Bible Strands
2 Samuel 10:8
The Ammonites marched out and arrayed themselves for battle at the entrance of the city gate, while the Arameans of Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah were by themselves in the open country.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — David has dispatched Joab and the Israelite army following the Ammonites' alliance-building (2 Samuel 10:7). The Ammonite forces take position at their city gate while their hired Aramean allies deploy separately in the surrounding terrain.
The words — וַ/יַּעַרְכ֥וּ (va/i.ya.'ar.Khu) renders "and they deployed" or "arrayed," denoting the formal arrangement of troops for combat. פֶּ֣תַח הַ/שָּׁ֑עַר (Pe.tach ha./Sha.'ar) literally means "the entrance of the gate," pinpointing the exact location of the Ammonite battle line.
The thread — Rehob appears in Numbers 13:21 and Joshua 19:28 as a northern territorial marker. The procurement of Aramean mercenaries is recorded in 2 Samuel 10:6, while the tactical response to this deployment is described in 2 Samuel 10:9.
Why it lands — The verse reports troop placement and terrain distribution without narrative commentary. It demands attention to how allied contingents are separated across geography before the commanders adjust their formations.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entering in of the gate: and the Syrians of Zoba, and of Rehob, and Ish–tob, and Maacah, were by themselves in the field.
Cross-references
- 2 Samuel 10:6 When the Ammonites realized that they had become a stench to David, they hired twenty thousand Aramean foot soldiers from Beth-rehob and Zoba, as well as a thousand men from the king of Maacah and twelve thousand men from Tob.
- Numbers 13:21 So they went up and spied out the land from the Wilderness of Zin as far as Rehob, toward Lebo-hamath.
- Joshua 19:28 It went on to Ebron, Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah, as far as Greater Sidon.
- Judges 1:31 Asher failed to drive out the inhabitants of Acco, Sidon, Ahlab, Achzib, Helbah, Aphik, and Rehob.
- 1 Chronicles 19:7 So they hired for themselves thirty-two thousand chariots, as well as the king of Maacah with his troops, who came and camped near Medeba while the Ammonites were mustered from their cities and marched out for battle.