Bible Strands
2 Samuel 8:3
David also defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, who had marched out to restore his dominion along the Euphrates River.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The biblical narrator records David’s campaign against Hadadezer, king of Zobah, during a period of Israelite territorial expansion. The account marks the moment David intercepts Hadadezer’s march to reestablish his dominion along the Euphrates River.
The words — The Hebrew verb וַיַּךְ (va.Yakh) translates literally as "and he struck" or "and he defeated," denoting decisive military action. The proper name הֲדַדְעֶזֶר (ha.Dad'Ezer) identifies the opposing monarch whose territorial ambitions triggered the engagement.
The thread — The conflict with Hadadezer recurs in 2 Samuel 10:16, where he mobilizes Aramean forces beyond the Euphrates, and in 2 Samuel 10:19, where his subject kings submit to Israel after defeat. The broader pattern of David’s campaigns against neighboring kingdoms appears in 2 Samuel 8:2.
Why it lands — The text demands recognition of Israel’s political consolidation under David and the concrete reality of military resistance to that expansion. It requires the reader to track how regional powers react when their territorial claims intersect with Israel’s advancing borders.
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
David smote also Hadadezer, the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his border at the river Euphrates.
Cross-references
- 1 Samuel 14:47 After Saul had assumed the kingship over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side—the Moabites, the Ammonites, the Edomites, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he routed them.
- 2 Samuel 10:16 Hadadezer sent messengers to bring more Arameans from beyond the Euphrates, and they came to Helam with Shobach the commander of Hadadezer’s army leading them.
- 2 Samuel 10:19 When all the kings who were subject to Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and became subject to them. So the Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites anymore.
- 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.
- 1 Chronicles 18:3 As far as Hamath, David also defeated King Hadadezer of Zobah, who had marched out to establish his dominion along the Euphrates River.
- Genesis 15:18 On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I have given this land—from the river of Egypt to the great River Euphrates—
- Exodus 23:31 And I will establish your borders from the Red Sea to the Sea of the Philistines, and from the desert to the Euphrates. For I will deliver the inhabitants into your hand, and you will drive them out before you.
- Deuteronomy 11:24 Every place where the sole of your foot treads will be yours. Your territory will extend from the wilderness to Lebanon, and from the Euphrates River to the Western Sea.
- 1 Kings 4:21 And Solomon reigned over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. These kingdoms offered tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life.
- 1 Kings 11:23 And God raised up against Solomon another adversary, Rezon the son of Eliada, who had fled from his master, Hadadezer king of Zobah,