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2 Samuel 8:6

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus,.... Which was Coele-Syria, and lay between Libanus and Antilibanus, the chief city of which was Damascus; which Curtius (q) calls Damascus of Syria, being the head of it, Isaiah 7:8; in the principal places of which he put garrisons of soldiers to keep the country in subjection to him; or he put...

2 Samuel 8:7

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer,.... That were found with them, which they had in their hands; these must be supposed to be with the principal officers of his army; or golden chains, as Aquila, or golden bracelets on their arms, as the Septuagint; the Syriac version is "quivers of gold", such as they put...

2 Samuel 8:8

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And from Betah, and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer,.... Which, in 1 Chronicles 18:8, are called Tibhath and Chun, they having different names; or their names might be changed upon this conquest of them, and the one might be the names they went by with the Syrians, and the other the Israelites called them by; the latter is the same with...

2 Samuel 8:9

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

When Toi king of Hamath,.... Which was another small kingdom in Syria, perhaps lately erected to defend themselves against Hadadezer, and this the first king of it, at least the first we hear of; his name is Tou in 1 Chronicles 18:9; where in the Targum he is called king of Antioch. Hamath lay to the north of the land of Canaan; [See comments on...

2 Samuel 8:10

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

Then Toi sent Joram his son unto King David,.... Who is called Hadoram in 1 Chronicles 18:10; though the Syriac and Arabic versions read Joram there: to salute him: to inquire of his welfare after his fatigue in the battles he had had with the Moabites and Syrians, and to wish him all happiness and prosperity for the future: and to bless him; to...

2 Samuel 8:11

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

Which also King David did dedicate unto the Lord,.... He devoted it to sacred uses, particularly to the building of the house of the Lord, as he also had the gold and the brass he took from Hadadezer: together with the silver and the gold he had dedicated of all nations which he subdued; who are after particularly mentioned; he did not convert the...

2 Samuel 8:12

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

Of Syria,.... Of Syria of Damascus, as distinct from Syriazobah, Hadadezer was king of, after mentioned; this is omitted in 1 Chronicles 18:11; and of Moab: who brought him gifts and presents, and were tributaries to him, 2 Samuel 8:2; and of the children of Ammon; who very probably joined the Moabites, and were conquered and spoiled at the same...

2 Samuel 8:13

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And David gat [him] a name,.... Fame and reputation in the several nations of the world for valour and courage, for the many and signal victories that he obtained; the Jewish writers generally refer this to his humanity in burying the dead bodies of his enemies slain in war, which gained him great esteem among all, and even his very enemies; but...

2 Samuel 8:14

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And he put garrisons in Edom,.... To keep the inhabitants in subjection to him; as their forts and strong holds came into his hands, he placed companies of soldiers in them for the said purpose; or governors, as the Targum, men of his own nation, into whose hands he put their principal cities, who governed them for him, and under him. Jarchi...

2 Samuel 8:15

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And David reigned over all Israel,.... Not only over Judah, but over all the tribes of Israel, and over the whole land of Canaan, as promised to Abraham, Genesis 15:18; reaching to the river Euphrates, as Syria did, now conquered by David: and David executed judgment and justice unto all his people; when he returned from his wars, he heard and...

2 Samuel 8:16

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And Joab the son of Zeruiah [was] over the host,.... Which was not only owing to his relation to David, being his sister's son, but to his promise that whoever smote the Jebusites first should be chief and captain; that is, should have the command of the army under him; this Joab did; and so was entitled to this office, and was put into it, and...

2 Samuel 8:17

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, [were] the priests,.... Not high priests, as Josephus (i) suggests, for there was only one high priest at a time; indeed there was a "sagan", or deputy priest, on occasion; and so Abarbinel says that Zadok was the high priest, and Ahimelech his second or deputy; but the truth of the...

2 Samuel 8:18

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada [was] over both the Cherethites and Pelethites,.... These, according to Josephus (k), were the king's bodyguards, and this man is expressly said to be set over his guards, 2 Samuel 23:22; and which some think were of the nation of the Philistines, famous for archery, and slinging of stones; and so the Targum renders...

2 Samuel 9

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 9 This chapter relates David's inquiry after the posterity of Saul, whether any were living and where they were, 2 Samuel 9:1; and on inquiry being informed of one, he sent for him, and kindly received him, 2 Samuel 9:5; and restored to him the land of his fathers, and appointed a person to till it for him, and bring...

2 Samuel 9:1

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And David said,.... To some of his courtiers: is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul? which question was put by him, not in order to destroy them, lest they should disturb his government, as was usual with other princes, and especially such who got their crowns by usurpation; but to prevent any suspicion of that kind in the persons he...

2 Samuel 9:2

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And [there was] of the house of Saul a servant whose name [was] Ziba,.... Or there was a servant that belonged to Saul's family; not that any of Saul's family was a servant; and this servant the Jews commonly say was a Canaanitish servant, and who upon the death of his master was not made free, but became the inheritance and possession of his...

2 Samuel 9:3

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And the king said, [is] there not yet any of the house of Saul; that is, remaining or living: that I may show the kindness of God unto him? great kindness, some large favour or benefit; for the word God added to things, as to trees, mountains, c. serves to set forth the excellency of them and this kindness is in imitation of God, or such as he had...

2 Samuel 9:4

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And the king said unto him, where is he?.... In what part of the land, city, or town, does he dwell? and Ziba said unto the king, behold, he [is] in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel; a descendant of Machir, the son of Manasseh, to whom the land of Gilead was given, which lay on the other side Jordan: in Lodebar; a place in that country,...

2 Samuel 9:5

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

Then King David sent,.... Messengers; it may be Ziba, none being more proper than he that knew him, and where he was: and fetched him out of the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lodebar; they demanded him in the king's name, and being delivered to them, they brought him from thence to Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 9:6

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul,.... For that was his name, though sometimes called Meribbaal, 1 Chronicles 8:34; and this was his relation to Jonathan and Saul, the son of the one, and grandson of the other: was come unto David; to his court and palace in Jerusalem, being thither brought; for he could not go of...