2 Samuel 8

David’s Victories

¹After this, David defeated the Philistines, ^a subdued them, and took Metheg-ammah ^b from Philistine control. ^c,^{d 2}He also defeated the Moabites, and after making them lie down on the ground, he measured them off with a cord. He measured every two cord lengths of those to be put to death and one full length of those to be kept alive. So the Moabites became David’s subjects and brought tribute. ^e

³David also defeated Hadadezer ^f son of Rehob, king of Zobah, when he went to restore his control at the Euphrates River. ⁴David captured seventeen hundred horsemen ^g and twenty thousand foot soldiers from him, and he hamstrung all the horses ^h and kept a hundred chariots. ⁱ

⁵When the Arameans of Damascus ^j came to assist King Hadadezer of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand Aramean men. ⁶Then he placed garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Arameans became David’s subjects and brought tribute. The Lord made David victorious wherever he went. ^k

⁷David took the gold shields of Hadadezer’s officers and brought them to Jerusalem. ^{l 8}King David also took huge quantities of bronze from Betah ^m and Berothai, Hadadezer’s cities.

⁹When King Toi of Hamath ⁿ heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer, ¹⁰he sent his son Joram to King David to greet him and to congratulate him because David had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him, for Toi and Hadadezer had fought many wars. Joram had items of silver, gold, and bronze with him. ¹¹King David also dedicated these to the Lord, along with the silver and gold he had dedicated from all the nations he had subdued ^o #— # ¹²from Edom, ^p Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, the Amalekites, and the spoil of Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

¹³David made a reputation ^q for himself when he returned from striking down eighteen thousand Edomites ^r in Salt Valley. ^s,^{t 14}He placed garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites were subject to David. ^u The Lord made David victorious wherever he went. ^v

¹⁵So David reigned over all Israel, administering justice and righteousness for all his people. ^w

¹⁶Joab son of Zeruiah was over the army;

Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was court historian;

¹⁷Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests;

Seraiah was court secretary;

¹⁸Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; ^x

and David’s sons were chief officials. ^y