2 Samuel 8–10

David’s Victories

8After this, David defeated the Philistines, ^bsubdued them, and took Metheg-ammah ^cfrom Philistine control. ^de2He also defeated the Moabites, and after making them lie down on the ground, he measured them off with a cord. He measured every two cord lengths of those to be put to death and one length of those to be kept alive. So the Moabites became David’s subjects and brought tribute. ^f

³David also defeated Hadadezer ^gson of Rehob, king of Zobah, who went to restore his control at the Euphrates River. ⁴David captured 1,700 horsemen ^hand 20,000 foot soldiers from him, and he hamstrung all the horses ⁱand kept 100 chariots. ^j

⁵When the Arameans of Damascus ^kcame to assist King Hadadezer of Zobah, David struck down 22,000 Aramean men. ⁶Then he placed garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Arameans became David’s subjects and brought tribute. The Lord made David victorious wherever he went. ^l

⁷David took the gold shields of Hadadezer’s officers and brought them to Jerusalem. ^m8King David also took huge quantities of bronze from Betah ⁿand Berothai, Hadadezer’s cities.

⁹When King Toi of Hamath ^oheard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer, ¹⁰he sent his son Joram to King David to greet him and to congratulate him because David had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him, for Toi and Hadadezer had fought many wars. Joram had items of silver, gold, and bronze with him. ¹¹King David also dedicated these to the Lord, along with the silver and gold he had dedicated from all the nations he had subdued ^p— ¹²from Edom, ^qMoab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, the Amalekites, and the spoil of Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

¹³David made a reputation ^rfor himself when he returned from striking down 18,000 Edomites ^sin the Valley of Salt. ^tu14He placed garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites were subject to David. ^vThe Lord made David victorious wherever he went.1 ^w

¹⁵So David reigned over all Israel, administering justice and righteousness for all his people. ^x

¹⁶Joab son of Zeruiah was over the army;

Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was court historian;

¹⁷Zadok son of Ahitub

and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests;

Seraiah was court secretary;

¹⁸Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over

the Cherethites and the Pelethites; ^y

and David’s sons were chief officials. ^z

David’s Kindness to Mephibosheth

9David asked, “Is there anyone remaining from Saul’s family I can show kindness ^ato because of Jonathan?” ^b2There was a servant of Saul’s family named Ziba. ^cThey summoned him to David, and the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?”

“I am your servant,” he replied.

³So the king asked, “Is there anyone left of Saul’s family that I can show the kindness of God to?”

Ziba said to the king, “There is still Jonathan’s son who was injured in both feet.” ^d

⁴The king asked him, “Where is he?”

Ziba answered the king, “You’ll find him in Lo-debar at the house of Machir son of Ammiel.” ⁵So King David had him brought from the house of Machir son of Ammiel in Lo-debar.

⁶Mephibosheth son of Jonathan son of Saul came to David, bowed down to the ground and paid homage. David said, “Mephibosheth!”

“I am your servant,” he replied.

⁷“Don’t be afraid,” David said to him, “since I intend to show you kindness because of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all your grandfather Saul’s fields, and you will always eat meals at my table.” ^e

⁸Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant that you take an interest in a dead dog ^flike me?”

⁹Then the king summoned Saul’s attendant Ziba and said to him, “I have given to your master’s grandson all that belonged to Saul and his family. ¹⁰You, your sons, and your servants are to work the ground for him, and you are to bring in the crops so your master’s grandson will have food to eat. But Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, is always to eat at my table.” Now Ziba had 15 sons and 20 servants.

¹¹Ziba said to the king, “Your servant will do all my lord the king commands.”

So Mephibosheth ate at David’s ^gtable just like one of the king’s sons. ¹²Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Mica. ^hAll those living in Ziba’s house were Mephibosheth’s servants. ¹³However, Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem because he always ate at the king’s table. His feet had been injured.

War with the Ammonites

10Some time later the king of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun became king in his place. ⁱ²Then David said, “I’ll show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, just as his father showed kindness to me.”

So David sent his emissaries to console Hanun concerning his father. However, when they arrived in the land of the Ammonites, ³the Ammonite leaders said to Hanun their lord, “Just because David has sent men with condolences for you, do you really believe he’s showing respect for your father? Instead, hasn’t David sent his emissaries in order to scout out the city, spy on it, and demolish it?” ^j4So Hanun took David’s emissaries, shaved off half their beards, ^kcut their clothes in half at the hips, and sent them away. ^l

⁵When this was reported to David, he sent someone to meet them, since they were deeply humiliated. The king said, “Stay in Jericho until your beards grow back; then return.”

⁶When the Ammonites realized they had become repulsive to David, they hired 20,000 foot soldiers from the Arameans of Beth-rehob and Zobah, 1,000 men from the king of Maacah, and 12,000 men from Tob.

⁷David heard about it and sent Joab and all the fighting men. ⁸The Ammonites marched out and lined up in battle formation at the entrance to the city gate while the Arameans of Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah were in the field by themselves. ⁹When Joab saw that there was a battle line in front of him and another behind him, he chose some men out of all the elite troops of Israel and lined up in battle formation to engage the Arameans. ¹⁰He placed the rest of the forces under the command of his brother Abishai who lined up in battle formation to engage the Ammonites.

¹¹“If the Arameans are too strong for me,” Joab said, “then you will be my help. However, if the Ammonites are too strong for you, I’ll come to help you. ¹²Be strong! We must prove ourselves strong for our people and for the cities of our God. ^mMay the Lord’s will be done.” ^no

¹³Joab and his troops advanced to fight against the Arameans, and they fled before him. ¹⁴When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans had fled, they too fled before Abishai and entered the city. So Joab withdrew from the attack against the Ammonites and went to Jerusalem.

¹⁵When the Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they regrouped. ¹⁶Hadadezer sent messengers to bring the Arameans who were across the Euphrates River, and they came to Helam with Shobach, commander of Hadadezer’s army, leading them.

¹⁷When this was reported to David, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan, and went to Helam. Then the Arameans lined up in formation to engage David in battle and fought against him. ¹⁸But the Arameans fled before Israel, and David killed 700 of their charioteers and 40,000 foot soldiers. ^pHe also struck down Shobach commander of their army, who died there. ¹⁹When all the kings who were Hadadezer’s subjects saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and became their subjects. After this, the Arameans were afraid to ever help the Ammonites again.