), and they came to Helam; and Shobach the commander of the army of Hadadezer led them - Israel's enemies were defeated but not demolished and here they persist in their attempts to defeat David's forces by calling for troops beyond or north of the Euphrates. 2 Samuel 10:17 Now when it was told David, he gathered all Israel together and crossed the Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Arameans arrayed themselves to meet David and fought against him. KJV - And when it was told David, he gathered all Israel together, and passed over Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in array against David, and fought with him. NLT - When David heard what was happening, he mobilized all Israel, crossed the Jordan River, and led the army to Helam. The Arameans positioned themselves there in battle formation and then attacked David. Related Passage: 1 Chronicles 19:17 When it was told David, he gathered all Israel together and crossed the Jordan, and came upon them and drew up in formation against them. And when David drew up in battle array against the Arameans, they fought against him. DAVID LEADS THE FORCES IN THE SECOND BATTLE Now when it was told David, he gathered all Israel together and crossed the Jordan, and came to Helam and the Arameans arrayed themselves to meet David and fought against him - Notice this time David leads his forces to the battle at Helam. Helam ("place of abundance," or "stronghold") cannot be identified with certainty, other than that it is east of Jordan and west of the Euphrates. 2 Samuel 10:18 But the Arameans fled before Israel, and David killed 700 charioteers of the Arameans and 40,000 horsemen and struck down Shobach the commander of their army, and he died there. fled: 2Sa 8:4 Ps 18:38 46:11 Shobach: Jdg 4:2,22 5:26 Related Passage: 1 Chronicles 19:18 The Arameans fled before Israel, and David killed of the Arameans 7,000 charioteers and 40,000 foot soldiers, and put to death Shophach the commander of the army. DAVID'S VICTORY OVER THE ARAMEANS But the Arameans fled before Israel, and David killed 700 charioteers of the Arameans and 40,000 horsemen and struck down Shobach the commander of their army, and he died there - Observe again that the Arameans fled. (4x in 3v - v10, 13, 18) The parallel passage has "David killed of the Arameans 7,000 charioteers and 40,000 foot soldiers" so there is almost certainly a copyist's error because the Hebrew characters for "700" and "7000" are very easy to interchange. The discrepancy of 40,000 horsemen (2Sa 10:18) and 40,000 foot soldiers is explained by the fact that the same men could fight either on horseback or on foot, as needed. Walton - Military formations were designed to take advantage of terrain and the weaponry employed by the army. The text indicates that Shobach, the Aramean commander, had both chariots and infantry. The ranks of infantry, deployed in mass formations led by “commanders of fifty,” included spearmen with shields in the front rank and bowmen and slingers placed immediately behind them. When the armies came together, handto-hand combat would have employed flat-bladed axes and daggers. The chariots were often placed on the flanks for easier maneuverability. (See page 337 in IVP Bible Background Commentary Old Testament) TECHNICAL NOTE on horsemen - Heb “horsemen” (so KJV, NASB, NCV, NRSV, NLT) but the Lucianic recension of the LXX reads “foot soldiers,” as does the parallel text in 1 Chr 19:18. Cf. NAB, NIV.