2 Samuel 8 — Read the Bible (BSB)

David’s Triumphs

¹ Some time later, David defeated the Philistines, subdued them, and took Metheg-ammah* from the hand of the Philistines.

² David also defeated the Moabites, made them lie down on the ground, and measured them off with a cord. He measured off with two lengths those to be put to death, and with one length those to be spared. So the Moabites became subject to David and brought him tribute.

³ David also defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, who had marched out to restore his dominion along the Euphrates River.* ⁴David captured from him a thousand chariots, seven thousand charioteers,* and twenty thousand foot soldiers, and he hamstrung all the horses except a hundred he kept for the chariots.

⁵ When the Arameans of Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand of their men. ⁶Then he placed garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject to David and brought him tribute. So the LORD made David victorious wherever he went.

⁷ And David took the gold shields that belonged to the officers of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. ⁸And from Betah* and Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took a large amount of bronze.

⁹ When King Toi* of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer, ¹⁰he sent his son Joram* to greet King David and bless him for fighting and defeating Hadadezer, who had been at war with Toi. Joram brought with him articles of silver and gold and bronze, ¹¹and King David dedicated these to the LORD, along with the silver and gold he had dedicated from all the nations he had subdued — ¹²from Edom* and Moab, from the Ammonites and Philistines and Amalekites, and from the spoil of Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

¹³ And David made a name for himself when he returned from striking down eighteen thousand Edomites* in the Valley of Salt. ¹⁴He placed garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites were subject to David. So the LORD made David victorious wherever he went.

David’s Officers

¹⁵ Thus David reigned over all Israel and administered justice and righteousness for all his people:

¹⁶ Joab son of Zeruiah was 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 scribe;

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

and David’s sons were priestly leaders.*

Footnotes

v. 1Metheg-ammah means bridle of the mother city.↩

v. 3LXX, Syriac, and Vulgate (see also 1 Chronicles 18:3 ); Hebrew along the River, or an alternate reading along the Euphrates↩

v. 4LXX (see also DSS and 1 Chronicles 18:4 ); MT captured from him seventeen hundred charioteers↩

v. 8Hebrew; some LXX manuscripts Tebah; see 1 Chronicles 18:8.↩

v. 9Toi is a variant of Tou; also in verse 10; see 1 Chronicles 18:9.↩

v. 10Joram is a variant of Hadoram; see 1 Chronicles 18:10.↩

v. 12Some Hebrew manuscripts, LXX, and Syriac (see also verse 14 and 1 Chronicles 18:11 ); most Hebrew manuscripts Aram↩

v. 13A few Hebrew manuscripts, LXX, and Syriac (see also verse 14 and 1 Chronicles 18:12 ); most Hebrew manuscripts Arameans↩

v. 17Seraiah is also called Sheva, Shisha, and Shavsha; see 2 Samuel 20:25, 1 Kings 4:3, and 1 Chronicles 18:16.↩

v. 18Literally priests, or possibly chief officials; see LXX, Targum Yonaton, and 1 Chronicles 18:17.↩