Bible Commentaries
2 Samuel 10

Verses 1-19

2 Samuel 10:4 Wherefore Hanun took David's servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.

2 Samuel 10:4 Comments - We read of a similar incident in the ancient Histories of Herodotus in which a thief shaved off half the beards of two guards to mock them after getting them drunk and stealing the body of his dead brother.

“The wine had soon its effect, the guards became exceedingly drunk, and fell fast asleep; under the advantage of the night, the young man took down the body of his brother, and in derision shaved the right cheeks of the guards: he placed the body on one of the asses, and returned home, having thus satisfied his mother.” (Herodotus, The Histories 2.121) [56]

[56] Herodotus, Herodotus, vol. 1, trans. William Beloe (London: A. J. Valpy, 1803), 253-254.

2 Samuel 10:18 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.

2 Samuel 10:18 “the men of seven hundred chariots” - Comments - The parallel passage in 1 Chronicles 19:18 says, “seven thousand men.”

1 Chronicles 19:18, “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.”

A look at the difference in the Hebrew:

2 Samuel 10:18 - Hebrew ( רֶ֔כֶב מֵאוֹת֙ שְׁבַ֤ע ) - the men of seven hundred chariots.

1 Chronicles 19:18 - Hebrew ( שִׁבְעַ֤ת אֲלָפִים֙ רֶ֔כֶב ) - seven thousand men which fought in chariots.

Hebrew ( שֶׁבַע ) (H7651) “seven”

Hebrew ( מֵאָה ) (H3967) “hundred”

Hebrew ( אֶלֶף ) (H505) “thousand”

Hebrew ( רֶכֶב ) (H7393) “men which fought in chariots”

2 Samuel 10:18 “forty thousand horsemen” - Comments - The parallel passage in 1 Chronicles 19:18 says, “forty thousand footmen.”

1 Chronicles 19:18, “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.”

A look at the difference in the Hebrew:

2 Samuel 10:18 - Hebrew ( אַרְבָּעִ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף פָּרָשִׁ֑ים ) - forty thousand horsemen.

1 Chronicles 19:18 - Hebrew ( אַרְבָּעִ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף אִ֣ישׁ רַגְלִ֑י ) - forty thousand footmen.

Hebrew ( אַרְבָּעִים ) (H705) “forty”

Hebrew ( אֶלֶף ) (H505) “thousand”

Hebrew ( פָּרָש ) (H6571) “horsemen”

Hebrew ( ילגר ) ( אִ֣ישׁ ) (H7273) “footmen”

2 Samuel 10:18 “Shobach” - Comments - The parallel passage in 1 Chronicles 19:18 says, “Shophach.”

1 Chronicles 19:18, “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.”

A look at the difference in the Hebrew names:

2 Samuel 10:18 - Hebrew ( שׁוֹבָךְ ) - Shobach. (H7731).

1 Chronicles 19:18 - Hebrew ( שׁוֹפָךְ ) - Shophach. (H7780).