Synopsis of the Chapter
Hanun king of Ammon insults and humiliates David's ambassadors: therefore David attacks him in war, and overthrows him together with the Syrians who aided him.
Verse 4: He Shaved ¶
4. HE SHAVED. — In Hebrew yegallech, that is, he shaved, namely half the hair of the head and the beard, as is said in 2 Kings 10:4.
Verse 7: They Hired Thirty-Two Thousand Chariots ¶
7. AND THEY HIRED THIRTY-TWO THOUSAND CHARIOTS — that is, of horsemen fighting from scythed chariots. It is a metonymy; for the container is put for the contained, namely the chariot for the charioteer. And in ancient times, individual more powerful soldiers often had their own chariot, just as cavalrymen have their own horse from which they fight: this is clear from verse 10.
Verse 18: David Killed Seven Thousand Charioteers ¶
18. DAVID KILLED OF THE SYRIANS SEVEN THOUSAND CHARIOTEERS — that is, of soldiers fighting from chariots, or perhaps of horses drawing the chariots: for chariots themselves can be burned, but not killed.