David also struck Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his dominion at the River.
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 3. Adarezer. He is styled Adadezer in Hebrew and this seems to have been his true name, though it is written Adarezer in Paral. Adad, or “the sun,” was the chief idol of Syria, and the kings inserted the name with their own; as Benadad did. Josephus produces a fragment from Nicholaus of Damascus, in which he says that “Adad was king of Damascus, and of all Syria, except Phœnicia, and was defeated by David … His successors took his name, as the kings of Egypt did that of Ptolemy; and that the third in descent from this king, made an attack upon Samaria,” and upon Achab. Ant. vii. 6.—Euphrates, which had been promised by God, Genesis 15:18, Numbers 24:17. Calmet.—Adadezer was probably the aggressor. Salien. Menochius.