2 Samuel chapter 8
David’s military victories.
DAVID’S MILITARY VICTORIES
VERSE 1. After this, David struck the Philistines and subdued them; and David took the bridle of the mother city out of the hand of the Philistines.
the Philistines. They were the enemy for 125 years.
VERSE 2. He struck Moab, and measured them with the line, making them to lie down on the ground; and he measured two lines to put to death, and one full line to keep alive. The Moabites became servants to David, and brought tribute.
two lines to put to death. David has 2/3 of the soldiers executed.
This was a brutal, harsh thing to do.
2 Chronicles 18:2. He defeated Moab; and the Moabites became servants to David and brought tribute.
VERSE 3. David struck also Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his dominion at the River.
as he went to recover his dominion. While king Hadadezer was away, David struck Zobah.
VERSE 4. David took from him one thousand seven hundred horsemen and twenty thousand footmen. David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but reserved of them for one hundred chariots.
VERSE 5. When the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck twenty two thousand men of the Syrians.
VERSE 6. Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became servants to David, and brought tribute. The LORD gave victory to David wherever he went.
The LORD gave victory to David wherever he went. The Bible gives the LORD God the credit for David’s successes.
Even though David was the doer, it was the LORD God who made David successful.
Christians often act as though they are the lords and masters of their nation’s culture. But the Bible calls us to be the least of all people. And the servants of everyone. Read more »
VERSE 7. David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.
David took the shields of gold. David is pillaging.
VERSE 8. From Betah and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, king David took a great quantity of brass.
VERSE 9. When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had struck all the army of Hadadezer,
VERSE 10. then Toi sent Joram his son to king David, to greet him, and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and struck him; for Hadadezer had wars with Toi. Joram brought with him vessels of silver, vessels of gold, and vessels of brass:
to greet him, and to bless him. King Toi capitulates to David without a struggle.
VERSE 11. King David also dedicated these to the LORD, with the silver and gold that he dedicated of all the nations which he subdued;
VERSE 12. of Syria, of Moab, of the children of Ammon, of the Philistines, of Amalek, and of the plunder of Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah.
VERSE 13. David earned a reputation when he returned from striking down eighteen thousand men of the Syrians in the Valley of Salt.
striking down eighteen thousand men. In this verse, this massacre is credited to David.
But it was Abishai who killed those 18,000 Edomites:
2 Chronicles 18:12. Moreover Abishai the son of Zeruiah struck eighteen thousand of the Edomites in the Valley of Salt.
the Valley of Salt. This is a marshy plain south of the Dead Sea.
VERSE 14. He put garrisons in Edom. Throughout all Edom put he garrisons, and all the Edomites became servants to David. The LORD gave victory to David wherever he went.
The LORD gave victory to David wherever he went. That is a wonderful thing.
But is that guaranteed to all believers?
VERSE 15. David reigned over all Israel; and David executed justice and righteousness for all his people.
justice and righteousness for all his people. David worked tirelessly for the betterment of his own people.
He stands in marked contrast to today’s politicians, who work tirelessly for their own benefit.
VERSE 16. Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army, Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder,
David’s empire requires the creation of a bureaucracy to administer its affairs.
In this verse and the ones that follow David names the members of his cabinet.
VERSE 17. Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were priests, Seraiah was scribe,
VERSE 18. Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites, David’s sons were chief ministers.
2 SAMUEL
CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize, David and Jonathan
Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.