2 Samuel 8  Lexham English Bible

David’s Military Victories Continue

8 It happened afterwards that David attacked the Philistines and subdued them, and he took Metheg Ammah from the hands of the Philistines. ² When he defeated Moab, he measured them with the cord, making them lie on the ground. He measured two cords to kill and the third cord^[a] to let live.^[b] So Moab became servants of David, bringing tribute. ³ Then David struck down Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, when he went to restore his monument^[c] at the Euphrates River. ⁴ David captured from him one thousand and seven hundred horsemen and twenty thousand foot soldiers.^[d] David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but from them^[e] he spared a hundred chariot horses. ⁵ When Aram of Damascus came to help Hadadezer, the king of Zobah, David killed twenty-two thousand men of Aram. ⁶ David placed garrisons in Aram of Damascus, so Aram became servants of David, bringing tribute. Yahweh protected David everywhere he went.

⁷ David took the small round gold shields which had belonged^[f] to the servants of Hadadezer, and he brought them to Jerusalem. ⁸ From Betah and from Berothai, the towns of Hadadezer, King David took very many bronze items.

⁹ When Toi, the king of Hamath, heard that David had defeated all the army of Hadadezer, ¹⁰ Toi sent Joram his son to King David to greet him^[g] and to congratulate him because he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him; for Hadadezer had often been at war with Toi.^[h] He brought with him^[i] objects of silver and objects of gold and objects of bronze. ¹¹ King David dedicated them also to Yahweh along with the silver and the gold that he had dedicated from all of the nations which he had subdued; ¹² from Aram and from Moab and from the Ammonites^[j] and from the Philistines and from Amalek and from the plunder of Hadadezer the son of Rehob, the king of Zobah. ¹³ So David made a name for himself when he returned from defeating Aram in the Valley of Salt, eighteen thousand. ¹⁴ He put garrisons in Edom; all over Edom he put garrisons, and all of Edom became servants of David. Yahweh protected David wherever he went.

¹⁵ David reigned over all of Israel, and he^[k] was administering justice and righteousness for all his people. ¹⁶ Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army, and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was secretary. ¹⁷ Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were priests and Seraiah was scribe. ¹⁸ Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and the Pelethites, and the sons of David were priests.