2 Samuel 8:1-9

David’s Victories

1 In the course of time, David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and he took Metheg Ammah from the control of the Philistines.
2 David also defeated the Moabites. He made them lie down on the ground and measured them off with a length of cord. Every two lengths of them were put to death, and the third length was allowed to live. So the Moabites became subject to David and brought him tribute.
3 Moreover, David defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, when he went to restore his monument at[a] the Euphrates River.
4 David captured a thousand of his chariots, seven thousand charioteers[b] and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He hamstrung all but a hundred of the chariot horses.
5 When the Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand of them.
6 He put garrisons in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject to him and brought tribute. The LORD gave David victory wherever he went.
7 David took the gold shields that belonged to the officers of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem.
8 From Tebah[c] and Berothai, towns that belonged to Hadadezer, King David took a great quantity of bronze.
9 When Tou[d] king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer,

2 Samuel 8:1-9 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 8

This chapter gives a relation of the wars of David with his enemies, and his victories over them, particularly the Philistines, Moabites, Syrians, and Edomites, and of the spoils he took from them, and of the presents made to him by others, 2Sa 8:1-14; and of his righteous administration of government, and of the principal officers in his court and camp, 2Sa 8:15-18.

Cross References 16

  • 1. Psalms 60:8; Psalms 87:4; Psalms 108:9
  • 2. Hebrews 11:32-33
  • 3. S Genesis 19:37; S Numbers 21:29; Numbers 24:17
  • 4. S Judges 3:15; S Isaiah 45:14
  • 5. 2 Samuel 10:16,19; 1 Kings 11:23
  • 6. S 1 Samuel 14:47
  • 7. S Genesis 2:14
  • 8. S Genesis 49:6; Joshua 11:9
  • 9. S Genesis 14:15; 2 Samuel 10:6; 1 Kings 11:24; 2 Kings 8:7; 2 Kings 14:28
  • 10. 1 Kings 20:34
  • 11. 2 Samuel 10:19
  • 12. ver 14; 2 Samuel 3:18; 2 Samuel 7:9
  • 13. 1 Kings 10:16; 1 Kings 14:26; 2 Kings 11:10
  • 14. Ezekiel 47:16
  • 15. 1 Kings 8:65; 2 Kings 14:28; 2 Chronicles 8:4
  • 16. Luke 14:31-32

Footnotes 4

  • [a]. Or "his control along"
  • [b]. Septuagint (see also Dead Sea Scrolls and 1 Chron. 18:4); Masoretic Text "captured seventeen hundred of his charioteers"
  • [c]. See some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 18:8); Hebrew "Betah" .
  • [d]. Hebrew "Toi" , a variant of "Tou" ; also in verse 10
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