Hadadezer

David’s wars with the Syrians include a king called Hadadezer, son of Rehob, ruler of Zobah. Second Samuel 8 reports that David defeated him near the Euphrates, and that when the Syrians of Damascus came to help, they were beaten as well. Toi, king of Hamath, then sent his son with gifts, since Hadadezer had been his enemy. Chronicles spells the name Hadarezer, and tells of a second round of fighting led by his captain Shophach. For the story, read 2 Samuel 8:3-12 and then 2 Samuel 10.

39 verses

2 Samuel

2 Samuel 8:3

David smote also Hadadezer, the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his border at the river Euphrates.

2 Samuel 8:4

And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: and David houghed all the chariot horses, but reserved of them for an hundred chariots.

2 Samuel 8:5

And when the Syrians of Damascus came to succour Hadadezer king of Zobah, David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.

2 Samuel 8:6

Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus: and the Syrians became servants to David, and brought gifts. And the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went.

2 Samuel 8:7

And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 8:8

And from Betah, and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, king David took exceeding much brass.

2 Samuel 8:9

When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had smitten all the host of Hadadezer,

2 Samuel 8:10

Then Toi sent Joram his son unto king David, to salute him, and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer, and smitten him: for Hadadezer had wars with Toi. And Joram brought with him vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and vessels of brass:

2 Samuel 8:11

Which also king David did dedicate unto the LORD, with the silver and gold that he had dedicated of all nations which he subdued;

2 Samuel 8:12

Of Syria, and of Moab, and of the children of Ammon, and of the Philistines, and of Amalek, and of the spoil of Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

2 Samuel 8:13

And David gat him a name when he returned from smiting of the Syrians in the valley of salt, being eighteen thousand men.

2 Samuel 10:15

And when the Syrians saw that they were smitten before Israel, they gathered themselves together.

2 Samuel 10:16

And Hadarezer sent, and brought out the Syrians that were beyond the river: and they came to Helam; and Shobach the captain of the host of Hadarezer went before them.

2 Samuel 10:17

And when it was told David, he gathered all Israel together, and passed over Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in array against David, and fought with him.

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 10:19

And when all the kings that were servants to Hadarezer saw that they were smitten before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served them. So the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any more.

1 Kings

1 Kings 11:23

And God stirred him up another adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah, which fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah:

1 Chronicles

1 Chronicles 18:3

And David smote Hadarezer king of Zobah unto Hamath, as he went to stablish his dominion by the river Euphrates.

1 Chronicles 18:4

And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: David also houghed all the chariot horses, but reserved of them an hundred chariots.

1 Chronicles 18:5

And when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadarezer king of Zobah, David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.

1 Chronicles 18:6

Then David put garrisons in Syriadamascus; and the Syrians became David's servants, and brought gifts. Thus the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went.

1 Chronicles 18:7

And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadarezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.

1 Chronicles 18:8

Likewise from Tibhath, and from Chun, cities of Hadarezer, brought David very much brass, wherewith Solomon made the brasen sea, and the pillars, and the vessels of brass.

1 Chronicles 18:9

Now when Tou king of Hamath heard how David had smitten all the host of Hadarezer king of Zobah;

1 Chronicles 18:10

He sent Hadoram his son to king David, to enquire of his welfare, and to congratulate him, because he had fought against Hadarezer, and smitten him;(for Hadarezer had war with Tou;) and with him all manner of vessels of gold and silver and brass.

1 Chronicles 19:6

And when the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the children of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to hire them chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, and out of Syriamaachah, and out of Zobah.

1 Chronicles 19:7

So they hired thirty and two thousand chariots, and the king of Maachah and his people; who came and pitched before Medeba. And the children of Ammon gathered themselves together from their cities, and came to battle.

1 Chronicles 19:8

And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men.

1 Chronicles 19:9

And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array before the gate of the city: and the kings that were come were by themselves in the field.

1 Chronicles 19:10

Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, he chose out of all the choice of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians.

1 Chronicles 19:11

And the rest of the people he delivered unto the hand of Abishai his brother, and they set themselves in array against the children of Ammon.

1 Chronicles 19:12

And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me: but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will help thee.

1 Chronicles 19:13

Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people, and for the cities of our God: and let the LORD do that which is good in his sight.

1 Chronicles 19:14

So Joab and the people that were with him drew nigh before the Syrians unto the battle; and they fled before him.

1 Chronicles 19:15

And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, they likewise fled before Abishai his brother, and entered into the city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem.

1 Chronicles 19:16

And 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: and Shophach the captain of the host of Hadarezer went before them.

1 Chronicles 19:17

And it was told David; and he gathered all Israel, 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.

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.

1 Chronicles 19:19

And when the servants of Hadarezer saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they made peace with David, and became his servants: neither would the Syrians help the children of Ammon any more.

From Easton's Bible Dictionary

Matthew George Easton, 1897

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 Sam. 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 Sam. 10:17). 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 Chr. 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 Sam. 10:15-19; 1 Chr. 19:15-19).

Read the full entry

From Smith's Bible Dictionary

William Smith, 1884

(2 Samuel 8:3-12; 1 Kings 11:23). [HADAREZER]

Based on Nave's Topical Bible by Orville J. Nave (1896). Dictionary entries from Easton's Bible Dictionary and Smith's Bible Dictionary. Public domain. KJV scripture text, public domain.