_as he went to stablish his dominion_] _He_ may refer to Hadarezer or to David; the latter, probably, is the Chronicler’s intention. The reading in 2 Samuel viii. 3 (“to _recover_ his dominion”――Revised Version) should be emended to the text in Chronicles. _by the river Euphrates_] The utter improbability that David exercised any authority in regions so far north throws no doubt upon the reading, for the Chronicler and the author of Samuel may easily have believed that he did so. ⁴And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: and David houghed all the chariot horses, but reserved of them for an hundred chariots. =4.= _a thousand chariots, and seven thousand horsemen_] Samuel _a thousand and seven hundred horsemen_ (so Hebrew but LXX. of Samuel agrees with Chronicles). _Houghed_ = “hamstrung.” ⁵And when the Syrians¹ of Damascus² came to succour Hadarezer king of Zobah, David smote of the Syrians¹ two and twenty thousand men. ¹ Hebrew _Aram_. ² Hebrew _Darmesek_. =5.= _Damascus_] The name is variously written in Hebrew, _Darmesek_ (Chronicles), _Dammesek_ (Genesis, 1 Kings), _Dummesek_ (2 Kings xvi. 10). See G. A. Smith, _Damascus_ in _Encyclopedia Biblia_. _came to succour_] By interposing between David and his own land and so threatening his rear. ⁶Then David put _garrisons_ in Syria¹ of Damascus²; and the Syrians¹ became servants to David, and brought presents. And the LORD gave victory³ to David whithersoever he went. ¹ Hebrew _Aram_. ² Hebrew _Darmesek_. ³ Or, _saved David_. =6.= _put_ garrisons _in Syria of Damascus_] margin in _Aram of Darmesek_, i.e. in the Aramean kingdom of which Damascus was the capital. David’s purpose of course was to secure his rear in any future operations towards Hamath or towards the Euphrates. ⁷And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadarezer, and brought them to Jerusalem. =7.= _shields of gold_] “shields” = Hebrew _shĕlātim_. The meaning of the Hebrew word is doubtful; most probably it does _not_ mean “shield,” for (1) a shield would not be described as “upon” the person to whom it belonged, (2) the early authorities, i.e. the LXX. translators, the Targum, and the Peshitṭa (on 2 Samuel viii. 7; 2 Kings xi. 10; Jeremiah li. 11; Ezekiel xxvii. 11) never give “shield,” but either leave the word untranslated or give various conjectural renderings. A later authority (Targum on 1 Chronicles xviii. 7; 2 Chronicles xxiii. 9) gives “shield,” while LXX. gives “collars” (κλοιούς) here, and “arms” or “shields” (τὰ ὅπλα) in 2 Chronicles. The most probable rendering of the word is “suits of armour” (see Barnes, _Expository Times_, x. 43 ff.). _and brought them to Jerusalem_] So Hebrew LXX. Targum, but the Peshitṭa (all important MSS.) omits the words, and they may be a gloss introduced from 2 Samuel viii. 7.