2 Samuel 8:5
New International Version
When the Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand of them.

New Living Translation
When Arameans from Damascus arrived to help King Hadadezer, David killed 22,000 of them.

English Standard Version
And when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down 22,000 men of the Syrians.

Berean Standard Bible
When the Arameans of Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand of their men.

King James Bible
And when the Syrians of Damascus came to succour Hadadezer king of Zobah, David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.

New King James Version
When the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David killed twenty-two thousand of the Syrians.

New American Standard Bible
When the Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer, king of Zobah, David killed twenty-two thousand men among the Arameans.

NASB 1995
When the Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer, king of Zobah, David killed 22,000 Arameans.

NASB 1977
And when the Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer, king of Zobah, David killed 22,000 Arameans.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then the Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer, king of Zobah. And David struck down 22,000 Arameans.

Amplified Bible
When the Arameans (Syrians) of Damascus came to help Hadadezer, king of Zobah, David struck down 22,000 Arameans.

Christian Standard Bible
When the Arameans of Damascus came to assist King Hadadezer of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand Aramean men.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
When the Arameans of Damascus came to assist King Hadadezer of Zobah, David struck down 22,000 Aramean men.

American Standard Version
And when the Syrians of Damascus came to succor Hadadezer king of Zobah, David smote of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.

Contemporary English Version
When troops from the Aramean kingdom of Damascus came to help Hadadezer, David killed 22,000 of them.

English Revised Version
And when the Syrians of Damascus came to succour Hadadezer king of Zobah, David smote of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
When the Arameans from Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, David killed 22,000 of them.

Good News Translation
When the Syrians of Damascus sent an army to help King Hadadezer, David attacked it and killed twenty-two thousand men.

International Standard Version
When Arameans came from Damascus to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, David killed 22,000 of them.

Majority Standard Bible
When the Arameans of Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand of their men.

NET Bible
The Arameans of Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, but David killed 22,000 of the Arameans.

New Heart English Bible
When the Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck of the Arameans two and twenty thousand men.

Webster's Bible Translation
And when the Syrians of Damascus came to succor Hadadezer king of Zobah, David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.

World English Bible
When the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck twenty two thousand men of the Syrians.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Aram of Damascus comes to give help to Hadadezer king of Zobah, and David strikes twenty-two thousand men of Aram;

Young's Literal Translation
And Aram of Damascus cometh to give help to Hadadezer king of Zobah, and David smiteth of Aram twenty and two thousand men;

Smith's Literal Translation
And Aram of Damascus will come to help Hadadezer, king of Zobah, and David will strike of Aram twenty and two thousand men.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the Syrians of Damascus came to succour Adarezer the king of Soba: and David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And the Syrians of Damascus arrived, so that they might bring reinforcements to Hadadezer, the king of Zobah. And David struck down twenty-two thousand men of the Syrians.

New American Bible
The Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer, king of Zobah, but David also defeated twenty-two thousand of them in Aram.

New Revised Standard Version
When the Arameans of Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, David killed twenty-two thousand men of the Arameans.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And when the Edomites and the Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadarezer king of Zobah, David slew of the Edomites twenty-two thousand men.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Adum and Darmsuq came to help Hedarezar the King of Tsuba, and David struck twenty and two thousand at Adum .”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And when the Arameans of Damascus came to succour Hadadezer king of Zobah, David smote of the Arameans two and twenty thousand men.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Syria of Damascus comes to help Adraazar king of Suba, and David smote twenty-two thousand men belonging to the Syrian.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
David's Triumphs
4David captured from him a thousand chariots, seven thousand charioteers, and twenty thousand foot soldiers, and he hamstrung all the horses except a hundred he kept for the chariots. 5When the Arameans of Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand men. 6Then he placed garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject to David and brought him tribute. So the LORD made David victorious wherever he went.…

Cross References
1 Chronicles 18:5-6
When the Arameans of Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand of their men. / Then he placed garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject to David and brought him tribute. So the LORD made David victorious wherever he went.

2 Samuel 10:18
But the Arameans fled before Israel, and David killed seven hundred charioteers and forty thousand foot soldiers. He also struck down Shobach the commander of their army, who died there.

1 Kings 11:23-25
And God raised up against Solomon another adversary, Rezon the son of Eliada, who had fled from his master, Hadadezer king of Zobah, / and had gathered men to himself. When David killed the Zobaites, Rezon captained a band of raiders and went to Damascus, where they settled and gained control. / Rezon was Israel’s enemy throughout the days of Solomon, adding to the trouble caused by Hadad. So Rezon ruled over Aram with hostility toward Israel.

Isaiah 7:8
For the head of Aram is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin. Within sixty-five years Ephraim will be shattered as a people.

Isaiah 17:1-3
This is the burden against Damascus: “Behold, Damascus is no longer a city; it has become a heap of ruins. / The cities of Aroer are forsaken; they will be left to the flocks, which will lie down with no one to fear. / The fortress will disappear from Ephraim, and the sovereignty from Damascus. The remnant of Aram will be like the splendor of the Israelites,” declares the LORD of Hosts.

Psalm 60:1
For the choirmaster. To the tune of “The Lily of the Covenant.” A Miktam of David for instruction. When he fought Aram-naharaim and Aram-zobah, and Joab returned and struck down 12,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. You have rejected us, O God; You have broken us; You have been angry; restore us!

Psalm 83:4-8
saying, “Come, let us erase them as a nation; may the name of Israel be remembered no more.” / For with one mind they plot together; they form an alliance against You— / the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, of Moab and the Hagrites, ...

Amos 1:3-5
This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Damascus, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because they threshed Gilead with sledges of iron. / So I will send fire upon the house of Hazael to consume the citadels of Ben-hadad. / I will break down the gates of Damascus; I will cut off the ruler from the Valley of Aven and the one who wields the scepter in Beth-eden. The people of Aram will be exiled to Kir,” says the LORD.

Jeremiah 49:23-27
Concerning Damascus: “Hamath and Arpad are put to shame, for they have heard a bad report; they are agitated like the sea; their anxiety cannot be calmed. / Damascus has become feeble; she has turned to flee. Panic has gripped her; anguish and pain have seized her like a woman in labor. / How is the city of praise not forsaken, the town that brings Me joy? ...

Ezekiel 25:15-17
This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Because the Philistines acted in vengeance, taking vengeance with malice of soul to destroy Judah with ancient hostility, / therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: Behold, I will stretch out My hand against the Philistines, and I will cut off the Cherethites and destroy the remnant along the coast. / I will execute great vengeance against them with furious reproof. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I lay My vengeance upon them.’”

Matthew 4:24
News about Him spread all over Syria, and people brought to Him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering acute pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and He healed them.

Acts 9:2
and requested letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any men or women belonging to the Way, he could bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem.

Acts 15:41
And he traveled through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

Romans 15:19
by the power of signs and wonders, and by the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.

2 Corinthians 11:32-33
In Damascus, the governor under King Aretas secured the city of the Damascenes in order to arrest me. / But I was lowered in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his grasp.


Treasury of Scripture

And when the Syrians of Damascus came to succor Hadadezer king of Zobah, David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.

And when

1 Kings 11:23-25
And God stirred him up another adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah, which fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah: …

1 Chronicles 18:5,6
And when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadarezer king of Zobah, David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men…

Isaiah 7:8
For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin; and within threescore and five years shall Ephraim be broken, that it be not a people.

came

Job 9:13
If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him.

Psalm 83:4-8
They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance…

Isaiah 8:9,10
Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces…

Zobah From

2 Chronicles 8:3
And Solomon went to Hamathzobah, and prevailed against it.

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Aram Aramaeans Arameans Damascus David Hadadezer Hadade'zer Help Killed Slew Smiteth Smote Struck Succor Succour Sword Syrians Thousand Twenty Twenty-Two Zobah
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2 Samuel 8
1. David subdues the Philistines and the Moabites
3. He smites Hadadezer, and the Syrians
9. Toi sends Joram with presents to bless him
11. David dedicates the presents and the spoil to God
14. He puts garrisons in Edom
16. David's officers














When the Arameans of Damascus
The Arameans were a Semitic people who lived in the region of modern-day Syria. Damascus, their capital, is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Arameans were often in conflict with Israel, and their involvement here signifies the broader geopolitical tensions of the time. The Hebrew root for Arameans, "אֲרָם" (Aram), is often associated with highlands, reflecting the geographical features of their territory. This phrase sets the stage for understanding the regional dynamics and the alliances that were common in ancient Near Eastern politics.

came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah
King Hadadezer was a powerful ruler of Zobah, a kingdom located in the region of modern-day Syria. The name Hadadezer means "Hadad is my help," with Hadad being a storm and rain god worshiped in the region. This highlights the religious and cultural backdrop against which these events unfold. Zobah was a significant Aramean kingdom, and its alliance with Damascus against Israel underscores the threat they posed to David's expanding kingdom. The historical context here is crucial, as it reflects the common practice of forming alliances to counterbalance the power of emerging empires.

David struck down twenty-two thousand men
David's military success is a recurring theme in the biblical narrative, emphasizing his role as a divinely appointed leader and warrior. The phrase "struck down" in Hebrew is "נָכָה" (nakah), which conveys a decisive and powerful defeat. The number "twenty-two thousand" is significant, illustrating the scale of the victory and the extent of David's military prowess. This victory not only demonstrates David's strategic capabilities but also serves as a testament to God's favor upon him. In the broader scriptural context, such victories are often seen as manifestations of divine intervention and fulfillment of God's promises to Israel.

(5) Syrians of Damascus.--So called from their capital, this being the most powerful branch of the Syrian race.

Two and twenty thousand men.--Josephus (Ant. vii. 5, ? 2) quotes from the historian Nicolaus a mention of the defeat of Hadad at this place by David.

Verse 5. - The Syrians of Damascus; Hebrew, Aram-Dammesek; that is, Aram-Damascus. The inhabitants of these regions and of Mesopotamia were descended from Aram, the son of Shem (Genesis 10:22), and bore his name. Thus Zobah is called Aram-Zobah in the title of Psalm 60. As members of a kindred race, and speaking the same language, all the clans of the Aramean family would naturally combine to check the growing power of Israel.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
When the Arameans
אֲרַ֣ם (’ă·ram)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 758: Aram -- Syria

of Damascus
דַּמֶּ֔שֶׂק (dam·me·śeq)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 1834: Damascus -- a city in Aram (Syria)

came
וַתָּבֹא֙ (wat·tā·ḇō)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

to help
לַעְזֹ֕ר (la‘·zōr)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 5826: To surround, protect, aid

King
מֶ֣לֶךְ (me·leḵ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4428: A king

Hadadezer
לַהֲדַדְעֶ֖זֶר (la·hă·ḏaḏ·‘e·zer)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1909: Hadadezer -- 'Hadad is help(er)', an Aramean (Syrian) king

of Zobah,
צוֹבָ֑ה (ṣō·w·ḇāh)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 6678: Zobah -- an Aramean (Syrian) kingdom

David
דָּוִד֙ (dā·wiḏ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1732: David -- perhaps 'beloved one', a son of Jesse

struck down
וַיַּ֤ךְ (way·yaḵ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5221: To strike

twenty-two
עֶשְׂרִֽים־ (‘eś·rîm-)
Number - common plural
Strong's 6242: Twenty, twentieth

thousand
אֶ֖לֶף (’e·lep̄)
Number - masculine singular
Strong's 505: A thousand

men.
אִֽישׁ׃ (’îš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person


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OT History: 2 Samuel 8:5 When the Syrians of Damascus came (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)
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