2 Samuel 8:9

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

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(9) Toi king of Hamath.—The Vatican LXX. has the name, in accordance with Chron., Tau. Hamath, the capital of the kingdom of the same name, was situated on the Orontes. According to 1Chronicles 18:3. David’s victory was on the borders of this kingdom. It was tributary to Solomon (1Kings 4:24, 2Chronicles 8:3-4), subsequently became independent, and was recovered by Jeroboam II. (2Kings 14:28), and was finally captured by Assyria (2Kings 19:13). It is described as “the great” by Amos (6:2), and a considerable town still occupies its site.

Benson Commentary

2 Samuel 8:9-11. King of Hamath — This city was also in Syria, and lay north of Judea. To salute him, and bless him — To congratulate him on his good success in the war with Hadadezer, and to wish him continued prosperity. Joram brought with him vessels, &c. — As a present to King David, whose friendship he sought by this embassy. Which David did dedicate to the Lord — These words seem to import, that he was so far from multiplying silver and gold for himself, (which Moses forbade, Deuteronomy 17:16,) that he put all his spoil, or the greatest part of it, into God’s treasury, for the building of the temple, which he designed, and his son was to accomplish, chap. 2 Samuel 7:13. A rare instance of his piety and gratitude to God, by whose aid he conquered; too seldom imitated by kings!

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

8:9-14 All the precious things David was master of, were dedicated things; they were designed for building the temple. The idols of gold David destroyed, 2Sa 5:21, but the vessels of gold he dedicated. Thus, in the conquest of a soul by the grace of the Son of David, what stands in opposition to God must be destroyed, every lust must be mortified and crucified, but what may glorify him must be dedicated; thus the property of it is altered. God employs his servants in various ways; some, as David, in spiritual battles; others, as Solomon, in spiritual buildings; and one prepares work for the other, that God may have the glory of all.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Hamath - This appears as an independent kingdom so late as the time of Senacherib Isaiah 37:13. But in the time of Nebuchadnezzar, both Hamath and Arpad appear to have been incorporated in the kingdom of Damascus Jeremiah 49:23.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

9. Toi king of Hamath—Cœle-Syria; northwards, it extended to the city Hamath on the Orontes, which was the capital of the country. The Syrian prince, being delivered from the dread of a dangerous neighbor, sent his son with valuable presents to David to congratulate him on his victories, and solicit his alliance and protection.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Hamath; another eminent city of Syria.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

When Toi king of Hamath,.... Which was another small kingdom in Syria, perhaps lately erected to defend themselves against Hadadezer, and this the first king of it, at least the first we hear of; his name is Tou in 1 Chronicles 18:9; where in the Targum he is called king of Antioch. Hamath lay to the north of the land of Canaan; See Gill on Numbers 34:8, it is said (t) to be three days' journey from Tripoli, and that it stands in the midway to Aleppo, on a very goodly plain, replenished with corn and cotton wool, but very much in ruins, and falls more and more to decay: at this day (says my author, who travelled in those parts in the beginning of the seventeenth century) there is scarce one half of the wall standing, which hath been very fair and strong. The king of this place

heard that David had smitten all the host of Hadadezer; the news of which soon reached him, he being in the neighbourhood.

(t) Cartwright's Preacher's Travels, p. 6.

Geneva Study Bible

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

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

9–12. Congratulatory embassy from Toi king of Hamath

9. Toi] The Sept. agrees with Chr. in reading his name Toü.

Hamath] A kingdom north of Zobah, with a capital of the same name situated on the Orontes. Hamath was one of the kingdoms which were tributary to Solomon, who built cities there (1 Kings 4:24; 2 Chronicles 8:4). After his death it regained its independence until Jeroboam II. recovered it (2 Kings 14:28). A century later it is reckoned among the conquests of Assyria (2 Kings 19:13). The epithet “great,” applied to the city by Amos (ch. 2 Samuel 6:2), attests its importance. A considerable town, retaining the name of Hamah, still occupies the site.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 9. - Toi, called in Chronicles Tou, King of Hamath. This was a famous city upon the river Orontes, afterwards called by the Greeks Epiphania, and was situated upon the northernmost boundary of Palestine. Its interest in the present day lies in its having been the capital of the Hittites - a race whose very existence was doubted a few years ago, in spite of the testimony of Holy Scripture; but whose marvellous empire has been lately proved to be historical by Egyptian records on the one side, and cuneiform inscriptions on the other. Unfortunately, inscriptions which they have themselves left behind have not yet found any one capable of deciphering them. In the twelfth century B.C. they were the paramount power from the Euphrates to the Lebanon. For many centuries they contended with the Pharaohs for the possession of Egypt, and while Rameses II. had to make an inglorious peace with the Kheta, as they are called, and marry the king's daughter, Rameses III won a great victory over them, and saved Egypt from thraldom. In the cuneiform inscriptions we find the record of a struggle between Assyria and the Hittites, lasting for four hundred years, during which Shalmaneser made thirty campaigns against them, but they were not finally conquered until B.C. 717, during the reign of Sargon. Fuller details will be found in Dr. Wright's 'Empire of the Hittites,' published by Messrs. Nisbet. 2 Samuel 8:9

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

After the defeat of the king of Zobah and his allies, Toi king of Hamath sought for David's friendship, sending his son to salute him, and conveying to him at the same time a considerable present of vessels of silver, gold, and brass. The name Toi is written Tou in the Chronicles, according to a different mode of interpretation; and the name of the son is given as Hadoram in the Chronicles, instead of Joram as in the text before us. The former is evidently the true reading, and Joram an error of the pen, as the Israelitish name Joram is not one that we should expect to find among Aramaeans; whilst Hadoram occurs in 1 Chronicles 1:21 in the midst of Arabic names, and it cannot be shown that the Hadoram or Adoram mentioned in 2 Chronicles 10:18 and 1 Kings 12:18 was a man of Israelitish descent. The primary object of the mission was to salute David ("to ask him of peace;" cf. Genesis 43:27, etc.), and to congratulate him upon his victory ("to bless him because he had fought," etc.); for Toi had had wars with Hadadezer. "A man of wars" signifies a man who wages wars (cf. 1 Chronicles 28:3; Isaiah 42:13). According to 1 Chronicles 18:3, the territory of the king of Hamath bordered upon that of Hadadezer, and the latter had probably tried to make king Toi submit to him. The secret object of the salutation, however, was no doubt to secure the friendship of this new and powerful neighbour.