Hadarezer. — On the form of the name see Note on 2 Samuel 8:3. He felt the importance of the defeat he had sustained, and now evidently made an effort to rally all his forces, even calling together vassal tribes from beyond the Euphrates.
They came to Helam. — The Hebrew word here is not necessarily a proper name, and might be translated their host; but as the name unquestionably occurs in 2 Samuel 10:17, it is better taken as a proper name here also. It is entirely omitted in Chronicles. Its exact situation is unknown, but from 2 Samuel 8:3; 1 Chronicles 18:3, it is plain that it was in the general direction of the Euphrates and not very far from Hamath.