Chronological

8 Some time afterwards, David attacked the P’lishtim and subdued them; David took Meteg-Amah out of the hands of the P’lishtim. ² He also defeated Mo’av; making them lie down on the ground, he measured them with a length of cord; for every two lengths to be put to death he designated one length to be kept alive. The people of Mo’av became subjects of David and paid tribute.

³ David, on his way to establish his dominion as far as the Euphrates River, also defeated Hadad‘ezer the son of Rechov king of Tzovah. ⁴ David captured 1,700 horsemen and 20,000 foot soldiers. He reserved enough horses for 100 chariots and disabled the rest. ⁵ When people of Aram from Dammesek came to the aid of Hadad‘ezer king of Tzovah, David killed 22,000 men of Aram. ⁶ Then David put garrisons among the people of Aram in Dammesek; Aram became subject to David and paid tribute. Adonai gave victory to David wherever he went. ⁷ David took the gold shields which Hadad‘ezer’s servants were wearing and brought them to Yerushalayim. ⁸ From Betach and Berotai, cities of Hadad‘ezer, King David took a great quantity of bronze.

⁹ When To‘i king of Hamat heard that David had defeated Hadad‘ezer’s entire army, ¹⁰ To‘i sent Yoram his son to King David to greet and congratulate him on fighting and defeating Hadad‘ezer, for Hadad‘ezer had been at war with To‘i. Yoram brought with him articles of silver, articles of gold and articles of bronze, ¹¹ which King David dedicated to Adonai, along with the silver and gold that he dedicated from all the nations he conquered — ¹² Aram, Mo’av, the people of ‘Amon, the P’lishtim, ‘Amalek, and the spoil taken from Hadad‘ezer son of Rechov, king of Tzovah. ¹³ David gained more fame on returning from killing 18,000 men from Aram in the Salt Valley. ¹⁴ David stationed garrisons in Edom; he put garrisons throughout all of Edom, and all the people of Edom became subject to him. Adonai gave victory to David wherever he went.

¹⁵ David ruled over all Isra’el; David administered law and justice for all his people. ¹⁶ Yo’av the son of Tz’ruyah was commander of the army, Y’hoshafat the son of Achilud was chief adviser, ¹⁷ Tzadok the son of Achituv and Achimelekh the son of Evyatar were cohanim, S’rayah was secretary, ¹⁸ B’nayahu the son of Y’hoyada was in charge of the K’reti and P’leti [serving as the king’s bodyguards], and David’s sons were cohanim.

9 David inquired, “Is there anyone still alive from the family of Sha’ul, to whom, for Y’honatan’s sake, I can show kindness?” ² In Sha’ul’s household there had been a servant named Tziva, and they summoned him to David. The king asked him, “Are you Tziva?” and he answered, “At your service.” ³ The king said, “Is there anyone still alive from the family of Sha’ul, to whom I can show God’s grace?” Tziva said to the king, “There is still Y’honatan’s son with the lame legs.” ⁴ The king said to him, “Where is he?” and Tziva answered, “He’s there in the house of Makhir the son of ‘Ammi’el, in Lo-D’var.” ⁵ King David sent and took him from the house of Makhir the son of ‘Ammi’el in Lo-D’var. ⁶ M’fivoshet the son of Y’honatan, the son of Sha’ul, came to David, fell on his face and prostrated himself. David said, “M’fivoshet!” and he answered, “Here is your servant!” ⁷ David said to him, “Don’t be afraid, for I am determined to be kind to you for the sake of Y’honatan your father. I will restore to you all the land of Sha’ul your [grand]father, and you will always eat at my table.” ⁸ He prostrated himself and said, “What is your servant that makes you pay such attention to a dead dog like me?” ⁹ The king called to Tziva, Sha’ul’s servant, and said to him, “I have given everything Sha’ul and his family owned to your master’s [grand]son. ¹⁰ You are to work the land for him, you, your sons and your slaves. Harvest the crops, so that your master’s [grand]son will have food to feed his family; but M’fivoshet your master’s [grand]son will always eat at my table.” Tziva had fifteen sons and twenty slaves. ¹¹ Tziva said to the king, “Your servant will do everything my lord the king commands his servant, although M’fivoshet has been eating at my table as one of the king’s descendants.” ¹² M’fivoshet had a young son whose name was Mikha. Everyone living in Tziva’s house was a servant of M’fivoshet. ¹³ But M’fivoshet lived in Yerushalayim; he always ate at the king’s table, and he was lame in both legs.

18 Some time afterwards, David attacked the P’lishtim and subdued them; David took Gat and its villages out of the hands of the P’lishtim. ² He also defeated Mo’av, so that the people of Mo’av became subjects of David and paid tribute.

³ David, on his way to establish his dominion as far as the Euphrates River, also defeated Hadar‘ezer king of Tzovah near Hamat. ⁴ David captured 1,000 chariots, 7,000 horsemen and 20,000 foot soldiers. He reserved enough horses for 100 chariots and disabled the rest. ⁵ When the people of Aram from Dammesek came to the aid of Hadar‘ezer king of Tzovah, David killed 22,000 men of Aram. ⁶ Then David put [garrisons] among the people of Aram in Dammesek; Aram became subject to David and paid tribute. Adonai gave victory to David wherever he went.

⁷ David took the gold shields which Hadar‘ezer’s servants were wearing and brought them to Yerushalayim. ⁸ From Tivchat and Kun, cities of Hadar‘ezer, King David took a great quantity of bronze, which Shlomo used to make the bronze “Sea,” the columns and various bronze articles.

⁹ When To‘u king of Hamat heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadar‘ezer king of Tzovah, ¹⁰ he sent Hadoram his son to King David to greet and congratulate him on fighting and defeating Hadar‘ezer — for Hadar‘ezer had been at war with To‘u — and [he sent] all kinds of articles made of silver, gold and bronze, ¹¹ which King David dedicated to Adonai, along with the silver and gold that he had carried off from all the nations — from Edom, Mo’av, the people of ‘Amon, the P’lishtim and ‘Amalek. ¹² Moreover, Avishai the son of Tz’ruyah killed 18,000 men from Edom in the Salt Valley. ¹³ David stationed garrisons in Edom, and all the people of Edom became subject to him. Adonai gave victory to David wherever he went.

¹⁴ David ruled over all Isra’el; he administered law and justice for all his people. ¹⁵ Yo’av the son of Tz’ruyah was commander of the army, Y’hoshafat the son of Achilud was chief adviser, ¹⁶ Tzadok the son of Achituv and Avimelekh the son of Evyatar were cohanim, Shavsha was secretary, ¹⁷ B’nayahu the son of Y’hoyada was in charge of the K’reti and P’leti [serving as the king’s bodyguards], and David’s sons were the king’s chief personal advisers.