2 Samuel 8

David’s victories

¹Some time after this, David defeated the Philistines and brought them under his control. He took Metheg-ammah out of the Philistines’ hands.^{a 2}He also defeated Moab. He had the Moabites lie down on the ground and used a cord to measure them off: two lengths of cord were to be put to death and one full length kept alive. So the Moabites became subject to David and brought him tribute. ³David also defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, when Hadadezer went to restore his control at the Euphrates River.^{b 4}David captured 1,700 horsemen and 20,000 foot soldiers from him. He hamstrung all the chariot horses but kept enough of them for a hundred chariots.^{c 5}When the Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down 22,000 of the Arameans. ⁶Then David stationed garrisons in Aram of Damascus. The Arameans became David’s subjects and paid him tribute. The LORD gave David victory wherever he went. ⁷David took the gold shields that Hadadezer’s officials had carried, and brought them to Jerusalem. ⁸From Betah and Berothai, towns of Hadadezer, King David took a great quantity of bronze.

⁹When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the whole army of Hadadezer, ¹⁰he sent his son Joram to King David to greet him and congratulate him on fighting against Hadadezer and defeating him, for Hadadezer and Toi had often been at war. Joram brought articles of silver, gold and bronze with him. ¹¹King David dedicated these also to the LORD, as he had done with the silver and gold taken from all the nations he had brought under his control: ¹²from Aram, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines and Amalek, and from the plunder taken from Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.^{d 13}David made a name for himself when he came back from striking down 18,000 Arameans in the Valley of Salt.^{e 14}He stationed garrisons in Edom, throughout all Edom, and all the Edomites became subject to David. The LORD gave David victory wherever he went. ¹⁵So David reigned over all Israel, and he did what was just and right for all his people. ¹⁶Joab son of Zeruiah was commander of the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recorder; ¹⁷Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests; Seraiah was secretary;^{f 18}Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were priests.^g