Three stages are apparent in the war with Zobah _as related in Chronicles_, (a) that in which David secured a position on the Euphrates, xviii. 3‒8, (b) the stage during which troops from Zobah acted as auxiliaries to the Ammonites, xix. 6‒15, (c) the final stage which ended in the conclusion of a formal peace, xix. 16‒19. The actual facts of David’s activities against the Arameans are by no means easy to ascertain, as may be seen in the commentaries on the more complex account which is given in Samuel. ¹⁶And when the Syrians saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they sent messengers, and drew forth the Syrians that were beyond the River, with Shophach the captain of the host of Hadarezer at their head. =16.= _the Syrians that were beyond the River_] i.e. the Syrians of “Mesopotamia”; compare verse 6, note. 2 Samuel x. 16 adds, _and they came to Helam_; the position of Helam however is unknown. _Shophach_] In 2 Samuel x. 16 called “Shobach.” The whole allied army was united under one general. ¹⁷And it was told David; and he gathered all Israel together, and passed over Jordan, and came upon them, and set the battle in array against them. So when David had put the battle in array against the Syrians, they fought with him. =17.= _came upon them_] or possibly read, as 2 Samuel x. 17, =came to Helam=. According to 2 Samuel x. the Syrian army assembled at Helam, and was there attacked by David. ¹⁸And the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew of the Syrians _the men of_ seven thousand chariots, and forty thousand footmen, and killed Shophach the captain of the host. =18.= _seven thousand_] 2 Samuel x. 18, _seven hundred_: an intentional change made by the Chronicler to enhance the achievement of David. _forty thousand footmen_] 2 Samuel x. 18, _forty thousand horsemen_. Swarms of horsemen have usually formed the strength of armies raised on the eastern bank of the Euphrates; but the reading in Chronicles may well be correct. ¹⁹And when the servants of Hadarezer saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they made peace with David, and served him: neither would the Syrians help the children of Ammon any more. =19.= _the servants_] i.e. his vassals and tributaries; in 2 Samuel “all the kings that were servants to Hadarezer.” We are not told what course Hadarezer himself took; possibly, being deserted by his allies, he ceased from hostilities without making any treaty with David. CHAPTER XX. =1‒3= (= 2 Samuel xi. 1, xii. 26‒31). THE SUBJUGATION OF AMMON. The account of the siege of Rabbah is given more shortly in Chronicles than in 2 Samuel From the latter we learn that the Ark was in the besiegers’ camp (xi. 11), that the city was defended with spirit (xi. 17), and finally taken piecemeal (xii. 26‒29).