David’s Victories^(A)

8 In the course of time, David defeated the Philistines^(B) and subdued^(C) them, and he took Metheg Ammah from the control of the Philistines.

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.

² David also defeated the Moabites,^(B) and they became subject to him and brought him tribute.

³ Moreover, David defeated Hadadezer king of Zobah,^(C) in the vicinity of Hamath, when he went to set up his monument at^[a] the Euphrates River.^{(D) 4} David captured a thousand of his chariots, seven thousand charioteers and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He hamstrung^(E) all but a hundred of the chariot horses.

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

⁷ David took the gold shields carried by the officers of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. ⁸ From Tebah^[b] and Kun, towns that belonged to Hadadezer, David took a great quantity of bronze, which Solomon used to make the bronze Sea,^(G) the pillars and various bronze articles.

⁹ When Tou king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer king of Zobah, ¹⁰ he sent his son Hadoram to King David to greet him and congratulate him on his victory in battle over Hadadezer, who had been at war with Tou. Hadoram brought all kinds of articles of gold, of silver and of bronze.

¹¹ King David dedicated these articles to the Lord, as he had done with the silver and gold he had taken from all these nations: Edom^(H) and Moab, the Ammonites and the Philistines, and Amalek.^(I)

¹² Abishai son of Zeruiah struck down eighteen thousand Edomites^(J) in the Valley of Salt. ¹³ He put garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites became subject to David. The Lord gave David victory wherever he went.

David’s Officials^(K)

¹⁴ David reigned^(L) over all Israel,^(M) doing what was just and right for all his people. ¹⁵ Joab^(N) son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recorder; ¹⁶ Zadok^(O) son of Ahitub and Ahimelek^[c](P) son of Abiathar were priests; Shavsha was secretary; ¹⁷ Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites;^(Q) and David’s sons were chief officials at the king’s side.

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)”

¹⁸ In the course of time, there was another battle with the Philistines, at Gob. At that time Sibbekai^(F) the Hushathite killed Saph, one of the descendants of Rapha.

¹⁹ In another battle with the Philistines at Gob, Elhanan son of Jair^[b] the Bethlehemite killed the brother of^[c] Goliath the Gittite,^(G) who had a spear with a shaft like a weaver’s rod.^(H)

²⁰ 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. ²¹ When he taunted^(I) Israel, Jonathan son of Shimeah,^(J) David’s brother, killed him.

²² These four were descendants of Rapha in Gath, and they fell at the hands of David and his men.

²⁴ But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner, and as the sun was setting, they came to the hill of Ammah, near Giah on the way to the wasteland of Gibeon.