(5) And when the Syrians of Damascus came.--Literally, And Aram of Damascus came. The verb is masculine here, feminine in Samuel. (Comp. 1Chronicles 18:2.)

Damascus.--Heb., Darmeseq, a late form, occurring again in 2Chronicles 28:5; 2Chronicles 28:23 (= ancient Dammeseq). In Syriac the name is similar: Darm?s-q. The Arabic is Dimashqu, the cuneiform Dimashqa or Dimmasqa.

David slew of the Syrians.--Literally, smote in Aram. The preposition is partitive.

Verse 5. - The Hebrew text of Damascus, here, next verse, and also 2 Chronicles 28:5, spells the word with a resh, omitting the dagesh forte in the mere following, which Gesenius instances (see his 'Lexicon') as the Syriac orthography.

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