II Samuel – Chapter 8

1 And after this it came to pass that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them: and David took Methegammah (*) out of the hand of the Philistines.

(*) This word means “mother city”, perhaps it was referring to Gath in [13] I Chronicles 18:1.

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.

3 David smote also Hadadezer, the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his border at the river Euphrates.

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.

(*) With the houghed horses in the later half of the verse.

(**) These 700 horsemen at first glance might seem to be contradicting the 7000 horsemen in [13] I Chronicles 18:4, but the reason could be so simple: in ancient times, chariots and horses are valuable assets, so each horse would have ten riders taking turn riding it, in case one rider dies, there would be a lot more to man the horse. There were 700 horses, but 7000 riders. At the time of writing [10] II Samuel 8:4, that was reckoned as 700 units of horsemen, but by the time of writing [13] I Chronicles 18:4, that was reckoned as 7000 units. The same thing happened between [10] II Samuel 10:18, with 700 chariots, and [13] I Chronicles 19:18, with 7000 charioteers.

5 And when the Syrians of Damascus came to succour Hadadezer king of Zobah, David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.

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.

7 And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.

8 And from Betah, and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, king David took exceeding much brass.

9 When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had smitten all the host of Hadadezer,

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:

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;

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.

13 And David gat him a name when he returned from smiting of the Syrians in the valley of salt, being eighteen thousand men.

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.

15 And David reigned over all Israel; and David executed judgment and justice unto all his people.

16 And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder;

17 And Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, were the priests; and Seraiah was the scribe;

18 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada: both the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons: the priests.

(*) Some translations render this word “priets” as “chief rulers”, which is incorrect. The verse was not saying that David’s sons were the priests either. It is saying that either David’s sons were in charge of the priests, or the priests were in charge of David’s sons. All priests must be from the line of Aaron, except for those directly appointed by the Lord, like the prophet Samuel. As for the sons of David, compare with [13] I Chronicles 18:17, we know they were officials that stand before the king, not priests.