Chronological

David Wins Many Wars

8 Later David defeated the Philistines and took control of a large area of land around Gath.^{[a] 2} He also defeated the Moabites. He forced them to lie on the ground in a long row. Using a rope to measure, those within two lengths of the rope were killed and those within every third length were allowed to live. So the Moabites became servants of David and paid tribute to him.

³ David went to an area near the Euphrates to set up a monument for himself.^[b] At that time he defeated the king of Zobah, Hadadezer son of Rehob. ⁴ David took 1000 chariots, 7000 horse soldiers,^[c] and 20,000 foot soldiers from Hadadezer. He crippled all but 100 of the chariot horses.^[d]

⁵ Arameans from Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, but David defeated those 22,000 Arameans. ⁶ Then David put his soldiers in Damascus, Aram. The Arameans became David’s servants and brought tribute. The Lord gave victory to David wherever he went.

⁷ David took the gold shields^[e] that had belonged to Hadadezer’s servants and brought them to Jerusalem. ⁸ David also took many things made of bronze from Tebah^[f] and Berothai. (Tebah and Berothai were cities that had belonged to Hadadezer.)

⁹ King Toi of Hamath heard that David had defeated Hadadezer’s whole army. ¹⁰ Hadadezer had fought against Toi in the past, so Toi sent his son Joram to King David. Joram greeted him and blessed him because David had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him. Joram brought gifts of silver, gold, and bronze. ¹¹ David took these things and dedicated them to the Lord, as he had done with all the other things he had taken from the nations he had defeated: ¹² Aram, Moab, Ammon, Philistia, and Amalek. He had also defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah. ¹³ David had defeated 18,000 Edomites^[g] in Salt Valley. He was famous when he came home. ¹⁴ He put teams of soldiers throughout Edom, and the whole nation became his servants. The Lord gave victory to him wherever he went.

David’s Rule

¹⁵ David ruled over all Israel, and he made good and fair decisions for all of his people. ¹⁶ Joab son of Zeruiah was the captain over the army. Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the historian. ¹⁷ Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests. Seraiah was secretary. ¹⁸ Benaiah son of Jehoiada was in charge of the Kerethites and Pelethites,^[h] and David’s sons were priests.^[i]

David Is Kind to Saul’s Family

9 David asked, “Is there anyone still left in Saul’s family? I want to show kindness to this person. I want to do it for Jonathan.”

² There was a servant named Ziba from Saul’s family. David’s servants called Ziba to David. King David said to Ziba, “Are you Ziba?”

Ziba said, “Yes, I am your servant Ziba.”

³ The king said, “Is there anyone left in Saul’s family? I want to show God’s kindness to this person.”

Ziba said to King David, “Jonathan has a son still living. He is crippled in both feet.”

⁴ The king said to Ziba, “Where is this son?”

Ziba said to the king, “He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.”

⁵ Then King David sent some of his officers to Lo Debar to bring Jonathan’s son from the house of Makir son of Ammiel. ⁶ Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth came to David and bowed with his face low to the floor.

David said, “Mephibosheth?”

Mephibosheth said, “Yes sir, it is I, your servant Mephibosheth.”

⁷ David said to Mephibosheth, “Don’t be afraid. I will be kind to you because of your father Jonathan. I will give back to you all the land of your grandfather Saul. And you will always be able to eat at my table.”

⁸ Mephibosheth bowed to David again and he said, “I am no better than a dead dog, but you are being very kind to me.”

⁹ Then King David called Saul’s servant Ziba and said, “I have given Saul’s family and everything he owns to your master’s grandson, Mephibosheth. ¹⁰ You will farm the land for Mephibosheth. Your sons and servants will do this for him. You will harvest the crops. Then your master’s grandson will have plenty of food to eat, but Mephibosheth will always be allowed to eat at my table.”

Ziba had 15 sons and 20 servants. ¹¹ He said to King David, “I am your servant. I will do everything that my lord the king commands.”

So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table like one of the king’s sons. ¹² Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica. All the people in Ziba’s family became Mephibosheth’s servants. ¹³ Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem. He was crippled in both feet, and every day he ate at the king’s table.

David Wins Over Different Nations

18 Later, David attacked the Philistines and defeated them. He took the town of Gath and the other small towns around it from the Philistines.

² Then David defeated the country of Moab. The Moabites became David’s servants and brought tribute to him.

³ David also fought against Hadadezer’s army. Hadadezer was the king of Zobah. David fought against that army all the way to the town of Hamath. David did this when he went to set up a monument for himself at the Euphrates River.^{[a] 4} David took 1000 chariots, 7000 chariot drivers, and 20,000 soldiers from Hadadezer. David also crippled most of Hadadezer’s horses that were used for pulling chariots. But David saved enough horses to pull 100 chariots.

⁵ The Arameans from the city of Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah. But David defeated and killed 22,000 Aramean soldiers. ⁶ Then David put fortresses in the city of Damascus in Aram. The Arameans became David’s servants and brought tribute to him. So the Lord gave victory to David everywhere he went.

⁷ David took the gold shields from Hadadezer’s army leaders and brought them to Jerusalem. ⁸ David also took much bronze from the towns of Tebah and Cun. These towns belonged to Hadadezer. Later, Solomon used this bronze to make the bronze tank,^[b] the bronze columns, and other things made from bronze for the Temple.

⁹ Tou was king of the city of Hamath. Hadadezer was the king of Zobah. Tou heard that David had defeated all of Hadadezer’s army. ¹⁰ So Tou sent his son Hadoram to King David to ask for peace and to bless him. He did this because David had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him. Hadadezer had been at war with Tou before. Hadoram gave David all kinds of things made of gold, silver, and bronze. ¹¹ King David made these things holy and gave them to the Lord. David did the same thing with all the silver and gold he had gotten from Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, and Amalekites.

¹² Abishai son of Zeruiah killed 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. ¹³ Abishai also put fortresses in Edom and all the Edomites became David’s servants. The Lord gave David victory everywhere he went.

David’s Important Officials

¹⁴ David was king over all Israel. He did what was right and fair for everyone. ¹⁵ Joab son of Zeruiah was the commander of David’s army. Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud wrote about the things David did. ¹⁶ Zadok and Abimelech were the priests. Zadok was Ahitub’s son, and Abimelech was Abiathar’s son. Shavsha was the scribe. ¹⁷ Benaiah was responsible for leading the Kerethites and Pelethites.^[c] Benaiah was Jehoiada’s son. And David’s sons were important officials. They served at King David’s side.