Hadadezer

3David also beat Hadadezer, the son of Rehob. Hadadezer was the king of Zobah. He had marched out to take back land near the Euphrates River.

David smote also Hadadezer, the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his border at the river Euphrates.

NoteThe Euphrates is a very large river far to the north and east. Zobah was a small kingdom up that way, a long trip from Israel.

4David took a thousand chariots from him. He also took seven hundred horsemen and twenty thousand foot soldiers. David cut the leg tendons of the chariot horses. He kept enough horses to pull a hundred chariots.

And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: and David houghed all the chariot horses, but reserved of them for an hundred chariots.

NoteA chariot was a cart on wheels pulled by fast horses. Soldiers rode in it to fight. Cutting the tendon in a horse's back leg let the horse live, but it could never pull a war chariot again.

5The Syrians from the city of Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah. David fought them. He killed twenty-two thousand of their men.

And when the Syrians of Damascus came to succour Hadadezer king of Zobah, David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.

NoteThe Syrians lived north of Israel. Damascus was their biggest and most important city.

6David set up camps of his soldiers in Syria, near Damascus. The Syrians served David and brought him gifts. The LORD kept David safe and gave him wins everywhere he went.

Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus: and the Syrians became servants to David, and brought gifts. And the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went.

NoteWhen you see LORD written in big letters, that is God's own special name. Soldiers left in a beaten country made sure that country obeyed.

7Hadadezer's officers carried shields made of gold. David took those shields and brought them to Jerusalem.

And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.

NoteShields of gold were not for real fighting. Gold is too soft for that. They were carried to show off how rich a king was.

8Betah and Berothai were towns that belonged to Hadadezer. King David took a huge amount of bronze from them.

And from Betah, and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, king David took exceeding much brass.

NoteBronze is a hard metal made by mixing copper and tin. People made tools, weapons, and bowls from it. The King James Version calls it "brass".

9Toi was the king of a place called Hamath. He heard that David had beaten Hadadezer's whole army.

When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had smitten all the host of Hadadezer,

10So Toi sent his son Joram to say hello to King David. Joram said kind words to him for beating Hadadezer. Hadadezer had been at war with Toi for a long time. Joram brought bowls and cups made of silver, gold, and bronze.

Then Toi sent Joram his son unto king David, to salute him, and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer, and smitten him: for Hadadezer had wars with Toi. And Joram brought with him vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and vessels of brass:

NoteSending your own son with rich gifts was a way of asking to be friends. Toi was glad someone else had beaten his enemy.

11King David gave all these things to the LORD. He had also given the LORD the silver and gold he took from other nations he had beaten.

Which also king David did dedicate unto the LORD, with the silver and gold that he had dedicated of all nations which he subdued;

NoteTo give a thing to the LORD meant setting it apart for God. David did not keep this treasure for himself.

12Those nations were Syria, Moab, Ammon, the Philistines, and Amalek. He also gave what he took from Hadadezer, son of Rehob, the king of Zobah.

Of Syria, and of Moab, and of the children of Ammon, and of the Philistines, and of Amalek, and of the spoil of Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

NoteAmmon, Amalek, and Edom were peoples who lived near Israel. Israel had fought with each of them before.

15The Syrians saw that Israel had beaten them. So they gathered together again.

And when the Syrians saw that they were smitten before Israel, they gathered themselves together.

16Hadarezer sent for more Syrians from the far side of the big river. They came to a place called Helam. Shobach, the leader of Hadarezer's army, led them.

And Hadarezer sent, and brought out the Syrians that were beyond the river: and they came to Helam; and Shobach the captain of the host of Hadarezer went before them.

NoteThe big river is the Euphrates, far away to the north. Hadarezer was a Syrian king who wanted to beat David.

17Someone told David about this. So David gathered all Israel together. They crossed the Jordan River and came to Helam. The Syrians lined up to fight David, and the battle began.

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.

NoteThe Jordan is the river that runs down the side of Israel. The army had to walk across it to reach the fight.

18But the Syrians ran away from Israel. David killed the men who drove seven hundred chariots. He killed forty thousand more of their soldiers. He also struck down Shobach, their army leader, who died there.

And the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew the men of seven hundred chariots of the Syrians, and forty thousand horsemen, and smote Shobach the captain of their host, who died there.

NoteA chariot was a little cart pulled by fast horses. A man stood in it and shot arrows while the horses ran.

19All the kings who worked for Hadarezer saw that Israel had beaten them. So they made peace with Israel and served them. After that, the Syrians were too afraid to help Ammon again.

And when all the kings that were servants to Hadarezer saw that they were smitten before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served them. So the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any more.

NoteServing Israel meant these kings stopped fighting Israel. They sent gifts and money and did what Israel's king said.

23God brought another enemy against Solomon too. He was Rezon son of Eliada. He had run away from his master, Hadadezer the king of Zobah.

And God stirred him up another adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah, which fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah:

NoteZobah was a small kingdom north of Israel. A master was the man Rezon had to work for.

24Rezon gathered men and led a fighting band. This happened when David beat the men of Zobah. Rezon's men went to Damascus, lived there, and ruled it.

And he gathered men unto him, and became captain over a band, when David slew them of Zobah: and they went to Damascus, and dwelt therein, and reigned in Damascus.

NoteA band was a group of fighting men who followed one leader. Damascus was a big city far north of Israel.

25Rezon fought Israel the whole time Solomon was king. Hadad caused trouble as well. Rezon hated Israel and ruled over Syria.

And he was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, beside the mischief that Hadad did: and he abhorred Israel, and reigned over Syria.

NoteSyria was the land north of Israel. Damascus was its main city.

3David also beat Hadadezer, the king of Zobah, near the city of Hamath. Hadadezer had marched out to take more land by the Euphrates River.

And David smote Hadarezer king of Zobah unto Hamath, as he went to stablish his dominion by the river Euphrates.

NoteZobah and Hamath were small kingdoms far north of Israel. The Euphrates is a very big river, even farther north and east. Kings back then tried to control the land along big rivers.

4David took from him a thousand chariots and seven thousand chariot drivers. He also took twenty thousand soldiers who fought on foot. David cut the leg tendons of the horses so they could not pull chariots. He kept only enough horses for a hundred chariots.

And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: David also houghed all the chariot horses, but reserved of them an hundred chariots.

NoteA chariot was a small cart pulled by fast horses. Soldiers rode in it to fight. Cutting a tendon in the back leg is cutting a tough cord under the skin. The horse could still walk and live, but it could not run fast for war. Armies did this so the horses could not be used against them later.

5The Arameans from Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah. David killed twenty-two thousand of their men.

And when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadarezer king of Zobah, David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.

NoteThe Arameans lived north of Israel, in the land also called Syria. Damascus was their main city. It is still a city today.

6David put groups of his soldiers in Aram, near Damascus, to keep control there. The Arameans became his servants and paid him money and goods. The LORD gave David the win everywhere he went.

Then David put garrisons in Syriadamascus; and the Syrians became David’s servants, and brought gifts. Thus the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went.

NoteWhen you see LORD in big letters, it stands for God's own special name. The people of Israel thought that name was too holy to say out loud.

7David took the gold shields carried by Hadadezer's officers. He brought those shields to Jerusalem.

And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadarezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.

NoteThese shields were covered in thin gold. They were not really for fighting. Important officers carried them to look grand.

8David also took a great amount of bronze from two of Hadadezer's cities, Tibhath and Cun. Later Solomon used that bronze to make the big bronze bowl, the pillars, and other bronze objects.

Likewise from Tibhath, and from Chun, cities of Hadarezer, brought David very much brass, wherewith Solomon made the brasen sea, and the pillars, and the vessels of brass.

NoteBronze is a hard metal made by melting copper and tin together. Solomon was David's son, and he became king after David. He built the temple, the special house for worshiping God. The big bronze bowl was a huge basin of water there, where the priests washed.

9King Tou of Hamath heard the news. He learned that David had beaten the whole army of King Hadadezer of Zobah.

Now when Tou king of Hamath heard how David had smitten all the host of Hadarezer king of Zobah;

10So Tou sent his son Hadoram to greet King David and wish him well. He did this because David had fought and beaten Hadadezer, who had been at war with Tou. Hadoram brought many objects made of gold, silver, and bronze.

He sent Hadoram his son to king David, to enquire of his welfare, and to congratulate him, because he had fought against Hadarezer, and smitten him; (for Hadarezer had war with Tou;) and with him all manner of vessels of gold and silver and brass.

NoteKings sent gifts to each other to show they wanted to be friends. Tou was glad because David had beaten the same king Tou had been fighting.

16The Syrians saw that Israel had beaten them. So they sent for more Syrians from beyond the Euphrates River. Shophach, the leader of Hadarezer's army, led them.

And when the Syrians saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they sent messengers, and drew forth the Syrians that were beyond the river: and Shophach the captain of the host of Hadarezer went before them.

NoteThe Euphrates was a very big river far to the north. Getting soldiers from there took many days.

17David was told about this. He gathered all Israel and crossed the Jordan River. He came to the Syrians and lined his men up for battle. So the Syrians fought against him.

And it was told David; and he gathered all Israel, 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.

NoteThe Jordan is the river along the east side of Israel. The army had to walk across it.

18But the Syrians ran away from Israel. David killed seven thousand of their chariot fighters. He also killed forty thousand soldiers who fought on foot. And he killed Shophach, the leader of their army.

But the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew of the Syrians seven thousand men which fought in chariots, and forty thousand footmen, and killed Shophach the captain of the host.

19Hadarezer's men saw that Israel had beaten them. So they made peace with David and served him. After that, the Syrians would not help the Ammonites anymore.

And when the servants of Hadarezer saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they made peace with David, and became his servants: neither would the Syrians help the children of Ammon any more.

NoteBecoming his servants meant they now had to obey David. They also had to send him money each year.