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2 Samuel 10:18

Old Testament Historical ASV (1901)

What does 2 Samuel 10:18 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew of the Syrians [the men of] seven hundred chariots, and forty thousand horsemen, and smote Shobach the captain of their host, so that he died there.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew of the Syrians [the men of] seven hundred chariots, and forty thousand horsemen, and smote Shobach the captain of their host, so that he died there.
2 Samuel 10:18 — American Standard Version

Context — 2 Samuel 10

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
15And when the Syrians saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they gathered themselves together.
16And Hadarezer sent, and brought out the Syrians that were beyond the River: and they came to Helam, with Shobach the captain of the host of Hadarezer at their head.
17And it was told David; and he gathered all Israel together, and passed over the Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in array against David, and fought with him.
18And the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew of the Syrians [the men of] seven hundred chariots, and forty thousand horsemen, and smote Shobach the captain of their host, so that he died there.
19And when all the kings that were servants to Hadarezer saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served them. So the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any more.
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And the Syrians fled before Israel, etc.] After an obstinate and bloody fight between them: and David slew [the men of] seven hundred chariots of the Syrians; the word “men” is rightly supplied, for chariots could not be said to be slain, but the men in them; in (<131917>1 Chronicles 19:17), they are said to be seven thousand, here seven hundred; which may be reconciled by observing, that here the chariots that held the men are numbered, there the number of the men that were in the chariots given, and reckoning ten men in a chariot, seven hundred chariots held just seven thousand men; though Kimchi takes another way of reconciling the two places, by observing that here only the choicest…”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Seven hundred chariots - More probable than the “seven thousand” of 1 Chronicles 19:18. The frequent errors in numbers arise from the practice of expressing numerals by letters, with one or more dots or dashes to indicate hundreds, thousands, etc. return to 'Top of Page'”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“fled: Sa2 8:4; Psa 18:38, Psa 46:11 horsemen: Ch1 19:18, footmen Shobach: Jdg 4:2, Jdg 4:22, Jdg 5:26 2 Kings (2 Samuel) 10:19”
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Related study paths

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Sources and verification