(10)
He sent.--Heb.,
and he sent.Hadoram.--Samuel, "and Toi sent Joram" (LXX., "Jedd?ram"). Vulg., "Adoram;" but Syriac and Arabic, "Joram." Hadoram, or Adoram (Hadar or Adar, is high), seems right; but Joram, i.e., Jehoram (Jehovah is high), may be correct, for it appears from an inscription of Sargon that the God of Israel was not unknown to the Hamathites. Sargon calls their king Iahu-bihdi.
To congratulate.--Bless--i.e., pronounce him happy.
Had war with Tou.--A man of wars (a foeman) of Tou was Hadadezer.
And . . . all manner . . .--Samuel, "and in his hand [were] vessels of silver, and vessels of gold," &c. The clause is here curtailed.
Verse 10. -
Hadoram. In the parallel place written
Joram. The Septuagint has the name spelt with d in both places, which has led to the suggestion that possibly the real name was Jedorum. Josephus suggests that Tou had been brought into subjection by Hadadezer, and wished by his present congratulations and valuable gifts to ingratiate himself with David for a purpose.
Had war; literally,
was a man of war;
i.e. he had shown his addictedness to war, or had warred abundantly with Tou. It is evident that Tou had generally fared the worst in their encounters.
18:1-17 David's victories. - This chapter is the same as 2Sa 8. Our good fight of faith, under the Captain of our salvation, will end in everlasting triumph and peace. The happiness of Israel, through David's victories, and just government, faintly shadowed forth the happiness of the redeemed in the realms above.
See Chapter Introduction