Exploits of David’s Men

¹⁵ The Philistines went to war again with Israel, and David went down together with his servants. They fought against the Philistines, and David grew weary. ¹⁶ Ishbi-benob, one of the descendants of the giants, whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of bronze and who was fitted out with new weapons,^[a] said he would kill David. ¹⁷ But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to his aid and attacked the Philistine and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him, “You shall not go out with us to battle any longer, so that you do not quench the lamp of Israel.”^(A)

¹⁸ After this a battle took place with the Philistines at Gob; then Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Saph, who was one of the descendants of the giants.^{(B) 19} Then there was another battle with the Philistines at Gob, and Elhanan son of Jaare-oregim the Bethlehemite killed Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.^{(C) 20} There was again war at Gath, where there was a man of great size who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number; he, too, was descended from the giants.^{[b] 21} When he taunted Israel, Jonathan son of David’s brother Shimei killed him. ²² These four were descended from the giants^[c] in Gath; they fell by the hands of David and his servants.

⁷ The men of Israel were defeated there by the servants of David, and the slaughter there was great on that day, twenty thousand men. ⁸ The battle spread over the face of all the country, and the forest claimed more victims that day than the sword.

The Ammonites and Arameans Are Defeated

10 Some time afterward, the king of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun succeeded him.^{(A) 2} David said, “I will deal loyally with Hanun son of Nahash, just as his father dealt loyally with me.” So David sent envoys to console him concerning his father. When David’s envoys came into the land of the Ammonites, ³ the princes of the Ammonites said to their lord Hanun, “Do you really think that David is honoring your father just because he has sent messengers with condolences to you? Has not David sent his envoys to you to search the city, to spy it out, and to overthrow it?” ⁴ So Hanun seized David’s envoys, shaved off half the beard of each, cut off their garments in the middle at their waists, and sent them away.^{(B) 5} When David was told, he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly ashamed. The king said, “Remain at Jericho until your beards have grown and then return.”

⁶ When the Ammonites saw that they had become odious to David, the Ammonites sent and hired the Arameans of Beth-rehob and the Arameans of Zobah, twenty thousand foot soldiers, as well as the king of Maacah, one thousand men, and the men of Tob, twelve thousand men.^{(C) 7} When David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army of the warriors. ⁸ The Ammonites came out and drew up in battle array at the entrance of the gate, but the Arameans of Zobah and of Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah were by themselves in the open country.^(D)

⁹ When Joab saw that the battle was set against him both in front and in the rear, he chose some of the picked men of Israel and arrayed them against the Arameans; ¹⁰ the rest of the troops he put in the charge of his brother Abishai, and he arrayed them against the Ammonites. ¹¹ He said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you shall help me, but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come and help you. ¹² Be strong, and let us be courageous for the sake of our people and for the cities of our God, and may the Lord do what seems good to him.”^{(E) 13} So Joab and the people who were with him moved forward into battle against the Arameans, and they fled before him.^{(F) 14} When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans fled, they likewise fled before Abishai and entered the city. Then Joab returned from fighting against the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem.

¹⁵ But when the Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they gathered themselves together. ¹⁶ Hadadezer sent and brought out the Arameans who were beyond the River, and they came to Helam, with Shobach the commander of the army of Hadadezer at their head.^{(G) 17} When it was told David, he gathered all Israel together and crossed the Jordan and came to Helam. The Arameans arrayed themselves against David and fought with him. ¹⁸ The Arameans fled before Israel, and David killed of the Arameans seven hundred chariot teams and forty thousand horsemen and wounded Shobach the commander of their army, so that he died there.^{(H) 19} When all the kings who were servants of Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and became subject to them. So the Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites any more.^(I)

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)

David Anointed King of All Israel

5 Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “Look, we are your bone and flesh.^{(A) 2} For some time, while Saul was king over us, it was you who led out Israel and brought it in. The Lord said to you, ‘It is you who shall be shepherd of my people Israel, you who shall be ruler over Israel.’ ”^{(B) 3} So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel.^{(C) 4} David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.^{(D) 5} At Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.^(E)

Jerusalem Made Capital of the United Kingdom

⁶ The king and his men marched to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who said to David, “You will not come in here; even the blind and the lame will turn you back,” thinking, “David cannot come in here.”^{(F) 7} Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, which is now the city of David. ⁸ David had said on that day, “Whoever would strike down the Jebusites, let him get up the water shaft to attack the lame and the blind, those whom David hates.”^[a] Therefore it is said, “The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.”^{(G) 9} David occupied the stronghold and named it the city of David. David built the city all around from the Millo inward.^{(H) 10} And David became greater and greater, for the Lord of hosts^[b] was with him.^(I)

¹¹ King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar trees and carpenters and masons who built David a house.^{(J) 12} David then perceived that the Lord had established him king over Israel and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.

¹³ In Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron, David took more concubines and wives, and more sons and daughters were born to David.^{(K) 14} These are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,^{(L) 15} Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, ¹⁶ Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.

Philistine Attack Repulsed

¹⁷ When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, all the Philistines went up in search of David, but David heard about it and went down to the stronghold.^{(M) 18} Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the valley of Rephaim.^{(N) 19} David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?” The Lord said to David, “Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.”^{(O) 20} So David came to Baal-perazim, and David defeated them there. He said, “The Lord has burst forth against my enemies before me like a bursting flood.” Therefore that place is called Baal-perazim.^{[c](P) 21} The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them away.^(Q)

²² Once again the Philistines came up and were spread out in the valley of Rephaim.^{(R) 23} When David inquired of the Lord, he said, “You shall not go up; go around to their rear and come upon them opposite the balsam trees.^{(S) 24} When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then be on the alert, for then the Lord has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.”^{(T) 25} David did just as the Lord had commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines from Geba all the way to Gezer.^(U)