John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 6. Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus , etc.] Which was Coele-Syria, and lay between Libanus and Antilibanus, the chief city of which was Damascus; which Curtius calls Damascus of Syria, being the head of it, ( Isaiah 7:8); in the principal places of which he put garrisons of soldiers to keep the country in subjection to him; or he put commanders or governors, as the Targum, in the, chief cities, and so Ben Gersom and R. Isaiah interpret it: and the Syrians became servants to David, [and] brought gifts ; or paid him tribute by way of homage, acknowledging themselves his subjects: and the Lord preserved David whithersoever he went ; he covered his head in the day of battle, and saved him from the hurtful sword.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-8 - David subdued the Philistines. They had long been troublesome to Israel. And after the long and frequent struggles the saints have with the powers of darkness, like Israel with the Philistines, the Son of David shall tread them all under foot, and make the saints more tha conquerors. He smote the Moabites, and made them tributaries to Israel Two parts he destroyed, the third part he spared. The line that was to keep alive, though it was but one, is ordered to be a full line. Le the line of mercy be stretched to the utmost. He smote the Syrians. I all these wars David was protected, for this in his psalms he ofte gives glory to God.
Original Hebrew וישׂם7760 דוד1732 נצבים5333 בארם758 דמשׂק1834 ותהי1961 ארם758 לדוד1732 לעבדים5650 נושׂאי5375 מנחה4503 וישׁע3467 יהוה3068 את853 דוד1732 בכל3605 אשׁר834 הלך׃1980
