2 Samuel 8
English Standard Version
David's Victories
8 (A)After this David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and David took (B)Metheg-ammah out of the hand of the Philistines.
2 (C)And he defeated Moab and he measured them with a line, making them lie down on the ground. Two lines he measured to be put to death, and one full line to be spared. And the Moabites (D)became servants to David and (E)brought tribute.
3 David also defeated (F)Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of (G)Zobah, as he went to restore his power at the river Euphrates. 4 (H)And David took from him 1,700 horsemen, and 20,000 foot soldiers. And David (I)hamstrung all the chariot horses but left enough for 100 chariots. 5 (J)And when the (K)Syrians of Damascus came to help (L)Hadadezer king of (M)Zobah, David struck down 22,000 men of the Syrians. 6 Then David put garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Syrians (N)became servants to David and brought tribute. (O)And the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went. 7 And David took (P)the shields of gold that were carried by the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 And from Betah and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took very much bronze.
9 When Toi king of (Q)Hamath heard that David had defeated the whole army of Hadadezer, 10 Toi sent his son Joram to King David, to ask about his health and to bless him because he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him, for Hadadezer had often been at war with Toi. And Joram brought with him articles of silver, of gold, and of bronze. 11 (R)These also King David dedicated to the Lord, together with the silver and gold that he dedicated from all the nations he subdued, 12 from Edom, (S)Moab, (T)the Ammonites, (U)the Philistines, (V)Amalek, and from the spoil of Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of (W)Zobah.
13 And David made a name for himself when he returned from striking down 18,000 Edomites in (X)the Valley of Salt. 14 Then he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom he put garrisons, (Y)and all the Edomites became David's servants. And the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went.
David's Officials
15 So David reigned over all Israel. And David administered justice and equity to all his people. 16 (Z)Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army, and (AA)Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder, 17 and (AB)Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were priests, and (AC)Seraiah was secretary, 18 and (AD)Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over[a] the (AE)Cherethites and the Pelethites, and David's sons were priests.
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 8:18 Compare 20:23, 1 Chronicles 18:17, Syriac, Targum, Vulgate; Hebrew lacks was over
2 Samuel 8
New Century Version
David Wins Many Wars
8 Later, David defeated the Philistines, conquered them, and took the city of Metheg Ammah.
2 He also defeated the people of Moab. He made them lie on the ground, and then he used a rope to measure them. Those who were measured within two rope lengths were killed, but those who were within the next rope length were allowed to live. So the people of Moab became servants of David and gave him the payment he demanded.
3 David also defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to take control again at the Euphrates River. 4 David captured one thousand chariots, seven thousand men who rode in chariots, and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He crippled all but a hundred of the chariot horses.
5 Arameans from Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, but David killed twenty-two thousand of them. 6 Then David put groups of soldiers in Damascus in Aram. The Arameans became David’s servants and gave him the payment he demanded. The Lord gave David victory everywhere he went.
7 David took the shields of gold that had belonged to Hadadezer’s officers and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 David also took many things made of bronze from Tebah and Berothai, which had been cities under Hadadezer’s control.
9 Toi king of Hamath heard that David had defeated all the army of Hadadezer. 10 So Toi sent his son Joram to greet and congratulate King David for defeating Hadadezer. (Hadadezer had been at war with Toi.) Joram brought items made of silver, gold, and bronze. 11 King David gave them to the Lord, along with the silver and gold he had taken from the other nations he had defeated. 12 These nations were Edom, Moab, Ammon, Philistia, and Amalek. David also gave the Lord what he had taken from Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.
13 David was famous after he returned from defeating eighteen thousand Arameans in the Valley of Salt. 14 He put groups of soldiers all over Edom, and all the Edomites became his servants. The Lord gave David victory everywhere he went.
15 David was king over all Israel, and he did what was fair and right for all his people. 16 Joab son of Zeruiah was commander over the army. Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder. 17 Zadok son of Ahitub and Abiathar son of Ahimelech were priests. Seraiah was the royal secretary. 18 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites.[a] And David’s sons were priests.
Footnotes
- 8:18 Kerethites and Pelethites These were probably special units of the army that were responsible for the king’s safety, a kind of palace guard.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
