Charles Ellicott Commentary 1 Chronicles 18:3

"And David smote Hadarezer king of Zobah unto Hamath, as he went to establish his dominion by the river Euphrates." — 1 Chronicles 18:3 (ASV)

Hadarezer. —Samuel has “Hadadezer” (Hadad is help), which is correct. Hadad was a Syrian god, identical with Dadda (Rimmon), worshipped from the Euphrates to Edom and North Arabia. Compare the royal names Benhadad and Abdadad (that is, servant of Hadad, like Obadiah, servant of Iahu), the latter of which occurs on Syrian coins, and the Notes on 2 Kings 5:18 and 1 Chronicles 1:46. Samuel adds, “son of Rehob.”

Zobah to Hamath. —Rather, Zobah towards Hamath. The word (Hămáth âh; not in Samuel) defines the position of Zobah. (Compare 2 Samuel 8:8 and Ezekiel 47:16.) The town of Zobah lay somewhere near Emesa (Horns), and not far from the present Yabrûd, northeast of Damascus. (The Assyrian monarch Assurbanipal mentions the towns of Yabrudu and Cubiti—that is, Zobah—in his Annals.) Its kings are spoken of in 1 Samuel 14:47. Hadadezer appears to have brought the whole country under a single sceptre.

Hamath. —See 1 Chronicles 13:5 and 2 Chronicles 8:4. The town lay in the valley of the Upper Orontes, west of Zobah, and north of Hermon and Damascus.

As he (Hadadezer) went. —The occasion intended appears to be that of which the particulars are given at 1 Chronicles 19:16–19.

To establish his dominion. —Hebrew, to set up his hand—that is, “his power.” Samuel has a different word, to recover his power, or repeat his attack.

The river Euphrates. —The Hebrew text of Samuel has “the river.” Our text explains.