2 Samuel 8
Good News Translation
David's Military Victories(A)
8 Some time later King David attacked the Philistines again, defeated them, and ended their control over the land.[a]
2 Then he defeated the Moabites. He made the prisoners lie down on the ground and put two out of every three of them to death. So the Moabites became his subjects and paid taxes to him.
3 Then he defeated the king of the Syrian state of Zobah, Hadadezer son of Rehob, as Hadadezer was on his way to restore his control over the territory by the upper Euphrates River. 4 David captured seventeen hundred of his cavalry and twenty thousand of his foot soldiers. He kept enough horses for a hundred chariots and crippled all the rest.
5 When the Syrians of Damascus sent an army to help King Hadadezer, David attacked it and killed twenty-two thousand men. 6 Then he set up military camps in[b] their territory, and they became his subjects and paid taxes to him. The Lord made David victorious everywhere. 7 David captured the gold shields carried by Hadadezer's officials and took them to Jerusalem. 8 He also took a great quantity of bronze from Betah and Berothai, cities ruled by Hadadezer.
9 King Toi of Hamath heard that David had defeated all of Hadadezer's army. 10 So he sent his son Joram to greet King David and congratulate him for his victory over Hadadezer, against whom Toi had fought many times. Joram took David presents made of gold, silver, and bronze. 11 King David dedicated them for use in worship, along with the silver and gold he took from the nations he had conquered— 12 Edom, Moab, Ammon, Philistia, and Amalek—as well as part of the loot he had taken from Hadadezer.
13 (B)David became even more famous when he returned from killing eighteen thousand Edomites in Salt Valley. 14 He set up military camps[c] throughout Edom, and the people there became his subjects. The Lord made David victorious everywhere.
15 David ruled over all of Israel and made sure that his people were always treated fairly and justly. 16 Joab, whose mother was Zeruiah, was the commander of the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was in charge of the records; 17 Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests; Seraiah was the court secretary; 18 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was in charge of[d] David's bodyguards; and David's sons were priests.
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 8:1 Probable text over the land; Hebrew unclear.
- 2 Samuel 8:6 set up military camps in; or placed military commanders over.
- 2 Samuel 8:14 set up military camps; or placed military commanders.
- 2 Samuel 8:18 Some ancient translations was in charge of; Hebrew does not have these words.
2 Samuel 8
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
David’s Wars
8 Some time afterward, David attacked the Philistines and subdued them; David took Metheg-ammah out of the hand of the Philistines.
2 He also defeated the Moabites and, making them lie down on the ground, measured them off with a cord; he measured two lengths of cord for those who were to be put to death and one length[a] for those who were to be spared. And the Moabites became servants to David and brought tribute.(A)
3 David also struck down the king of Zobah, Hadadezer son of Rehob, as he went to restore his monument at the River Euphrates.(B) 4 David took from him one thousand seven hundred horsemen and twenty thousand foot soldiers. David hamstrung all the chariot horses but left enough for a hundred chariots.(C) 5 When the Arameans of Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, David killed twenty-two thousand men of the Arameans.(D) 6 Then David put garrisons among the Arameans of Damascus, and the Arameans became servants to David and brought tribute. The Lord gave victory to David wherever he went.(E) 7 David took the gold shields that were carried by the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem.(F) 8 From Betah and from Berothai, towns of Hadadezer, King David took a great amount of bronze.
9 When King Toi of Hamath heard that David had defeated the whole army of Hadadezer, 10 Toi sent his son Joram to King David, to greet him and to congratulate him because he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him. Now Hadadezer had often been at war with Toi. Joram brought with him articles of silver, gold, and bronze;(G) 11 these also King David dedicated to the Lord, together with the silver and gold that he dedicated from all the nations he subdued,(H) 12 from Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, Amalek, and from the spoil of the king of Zobah, Hadadezer son of Rehob.
13 David won a name for himself. When he returned, he killed eighteen thousand Edomites[b] in the Valley of Salt.(I) 14 He put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom he put garrisons, and all the Edomites became David’s servants. And the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went.(J)
David’s Officers
15 So David reigned over all Israel, and David administered justice and equity to all his people. 16 Joab son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recorder;(K) 17 Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests; Seraiah was secretary;(L) 18 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over[c] the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were priests.(M)
2 Samuel 8
Complete Jewish Bible
8 Some time afterwards, David attacked the P’lishtim and subdued them; David took Meteg-Amah out of the hands of the P’lishtim. 2 He also defeated Mo’av; making them lie down on the ground, he measured them with a length of cord; for every two lengths to be put to death he designated one length to be kept alive. The people of Mo’av became subjects of David and paid tribute.
3 David, on his way to establish his dominion as far as the Euphrates River, also defeated Hadad‘ezer the son of Rechov king of Tzovah. 4 David captured 1,700 horsemen and 20,000 foot soldiers. He reserved enough horses for 100 chariots and disabled the rest. 5 When people of Aram from Dammesek came to the aid of Hadad‘ezer king of Tzovah, David killed 22,000 men of Aram. 6 Then David put garrisons among the people of Aram in Dammesek; Aram became subject to David and paid tribute. Adonai gave victory to David wherever he went. 7 David took the gold shields which Hadad‘ezer’s servants were wearing and brought them to Yerushalayim. 8 From Betach and Berotai, cities of Hadad‘ezer, King David took a great quantity of bronze.
9 When To‘i king of Hamat heard that David had defeated Hadad‘ezer’s entire army, 10 To‘i sent Yoram his son to King David to greet and congratulate him on fighting and defeating Hadad‘ezer, for Hadad‘ezer had been at war with To‘i. Yoram brought with him articles of silver, articles of gold and articles of bronze, 11 which King David dedicated to Adonai, along with the silver and gold that he dedicated from all the nations he conquered — 12 Aram, Mo’av, the people of ‘Amon, the P’lishtim, ‘Amalek, and the spoil taken from Hadad‘ezer son of Rechov, king of Tzovah. 13 David gained more fame on returning from killing 18,000 men from Aram in the Salt Valley. 14 David stationed garrisons in Edom; he put garrisons throughout all of Edom, and all the people of Edom became subject to him. Adonai gave victory to David wherever he went.
15 David ruled over all Isra’el; David administered law and justice for all his people. 16 Yo’av the son of Tz’ruyah was commander of the army, Y’hoshafat the son of Achilud was chief adviser, 17 Tzadok the son of Achituv and Achimelekh the son of Evyatar were cohanim, S’rayah was secretary, 18 B’nayahu the son of Y’hoyada was in charge of the K’reti and P’leti [serving as the king’s bodyguards], and David’s sons were cohanim.
2 Samuel 8
The Message
8 In the days that followed, David struck hard at the Philistines—brought them to their knees and took control of the countryside.
2 He also fought and defeated Moab. He chose two-thirds of them randomly and executed them. The other third he spared. So the Moabites fell under David’s rule and were forced to bring tribute.
3-4 On his way to restore his sovereignty at the River Euphrates, David next defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob the king of Zobah. He captured from him a thousand chariots, seven thousand cavalry, and twenty thousand infantry. He hamstrung all the chariot horses, but saved back a hundred.
5-6 When the Arameans from Damascus came to the aid of Hadadezer king of Zobah, David killed twenty-two thousand of them. David set up a puppet government in Aram-Damascus. The Arameans became subjects of David and were forced to bring tribute. God gave victory to David wherever he marched.
7-8 David plundered the gold shields that belonged to the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. He also looted a great quantity of bronze from Tebah and Berothai, cities of Hadadezer.
9-12 Toi, king of Hamath, heard that David had struck down the entire army of Hadadezer. So he sent his son Joram to King David to greet and congratulate him for fighting and defeating them, for Toi and Hadadezer were old enemies. He brought with him gifts of silver, gold, and bronze. King David consecrated these along with the silver and gold from all the nations he had conquered—from Aram, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, and from Amalek, along with the plunder from Hadadezer son of Rehob king of Zobah.
13-14 David built a victory monument on his return from defeating the Arameans.
Abishai son of Zeruiah fought and defeated the Edomites in the Salt Valley. Eighteen thousand of them were killed. David set up a puppet government in Edom, and the Edomites became subjects under David.
God gave David victory wherever he marched.
15 Thus David ruled over all of Israel. He ruled well—fair and evenhanded in all his duties and relationships.
16 Joab son of Zeruiah was head of the army;
Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was clerk;
17 Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests;
Seraiah was secretary;
18 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites;
And David’s sons were priests.
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New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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