And Hadarezer sent, and brought out the Syrians that [were] beyond the river: and they came to Helam; and Shobach the captain of the host of Hadarezer [went] before them.
Ver. 16. And Hadarezar sent.] He is elsewhere called Hadadezar: Daleth and Resh (ד and ר) being letters very like one to another. Hence some collect probably that the Hebrew letters had the same figure of old as now they have, and therefore were not the same with the Samaritan charactars. The Samaritan Jod is one of the largest; but the Hebrew Jod is one of the least letters, whence that of our Saviour. Mat 5:18 Hebrew Text Note
And they came to Helam.] A place nowhere else mentioned in Scripture. Perhaps it was the same town of the Arabes Trachonitae, a which Ptolemy calleth Alamtha.
a Junius.