Topical Bible: Syria: David: Obtained Renown by his Victory Over

◄ Syria: David: Obtained Renown by his Victory Over ►

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Historical Context

Syria, known in ancient times as Aram, was a significant region located to the northeast of Israel. It was composed of several city-states, including Damascus, which played a crucial role in the geopolitical landscape of the Near East. The interactions between Israel and Syria are well-documented in the biblical narrative, particularly during the reign of King David.

David's Military Campaigns

King David, the second king of Israel, is renowned for his military prowess and strategic acumen. His campaigns against Syria are pivotal in establishing Israel as a dominant power in the region. The biblical account of David's victories over Syria is primarily found in 2 Samuel 8 and 1 Chronicles 18.

Biblical Account

In 2 Samuel 8:5-6 , the text states: "When the Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand men. Then he placed garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject to David and brought him tribute. So the LORD gave victory to David wherever he went."

This passage highlights the decisive nature of David's victory over the Arameans, also known as Syrians. The defeat of Hadadezer, a powerful king of Zobah, and the subsequent subjugation of Damascus, marked a significant expansion of David's influence. The establishment of garrisons ensured Israel's control over the region and secured tribute from the subdued territories.

Strategic Importance

David's victory over Syria was not merely a military triumph but also a strategic maneuver that secured Israel's northern borders. By subduing the Arameans, David effectively neutralized a potential threat and opened up trade routes that would benefit Israel economically. The tribute brought by the Arameans further enriched David's kingdom, contributing to the prosperity and stability of his reign.

Divine Favor

The biblical narrative emphasizes that David's success was attributed to divine favor. The repeated phrase "the LORD gave victory to David wherever he went" underscores the belief that David's military achievements were not solely due to his skill but were also a result of God's providence and blessing upon Israel.

Legacy

David's victories over Syria solidified his reputation as a formidable warrior-king and expanded the territorial boundaries of Israel to their greatest extent. This period of expansion and consolidation laid the groundwork for the subsequent reign of his son, Solomon, who would inherit a kingdom at the height of its power and influence.

The biblical account of David's triumph over Syria serves as a testament to his leadership and the fulfillment of God's promises to Israel. It reflects the broader theme of divine intervention in the affairs of nations and the establishment of Israel as a central player in the ancient Near East.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

2 Samuel 8:13
And David got him a name when he returned from smiting of the Syrians in the valley of salt, being eighteen thousand men.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

St. Gregory the Great.
... East, of numberless cities in Asia Minor, in Syria, in Egypt ... This brought to my mind
king David's act. ... The pontificate of his ancestor in the third degree, Pope ...
/.../allies/the formation of christendom volume vi/chapter v st gregory the.htm

Seances Historiques De Geneve --The National Church.
... and of which the ecclesiastical renown centres upon one ... which disgraced Rome, Greece,
or Syria, had prevailed ... whereby the highest services are obtained for the ...
/.../seances historiques de genevethe national.htm

Explanatory and Biographical
... Biography, 1877), 'appear to have been obtained by combining ... of Greece and Rome,
passing thence to Syria and Egypt ... to have written the 'Song to David' which he ...
/.../palgrave/the treasury of sacred song/explanatory and biographical.htm

Tiglath-Pileser iii. And the Organisation of the Assyrian Empire ...
... and seek the Lord their God, and David their king ... the fortune of war in Armenia or
Syria, without first ... It was from thence that they obtained their lapis-lazuli ...
/.../chapter iitiglath-pileser iii and the.htm

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
... and the Hebrew kingdom"Saul, David, Solomon, the ... by his wrestling with God, had obtained
the name of ... offered by the neighbouring provinces of Southern Syria. ...
/.../chapter iiithe hebrews and the.htm

The Iranian Conquest
... united with it, and shared its renown: like Astyages ... and Nabonidus, who was then
engaged in Syria, came south ... dates of the Annals with those obtained from the ...
/.../chapter ithe iranian conquest.htm

The Medes and the Second Chaldaean Empire
... in the number of its soldiers, in the military renown of its ... The apple obtained from
Media ... Even if Cilicia and Syria should be conquered, nothing was easier ...
/.../chapter iiithe medes and the.htm

Period I: the Imperial State Church of the Undivided Empire, or ...
... If any shipman shall have obtained surreptitiously or in any ... like to the Son, concerning
whom David says in ... also, from Thrace, from Coele-Syria, from Phoenicia ...
/.../ayer/a source book for ancient church history/period i the imperial state.htm

Caesar Fell Down.
... favour of his widow, the empress Ariadne, Anastasius obtained the throne ... Egypt and
Syria were torn to pieces by the ... Then he quotes Nathan before David, and St. ...
/.../allies/the formation of christendom volume vi/chapter ii caesar fell down.htm

On the Great Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria.
... Accordingly the great David was a man of at once ... to resist him, overran Egypt, and
desolated Syria, in the ... long been in labour, when he obtained an opportunity ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/oration xxi on the great.htm