David’s Victories^(A)

18 In the course of time, David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and he took Gath and its surrounding villages from the control of the Philistines.

Wars Against the Philistines^(A)

¹⁵ Once again there was a battle between the Philistines^(B) and Israel. David went down with his men to fight against the Philistines, and he became exhausted. ¹⁶ And Ishbi-Benob, one of the descendants of Rapha, whose bronze spearhead weighed three hundred shekels^[a] and who was armed with a new sword, said he would kill David. ¹⁷ But Abishai^(C) son of Zeruiah came to David’s rescue; he struck the Philistine down and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him, saying, “Never again will you go out with us to battle, so that the lamp^(D) of Israel will not be extinguished.^(E)”

War With the Philistines^(A)

⁴ In the course of time, war broke out with the Philistines, at Gezer.^(B) At that time Sibbekai the Hushathite killed Sippai, one of the descendants of the Rephaites,^(C) and the Philistines were subjugated.

⁵ In another battle with the Philistines, Elhanan son of Jair killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, who had a spear with a shaft like a weaver’s rod.^(D)

⁶ In still another battle, which took place at Gath, there was a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot—twenty-four in all. He also was descended from Rapha. ⁷ When he taunted Israel, Jonathan son of Shimea, David’s brother, killed him.

⁸ These were descendants of Rapha in Gath, and they fell at the hands of David and his men.

² David also defeated the Moabites.^(A) 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.^(B)

³ Moreover, David defeated Hadadezer^(C) son of Rehob, king of Zobah,^(D) when he went to restore his monument at^[a] the Euphrates^(E) River. ⁴ David captured a thousand of his chariots, seven thousand charioteers^[b] and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He hamstrung^(F) all but a hundred of the chariot horses.

⁵ When the Arameans of Damascus^(G) came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand of them. ⁶ He put garrisons^(H) in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject^(I) to him and brought tribute. The Lord gave David victory wherever he went.^(J)

⁷ David took the gold shields^(K) that belonged to the officers of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem.

⁸ From Tebah^[a] and Kun, towns that belonged to Hadadezer, David took a great quantity of bronze, which Solomon used to make the bronze Sea,^(A) the pillars and various bronze articles.

⁹ When Tou^[a] king of Hamath^(A) heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer,^{(B) 10} he sent his son Joram^[b] 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^(C) these articles to the Lord, as he had done with the silver and gold from all the nations he had subdued: ¹² Edom^[c](D) and Moab,^(E) the Ammonites^(F) and the Philistines,^(G) and Amalek.^(H) He also dedicated the plunder taken from Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

¹³ And David became famous^(I) after he returned from striking down eighteen thousand Edomites^[d] in the Valley of Salt.^(J)

¹⁴ He put garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites^(K) became subject to David.^(L) The Lord gave David victory^(M) wherever he went.^(N)

David’s Officials^(O)

¹⁵ David reigned over all Israel, doing what was just and right^(P) for all his people. ¹⁶ Joab^(Q) son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat^(R) son of Ahilud was recorder;^{(S) 17} Zadok^(T) son of Ahitub and Ahimelek son of Abiathar^(U) were priests; Seraiah was secretary;^{(V) 18} Benaiah^(W) son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites^(X) and Pelethites; and David’s sons were priests.^[e]

Solomon’s Adversaries

¹⁴ Then the Lord raised up against Solomon an adversary,^(A) Hadad the Edomite, from the royal line of Edom. ¹⁵ Earlier when David was fighting with Edom, Joab the commander of the army, who had gone up to bury the dead, had struck down all the men in Edom.^{(B) 16} Joab and all the Israelites stayed there for six months, until they had destroyed all the men in Edom. ¹⁷ But Hadad, still only a boy, fled to Egypt with some Edomite officials who had served his father. ¹⁸ They set out from Midian and went to Paran.^(C) Then taking people from Paran with them, they went to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt, who gave Hadad a house and land and provided him with food.

²³ And God raised up against Solomon another adversary,^(A) Rezon son of Eliada, who had fled from his master, Hadadezer^(B) king of Zobah. ²⁴ When David destroyed Zobah’s army, Rezon gathered a band of men around him and became their leader; they went to Damascus,^(C) where they settled and took control.

Psalm 60^[a](A)

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Lily of the Covenant.” A miktam^[b] of David. For teaching. When he fought Aram Naharaim^[c] and Aram Zobah,^[d] and when Joab returned and struck down twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.^(B)