Chronological

8 After this David subdued and humbled the Philistines by conquering Gath, their largest city. ² He also devastated the land of Moab. He divided his victims by making them lie down side by side in rows. Two-thirds of each row, as measured with a tape, were butchered, and one-third were spared to become David’s servants—they paid him tribute each year.

³ He also destroyed the forces of King Hadadezer (son of Rehob) of Zobah in a battle at the Euphrates River, for Hadadezer had attempted to regain his power. ⁴ David captured seventeen hundred cavalry and twenty thousand infantry; then he lamed all of the chariot horses except for one hundred teams. ⁵ He also slaughtered twenty-two thousand Syrians from Damascus when they came to help Hadadezer. ⁶ David placed several army garrisons in Damascus, and the Syrians became David’s subjects and brought him annual tribute money. So the Lord gave him victories wherever he turned. ⁷ David brought the gold shields to Jerusalem which King Hadadezer’s officers had used. ⁸ He also carried back to Jerusalem a very large amount of bronze from Hadadezer’s cities of Betah and Berothai.

⁹ When King Toi of Hamath heard about David’s victory over the army of Hadadezer, ¹⁰ he sent his son Joram to congratulate him, for Hadadezer and Toi were enemies. He gave David presents made from silver, gold, and bronze. ^11-12 David dedicated all of these to the Lord, along with the silver and gold he had taken from Syria, Moab, Ammon, the Philistines, Amalek, and King Hadadezer.

¹³ So David became very famous. After his return he destroyed eighteen thousand Edomites^[a] in Salt Valley, ¹⁴ and then placed garrisons throughout Edom, so that the entire nation was forced to pay tribute to Israel—another example of the way the Lord made him victorious wherever he went.

¹⁵ David reigned with justice over Israel and was fair to everyone. ¹⁶ The general of his army was Joab (son of Zeruiah), and his secretary of state was Jehoshaphat (son of Ahilud). ¹⁷ Zadok (son of Ahitub) and Ahimelech (son of Abiathar) were the High Priests, and Seraiah was the king’s private secretary. ¹⁸ Benaiah (son of Jehoiada) was captain of his bodyguard,^[b] and David’s sons were his assistants.

9 One day David began wondering if any of Saul’s family was still living, for he wanted to be kind to them, as he had promised Prince Jonathan. ² He heard about a man named Ziba, who had been one of Saul’s servants, and summoned him.

“Are you Ziba?” the king asked.

“Yes, sir, I am,” he replied.

³ The king then asked him, “Is anyone left from Saul’s family? If so, I want to fulfill a sacred vow by being kind to him.”

“Yes,” Ziba replied, “Jonathan’s lame son is still alive.”

⁴ “Where is he?” the king asked.

“In Lo-debar,” Ziba told him. “At the home of Machir.”

^5-6 So King David sent for Mephibosheth—Jonathan’s son and Saul’s grandson. Mephibosheth arrived in great fear and greeted the king in deep humility, bowing low before him.

⁷ But David said, “Don’t be afraid! I’ve asked you to come so that I can be kind to you because of my vow to your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land of your grandfather Saul, and you shall live here at the palace!”

⁸ Mephibosheth fell to the ground before the king. “Should the king show kindness to a dead dog like me?” he exclaimed.

⁹ Then the king summoned Saul’s servant Ziba. “I have given your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family,” he said. ^10-11 “You and your sons and servants are to farm the land for him, to produce food for his family; but he will live here with me.”

Ziba, who had fifteen sons and twenty servants, replied, “Sir, I will do all you have commanded.”

And from that time on, Mephibosheth ate regularly with King David, as though he were one of his own sons. ¹² Mephibosheth had a young son, Mica. All the household of Ziba became Mephibosheth’s servants, ¹³ but Mephibosheth (who was lame in both feet) moved to Jerusalem to live at the palace.

18 David finally subdued the Philistines and conquered Gath and its surrounding towns. ² He also conquered Moab and required its people to send him a large sum of money every year. ³ He conquered the dominion of King Hadadezer of Zobah (as far as Hamath) at the time Hadadezer went to tighten his grip along the Euphrates River. ⁴ David captured a thousand of his chariots, seven thousand cavalry, and twenty thousand troops. He crippled all the chariot teams except a hundred that he kept for his own use.

⁵ When the Syrians arrived from Damascus to help King Hadadezer, David killed twenty-two thousand of them; ⁶ then he placed a garrison of his troops in Damascus, the Syrian capital. So the Syrians, too, were forced to send him large amounts of money every year. And the Lord gave David victory everywhere he went. ⁷ He brought the gold shields of King Hadadezer’s officers to Jerusalem, ⁸ as well as a great amount of bronze from Hadadezer’s cities of Tibhath and Cun. (King Solomon later melted the bronze and used it for the Temple. He molded it into the bronze tank, the pillars, and the instruments used in offering sacrifices on the altar.)

⁹ When King Tou of Hamath learned that King David had destroyed Hadadezer’s army, ¹⁰ he sent his son Hadoram to greet and congratulate King David on his success and to present him with many gifts of gold, silver, and bronze, seeking an alliance. For Hadadezer and Tou had been enemies and there had been many wars between them. ¹¹ King David dedicated these gifts to the Lord, as he did the silver and gold he took from the nations of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Amalek, and the Philistines.

¹² Abishai (son of Zeruiah) then destroyed eighteen thousand Edomites in Salt Valley. ¹³ He put garrisons in Edom and forced the Edomites to pay large sums of money annually to David. This is just another example of how the Lord gave David victory after victory. ¹⁴ David reigned over all of Israel and was a just ruler.

¹⁵ Joab (son of Zeruiah) was commander-in-chief of the army; Jehoshaphat (son of Ahilud) was the historian; ¹⁶ Zadok (son of Ahitub) and Ahimelech (son of Abiathar) were the head priests; Shavsha was the king’s special assistant;^{[a] 17} Benaiah (son of Jehoiada) was in charge of the king’s bodyguard—the Cherethites and Pelethites—and David’s sons were his chief aides.