2 Samuel 8
Contemporary English Version
A List of David's Victories in War
(1 Chronicles 18.1-13)
8 Later, David attacked and badly defeated the Philistines. Israel was now free from their control.[a]
2 David also defeated the Moabites. Then he made their soldiers lie down on the ground, and he measured them off with a rope. He would measure off two lengths of the rope and have those men killed, then he would measure off one length and let those men live. The people of Moab had to accept David as their ruler and pay taxes to him.
3 David set out for the Euphrates River to build a monument[b] there. On his way,[c] he defeated the king of Zobah, whose name was Hadadezer the son of Rehob. 4 In the battle, David captured 1,700 cavalry[d] and 20,000 foot soldiers. He also captured war chariots, but he destroyed all but 100 of them.[e] 5 When troops from the Aramean kingdom of Damascus came to help Hadadezer, David killed 22,000 of them. 6 He left some of his soldiers in Damascus, and the Arameans had to accept David as their ruler and pay taxes to him.
Everywhere David went, the Lord helped him win battles.
7 Hadadezer's officers had carried their arrows in gold cases hung over their shoulders, but David took these cases[f] and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 He also took a lot of bronze from the cities of Betah and Berothai, which had belonged to Hadadezer.
9-10 King Toi of Hamath and King Hadadezer had been enemies. So when Toi heard that David had attacked and defeated[g] Hadadezer's whole army, he sent his son Joram to praise and congratulate David. Joram also brought him gifts made of silver, gold, and bronze. 11 David gave these to the Lord, just as he had done with the silver and gold that he had captured from 12 Edom,[h] Moab, Ammon, Philistia, Amalek, and from King Hadadezer of Zobah.
13 (A) David fought the Edomite[i] army in Salt Valley and killed 18,000 of their soldiers. When he returned, he built a monument.[j] 14 David left soldiers all through Edom, and the people of Edom had to accept him as their ruler.
Wherever David went, the Lord helped him.
A List of David's Officials
(1 Chronicles 18.14-17)
15 David ruled all Israel with fairness and justice.
16 Joab the son of Zeruiah was the commander in chief of the army.
Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud kept the government records.
17 Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Abiathar the son of Ahimelech,[k] were the priests.
Seraiah was the secretary.
18 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was the commander of[l] David's bodyguard.[m]
David's sons were priests.
Footnotes
- 8.1 Israel … control: Or “David also took the town of Metheg-Ammah away from them.”
- 8.3 monument: Kings sometimes set up monuments in lands they had conquered.
- 8.3 David … way: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text. It may have been Hadadezer who was going to the Euphrates River. And he may have gone there either to build a monument or to put down a rebellion.
- 8.4 1,700 cavalry: Hebrew; one ancient translation and 1 Chronicles 18.4 “1,000 chariots and 7,000 cavalry.”
- 8.4 He also captured … them: Or “He crippled all but 100 of the horses.”
- 8.7 Hadadezer's … cases: Or “Hadadezer's soldiers carried gold shields, but David took these shields.”
- 8.9,10 defeated: Or “killed.”
- 8.12 Edom: Some Hebrew manuscripts and two ancient translations (see also 1 Chronicles 18.11); most Hebrew manuscripts “Aram.” In Hebrew the words for “Edom” and “Aram” look almost alike.
- 8.13 Edomite: Some Hebrew manuscripts and two ancient translations (see also 1 Chronicles 18.12); most Hebrew manuscripts “Aramean.” In Hebrew the words for “Edomite” and “Aramean” look almost alike.
- 8.13 built a monument: Or “was famous.”
- 8.17 Abiathar the son of Ahimelech: One ancient translation and 1 Samuel 22.11-23; Hebrew “Ahimelech the son of Abiathar.”
- 8.18 was the commander of: Not in the Hebrew text of this verse, but see 1 Chronicles 18.17.
- 8.18 David's bodyguard: The Hebrew text has “the Cherethites and the Pelethites,” who were foreign soldiers hired by David to be his bodyguard.
2 Samuel 8
Cornilescu 1924 - Revised 2010, 2014
Biruinţele lui David
8 După(A) aceea, David a bătut pe filisteni şi i-a smerit şi a luat din mâna filistenilor cârmuirea capitalei lor. 2 A bătut(B) pe moabiţi şi i-a măsurat cu o frânghie, punându-i să se culce la pământ; a măsurat două frânghii ca să-i omoare şi o frânghie plină ca să-i lase vii. Şi moabiţii(C) au fost supuşi lui David şi i-au plătit(D) un bir. 3 David a bătut pe Hadadezer[a], fiul lui Rehob, împăratul din Ţoba(E), când s-a dus să-şi aşeze iarăşi stăpânirea(F) peste râul Eufrat. 4 David i-a luat o mie şapte sute de călăreţi şi douăzeci de mii de pedeştri; a tăiat(G) vinele cailor de trăsură şi n-a păstrat cai decât pentru o sută de care. 5 Sirienii(H) din Damasc au venit în ajutorul lui Hadadezer, împăratul din Ţoba, şi David a ucis douăzeci şi două de mii de sirieni. 6 David a pus strajă în Siria Damascului. Şi sirienii au fost(I) supuşi lui David şi i-au plătit un bir. Domnul ocrotea(J) pe David oriunde se ducea. 7 Şi David a luat(K) scuturile de aur pe care le aveau slujitorii lui Hadadezer şi le-a adus la Ierusalim. 8 Împăratul David a mai luat multă aramă din Betah şi din Berotai, cetăţile lui Hadadezer. 9 Toi, împăratul Hamatului, a auzit că David bătuse toată oştirea lui Hadadezer 10 şi a trimis pe fiul său Ioram(L) la împăratul David, ca să-i ureze de bine şi să-l laude că a pornit lupta împotriva lui Hadadezer şi că l-a bătut. Căci Toi era în război cu Hadadezer. Ioram a adus vase de argint, vase de aur şi vase de aramă. 11 Împăratul David le-a închinat(M) Domnului, cum închinase şi argintul şi aurul luate de la toate neamurile pe care le biruise, 12 din Siria, din Moab, de la fiii lui Amon, de la filisteni, de la Amalec şi din prada de la Hadadezer, fiul lui Rehob, împăratul din Ţoba. 13 La întoarcerea de la biruinţa lui asupra sirienilor, David şi-a făcut iarăşi un nume bătând în Valea Sării(N) optsprezece(O) mii de edomiţi. 14 A pus străji în Edom, a pus străji în tot(P) Edomul. Şi tot Edomul a fost supus lui David. Domnul ocrotea(Q) pe David pretutindeni pe unde mergea.
Înalţi slujbaşi ai lui David
15 David a împărăţit peste Israel şi făcea judecată şi dreptate la tot poporul lui. 16 Ioab(R), fiul Ţeruiei, era mai-mare peste oştire; Iosafat(S), fiul lui Ahilud, era mai-mare peste scriitori; 17 Ţadoc(T), fiul lui Ahitub, şi Ahimelec, fiul lui Abiatar, erau preoţi; Seraia era logofăt; 18 Benaia(U), fiul lui Iehoiada, era căpetenia cheretiţilor(V) şi a peletiţilor; şi fiii lui David erau mari dregători.
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 8:3 Sau: Hadarezer.
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