2 Samuel 8

1. Metheg-ammah. This may be translated (as R.V.), “the bridle of the mother-city”; explained by the words in 1 Chron. xviii. 1, “Gath and her towns” (lit., her daughters). Whoever, at that time, possessed Gath the chief city, held the bridle of the whole district. 2 casting them down to the ground. Rather, as R.V., “making them to lie down on the ground”; dividing them into three parts by a measuring-line, for life or for death. It is uncertain whether one-third only or, as the Septuagint and Vulgate render, one-half were saved: see Josephus, Antiq. vii. 5. 3 Zobah. Zobah was that part of Syria which stretches from Damascus to the Euphrates. to recover his border. Or, “to establish his frontier”: see 1 Sam. xiv. 47. 4 a thousand [chariots], and seven hundred horsemen. The word “chariots” is supplied from 1 Chron. xviii. 4, which gives the number of horsemen as “seven thousand.” This is probably correct. 4 houghed. According to the special command to Joshua (Josh. xi. 6). Horses appear not to have been used by the Hebrews in agriculture, and were not to be kept for purposes of war: see Deut. xvii. 16.

9. Hamath. A large city on the Orontes under the Greeks named Epiphania, and now called el-Asi. For its importance, see Isa. x. 9; Zech. ix. 2. 13 the Syrians. Heb., “Aramites.” By a very slight change in the Hebrew (י" for י), some read “Edomites” (R.V. marg.). But the Syrians appear to have been allied, as they were afterwards under Rezin (2 Kings xvi. 6), with the Edomites, mentioned in the next verse, and in 1 Chron. xviii. 12. Psalm ix. is assigned by its title to this part of David’s wars: see note there.

the valley of salt. The northern part of the Wady-el-Arabah, south of the Dead Sea.

16 recorder. The “recorder” or “remembrancer” kept the chronicles of events and he prepared and registered the royal decrees, no doubt often acting as the king’s adviser or chancellor. The “scribe,” or secretary (18), was probably engaged in the correspondence and daily business of the government.

17. Ahimelech the son of Abiathar. These names are obviously transposed: this text and the parallel passages ought to be read, “Abiathar, the son of Ahimelech.” It is probable that Zadok had been appointed high priest when the family of Ahimelech were slain, and Abiathar had fled; and that Abiathar, having attended David and been consulted by him during his wanderings, was allowed to share the office with Zadok, whose name always stands first.

18. Benaiah. See xxiii. 20.

the Cherethites and the Pelethites. (See 1 Sam. xxx. 14.) These two bands formed David’s bodyguard; but whether these terms are proper names or appellatives is uncertain. The Targum has “archers and slingers.” Gesenius thinks that they denote “headsmen and couriers.” It is likely that they were foreign mercenaries, or hired troops, like the “Swiss guards” in Rome. The Pelethites are supposed to have been “Philistines”; perhaps also the Cherethites, from Cherith, near Ascalon.

chief rulers. Heb., “Cohanim,” usually rendered “priests” (so R.V.).