2 Samuel 8–10

8TH CHAPTER

David’s Successes—1 Chronicles 18:1–17

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

²He 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⸥. 

³When David went to restore his control ⸤over the territory⸥ along the Euphrates River, he defeated Zobah’s King Hadadezer, son of Rehob. ⁴David 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. 

⁵When the Arameans from Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, David killed 22,000 of them. ⁶David 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. 

⁷David took the gold shields that belonged to Hadadezer’s^bservants, and he brought them to Jerusalem. ⁸King David also took a large quantity of bronze from Betah and Berothai, Hadadezer’s cities. 

⁹When King Toi of Hamath heard that David had defeated Hadadezer’s whole army, ¹⁰he sent his son Joram to greet King David and congratulate him for fighting and defeating Hadadezer. (There had often been war between Hadadezer and Toi.) Joram brought articles of gold, silver, and bronze with him. ¹¹King David dedicated these articles to the Lord, along with the silver and gold he had dedicated from all the nations he conquered—¹²from Edom, Moab, Ammon, the Philistines, Amalek, and from the goods taken from Zobah’s King Hadadezer, son of Rehob. 

¹³David made a name for himself by killing 18,000 Edomites^cin the Dead Sea region as he returned ⸤to Jerusalem⸥. ¹⁴He put troops everywhere in Edom, and all the Edomites were David’s subjects. Everywhere David went, the Lord gave him victories. 

¹⁵So David ruled all Israel. He did what was fair and right for all his people. ¹⁶Zeruiah’s son Joab was in charge of the army. Ahilud’s son Jehoshaphat was the royal historian. ¹⁷Ahitub’s son Zadok and Abiathar’s son Ahimelech were priests. Seraiah was the royal scribe. ¹⁸Jehoiada’s son Benaiah was commander of the Cherethites and the Pelethites. And David’s sons were priests.^d

9TH CHAPTER

David Keeps His Promise to Jonathan

¹David asked, “Is there anyone left in Saul’s family to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” 

²Now, Saul’s family had a servant whose name was Ziba. He was summoned to ⸤come to⸥ David. “Are you Ziba?” the king asked him. 

“⸤Yes,⸥ I am,” he answered. 

³David asked, “Is there someone left in Saul’s family to whom I can show God’s kindness?” 

“Jonathan has a son who is disabled,” Ziba answered. 

⁴“Where is he?” the king asked. 

Ziba replied, “He is at the home of Machir, Ammiel’s son, in Lo Debar.” 

⁵So King David sent men to get him from the home of Ammiel’s son Machir in Lo Debar. ⁶When Mephibosheth (son of Jonathan and grandson of Saul) came to David, he quickly bowed down with his face touching the ground. 

“Mephibosheth!” David said to him. 

“Yes, sir,” he answered. 

⁷“Don’t be afraid,” David told him, “I will certainly show you kindness for your father Jonathan’s sake. I will give back to you all the land of your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.” 

⁸Mephibosheth bowed down ⸤again⸥ and answered, “Who am I that you would look at a dead dog like me?” 

⁹Then the king called for Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, “I have given your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. ¹⁰You, your sons, and your servants should farm the land for him and harvest ⸤the crops⸥ so that your master’s family will have food to eat. However, your master’s grandson Mephibosheth will always eat at my table.” (Ziba had 15 sons and 20 servants.) 

¹¹Ziba responded, “I will do everything you’ve commanded, Your Majesty.” From then on, Mephibosheth ate at David’s table as one of the king’s sons. 

¹²Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Mica. Everyone who lived at Ziba’s home became Mephibosheth’s servant. ¹³However, Mephibosheth, who was disabled, lived in Jerusalem. He always ate at the king’s table. 

10TH CHAPTER

David Defeats Ammon and Aram—1 Chronicles 19:1–19

¹Later the king of Ammon died, and his son Hanun became king in his place. ²David thought, “I will show kindness to Hanun as his father Nahash showed me kindness.” So David sent his servants to comfort Hanun after his father’s ⸤death⸥. But when David’s servants entered Ammonite territory, ³the Ammonite princes asked their master Hanun, “Do you think David is honoring your father because he sent men to comfort you? Hasn’t David sent his men to explore the city, spy on it, and destroy it?” ⁴So Hanun took David’s men, shaved off half of each man’s beard, cut off their clothes from the waist down, and sent them away. 

⁵After David was told ⸤what had happened⸥, he sent ⸤someone⸥ to meet them because they were deeply humiliated. The king said to them, “Stay in Jericho until your beards have grown back, and then return ⸤to Jerusalem⸥.” 

⁶The Ammonites realized that they had made themselves offensive to David. So they hired the Arameans from Beth Rehob and Zobah (20,000 foot soldiers), ⸤the army of⸥ the king of Maacah (1,000 men), and the men of Tob (12,000 men). 

⁷After David heard about this, he sent Joab and all the elite troops. ⁸The Ammonites formed a battle line at the entrance of the ⸤city⸥ gate, while the Arameans from Zobah and Rehob and the men from Tob and Maacah remained by themselves in the open country. 

⁹When Joab saw he was under attack in front and behind, he took the select troops of Israel and organized them for combat against the Arameans. ¹⁰He put his brother Abishai in charge of the rest of the troops. Abishai organized them for combat against the Ammonites. 

¹¹Joab said, “If the Arameans are too strong for my ⸤troops⸥, be ready to help me. And if the Ammonites are too strong for your ⸤troops⸥, I’ll come to help you. ¹²Be strong! Let’s prove ourselves strong for our people and for the cities of our God, and the Lord will do what he considers right.” 

¹³Then Joab and his troops advanced to fight the Arameans, and the Arameans fled. ¹⁴When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans had fled, the Ammonites fled from Abishai and went into the city. So Joab stopped his campaign against the Ammonites and returned to Jerusalem. 

¹⁵Realizing that Israel had defeated them, the Arameans reassembled ⸤their troops⸥. ¹⁶Hadadezer sent ⸤messengers⸥ to get Arameans from beyond the Euphrates River. The Arameans came to Helam with Shobach, the commander of Hadadezer’s army, leading them. 

¹⁷When David was told ⸤about this⸥, he assembled Israel’s army, crossed the Jordan River, and came to Helam. The Arameans formed a battle line against David’s ⸤troops⸥ and fought him. ¹⁸The Arameans fled from Israel, and David killed 700 chariot drivers and 40,000 horsemen. David struck Shobach dead. 

¹⁹When all the kings who were subject to Hadadezer saw that Israel had defeated them, they made peace with Israel and became their subjects. And the Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites anymore.