2 Samuel 8: David's victories and his officials
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What happens?
David strikes the Philistines; he strikes Moab and measures off two lines of them to be put to death and one line to be kept alive; and he strikes Hadadezer king of Zobah and the Syrians of Damascus, and he puts garrisons in Syria and in Edom; twice the text says that Yahweh gave David victory wherever he went. He brings the gold shields of Hadadezer's servants to Jerusalem and takes much bronze, and Toi king of Hamath sends his son with gifts of silver, gold and bronze. David sets these apart to Yahweh with the silver and gold of all the nations he brought under him. David reigns over all Israel and does justice and righteousness for all his people, and the chapter ends with the list of his officials.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the whole chapter. No verse is in gold: no one speaks in this chapter. Verses 6 and 14, that Yahweh gave David victory wherever he went, are the narrator's words. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1After this, David struck the Philistines and subdued them; and David took the bridle of the mother city out of the hand of the Philistines.
In plain English: After this, David struck the Philistines and brought them low (this Bible: subdued them). David took Metheg Ammah (this Bible: the bridle of the mother city; see the note) out of the hand of the Philistines.
The Hebrew words: "The bridle of the mother city" is metheg ha-ammah. The dictionary gives it as a name: "Metheg-ha-Ammah, an epithet of Gath", that is, another name for Gath.
What changes: Read the way this Bible has it, David took the bridle, the control, of the Philistines' chief city. Read as a name, he took the town Metheg Ammah. has "took Gath and its towns out of the hand of the Philistines", and the old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has "David took the tribute from out of the hand of the Philistines".
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2He defeated 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.
In plain English: He struck Moab. He made them lie down on the ground and measured them with a line: he measured two lines to be put to death and one full line to be kept alive. The Moabites became David's servants and brought tribute.
Good to know: The text says plainly what David did to Moab: two lines put to death and one full line kept alive. It does not say why. The old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has "two lines for slaying, and two lines he kept alive". says only "He defeated Moab". Earlier, David had left his father and mother with the king of Moab ( and ).
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3David also struck Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his dominion at the River.
In plain English: David also struck Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he (Hadadezer, or: David) went to bring back his power (literally: his hand) at the River.
Good to know: The Hebrew says only "as he went", so it may be Hadadezer going to bring back his power at the River, or David going to set up his own. has "as he went to establish his dominion by the river Euphrates". Here the Hebrew writes only "at the river", with no name; 1 Chronicles 18:3 and the old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) name it the Euphrates.
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4David took from him one thousand seven hundred horsemen and twenty thousand footmen. David hamstrung the chariot horses, but reserved enough of them for one hundred chariots.
In plain English: David captured from him one thousand seven hundred horsemen and twenty thousand foot soldiers. David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but he kept enough of them for one hundred chariots.
Good to know: These are the text's own numbers. gives "one thousand chariots, seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen", and the old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has "a thousand of his chariots, and seven thousand horsemen". The text does not say how the numbers fit together. "Hamstrung" is aqar, which the dictionary gives as "to pluck up (especially by the roots); specifically, to hamstring": to cut the back of the leg so that the horse cannot run. In Yahweh told Joshua, "You shall hamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire."
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5When the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck twenty two thousand men of the Syrians.
In plain English: When the Syrians (literally: Aram) of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand men of the Syrians.
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6Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became servants to David, and brought tribute. Yahweh gave victory to David wherever he went.
In plain English: Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus, and the Syrians became David's servants and brought tribute. Yahweh gave David victory (or: saved David) wherever he went.
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7David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.
In plain English: David took the gold shields that the servants of Hadadezer had, and brought them to Jerusalem.
The Hebrew word: "Shields" is shelet, which the dictionary gives as "probably a shield (as controlling, i.e. protecting the person)".
Good to know: The old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has "golden bracelets" here, and adds: "And Susakim king of Egypt took them, when he went up to Jerusalem in the days of Roboam son of Solomon." The Hebrew does not have these words. says that Shishak king of Egypt took away "all the gold shields which Solomon had made".
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8From Betah and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took a great quantity of bronze.
In plain English: From Betah and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took a very great amount of bronze.
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9When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had struck all the army of Hadadezer,
In plain English: When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had struck all the army of Hadadezer,
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10then 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 bronze.
In plain English: Toi sent his son Joram to King David to greet him (literally: to ask him of peace) and to bless him, because David had fought against Hadadezer and struck him; for Hadadezer had been at war with Toi (literally: was a man of wars with Toi). Joram brought with him objects (this Bible: vessels) of silver, of gold and of bronze.
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11King David also dedicated these to Yahweh, with the silver and gold that he dedicated of all the nations which he subdued—
In plain English: King David also set these apart (this Bible: dedicated them) to Yahweh, along with the silver and gold he had set apart from all the nations he had brought under him:
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12of 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.
In plain English: from Syria, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines and Amalek, and from the plunder of Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah.
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13David earned a reputation when he returned from striking down eighteen thousand men of the Syrians in the Valley of Salt.
In plain English: David made a name for himself (this Bible: earned a reputation) when he came back from striking down eighteen thousand men of Syria (see the note) in the Valley of Salt.
Good to know: The Hebrew here has "Aram", Syria. says that "Abishai the son of Zeruiah struck eighteen thousand of the Edomites in the Valley of Salt", and the old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has "he smote Idumea", which is Edom. In verse 12, too, 1 Chronicles 18:11 has "from Edom" where the Hebrew here has "from Aram". In Hebrew, the names Aram and Edom are written with letters that look much alike, and the next verse tells of garrisons in Edom. The title of speaks of Joab killing "twelve thousand of Edom in the Valley of Salt". The text does not say how these fit together.
The Hebrew words: "Earned a reputation" is literally "made a name", the words Yahweh used in : "I will make you a great name".
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14He put garrisons in Edom. Throughout all Edom, he put garrisons, and all the Edomites became servants to David. Yahweh gave victory to David wherever he went.
In plain English: He put garrisons in Edom. All through Edom he put garrisons, and all the Edomites became David's servants. Yahweh gave David victory wherever he went.
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15David reigned over all Israel; and David executed justice and righteousness for all his people.
In plain English: David reigned over all Israel, and David did what was just and right (this Bible: executed justice and righteousness) for all his people.
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16Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army, Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder,
In plain English: Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army. Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder (literally: the one who reminds).
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17Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were priests, Seraiah was scribe,
In plain English: Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were priests. Seraiah was the scribe.
Good to know: In Abiathar is "one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub". Here the text names "Ahimelech the son of Abiathar", the other way round, and has "Abimelech the son of Abiathar". In the priests are "Zadok and Abiathar". The text does not explain this. 1 Chronicles 18:16 names the scribe "Shavsha".
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18Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were chief ministers.
In plain English: Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over (the Hebrew here has: and) the Cherethites and the Pelethites. And David's sons were chief ministers (literally: priests).
The Hebrew words: "The Cherethites" is kerethi, which the dictionary gives as "a Kerethite or life-guardsman", and "the Pelethites" is pelethi, "a courier (collectively) or official messenger". The Hebrew here has "Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites"; "was over" is the wording of and .
What changes: Read as the names of peoples, like "the South of the Cherethites" in , these were men of those peoples who served David. Read with the dictionary, they were his guards and his messengers. The text does not say which.
The Hebrew word: "Chief ministers" is kohanim, from kohen, which the dictionary gives as "literally one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a layman)". This Bible says "priest" or a longer form in 650 of the 653 verses that use it. The other 3 are here, and , where it says "chief minister" or "chief ministers".
What changes: Read as "priests", the usual meaning of the word, David's sons served as priests. Read as "chief ministers", they were the king's high officials: has "the sons of David were chief officials serving the king", and the old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has "princes of the court". The text does not explain more.
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