He defeated Moab; and the Moabites became servants to David, and brought tribute. David defeated Hadadezer king of Zobah to Hamath, as he went to establish his dominion by the river Euphrates. David took from him one thousand chariots, seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen; and David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but reserved of them enough for one hundred chariots. When the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck twenty-two thousand men of the Syrians. Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became servants to David, and brought tribute. Yahweh gave victory to David wherever he went. David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem. From Tibhath and from Cun, cities of Hadadezer, David took very much bronze, with which Solomon made the bronze sea, the pillars, and the vessels of bronze.
When Tou king of Hamath heard that David had struck all the army of Hadadezer king of Zobah, he sent Hadoram his son to king David, to Greet him, and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and struck him (for Hadadezer had wars with Tou); and he had with him all kinds of vessels of gold and silver and bronze. King David also dedicated these to Yahweh, with the silver and the gold that he carried away from all the nations; from Edom, from Moab, from the children of Ammon, from the Philistines, and from Amalek.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv2, 3, 6, 8, 10, 11 Or, paid tribute.
Or, paid tribute.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On v8 Tibhath and Chun; for which, 2Sa 8:8, Betah and…
Tibhath and Chun; for which, 2Sa 8:8, Betah and Berothai are mentioned. Either therefore they were the same places called by several names, as is usual; or they were four neighbouring places, out of all which the brass was taken, whereof two places having been named there are omitted here, and the other two places there omitted are here remembered.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Matthew Henry 1710 · Public Domain On v9 Here let us learn, 1. That it is our…
Here let us learn, 1. That it is our interest to make those our friends who have the presence of God with them. The king of Hamath, hearing of David's great success, sent to congratulate him and to court his favour with a noble present, Ch1 18:9, Ch1 18:10. It is in vain to contend with the Son of David. Kiss the Son, therefore, lest he be angry; let the kings and judges of the earth, and all inferior people too, be thus wise, thus instructed. The presents we are to bring him are not vessels of gold and silver, as here (those shall be welcomed to him who have no such presents to bring), but our hearts and sincere affections, our whole selves, we must present to him as living sacrifices. 2. That what God blesses us with we must honour him with. The presents of his friends, as well as the spoils of his enemies, David dedicated unto the Lord (Ch1 18:11), that is, he laid them up towards the building and enriching of the temple. That is most truly and most comfortably our own which we have consecrated unto the Lord, and which we use for his glory. Let our merchandise and our hire be holiness to the Lord, Isa 23:18. 3. That those who take God along with them whithersoever they go may expect to prosper, and be preserved, whithersoever they go. It was said before (Ch1 18:6) and here it is repeated (Ch1 18:13) that the Lord preserved David whithersoever he went. Those are always under the eye of God that have God always in their eye. 4. God gives men power, not that they may look great with it, but that they may do good with it. When David reigned over all Israel he executed judgment and justice among all his people, and so answered the end of his elevation. He was not so intent on his conquests abroad as to neglect the administration of justice at home. Herein he served the purposes of the kingdom of providence, and of that God who sits in the throne judging right; and he was an eminent type of the Messiah, the sceptre of whose kingdom is a right sceptre.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv2, 9 Verse 2. Brought gifts] Were laid under tribute.
Verse 2. Brought gifts] Were laid under tribute.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv3, 5, 10, 11 1Ch 18:3. David smote Hadarezer, as he went to…
1Ch 18:3. David smote Hadarezer, as he went to establish his dominion — Such is the uncertainty of this world, that many times men lose their wealth and power, then when they think to confirm them. The meaning of the words, however, may be, that as David went to establish his own dominion, this king of Zobah came out to oppose him, and therefore David smote him. See on 2Sa 8:3.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11 Gifts. Hebrew mincha, a word used to denote the…
Gifts. Hebrew mincha, a word used to denote the offerings of bread, &c., Leviticus ii. Here it signifies the tribute (Calmet) imposed on the conquered. (Haydock)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv2, 3, 4, 8, 9 he smote Moab--The terrible severities by which David's conquest…
he smote Moab--The terrible severities by which David's conquest of that people was marked, and the probable reason of their being subjected to such a dreadful retribution, are narrated (Sa2 8:2).
the Moabites . . . brought gifts--that is, became tributary to Israel.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv2–11 2. smote Moab] The Chronicler at this point omits,…
2. smote Moab] The Chronicler at this point omits, as he often omits, some obscure words of Samuel. 2Sa_8:2 seems to say that David put two thirds of the Moabites (presumably the warriors) to death, but the meaning of the verse is uncertain.
brought gifts] R.V. brought presents, i.e. tribute. It is the action of an inferior acknowledging the superiority of another. The same Heb. phrase (translated “bring an offering”) is used Psa_96:8 of sacrificing to Jehovah.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv2–11 (2) Much abridged, as compared with Samuel. After the…
(2) Much abridged, as compared with Samuel. After the words “he smote Moab,” we read there of a partial massacre of the conquered. The emission is scarcely due to any unfair bias on the part of the chronicler. Indeed, as a Jew, possessed with all the national exclusiveness and hatred of the aliens who always misunderstood and sometimes cruelly oppressed his people, he was not likely to regard the slaughter of captive Moabites from a modern point of view. (Comp. Ezr_6:21; Ezr_6:9-10; Neh_2:19; Neh_2:4; Neh_2:6; Neh_2:13) Besides, he has related the cruel treatment of the Ammonite prisoners (1Ch_20:3). (See the prophecy, Num_24:17.)
And the Moabites became.—Literally, and they became—viz., Moab. The name of the country denotes the people. Samuel has “and Moab [i.e., the country] became” (verb singular feminine).
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David’s servants.—Samuel, “to David for servants.”
And brought gifts.—Literally, bringers of an offering—i.e., tribute. Similar notices are common in the Assyrian inscriptions. (Comp. 1Ki_4:21; 2Ki_3:4; and the famous Moabite inscription of which the fragments are now in the Louvre, and which records Mesha’s revolt against the successor of Ahab.)
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv2–11 Brought gifts; i.e. in the light of tribute and…
Brought gifts; i.e. in the light of tribute and of acknowledgment of subjection. There are curious additions to this passage in the parallel place, telling the punishment inflicted on Moab: "He smote Moab, and measured them with a line, casting them down to the ground i.e. causing them to lie prostrate; even with two lines measured he to put to death, and with one full line to keep alive." This appears to mean that he put to death two parts of them, and kept the third part alive. The reason of this deliberate and severe punishment is not stated. Once David and the Moabites had been on very different terms. (1Sa_22:3, 1Sa_22:4; but see Psa_60:8)
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
C. I. Scofield 1917 · Public Domain On v8 Called Betah, and Berothai. 2Sa 8:8.
Tibhath
Called Betah, and Berothai. 2Sa 8:8.
The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain On v9 The Edomites Subdued
The Edomites Subdued
v. 9. Now, when Tou, king of Ramath, a province in the extreme north, on the Orontes, heard how David had smitten all the host of Hadarezer, king of Zobah,
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v. 10. he sent Hadoram (or Joram), his son, to King David, to enquire of his welfare, with the usual greeting of peace, and to congratulate him, with the blessings of good wishes, because he had fought against Hadarezer and smitten him, (for Hadarezer, desiring the supremacy over the entire surrounding country, had war with Tou, a state of war existed between them,) and with him all manner of vessels of gold and silver and brass, in token of his friendship and esteem.
v. 11. Them also King David dedicated unto the Lord, with the silver and the gold that he brought from all these nations, set aside for the use of the Lord in the treasury of the Sanctuary: from Edom, and from Moab, and from the children of Ammon, whose territory was northeast of the Dead Sea, and from the Philistines, and from Amalek, whom he had overthrown after they had plundered Ziklag in his absence, 1 Samuel 30.
v. 12. Moreover, Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, slew of the Edomites in the Valley of Salt, at the southwestern end of the Dead Sea, eighteen thousand. They had ventured an attack upon Judah in the absence of David, while he was in the north, but were decisively defeated before they had done any harm.
v. 13. And he put garrisons in Edom; and all the Edomites became David’s servants, his tributary vassals. Cf 2Sa 8:14. Thus the Lord preserved David whithersoever he went.
v. 14. So David, in consequence of all these successful wars, reigned over all Israel, and executed judgment, in deciding all matters brought before him, and justice, in sentencing the unjust, among all his people.
v. 15. And Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was over the host, the commander-in-chief of the army; and Jehoshaphat, the son of Ahilud, recorder, chancellor of the kingdom.
v. 16. And Zadok, the son of Ahitub, of the line of Eleazar, and Abimelech, the son of Abiathar, of Ithamar’s line, were the priests; and Shavsha (or Seraiah) was scribe, secretary of state;
v. 17. and Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites, the body-guard of the king; and the sons of David were chief about the king, his privy councilors, 2Sa 8:18. David is a type and example for all believers. Like him, they work and battle all their lives for the extension of the kingdom of Jesus, serving Him gladly with body and soul.
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv3, 5, 7, 9 David then defeated Hadadezer
David then defeated Hadadezer
Here David and Hadadezer are spoken of as if they were alone, but the reader should understand that these kings represent their armies that were with them. AT: "David and his army then defeated the army of Hadadezer" (See: Metonymy)
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Hadadezer
This is the name of a man. (See: How to Translate Names)
Zobah
This is the name of a country.
was traveling to establish his rule by the Euphrates River
"was going to the Euphrates river to conquer people in that area"
a thousand chariots
"1,000 chariots" (See: Numbers)
seven thousand horsemen
These are soldiers who rode on horses. "7,000 horsemen" (See: Numbers)
twenty thousand footmen
These are soldiers who walked. "20,000 footmen" (See: Numbers)
hamstrung all the chariot horses
David had his soldiers cut the hamstring muscles on the backs of the horses' thighs so they would no longer be able to run.
reserved
to keep for a special use
a hundred chariots
"100 chariots" (See: Numbers)
translationWords
Hamath
rule
Euphrates River
chariot
horseman
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v2 18:2-13 David’s conquests east of the Jordan River took…
18:2-13 David’s conquests east of the Jordan River took place in stages. The conquest of Moab in the south gave David firm control over the plateau north of the Arnon River. David’s victory over the Aramean alliance under Hadadezer brought him into alliance with King Toi of Hamath, an archenemy of Hadadezer (18:9-11). With the defeat of Ammon and the Arameans east of the Jordan, David extended his control over the southern expanses of Edom and gained access to a southern seaport (18:12-13).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.