Hadadezer: Hadad is help; called also Hadarezer, Adod is his help, the king of
Zobah. Hanun, the king of the Ammonites, hired among others the army of
Hadadezer to assist him in his war against David. Joab, who was sent
against this confederate host, found them in double battle array, the
Ammonities toward their capital of Rabbah, and the Syrian mercenaries
near Medeba. In the battle which was fought the Syrians were scattered,
and the Ammonites in alarm fled into their capital. After this
Hadadezer went north "to recover his border"
(2 Samuel 8:3) A.V.; but
rather, as the Revised Version renders, "to recover his dominion",
i.e., to recruit his forces. Then followed another battle with the
Syrian army thus recruited, which resulted in its being totally routed
at Helam
(2 Samuel 10:17-19) Shobach, the leader of the Syrian army, died
on the field of battle. The Syrians of Damascus, who had come to help
Hadadezer, were also routed, and Damascus was made tributary to David.
All the spoils taken in this war, "shields of gold" and "very much
brass," from which afterwards the "brasen sea, and the pillars, and the
vessels of brass" for the temple were made
(1 Chronicles 18:8) were brought
to Jerusalem and dedicated to Jehovah. Thus the power of the Ammonites
and the Syrians was finally broken, and David's empire extended to the
Euphrates
(2 Samuel 10:15-19; 1 Chronicles 19:15-19)
