(3) Hadarezer.--Samuel, "Hadadezer" (Hadad is help), which is correct. Hadad was a Syrian god, identical with Dadda (Rimmon), worshipped from the Euphrates to Edom and North Arabia. Comp. the royal names Benhadad and Abdadad (i.e., servant of Hadad, like Obadiah, servant of Iahu), which last occurs on Syrian coins, and the Notes on 2Kings 5:18; 1Chronicles 1:46. Samuel adds. "son of Rehob."

Zobah unto Hamath.--Rather, Zobah towards Hamath. The word (H?math?h; not in Samuel) defines the position of Zobah. (Comp. 2Samuel 8:8; Ezekiel 47:16.) The town of Zobah lay somewhere near Emesa (Horns), and not far from the present Yabr-d, north-east of Damascus. (The Assyrian monarch Assurbanipal mentions the towns of Yabrudu and Cubiti--i.e., Zobah--in his Annals.) Its kings are spoken of in 1Samuel 14:47. Hadadezer appears to have brought the whole country under a single sceptre.

Hamath.--See 1Chronicles 13:5, and 2Chronicles 8:4. The town lay in the valley of the Upper Orontes, west of Zobah, and north of Hermon and Damascus.

As he (Hadadezer) went.--The occasion intended appears to be that whereof the particulars are given at 1Chronicles 19:16-19.

To stablish his dominion.--Heb., to set up his hand--i.e., "his power." Samuel has a different word, to recover his power, or repeat his attack.

The river Euphrates.--The Hebrew text of Samuel has "the river." Our text explains.

Verse 3. - Hadarezer; in the parallel places, Hadadezer; though our present form is found both in Samuel (e.g. 2 Samuel 10:16) and in other places in Chronicles, yet in all these places some manuscripts show Hadadezer (see Gesenius, 'Lexicon,' sub voce). Zobah. Part of Syria, east of Hamath, and for the most part of Coelo-Syria, north of Damascus, and stretching in the direction of the Euphrates. Possibly it is one with Ptolemy's Zake (1 Samuel 14:47; 2 Samuel 8:3-10; 2 Samuel 10:9; 1 Kings 11:23-25). Hamath. In the valley of the Orontes, the northern boundary of the Holy Land. It is traceable from the time of the Exodus (Genesis 10:18; Numbers 13:21; Numbers 34:8) to that of the Prophet Amos (Amos 6:12). Though in Zobah, it is probably not the Hamath-Zobah of 2 Samuel 8:3. To stablish his dominion. In the parallel place, "to restore," i.e., no doubt, to endeavour to do so, and that against the growing force of David. He had already suffered at the hand of Saul (1 Samuel 14:47, 48).

18:1-17 David's victories. - This chapter is the same as 2Sa 8. Our good fight of faith, under the Captain of our salvation, will end in everlasting triumph and peace. The happiness of Israel, through David's victories, and just government, faintly shadowed forth the happiness of the redeemed in the realms above.See Chapter Introduction