2 Samuel 8:1-18
King David's Victories
1 In the course of time, David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and he took Metheg Ammah from the control of the Philistines.
2 David also defeated the Moabites. He made them lie down on the ground and measured them off with a length of cord. Every two lengths of them were put to death, and the third length was allowed to live. So the Moabites became subject to David and brought him tribute.
3 Moreover, David defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, when he went to restore his monument at the Euphrates River. 4 David captured a thousand of his chariots, seven thousand charioteers and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He hamstrung all but a hundred of the chariot horses.
5 When the Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand of them. 6 He put garrisons in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject to him and brought tribute. The Lord gave David victory wherever he went.
7 David took the gold shields that belonged to the officers of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 From Tebah and Berothai, towns that belonged to Hadadezer, King David took a great quantity of bronze.
9 When Tou king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer, 10 he sent his son Joram to King David to greet him and congratulate him on his victory in battle over Hadadezer, who had been at war with Tou. Joram brought with him articles of silver, of gold and of bronze.
11 King David dedicated these articles to the Lord, as he had done with the silver and gold from all the nations he had subdued: 12 Edom and Moab, the Ammonites and the Philistines, and Amalek. He also dedicated the plunder taken from Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.
13 And David became famous after he returned from striking down eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.
14 He put garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites became subject to David. The Lord gave David victory wherever he went.
15 David reigned over all Israel, doing what was just and right for all his people. 16 Joab son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recorder; 17 Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelek son of Abiathar were priests; Seraiah was secretary; 18 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites; and David’s sons were priests.
Later David defeated the Philistines and took control of a large area of land around Gath...He also defeated the Moabites...He forced them to lie on the ground in a long row...Using a rope to measure, those within two lengths of the rope were killed and those within every third length were allowed to live...So the Moabites became servants of David and paid tribute to him...David went to an area near the Euphrates to set up a monument for himself...At that time he defeated the king of Zobah, Hadadezer son of Rehob...David took 1,000 chariots, 7,000 horse soldiers, and 20,000 foot soldiers from Hadadezer...He crippled all but 100 of the chariot horses...Arameans from Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, but David defeated those 22,000 Arameans...Then David put his soldiers in Damascus, Aram...The Arameans became David’s servants and brought tribute...The LORD gave victory to David wherever he went...
David took the gold shields that had belonged to Hadadezer’s servants and brought them to Jerusalem...David also took many things made of bronze from Tebah and Berothai...(Tebah and Berothai were cities that had belonged to Hadadezer.)...King Toi of Hamath heard that David had defeated Hadadezer’s whole army...Hadadezer had fought against Toi in the past, so Toi sent his son Joram to King David...Joram greeted him and blessed him because David had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him...Joram brought gifts of silver, gold, and bronze...David took these things and dedicated them to the LORD, as he had done with all the other things he had taken from the nations he had defeated: Aram, Moab, Ammon, Philistia, and Amalek...He had also defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah...David had defeated 18,000 Edomites in Salt Valley...He was famous when he came home...He put teams of soldiers throughout Edom, and the whole nation became his servants...The LORD gave victory to him wherever he went...
David ruled over all Israel, and he made good and fair decisions for all of his people...Joab son of Zeruiah was the captain over the army...Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the historian...Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests...Seraiah was secretary...Benaiah son of Jehoiada was in charge of the Kerethites and Pelethites, and David’s sons were priests...