Add parallel Print Page Options

David Wins Many Wars

Later, David defeated the Philistines. And he took control of their capital city.

He also defeated the people of Moab. He forced them to lie on the ground. Then he used a rope to measure them. When two men were measured, David ordered them killed. But every third man was allowed to live. So the people of Moab became servants of David. They gave him the payments he demanded.

As David went to take control again at the Euphrates River, he defeated Hadadezer. Hadadezer son of Rehob was king of Zobah. David took from Hadadezer 1,700 men who rode in his chariots. He also captured 20,000 foot soldiers. David crippled all but 100 of the chariot horses. He saved those horses to pull chariots.

Arameans from Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah. But David defeated those 22,000 Arameans. Then David put groups of soldiers in Damascus in Aram. The Arameans became David’s servants and gave him the payments he demanded. The Lord gave David victory everywhere he went.

David took the shields of gold that had belonged to Hadadezer’s officers. He brought them to Jerusalem. David also took many things made of bronze from Tebah and Berothai. (They were cities that had belonged to Hadadezer.)

Toi king of Hamath heard that David had defeated all the army of Hadadezer. 10 So Toi sent his son Joram to greet and congratulate King David. Joram congratulated David for defeating Hadadezer. (Hadadezer had fought wars against Toi before.) Joram brought things made of silver, gold and bronze. 11 David took these things and gave them to the Lord. He also had given other silver and gold to the Lord. He had taken it from the nations he had defeated. 12 These nations were Edom, Moab, Ammon, Philistia and Amalek. David also defeated the king of Zobah who was Hadadezer son of Rehob.

13 David was famous after he returned from the Valley of Salt. There he had defeated 18,000 Arameans. 14 David put groups of soldiers through all the land of Edom. All the people of Edom became servants for him. The Lord gave David victory everywhere he went.

15 David was king over all Israel. His decisions were fair and right for all his people. 16 Joab son of Zeruiah was commander over the army. Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder. 17 Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests. Seraiah was the royal assistant. 18 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites, the king’s bodyguards. And David’s sons were important leaders.

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)