The Book of II Samuel
Chapter 8
David Smites His Enemies – and God is with Him
This chapter is a summary of David’s conquests in the many wars against the Philistines, Moabites, and the Syrians. There is more discussion and detail of some of these wars in later chapters of II Samuel. This chapter also highlights some of the men that served with David and honors their dedication and faithfulness.
Verses 1 – 2
8:1 And after this it came to pass, that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them: and David took Metheg-ammah out of the hand of the Philistines.
8:2 And he smote Moab, and measured them with a line, casting them down to the ground; even with two lines measured he to put to death, and with one full line to keep alive. And so the Moabites became David's servants, and brought gifts.
These two verses tell of David’s defeat of the Philistines and the Moabites. The first was the defeat of the Philistines where David “took Gath and her towns out of the hand of the Philistines” (I Chronicles 18:1). The word Metheg-ammah in verse 2 is the Hebrew word for the bridle of the mother city, Ammah. The account in I Chronicles calls this city Gath. David destroyed the city of Gath and put the Philistines under his complete control.
The second nation that David conquered was Moab. David put two-thirds (the two lines) of the Moabites to death and utterly destroyed the cities. The remaining third (one full line) he kept alive to become servants. This ancient practice (of putting the nation is three lines and sparing one line) was used to keep enemy nations from becoming a threat and keep the peace. Those that remained from the third line provided gifts to Israel.
Verses 3 – 8
8:3 David smote also Hadadezer, the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his border at the river Euphrates.
8:4 And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: and David houghed all the chariot horses, but reserved of them for an hundred chariots.
8:5 And when the Syrians of Damascus came to succour Hadadezer king of Zobah, David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.
8:6 Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus: and the Syrians became servants to David, and brought gifts. And the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went.
8:7 And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.
8:8 And from Betah, and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, king David took exceeding much brass.
David was extending the kingdom’s border to the Euphrates River when he was opposed by the king of Zobah, Hadadezer (his name is Hadarezer in I Chronicles 18). There were many rewards for this most profitable victory: (1) one thousand chariots, (2) seven hundred horsemen (seven thousand in I Chronicles 18) *, and (3) twenty thousand footmen. The Syrians of Damascus came to the aid of their kindred nation only to be destroyed by David’s army. The surviving Syrians became servants of David just like the Moabites. The Syrians brought gifts of gold and brass to David, and David brought those riches to Jerusalem. These riches were part of the materials that David collected for the building of Solomon’s Temple (I Chronicles 18:8).
* The reason for the different number of horsemen in II Samuel (700) and I Chronicles (7000) may be from the error of a scribe copying from the original inspired word. It is not known for sure which number is correct. What we can know is that this victory would not have been possible is the Lord God had not been with David during this time.
Deuteronomy 17:16
17:16 But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.
The wars that David had been fighting and winning led to another situation where the Law of Moses concerning kings had been broken. The accumulation of horses was against the commandments of God, but this act was continued by David and his successors. However, God took care of David everywhere he went.
Verses 9 – 13
8:9 When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had smitten all the host of Hadadezer,
8:10 Then Toi sent Joram his son unto king David, to salute him, and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer, and smitten him: for Hadadezer had wars with Toi. And Joram brought with him vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and vessels of brass:
8:11 Which also king David did dedicate unto the LORD, with the silver and gold that he had dedicated of all nations which he subdued;
8:12 Of Syria, and of Moab, and of the children of Ammon, and of the Philistines, and of Amalek, and of the spoil of Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah.
8:13 And David gat him a name when he returned from smiting of the Syrians in the valley of salt, being eighteen thousand men.
David had developed quite a reputation among the surrounding nations for being a strong king that should not be apposed. King Toi of Hamath (Tou in I Chronicles 18) also heard of David’s victories, and more specifically, the defeat of Hadadezer, a common enemy of Hamath. King Toi had been at war with Hadadezer for many years, and he sent his son, Joram, to David to bring gifts of silver, gold, and brass. King Toi sent these gifts to congratulate David for his victory and to help avoid a conflict with David as well.
As with all the gifts and spoils of war, David dedicated everything to the Lord for later use in the construction of the Temple.
Verses 14
8:14 And he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom put he garrisons, and all they of Edom became David's servants. And the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went.
David once again has a victory. This time against the Edomites. As we can read in Psalm 60, the victory over Edom was not automatic.
Psalm 60:1-8
To the chief Musician upon Shu'-shan-e'-duth, Mich'-tam of David, to teach; when he strove with A'-ram-na-ha-ra'-im and with A'-ram-zo'-bah, when Jo'-ab returned, and smote of E'-dom in the valley of salt twelve thousand.
60:1 O God, thou hast cast us off, thou hast scattered us, thou hast been displeased; O turn thyself to us again.
60:2 Thou hast made the earth to tremble; thou hast broken it: heal the breaches thereof; for it shaketh.
60:3 Thou hast shewed thy people hard things: thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment.
60:4 Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah.
60:5 That thy beloved may be delivered; save with thy right hand, and hear me.
60:6 God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth.
60:7 Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of mine head; Judah is my lawgiver;
60:8 Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe: Philistia, triumph thou because of me.
60:9 Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into Edom?
60:10 Wilt not thou, O God, which hadst cast us off? and thou, O God, which didst not go out with our armies?
60:11 Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.
60:12 Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.
David reveals in this Psalm that he suffered an initial setback, but the Lord gave the victory once he turned back to God and repented.
Verses 15 – 18
8:15 And David reigned over all Israel; and David executed judgment and justice unto all his people.
8:16 And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder;
8:17 And Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, were the priests; and Seraiah was the scribe;
8:18 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over both the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David's sons were chief rulers.
We conclude the chapter with a listing of the chief officers of David. Joab was the captain of the host (we have studied about him before). Jehoshaphat was the recorder, and he continued into the reign of Solomon. Zadok and Ahimelech continued in the office of high priest. Seraiah (Shavsha in I Chronicles) was a scribe. Here is the first mention of Benaiah, captain of the forces known as the Cherethites and Pelethites. All of these men served as David's personal guard and were always around him. The many sons of David were appointed to positions of authority under their father. In Solomon's time, Benaiah replaced Joab as captain of the host.
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