2 Samuel 8; 2 Samuel 9; 1 Chronicles 18

1 Some time later King David attacked the Philistines again, defeated them, and ended their control over the land.

2 Then he defeated the Moabites. He made the prisoners lie down on the ground and put two out of every three of them to death. So the Moabites became his subjects and paid taxes to him.

3 Then he defeated the king of the Syrian state of Zobah, Hadadezer son of Rehob, as Hadadezer was on his way to restore his control over the territory by the upper Euphrates River.

4 David captured seventeen hundred of his cavalry and twenty thousand of his foot soldiers. He kept enough horses for a hundred chariots and crippled all the rest.

5 When the Syrians of Damascus sent an army to help King Hadadezer, David attacked it and killed twenty-two thousand men.

6 Then he set up military camps in their territory, and they became his subjects and paid taxes to him. The Lord made David victorious everywhere.

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

8 He also took a great quantity of bronze from Betah and Berothai, cities ruled by Hadadezer.

9 King Toi of Hamath heard that David had defeated all of Hadadezer's army.

10 So he sent his son Joram to greet King David and congratulate him for his victory over Hadadezer, against whom Toi had fought many times. Joram took David presents made of gold, silver, and bronze.

11 King David dedicated them for use in worship, along with the silver and gold he took from the nations he had conquered -

12 Edom, Moab, Ammon, Philistia, and Amalek - as well as part of the loot he had taken from Hadadezer.

13 David became even more famous when he returned from killing eighteen thousand Edomites in Salt Valley.

14 He set up military camps throughout Edom, and the people there became his subjects. The Lord made David victorious everywhere.

15 David ruled over all of Israel and made sure that his people were always treated fairly and justly.

16 Joab, whose mother was Zeruiah, was the commander of the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was in charge of the records;

17 Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests; Seraiah was the court secretary;

18 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was in charge of David's bodyguards; and David's sons were priests.

1 One day David asked, "Is there anyone left of Saul's family? If there is, I would like to show him kindness for Jonathan's sake."

2 There was a servant of Saul's family named Ziba, and he was told to go to David. "Are you Ziba?" the king asked. "At your service, sir," he answered.

3 The king asked him, "Is there anyone left of Saul's family to whom I can show loyalty and kindness, as I promised God I would?" Ziba answered, "There is still one of Jonathan's sons. He is crippled."

4 "Where is he?" the king asked. "At the home of Machir son of Ammiel in Lodebar," Ziba answered.

5 So King David sent for him.

6 When Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan and grandson of Saul, arrived, he bowed down before David in respect. David said, "Mephibosheth," and he answered, "At your service, sir."

7 "Don't be afraid," David replied. "I will be kind to you for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will give you back all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always be welcome at my table."

8 Mephibosheth bowed again and said, "I am no better than a dead dog, sir! Why should you be so good to me?"

9 Then the king called Ziba, Saul's servant, and said, "I am giving Mephibosheth, your master's grandson, everything that belonged to Saul and his family.

10 You, your sons, and your servants will farm the land for your master Saul's family and bring in the harvest, to provide food for them. But Mephibosheth himself will always be a guest at my table." (Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)

11 Ziba answered, "I will do everything Your Majesty commands." So Mephibosheth ate at the king's table, just like one of the king's sons.

12 Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica. All the members of Ziba's family became servants of Mephibosheth.

13 So Mephibosheth, who was crippled in both feet, lived in Jerusalem, eating all his meals at the king's table.

1 Some time later King David attacked the Philistines again and defeated them. He took out of their control the city of Gath and its surrounding villages.

2 He also defeated the Moabites, who became his subjects and paid taxes to him.

3 Next, David attacked King Hadadezer of the Syrian state of Zobah, near the territory of Hamath, because Hadadezer was trying to gain control of the territory by the upper Euphrates River.

4 David captured a thousand of his chariots, seven thousand cavalry troops, and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He kept enough horses for a hundred chariots and crippled all the rest.

5 When the Syrians of Damascus sent an army to help King Hadadezer, David attacked it and killed twenty-two thousand men.

6 Then he set up military camps in their territory, and they became his subjects and paid taxes to him. The Lord made David victorious everywhere.

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

8 He also took a great quantity of bronze from Tibhath and Kun, cities ruled by Hadadezer. (Solomon later used this bronze to make the tank, the columns, and the bronze utensils for the Temple.)

9 King Toi of Hamath heard that David had defeated Hadadezer's entire army.

10 So he sent his son Joram to greet King David and congratulate him for his victory over Hadadezer, against whom Toi had fought many times. Joram brought David presents made of gold, silver, and bronze.

11 King David dedicated them for use in worship, along with the silver and gold he took from the nations he conquered - Edom, Moab, Ammon, Philistia, and Amalek.

12 Abishai, whose mother was Zeruiah, defeated the Edomites in Salt Valley and killed eighteen thousand of them.

13 He set up military camps throughout Edom, and the people there became King David's subjects. The Lord made David victorious everywhere.

14 David ruled over all Israel and made sure that his people were always treated fairly and justly.

15 Abishai's brother Joab was commander of the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was in charge of the records;

16 Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests; Seraiah was court secretary;

17 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was in charge of David's bodyguards; and King David's sons held high positions in his service.