2 Samuel 10:7 - Printer Friendly

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

NIV: On hearing this, David sent Joab out with the entire army of fighting men.

NASB: When David heard about this, he sent Joab and all the army, the warriors.

CSB: David heard about it and sent Joab and all the elite troops.

NLT: When David heard about this, he sent Joab and all his warriors to fight them.

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

NKJV: Now when David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army of the mighty men.

Second Samuel 10:6–8 describes the king of Ammon preparing for his self-fulfilling prophecy. He misinterpreted David's kindness and now must prepare for war (2 Samuel 10:1–5). He hires the armies of four Syrian city-states to join his own forces. Joab easily sends the Ammonites scurrying home, and David takes care of the Syrians (2 Samuel 10:9–19). First Chronicles 19:6–9 gives slightly different details.

In 2 Samuel 10, David sends a delegation. Their mission is to offer condolences to the new king of Ammon following the death of his father. Suspecting a trick, the king humiliates David's messengers. The Ammonites hire four Syrian armies and wait for Israel's attack. Joab leads Israel in a defeat of the Syrians and a retreat of the Ammonites. The Syrians, however, regroup under the leadership of Hadadezer, who calls all Syrian kings to join a massive army to fight Israel. David defeats that army, making the Syrians subject to him. First Chronicles 19 also records the battle.

Second Samuel chapter 10 gives context to 2 Samuel 8:7. The Ammonite king dies, and David sends messengers with condolences. The new king fears they are spies and disgraces them. The Ammonites call on Syrians for support and start a battle which Joab wins. The Ammonites hide in their city, and David beats the Syrians into submission. David proves that the Israelites are a fearsome power. The next spring, David will send Joab to destroy the Ammonites. While the army is away, David sins against Bathsheba and Uriah (2 Samuel 11). The battles are also found in 1 Chronicles 19.

Second Samuel continues the story of David, who will become king over Judah. The other tribes of Israel are resistant, eventually sparking a civil war. David wins and makes Jerusalem his capital. Early success is followed by moral failure and controversy in David's house. The book of 1 Kings will begin by detailing David's decline and death.

Accessed 12/13/2025 8:43:53 PM