2 Samuel 8:1-15
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.
Read full chapter
2 Samuel 8:1-15
Common English Bible
David’s wars
8 Some time later, David defeated the Philistines and subdued them. David captured Metheg-ammah from Philistine control.
2 David also defeated the Moabites and made them lie on the ground, measuring them with a rope. He measured two rope lengths for those who were to be killed and one rope length for those who were to be spared. The Moabites became David’s subjects and brought him tribute.
3 Next David defeated Zobah’s King Hadadezer, Rehob’s son, as Hadadezer was on his way to put[a] his monument along the Euphrates River.[b] 4 David captured one thousand chariots, seven hundred charioteers,[c] and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He cut the hamstrings of all but one hundred of the chariot horses. 5 When the Arameans of Damascus came to help Zobah’s King Hadadezer, David killed twenty-two thousand of them. 6 David set up forts among the Arameans of Damascus. And the Arameans became David’s subjects and brought him tribute. The Lord gave David victory wherever he went. 7 David took the gold shields carried by Hadadezer’s servants and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 King David also took a large amount of bronze from Tebah[d] and Berothai, towns that belonged to Hadadezer.
9 When Hamath’s King Toi heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer, 10 he sent his son Joram to King David to wish him well and congratulate him on his battle and defeat of Hadadezer, because Toi was an enemy of Hadadezer. Joram brought silver, gold, and bronze objects with him. 11 King David dedicated these to the Lord, along with the silver and gold he had dedicated from all the nations that he had subdued: 12 Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, and Amalek, including the plunder of Zobah’s King Hadadezer, Rehob’s son.
13 So David made a name for himself.[e] When he returned, he killed eighteen thousand Edomites[f] in the Salt Valley. 14 He set up forts in Edom,[g] and all the Edomites became David’s subjects. The Lord gave David victory wherever he went.
David’s administration
15 David ruled over all Israel and maintained justice and righteousness for all his people.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2 Samuel 8:3 Or to restore
- 2 Samuel 8:3 DSS(4QSama), 1 Chron 18:3
- 2 Samuel 8:4 LXX, DSS(4QSama), 1 Chron 18:4; MT seventeen hundred chariots
- 2 Samuel 8:8 Some LXX manuscripts and 1 Chron 18:8; MT Betah
- 2 Samuel 8:13 Or built a monument
- 2 Samuel 8:13 LXX; MT he returned from killing eighteen thousand Arameans
- 2 Samuel 8:14 Cf 1 Chron 18:13; MT repeats in all Edom he set up forts.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible