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David's Military Victories(A)

Some time later King David attacked the Philistines again, defeated them, and ended their control over the land.[a]

Then he defeated the Moabites. He made the prisoners lie down on the ground and put two out of every three of them to death. So the Moabites became his subjects and paid taxes to him.

Then he defeated the king of the Syrian state of Zobah, Hadadezer son of Rehob, as Hadadezer was on his way to restore his control over the territory by the upper Euphrates River. David captured seventeen hundred of his cavalry and twenty thousand of his foot soldiers. He kept enough horses for a hundred chariots and crippled all the rest.

When the Syrians of Damascus sent an army to help King Hadadezer, David attacked it and killed twenty-two thousand men. Then he set up military camps in[b] their territory, and they became his subjects and paid taxes to him. The Lord made David victorious everywhere. David captured the gold shields carried by Hadadezer's officials and took them to Jerusalem. He also took a great quantity of bronze from Betah and Berothai, cities ruled by Hadadezer.

King Toi of Hamath heard that David had defeated all of Hadadezer's army. 10 So he sent his son Joram to greet King David and congratulate him for his victory over Hadadezer, against whom Toi had fought many times. Joram took David presents made of gold, silver, and bronze. 11 King David dedicated them for use in worship, along with the silver and gold he took from the nations he had conquered— 12 Edom, Moab, Ammon, Philistia, and Amalek—as well as part of the loot he had taken from Hadadezer.

13 (B)David became even more famous when he returned from killing eighteen thousand Edomites in Salt Valley. 14 He set up military camps[c] throughout Edom, and the people there became his subjects. The Lord made David victorious everywhere.

15 David ruled over all of Israel and made sure that his people were always treated fairly and justly. 16 Joab, whose mother was Zeruiah, was the commander of the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was in charge of the records; 17 Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests; Seraiah was the court secretary; 18 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was in charge of[d] David's bodyguards; and David's sons were priests.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 8:1 Probable text over the land; Hebrew unclear.
  2. 2 Samuel 8:6 set up military camps in; or placed military commanders over.
  3. 2 Samuel 8:14 set up military camps; or placed military commanders.
  4. 2 Samuel 8:18 Some ancient translations was in charge of; Hebrew does not have these words.

David’s Victories(A)

In the course of time, David defeated the Philistines(B) and subdued(C) them, and he took Metheg Ammah from the control of the Philistines.

David also defeated the Moabites.(D) He made them lie down on the ground and measured them off with a length of cord. Every two lengths of them were put to death, and the third length was allowed to live. So the Moabites became subject to David and brought him tribute.(E)

Moreover, David defeated Hadadezer(F) son of Rehob, king of Zobah,(G) when he went to restore his monument at[a] the Euphrates(H) River. David captured a thousand of his chariots, seven thousand charioteers[b] and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He hamstrung(I) all but a hundred of the chariot horses.

When the Arameans of Damascus(J) came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand of them. He put garrisons(K) in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject(L) to him and brought tribute. The Lord gave David victory wherever he went.(M)

David took the gold shields(N) that belonged to the officers of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. From Tebah[c] and Berothai,(O) towns that belonged to Hadadezer, King David took a great quantity of bronze.

When Tou[d] king of Hamath(P) heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer,(Q) 10 he sent his son Joram[e] to King David to greet him and congratulate him on his victory in battle over Hadadezer, who had been at war with Tou. Joram brought with him articles of silver, of gold and of bronze.

11 King David dedicated(R) these articles to the Lord, as he had done with the silver and gold from all the nations he had subdued: 12 Edom[f](S) and Moab,(T) the Ammonites(U) and the Philistines,(V) and Amalek.(W) He also dedicated the plunder taken from Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

13 And David became famous(X) after he returned from striking down eighteen thousand Edomites[g] in the Valley of Salt.(Y)

14 He put garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites(Z) became subject to David.(AA) The Lord gave David victory(AB) wherever he went.(AC)

David’s Officials(AD)

15 David reigned over all Israel, doing what was just and right(AE) for all his people. 16 Joab(AF) son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat(AG) son of Ahilud was recorder;(AH) 17 Zadok(AI) son of Ahitub and Ahimelek son of Abiathar(AJ) were priests; Seraiah was secretary;(AK) 18 Benaiah(AL) son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites(AM) and Pelethites; and David’s sons were priests.[h]

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 8:3 Or his control along
  2. 2 Samuel 8:4 Septuagint (see also Dead Sea Scrolls and 1 Chron. 18:4); Masoretic Text captured seventeen hundred of his charioteers
  3. 2 Samuel 8:8 See some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 18:8); Hebrew Betah.
  4. 2 Samuel 8:9 Hebrew Toi, a variant of Tou; also in verse 10
  5. 2 Samuel 8:10 A variant of Hadoram
  6. 2 Samuel 8:12 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Syriac (see also 1 Chron. 18:11); most Hebrew manuscripts Aram
  7. 2 Samuel 8:13 A few Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Syriac (see also 1 Chron. 18:12); most Hebrew manuscripts Aram (that is, Arameans)
  8. 2 Samuel 8:18 Or were chief officials (see Septuagint and Targum; see also 1 Chron. 18:17)

And after this it came to pass that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them: and David took Methegammah out of the hand of the Philistines.

And he smote Moab, and measured them with a line, casting them down to the ground; even with two lines measured he to put to death, and with one full line to keep alive. And so the Moabites became David's servants, and brought gifts.

David smote also Hadadezer, the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his border at the river Euphrates.

And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: and David houghed all the chariot horses, but reserved of them for an hundred chariots.

And when the Syrians of Damascus came to succour Hadadezer king of Zobah, David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.

Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus: and the Syrians became servants to David, and brought gifts. And the Lord preserved David whithersoever he went.

And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.

And from Betah, and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, king David took exceeding much brass.

When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had smitten all the host of Hadadezer,

10 Then Toi sent Joram his son unto king David, to salute him, and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer, and smitten him: for Hadadezer had wars with Toi. And Joram brought with him vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and vessels of brass:

11 Which also king David did dedicate unto the Lord, with the silver and gold that he had dedicated of all nations which he subdued;

12 Of Syria, and of Moab, and of the children of Ammon, and of the Philistines, and of Amalek, and of the spoil of Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

13 And David gat him a name when he returned from smiting of the Syrians in the valley of salt, being eighteen thousand men.

14 And he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom put he garrisons, and all they of Edom became David's servants. And the Lord preserved David whithersoever he went.

15 And David reigned over all Israel; and David executed judgment and justice unto all his people.

16 And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder;

17 And Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, were the priests; and Seraiah was the scribe;

18 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over both the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David's sons were chief rulers.