2 Samuel 10:15
in 2 Samuel 10When the Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they regrouped.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And when the Syrians saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they gathered themselves together.
KJV
And when the Syrians saw that they were smitten before Israel, they gathered themselves together.
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This verse in 2 Samuel 10
Commentary
3 notes on this verseAnd when the Syrians saw that they were smitten before Israel,.... Considered it in their minds, and conversed with one another about it, and fearing what would be the consequence of it: they gathered themselves together; not only the forces got together again, that fled before Joab, but all the kings of Syria united their forces together, as appears from 2Sa 10:19; supposing that David would avenge himself on them for assisting the Ammonites against him; and therefore judged it advisable to raise a large army, that they might be in a condition to receive him.
This site's exposition
they gathered themselves together
on 2 Samuel 10:15-16
One defeat does not end the war. The Syrians, smitten before Israel, gather themselves again, and Hadarezer draws in reinforcements from beyond the Euphrates, forces he had not needed against Israel before this campaign widened. Gill and Clarke both note this is the same Hadarezer David had already struck at 2 Samuel 8:3, so the second muster is a defeated king trying to reverse an old defeat rather than a new enemy rising.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Even the baffled cause will make head as long as there is any life in it; the enemies of the Son of David do so, Matt, xxii. These, being conscious of their insufficiency, called in the aid of their allies and dependencies on the other side of the river (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
Shovach the commander of Hadarezer's aray. Because he was very mighty and powerful, he is mentioned by name.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 7 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
8 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיַּ֣רְא | vaiyar' | and it saw | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| אֲרָ֔ם | ʾaram | Aram | H758 → | 143 times |
| כִּ֥י | ki | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| נִגַּ֖ף | nigaf | it was defeated | H5062 → | 49 times |
| לִפְנֵ֣י | lifnei | <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| וַיֵּאָסְפ֖וּ | vaiyeasefu | and they gathered themselves | H622 → | 200 times |
| יָֽחַד׃ | yachad | together | H3162 → | 141 times |
וַיַּ֣רְאand it saw
vaiyar'H7200 →1300 times
אֲרָ֔םAram
ʾaramH758 →143 times
כִּ֥יthat
kiH3588 →4482 times
נִגַּ֖ףit was defeated
nigafH5062 →49 times
לִפְנֵ֣י<to> before
lifneiH6440 →2123 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
וַיֵּאָסְפ֖וּand they gathered themselves
vaiyeasefuH622 →200 times
יָֽחַד׃together
yachadH3162 →141 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 2:1Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?
it leads to
- Acts 4:25–26
You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of Your servant, our father David: ‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?
- Revelation 17:14
They will make war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will triumph over them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and He will be accompanied by His called and chosen…
- Psalms 46:6
Nations rage, kingdoms crumble; the earth melts when He lifts His voice.
- Psalms 21:11
Though they intend You harm, the schemes they devise will not prevail.
- Psalms 83:4–8
saying, “Come, let us erase them as a nation; may the name of Israel be remembered no more.”
- Acts 4:25–26
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 2 Samuel
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.