2 Samuel 8; 2 Samuel 9; 1 Chronicles 18

1 Some time later, David defeated the Philistines and subdued them. David captured Metheg-ammah from Philistine control.

2 David also defeated the Moabites and made them lie on the ground, measuring them with a rope. He measured two rope lengths for those who were to be killed and one rope length for those who were to be spared. The Moabites became David's subjects and brought him tribute.

3 Next David defeated Zobah's King Hadadezer, Rehob's son, as Hadadezer was on his way to put his monument along the Euphrates River.

4 David captured one thousand chariots, seven hundred charioteers, and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He cut the hamstrings of all but one hundred of the chariot horses.

5 When the Arameans of Damascus came to help Zobah's King Hadadezer, David killed twenty-two thousand of them.

6 David set up forts among the Arameans of Damascus. And the Arameans became David's subjects and brought him tribute. The LORD gave David victory wherever he went.

7 David took the gold shields carried by Hadadezer's servants and brought them to Jerusalem.

8 King David also took a large amount of bronze from Tebah and Berothai, towns that belonged to Hadadezer.

9 When Hamath's King Toi heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer,

10 he sent his son Joram to King David to wish him well and congratulate him on his battle and defeat of Hadadezer, because Toi was an enemy of Hadadezer. Joram brought silver, gold, and bronze objects with him.

11 King David dedicated these to the LORD, along with the silver and gold he had dedicated from all the nations that he had subdued:

12 Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, and Amalek, including the plunder of Zobah's King Hadadezer, Rehob's son.

13 So David made a name for himself. When he returned, he killed eighteen thousand Edomites in the Salt Valley.

14 He set up forts in Edom, and all the Edomites became David's subjects. The LORD gave David victory wherever he went.

15 David ruled over all Israel and maintained justice and righteousness for all his people.

16 Zeruiah's son Joab was in command of the army; Ahilud's son Jehoshaphat was recorder;

17 Ahitub's son Zadok and Ahimelech's son Abiathar were priests; Seraiah was secretary;

18 Jehoiada's son Benaiah was in command of the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David's sons were priests.

1 David asked, "Is there anyone from Saul's family still alive that I could show faithful love for Jonathan's sake?" "Are you Ziba?" the king asked him. "At your service!" he answered.

2 There was a servant from Saul's household named Ziba, and he was summoned before David.

3 The king asked, "Is there anyone left from Saul's family that I could show God's kindness to?" "Yes," Ziba said to the king, "one of Jonathan's sons, whose feet are crippled."

4 "Where is he?" the king asked. "He is at the house of Ammiel's son Machir at Lo-debar," Ziba told the king.

5 So King David had him brought from the house of Ammiel's son Machir at Lo-debar.

6 Mephibosheth, Jonathan's son and Saul's grandson, came to David, and he fell to the ground, bowing low out of respect. "Mephibosheth?" David said. "Yes," he replied. "I am at your service!"

7 "Don't be afraid," David told him, "because I will certainly show you faithful love for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the fields of your grandfather Saul, and you will eat at my table always."

8 Mephibosheth bowed low out of respect and said, "Who am I, your servant, that you should care about a dead dog like me?"

9 Then David summoned Saul's servant Ziba and said to him, "I have given your master's grandson everything belonging to Saul and his family.

10 You will work the land for him—you, your sons, and your servants—and you will bring food into your master's house for them to eat. But Mephibosheth, your master's grandson, will always be at my table." (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)

11 Then Ziba said to the king, "Your servant will do whatever my master the king commands." So Mephibosheth ate at David's table, like one of the king's own sons.

12 Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica. All who lived in Ziba's household became Mephibosheth's servants.

13 Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king's table. He was crippled in both feet.

1 Some time later, David defeated the Philistines, subdued them, and took Gath and its villages from Philistine control.

2 He also defeated Moab, enslaving them and requiring payment.

3 David defeated Zobah's King Hadadezer at Hamath, as he continued to establish his control along the Euphrates River.

4 David captured one thousand chariots from him, seven thousand cavalry, and twenty thousand foot soldiers. Then David cut the hamstrings of all but one hundred of the chariot horses.

5 When the Arameans of Damascus came to help Zobah's King Hadadezer, David killed twenty-two thousand of the Arameans.

6 David stationed soldiers in Aram of Damascus, enslaved them, and required payment. The LORD gave David victory wherever he went.

7 David took the gold shields carried by Hadadezer's servants and brought them to Jerusalem.

8 From Tibhath and Cun, Hadadezer's cities, David took large amounts of bronze, with which Solomon made the bronze basin, the pillars, and the bronze equipment.

9 When Hamath's King Tou heard that David had defeated the entire army of Zobah's King Hadadezer,

10 he sent his son Hadoram to King David to wish him well and to congratulate him over his battle and defeat of Hadadezer, because Tou was an enemy of Hadadezer. Hadoram brought with him all kinds of gold, silver, and bronze objects.

11 King David dedicated these to the LORD along with the silver and the gold he had taken from all these nations: Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, and Amalek.

12 Abishai, Zeruiah's son, struck down eighteen thousand Edomites in the Salt Valley.

13 He stationed soldiers in Edom, and all the Edomites became David's slaves. The LORD gave David victory wherever he went.

14 David ruled over all Israel and maintained justice and righteousness for all his people.

15 Zeruiah's son Joab was in command of the army; Ahilud's son Jehoshaphat was recorder;

16 Ahitub's son Zadok and Abiathar's son Ahimelech were priests; Shavsha was secretary;

17 Jehoiada's son Benaiah was in command of the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David's sons were the king's chief personal advisors.