as he went to stablish his dominion] He may refer to Hadarezer or to David; the latter, probably, is the Chronicler’s intention. The reading in 2 Samuel viii. 3 (“to recover his dominion”—Revised Version) should be emended to the text in Chronicles.
by the river Euphrates] The utter improbability that David exercised any authority in regions so far north throws no doubt upon the reading, for the Chronicler and the author of Samuel may easily have believed that he did so.
⁴And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: and David houghed all the chariot horses, but reserved of them for an hundred chariots.
4. a thousand chariots, and seven thousand horsemen] Samuel a thousand and seven hundred horsemen (so Hebrew but LXX. of Samuel agrees with Chronicles). Houghed = “hamstrung.”
⁵And when the Syrians[¹] of Damascus[²] came to succour Hadarezer king of Zobah, David smote of the Syrians[¹] two and twenty thousand men.
[¹] Hebrew Aram.
[²] Hebrew Darmesek.
5. Damascus] The name is variously written in Hebrew, Darmesek (Chronicles), Dammesek (Genesis, 1 Kings), Dummesek (2 Kings xvi. 10). See G. A. Smith, Damascus in Encyclopedia Biblia.
came to succour] By interposing between David and his own land and so threatening his rear.
⁶Then David put garrisons in Syria[¹] of Damascus[²]; and the Syrians[¹] became servants to David, and brought presents. And the Lord gave victory[³] to David whithersoever he went.