2 Samuel 10:16-19

Renewed attack of the Syrians. Their total defeat

16. And Hadarezer sent, &c. The correct form of his name is probably Hadadezer. See note on ch. 2 Samuel 8:3. He now mustered his vassals and tributaries (2 Samuel 10:19) from beyond "the river," i.e. the Euphrates. "Brought out" = caused to take the field: it is the causative voice of the verb "to go out," which is the technical term for going out to war (1 Samuel 8:20; 2 Samuel 11:1).

and they came to Helam The words might be translated and their force came; but on the whole it is preferable to take Helamas a proper name, as in 2 Samuel 10:17. It has been proposed to identify it with Alamata, a town west of the Euphrates, but it is nowhere else mentioned, and its site is quite uncertain. This clause is omitted in Chronicles, where also in place of and came to Helamin the next verse we read and came upon them, so that the name of the place is altogether omitted there.