2 Samuel 10 14

2 Samuel 10:14 kjv

And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, then fled they also before Abishai, and entered into the city. So Joab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 10:14 nkjv

When the people of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fleeing, they also fled before Abishai, and entered the city. So Joab returned from the people of Ammon and went to Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 10:14 niv

When the Ammonites realized that the Arameans were fleeing, they fled before Abishai and went inside the city. So Joab returned from fighting the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 10:14 esv

And when the Ammonites saw that the Syrians fled, they likewise fled before Abishai and entered the city. Then Joab returned from fighting against the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 10:14 nlt

And when the Ammonites saw the Arameans running, they ran from Abishai and retreated into the city. After the battle was over, Joab returned to Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 10 verses

2 Samuel 10 14 Meaning

Following the defeat of the Aramean (Syrian) forces, who were allies of the Ammonites, the Ammonite troops, witnessing their allies' flight, also retreated in disarray before Abishai's contingent and sought refuge within their fortified capital city. Observing this initial success and the withdrawal of the enemy forces into their city, Joab concluded the immediate field engagement and returned with his army to Jerusalem. This verse marks the successful initial phase of David's war against the Ammonites and their allies, indicating a decisive Israelite victory on the field.

2 Samuel 10 14 Context

2 Samuel chapter 10 recounts the beginning of David's war against the Ammonites and their Aramean (Syrian) allies. The conflict began when David, seeking to show kindness to Hanun, the new king of the Ammonites, sent messengers to comfort him after his father's death. However, Hanun, misled by his advisors who suspected David's intentions, shamefully disgraced David's envoys by shaving off half their beards and cutting their garments in half up to their hips, then sent them away. This egregious insult, a direct affront to David and by extension to Israel, provoked war.

David sent Joab, his chief commander, with his mighty men and the entire army against the Ammonites. The Ammonites, realizing their error and the impending retribution, hired a formidable coalition of Aramean mercenaries from Beth-rehob, Zobah, Maacah, and Tob, totaling 33,000 chariots and cavalry. Joab, faced with enemies arrayed against him both in front (Ammonites) and behind (Arameans), shrewdly divided his forces. He took the elite Israelite soldiers to face the Arameans, assigning his brother Abishai to lead the rest of the army against the Ammonites. Before battle, Joab famously exhorted his brother and troops with a call to courage and trust in the Lord, stating, "Be strong, and let us play the man for our people and for the cities of our God, and may the Lord do what seems good to him" (2 Sam 10:12).

Verse 13 describes Joab's initial success, where the Arameans fled before him. Verse 14 directly follows, detailing the immediate ripple effect of this victory: the Ammonites, seeing their allies' flight, also panicked and retreated, seeking refuge within the fortified walls of their capital. Joab's subsequent return to Jerusalem indicates the successful completion of the initial field engagement, but not the complete conquest of the Ammonite capital, which would require a siege in the next campaigning season. The battle demonstrated God's favor on David and Joab's military wisdom, reinforcing Israel's regional dominance.

2 Samuel 10 14 Word analysis

• When the Ammonites: (וַיִּרְאוּ בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן - wayyirʾū bənē ʿAmmōn)

  • Ammonites (בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן - bənē ʿAmmōn): Literally "sons of Ammon." They were descendants of Ben-Ammi, Lot's son by his younger daughter (Gen 19:38). Geographically, they resided east of the Jordan River. They were perennial adversaries of Israel, often characterized by their hostility (e.g., Deut 23:3-6; Judg 10; 1 Sam 11). Their actions in 2 Sam 10 were the direct catalyst for this war, making their flight particularly significant as a divine judgment for their insolence.
  • saw (וַיִּרְאוּ - wayyirʾū): This verb signifies visual perception. It implies the Ammonites were keen observers of their allies' fate. Their seeing of the Arameans' retreat directly informed their own immediate reaction of fear and flight, highlighting a chain of cause and effect in the battlefield psychology.

• that the Syrians had fled: (כִּי־נָסוּ אֲרָם - kî nāsū ʾĂrām)

  • Syrians (אֲרָם - ʾĂrām): Refers to the Arameans, often associated with specific Aramean kingdoms like Zobah, Beth-rehob, Maacah, and Tob. They were hired mercenaries and powerful allies of the Ammonites. Their flight (described in the previous verse, 2 Sam 10:13, where they fled from Joab) was the primary demoralizing factor for the Ammonites, leading to their own retreat. Their defeat reinforced Israel's power over neighboring peoples.
  • had fled (נָסוּ - nāsū): A strong verb indicating swift and fearful escape. The perfect tense (implicitly, 'had fled') emphasizes a completed action that had a profound impact on the observer.

• they also fled before Abishai: (וַיִּנָּסוּ גַם־הֵם מִפְּנֵי אֲבִישַׁי - wayyinnāsū gam-hēm mippənēy ʾĂḇîšay)

  • they also (גַם־הֵם - gam-hēm): The inclusion of "also" (gam) strongly emphasizes the parallelism of their action with the Arameans, showcasing a cascading collapse of the enemy alliance.
  • fled (וַיִּנָּסוּ - wayyinnāsū): Again, emphasizes rapid retreat due to fear or overwhelming pressure.
  • before Abishai (מִפְּנֵי אֲבִישַׁי - mippənēy ʾĂḇîšay): Literally "from the face of Abishai." This signifies that the Ammonites' flight was directly in response to Abishai's military advance and the pressure from his forces, confirming his role in the split military strategy laid out by Joab. Abishai, Joab's brother, was a skilled and loyal commander in David's army.

• and entered the city: (וַיָּבֹאוּ הָעִירָה - wayyāḇōʾū hāʿîrāh)

  • entered (וַיָּבֹאוּ - wayyāḇōʾū): To go or come into.
  • the city (הָעִירָה - hāʿîrāh): Referring to Rabbah (later Amman), the fortified capital city of the Ammonites. Entering the city signifies seeking refuge and effectively ending their direct engagement in the open field, setting the stage for a future siege.

• So Joab returned from fighting against the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem: (וְיוֹאָב שָׁב מֵחֲלֹמָה אֶל־בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן וַיָּבֹא יְרוּשָׁלָיִם - wəyōʾāḇ šāḇ mēḥălōmāh ʾel-bənē ʿAmmōn wayyāḇōʾ Yərûšāláyim)

  • So Joab returned (וְיוֹאָב שָׁב - wəyōʾāḇ šāḇ): "So" implies consequence or direct action based on the preceding events. Joab's return signals the successful conclusion of this phase of the war. It was a strategic decision to consolidate forces after a major victory, rather than pursuing an immediate, likely prolonged siege.
  • from fighting against the Ammonites (מֵחֲלֹמָה אֶל־בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן - mēḥălōmāh ʾel-bənē ʿAmmōn): This phrase specifies the context of Joab's return—he disengaged from his front of the battle. While he was facing the Arameans directly in v.13, his entire campaign was "against the Ammonites" and their allies, emphasizing that his main objective (to neutralize the Ammonite threat initially) had been achieved.
  • came to Jerusalem (וַיָּבֹא יְרוּשָׁלָיִם - wayyāḇōʾ Yərûšāláyim): Joab's return to the capital indicates that the immediate military objective (defeating the combined forces in the open field) was accomplished, and further operations (like besieging Rabbah) would be deferred.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "When the Ammonites saw that the Syrians had fled": This phrase establishes the critical psychological turning point. The retreat of the stronger, more experienced Aramean mercenary force demoralized their Ammonite allies. It demonstrates how victory over one part of a coalition can cause the collapse of the whole, a key strategic lesson.
  • "they also fled before Abishai and entered the city": This outlines the direct consequence of their observation. Their flight was swift, driven by pressure from Abishai's contingent, and aimed at the fortified sanctuary of their capital. This immediate action prevented an immediate full defeat but deferred the ultimate confrontation.
  • "So Joab returned from fighting against the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem": This highlights Joab's strategic prudence. Having routed the field armies and driven the enemy into their stronghold, he consolidated his victory rather than launching an immediate, costly siege. This marks a tactical end to this initial campaign, with the overall war not yet concluded. The emphasis is on securing a successful initial outcome and returning home victorious.

2 Samuel 10 14 Bonus section

The episode narrated in 2 Samuel 10, particularly verse 14, provides insights into several aspects of ancient warfare:

• Psychological Warfare: The immediate effect of the Arameans' flight on the Ammonites demonstrates the power of psychological impact in battle. Demoralization of one's allies often leads to the collapse of a coalition.
• Command Structure and Execution: Joab's decision to split his forces and his confident charge against the stronger contingent, trusting Abishai with the other, speaks to his sophisticated military mind and his faith in his brother's capabilities.
• Sequential Campaigning: Ancient Near Eastern warfare often involved campaigns that achieved initial objectives (e.g., routing field armies, humiliating an enemy) and then paused before a subsequent phase, such as besieging capital cities, often awaiting the next campaigning season. This verse marks the successful conclusion of the first phase.
• Divine Providence and Human Strategy: While Joab's military strategy was crucial, the overall context of David's reign emphasizes that the Lord gave David victory wherever he went (2 Sam 8:6, 14). This verse subtly implies that the rapid retreat of two formidable armies was ultimately an outcome orchestrated by God, even through human ingenuity and courage, demonstrating that divine will often works through practical human action.

2 Samuel 10 14 Commentary

2 Samuel 10:14 succinctly closes the narrative of the first major engagement of David's war against the Ammonite-Aramean coalition. After Joab's decisive rout of the Arameans (v.13), the Ammonites, seeing their principal allies broken and fleeing, predictably lost their will to fight in the open field. Their swift retreat from Abishai's pressing forces and their dash into the confines of Rabbah underscore the psychological impact of their allies' defeat. This wasn't a minor skirmish; the hired Aramean forces were substantial, making their rapid flight and the subsequent Ammonite retreat a testament to Israel's military might under God's favor and Joab's shrewd generalship.

Joab's decision to return to Jerusalem rather than immediately besiege Rabbah highlights his strategic astuteness. While the initial field battle was won, besieging a fortified city was a separate, often prolonged, and costly affair. He chose to secure the victory, allowing David to assess the next steps and ensuring the well-being of his forces, likely during the onset of the winter "season when kings go out to battle" (2 Sam 11:1), which usually began in spring. This victory was a vindication of David's honor, insulted by Hanun, and showcased God's continued blessing on Israel, fulfilling the spirit of Joab's exhortation to trust in the Lord's will (2 Sam 10:12).