David's Military Victories
(2 Samuel 8.1-18)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.
1 And after this Dauid smote the Philistims, and subdued them, and tooke Gath, and the villages thereof out of the hand of the Philistims. 2 And he smote Moab, and the Moabites became Dauids seruants, and brought giftes. 3 And Dauid smote Hadarezer King of Zobah vnto Hamath, as he went to stablish his border by the riuer Perath. 4 And Dauid tooke from him a thousand charets, and seuen thousand horsemen, and twentie thousand footemen, and destroyed all the charets, but he reserued of them an hundreth charets. 5 Then came the Aramites of Damascus to succour Hadarezer King of Zobah, but Dauid slewe of the Aramites two and twentie thousand. 6 And Dauid put a garison in Aram of Damascus, and the Aramites became Dauids seruants, and brought giftes: and the Lord preserued Dauid wheresoeuer he went. 7 And Dauid tooke the shieldes of gold that were of the seruants of Hadarezer, and brought them to Ierusalem. 8 And from Tibhath, and from Chun (cities of Hadarezer) brought Dauid exceeding much brasse, wherewith Salomon made the brasen Sea, and the pillars and the vessels of brasse. 9 Then Tou King of Hamath heard howe Dauid had smitten all the hoste of Hadarezer King of Zobah: 10 Therefore he sent Hadoram his sonne to King Dauid, to salute him, and to reioyce with him, because he had fought against Hadarezer, and beaten him (for Tou had warre with Hadarezer) who brought all vessels of golde and siluer and brasse. 11 And King Dauid did dedicate them vnto the Lord, with the siluer and golde that hee brought from all the nations, from Edom, and from Moab, and from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistims, and from Amalek. 12 And Abishai the sonne of Zeruiah smote of Edom in the salt valley eighteene thousand, 13 And he put a garison in Edom, and all the Edomites became Dauids seruantes: and the Lord preserued Dauid wheresoeuer he went. 14 So Dauid reigned ouer all Israel, and executed iudgement and iustice to all his people. 15 And Ioab the sonne of Zeruiah was ouer the hoste, and Iehoshaphat the sonne of Ahilud recorder, 16 And Zadok the sonne of Ahitub, and Abimelech the sonne of Abiathar were the Priests, and Shausha the Scribe, 17 And Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada was ouer the Cherethites and the Pelethites: and the sonnes of Dauid were chiefe about the King.