When Joab saw that the front of the battle was against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice [men] of Israel, and put [them] in array against the Syrians:
Ver. 9. He chose of all the choice men of Israel.] This was a special piece of military prudence in Joab, who was an accomplished general, no whit inferior to Hannibal the Carthaginian, Decebalus the Dacian, Albert of Brandenburg, whom they commonly called Achilles Teutonicus, or any other famous for warlike skill and prowess.