New Living Translation

New King James Version

David’s Military Victories

After this, David defeated and subdued the Philistines by conquering Gath, their largest town.a

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David’s Further Conquests

After this it came to pass that David [a]attacked the Philistines and subdued them. And David took [b]Metheg Ammah from the hand of the Philistines.

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David also conquered the land of Moab. He made the people lie down on the ground in a row, and he measured them off in groups with a length of rope. He measured off two groups to be executed for every one group to be spared. The Moabites who were spared became David’s subjects and paid him tribute money.

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Then he defeated Moab. Forcing them down to the ground, he measured them off with a line. With two lines he measured off those to be put to death, and with one full line those to be kept alive. So the Moabites became David’s servants, and brought tribute.

3

David also destroyed the forces of Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, when Hadadezer marched out to strengthen his control along the Euphrates River.

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David also defeated Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his territory at the River Euphrates.

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David captured 1,000 chariots, 7,000 charioteers,b and 20,000 foot soldiers. He crippled all the chariot horses except enough for 100 chariots.

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David took from him one thousand chariots, [c]seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand foot soldiers. Also David hamstrung all the chariot horses, except that he spared enough of them for one hundred chariots.

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When Arameans from Damascus arrived to help King Hadadezer, David killed 22,000 of them.

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When the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David killed twenty-two thousand of the Syrians.

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Then he placed several army garrisons in Damascus, the Aramean capital, and the Arameans became David’s subjects and paid him tribute money. So the LORD made David victorious wherever he went.

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Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became David’s servants, and brought tribute. So the Lord preserved David wherever he went.

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David brought the gold shields of Hadadezer’s officers to Jerusalem,

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And David took the shields of gold that had belonged to the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.

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along with a large amount of bronze from Hadadezer’s towns of Tebahc and Berothai.

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Also from [d]Betah and from Berothai,[e] cities of Hadadezer, King David took a large amount of bronze.

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When King Toi of Hamath heard that David had destroyed the entire army of Hadadezer,

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When [f]Toi king of Hamath heard that David had defeated all the army of Hadadezer,

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he sent his son Joram to congratulate King David for his successful campaign. Hadadezer and Toi had been enemies and were often at war. Joram presented David with many gifts of silver, gold, and bronze.

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then Toi sent [g]Joram his son to King David, to [h]greet him and bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him (for Hadadezer had been at war with Toi); and Joram brought with him articles of silver, articles of gold, and articles of bronze.

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King David dedicated all these gifts to the LORD, as he did with the silver and gold from the other nations he had defeated —

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King David also dedicated these to the Lord, along with the silver and gold that he had dedicated from all the nations which he had subdued —

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from Edom,d Moab, Ammon, Philistia, and Amalek — and from Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

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from [i]Syria, from Moab, from the people of Ammon, from the Philistines, from Amalek, and from the spoil of Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

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So David became even more famous when he returned from destroying 18,000 Edomitese in the Valley of Salt.

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And David made himself a name when he returned from killing eighteen thousand [j]Syrians in the Valley of Salt.

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He placed army garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites became David’s subjects. In fact, the LORD made David victorious wherever he went.

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He also put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom he put garrisons, and all the Edomites became David’s servants. And the Lord preserved David wherever he went.

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So David reigned over all Israel and did what was just and right for all his people.

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David’s Administration

So David reigned over all Israel; and David administered judgment and justice to all his people.

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Joab son of Zeruiah was commander of the army. Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the royal historian.

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Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder;

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Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were the priests. Seraiah was the court secretary.

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Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were the priests; [k]Seraiah was the [l]scribe;

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Benaiah son of Jehoiada was captain of the king’s bodyguard.f And David’s sons served as priestly leaders.g

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Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over both the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were [m]chief ministers.

Parallel

New Living Translation

New King James Version

2 Samuel 8

2 Samuel 8