Some time later, David defeated the Philistines, subdued them, and took Gath and its villages from the hand of the Philistines. David also defeated the Moabites, and they became subject to David and brought him tribute. As far as Hamath, David also defeated King Hadadezer of Zobah, who had marched out to establish his dominion along the Euphrates River. David captured from him a thousand chariots, seven thousand charioteers, and twenty thousand foot soldiers, and he hamstrung all the horses except a hundred he kept for the chariots. When the Arameans of Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand men. Then he placed garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject to David and brought him tribute. So the LORD made David victorious wherever he went. And David took the gold shields that belonged to the officers of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. And from Tibhath and Cun, cities of Hadadezer, David took a large amount of bronze, with which Solomon made the bronze Sea, the pillars, and various bronze articles. When King Tou of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer king of Zobah, he sent his son Hadoram to greet King David and bless him for fighting and defeating Hadadezer, who had been at war with Tou. Hadoram brought all kinds of articles of gold and silver and bronze, and King David dedicated these to the LORD, along with the silver and gold he had carried off from all these nations—from Edom and Moab, and from the Ammonites, Philistines, and Amalekites. Moreover, Abishai son of Zeruiah struck down eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt. He placed garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites were subject to David. So the LORD made David victorious wherever he went.
Some time later, David defeated the Philistines, subdued them, and took Metheg-ammah from the hand of the Philistines. David also defeated the Moabites, made them lie down on the ground, and measured them off with a cord. He measured off with two lengths those to be put to death, and with one length those to be spared. So the Moabites became subject to David and brought him tribute. David also defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, who had marched out to restore his dominion along the Euphrates River. David captured from him a thousand chariots, seven thousand charioteers, and twenty thousand foot soldiers, and he hamstrung all the horses except a hundred he kept for the chariots. When the Arameans of Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand men. Then he placed garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject to David and brought him tribute. So the LORD made David victorious wherever he went. And David took the gold shields that belonged to the officers of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. And from Betah and Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took a large amount of bronze. When King Toi of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer, he sent his son Joram to greet King David and bless him for fighting and defeating Hadadezer, who had been at war with Toi. Joram brought with him articles of silver and gold and bronze, and King David dedicated these to the LORD, along with the silver and gold he had dedicated from all the nations he had subdued— from Edom and Moab, from the Ammonites and Philistines and Amalekites, and from the spoil of Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah. And David made a name for himself when he returned from striking down eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt. He placed garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites were subject to David. So the LORD made David victorious wherever he went.
Significance
These parallel accounts of David's empire-building victories follow the same sequence — Philistines, Moabites, Hadadezer of Zobah, Arameans of Damascus, Edomites — with the refrain "the LORD made David victorious wherever he went" (וַיּוֹשַׁע יְהוָה אֶת דָּוִד בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר הָלָךְ, vayyosha' YHWH et David bekhol asher halakh). Notable differences include: 2 Samuel 8:1's "Metheg-ammah" becomes "Gath and its villages" in 1 Chronicles 18:1; and where the Hebrew of 2 Samuel 8:4 counts 1,700 horsemen against 7,000 in 1 Chronicles 18:4 (a variant from textual transmission), the BSB renders both as "seven thousand charioteers." Both accounts conclude with David dedicating the war spoil to the LORD, with the Chronicler preserving this detail as evidence that David's military victories funded the future temple's treasury.
Found via
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Reference Type
Direct Quotation
Connection Method(s)
Redemptive-Historical Progression — the empire-building sequence (Philistia, Moab, Zobah, Damascus, Edom) is retold under the refrain "the LORD made David victorious wherever he went," with the dedicated spoil preserved as the future temple's treasury; Samuel's war record is advanced into the Chronicler's temple-directed history.
