2 Samuel 8:1-7

1 After this, David defeated and crushed the Philistines. He took control of the main Philistine city from them.

2 He also defeated Moab, made the Moabites lie down on the ground, and measured them with a rope. He measured two lengths which were to be killed, and one length which was to be spared. So the Moabites became David's subjects and paid taxes [to him].

3 When David went to restore his control [over the territory] along the Euphrates River, he defeated Zobah's King Hadadezer, son of Rehob.

4 David took 1,700 horsemen and 20,000 foot soldiers from him. David also disabled all but 100 of their horses so that they couldn't pull chariots.

5 When the Arameans from Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, David killed 22,000 of them.

6 David put troops in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus, and the Arameans became his subjects and paid taxes [to him]. Everywhere David went, the LORD gave him victories.

7 David took the gold shields that belonged to Hadadezer's servants, and he brought them to Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 8:1-7 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.