2 Samuel 8:5-6

8:5 The Arameans of Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, but David killed 22,000 of the Arameans. 8:6 David placed garrisons in the territory of the Arameans of Damascus; the Arameans became David’s subjects and brought tribute. The Lord protected ¹  David wherever he campaigned. ² 

2 Samuel 10:6-19

10:6 When the Ammonites realized that David was disgusted with them, ³  they ⁴  sent and hired 20,000 foot soldiers from Aram Beth Rehob and Aram Zobah, ⁵  in addition to 1,000 men from the king of Maacah and 12,000 men from Ish-tob. ⁶ 

10:7 When David heard the news, he sent Joab and the entire army to meet them. ⁷  10:8 The Ammonites marched out and were deployed for battle at the entrance of the city gate, while the men from Aram Zobah, Rehob, Ish-tob, and Maacah were by themselves in the field.

10:9 When Joab saw that the battle would be fought on two fronts, he chose some of Israel’s best men and deployed them against the Arameans. ⁸  10:10 He put his brother Abishai in charge of the rest of the army ⁹  and they were deployed ¹⁰  against the Ammonites. 10:11 Joab ¹¹  said, “If the Arameans start to overpower me, ¹²  you come to my rescue. If the Ammonites start to overpower you, ¹³  I will come to your rescue. 10:12 Be strong! Let’s fight bravely for the sake of our people and the cities of our God! The Lord will do what he decides is best!” ¹⁴ 

10:13 So Joab and his men ¹⁵  marched out to do battle with the Arameans, and they fled before him. 10:14 When the Ammonites saw the Arameans flee, they fled before his brother Abishai and went into the city. Joab withdrew from fighting the Ammonites and returned to ¹⁶  Jerusalem. ¹⁷ 

10:15 When the Arameans realized that they had been defeated by Israel, they consolidated their forces. ¹⁸  10:16 Then Hadadezer sent for Arameans from ¹⁹  beyond the Euphrates River, ²⁰  and they came to Helam. Shobach, the general in command of Hadadezer’s army, led them. ²¹ 

10:17 When David was informed, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan River, ²²  and came to Helam. The Arameans deployed their forces against David and fought with him. 10:18 The Arameans fled before Israel. David killed 700 Aramean charioteers and 40,000 foot soldiers. ²³  He also struck down Shobach, the general in command of the army, who died there. 10:19 When all the kings who were subject to Hadadezer ²⁴  saw they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and became subjects of Israel. ²⁵  The Arameans were no longer willing to help the Ammonites.

2 Samuel 15:8

15:8 For I made this vow ²⁶  when I was living in Geshur in Aram: ‘If the Lord really does allow me to return to Jerusalem, ²⁷  I will serve the Lord.’”

[8:6]  ¹ tn Or “delivered.”

[8:6]  ² tn Or “wherever he went.”

[10:6]  ³ tn Heb “that they were a stench [i.e., disgusting] with David.”

[10:6]  ⁴ tn Heb “the Ammonites.”

[10:6]  ⁵ tn Or “Arameans of Beth Rehob and Arameans of Zobah.”

[10:6]  ⁶ tn Or perhaps “the men of Tob.” The ancient versions (the LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and Vulgate) understand the name to be “Ish-tob.” It is possible that “Ish” is dittographic and that we should read simply “Tob,” a reading adopted by a number of recent English versions.

[10:7]  ⁷ tn The words “the news” and “to meet them” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons and for clarification.

[10:9]  ⁸ tn Heb “and Joab saw that the face of the battle was to him before and behind and he chose from all the best in Israel and arranged to meet Aram.”

[10:10]  ⁹ tn Heb “people.”

[10:10]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “he arranged.”

[10:11]  ¹¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:11]  ¹² tn Heb “if Aram is stronger than me.”

[10:11]  ¹³ tn Heb “if the sons of Ammon are stronger than you.”

[10:12]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “and the Lord will do what is good in his eyes.”

[10:13]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “and the army which was with him.”

[10:14]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “and Joab returned from against the sons of Ammon and entered.”

[10:14]  ¹⁷ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[10:15]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “were gathered together.”

[10:16]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “and Hadadezer sent and brought out Aram which is.”

[10:16]  ²⁰ tn Heb “from beyond the River.” The name “Euphrates” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[10:16]  ²¹ tn Heb “was before them.”

[10:17]  ²² tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[10:18]  ²³ tn 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.

[10:19]  ²⁴ tn Heb “the servants of Hadadezer.”

[10:19]  ²⁵ tn Heb “and they served them.”

[15:8]  ²⁶ tn Heb “for your servant vowed a vow.” The formal court style of referring to one’s self in third person (“your servant”) has been translated here as first person for clarity.

[15:8]  ²⁷ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.