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Texts -- 2 Samuel 8:4-18 (NET)

Context
8:4 David seized from him 1,700 charioteers and 20,000 infantrymen . David cut the hamstrings of all but a hundred of the chariot horses . 8:5 The Arameans of Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah , but David killed 22,000 of the Arameans . 8:6 David placed garrisons in the territory of the Arameans of Damascus ; the Arameans became David’s subjects and brought tribute . The Lord protected David wherever he campaigned . 8:7 David took the golden shields that belonged to Hadadezer’s servants and brought them to Jerusalem . 8:8 From Tebah and Berothai , Hadadezer’s cities , King David took a great deal of bronze . 8:9 When King Toi of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer , 8:10 he sent his son Joram to King David to extend his best wishes and to pronounce a blessing on him for his victory over Hadadezer , for Toi had been at war with Hadadezer . He brought with him various items made of silver , gold , and bronze . 8:11 King David dedicated these things to the Lord , along with the dedicated silver and gold that he had taken from all the nations that he had subdued , 8:12 including Aram , Moab , the Ammonites , the Philistines , and Amelek . This also included some of the plunder taken from King Hadadezer son of Rehob of Zobah . 8:13 David became famous when he returned from defeating the Arameans in the Valley of Salt , he defeated 18,000 in all. 8:14 He placed garrisons throughout Edom , and all the Edomites became David’s subjects . The Lord protected David wherever he campaigned . 8:15 David reigned over all Israel ; he guaranteed justice for all his people .
David’s Cabinet
8:16 Joab son of Zeruiah was general in command of the army ; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was secretary ; 8:17 Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests ; Seraiah was scribe ; 8:18 Benaiah son of Jehoida supervised the Kerithites and Pelethites ; and David’s sons were priests .

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • David

    [ebd] beloved, the eighth and youngest son of Jesse, a citizen of Bethlehem. His father seems to have been a man in humble life. His mother's name is not recorded. Some think she was the Nahash of 2 Sam. 17:25. As to his personal ...
    [isbe] DAVID - da'-vid (dawidh, or dawidh, "beloved"; Daueid, also in New Testament, Dauid, Dabid; see Thayer's Lexicon): I. NAME AND GENEALOGY II. EARLY YEARS 1. Shepherd 2. Slinger 3. Harpist 4. Poet 5. Psalmist 6. Tribesman III....
    [smith] (well-beloved), the son of Jesse. His life may be divided into three portions: His youth before his introduction to the court of Saul; His relations with Saul; His reign. The early life of David contains in many important re...
    [nave] DAVID 1. King of Israel. Genealogy of, Ruth 4:18-22; 1 Sam. 16:11; 17:12; 1 Chr. 2:3-15; Matt. 1:1-6; Luke 3:31-38. A shepherd, 1 Sam. 16:11. Kills a lion and a bear, 1 Sam. 17:34-36. Anointed king, while a youth, by the ...

  • Hadadezer

    [smith] (2 Samuel 8:3-12; 1 Kings 11:23). [HADAREZER]
    [nave] HADADEZER, called also Hadarezer. King of Zobah, vanquished by David, 2 Sam. 8:3-13; 10:15-19; 1 Kin. 11:23; 1 Chr. 18:3-10; 19:6-19.

  • Cord

    [ebd] frequently used in its proper sense, for fastening a tent (Ex. 35:18; 39:40), yoking animals to a cart (Isa. 5:18), binding prisoners (Judg. 15:13; Ps. 2:3; 129:4), and measuring ground (2 Sam. 8;2; Ps. 78:55). Figuratively,...

  • Palestine

    [ebd] originally denoted only the sea-coast of the land of Canaan inhabited by the Philistines (Ex. 15:14; Isa. 14:29, 31; Joel 3:4), and in this sense exclusively the Hebrew name Pelesheth (rendered "Philistia" in Ps. 60:8; 83:7;...

  • God

    [nave] GOD. List of Sub-Topics Miscellany; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Access to; Compassion of; Creator; Creator of Mankind; Eternity of; Faithfulness of; Fatherhood of; Favor of; Foreknowledge of; Glory of; Goodness of...

  • Israel

    [nave] ISRAEL 1. A name given to Jacob, Gen. 32:24-32; 2 Kin. 17:34; Hos. 12:3, 4. 2. A name of the Christ in prophecy, Isa. 49:3. 3. A name given to the descendants of Jacob, a nation. Called also Israelites, and Hebrews, Gen. 4...

  • Zobah

    [isbe] ZOBAH - zo'-ba (tsobhah; Souba): The name is derived by Halevy from zehobhah as referring to its supplies of "bright yellow" brass; but this word might be more appropriately used to contrast its cornfields with white Lebanon...
    [nave] ZOBAH, called also Zoba; Aram-zobah; Hamath-zobah. A kingdom in the N. of Palestine, 1 Sam. 14:47. Conquest of, by David, 2 Sam. 8:3-8, 12; 1 Kin. 11:23, 24; 1 Chr. 18:2-9. Its inhabitants mercenaries of the Ammonites again...

  • Rabbah

    [ebd] or Rab'bath, great. (1.) "Rabbath of the children of Ammon," the chief city of the Ammonites, among the eastern hills, some 20 miles east of the Jordan, on the southern of the two streams which united with the Jabbok. Here t...

  • Syria

    [smith] is the term used throughout our version for the Hebrew Aram , as well as for the Greek Zupia . Most probably Syria is for Tsyria , the country about Tsur or Tyre which was the first of the Syrian towns known to the Greeks. It...
    [nave] SYRIA, highlands lying between the river Euphrates and the Mediterranean Sea. Called Aram, from the son of Shem, Gen. 10:22, 23; Num. 23:7; 1 Chr. 1:17; 2:23. In the time of Abraham it seems to have embraced the region betwe...

  • Euphrates

    [ebd] Hebrew, Perath; Assyrian, Purat; Persian cuneiform, Ufratush, whence Greek Euphrates, meaning "sweet water." The Assyrian name means "the stream," or "the great stream." It is generally called in the Bible simply "the river"...

  • PALESTINE, 2

    [isbe] PALESTINE, 2 - III. Palestine in the Historic Books of the Old Testament. 1. Book of Joshua: Joshua is the great geographical book of the Old Testament; and the large majority of the 600 names of places, rivers and mountains...

  • Hadarezer

    [ebd] Adod is his help, the name given to Hadadezer (2 Sam. 8:3-12) in 2 Sam. 10.

  • King

    [ebd] is in Scripture very generally used to denote one invested with authority, whether extensive or limited. There were thirty-one kings in Canaan (Josh. 12:9, 24), whom Joshua subdued. Adonibezek subdued seventy kings (Judg. 1:...
    [nave] KING Called King of kings, Ezra 7:12; Ezek. 26:7; Dan. 2:37. Divinely authorized, Deut. 17:15; 1 Sam. 9:16, 17; 16:12; 1 Chr. 22:10; 2 Chr. 2:11, 12; Prov. 8:15; Dan. 2:21, 37; 4:17; 5:20; Hos. 8:4; 13:11. How chosen: By d...

  • SHAVSHA

    [ebd] ("Seraiah," 2 Sam. 8:17; "Shisha," 1 Kings 4:3), one of David's secretaries (1 Chr. 18:16).
    [isbe] SHAVSHA - shav'-sha (shawsha'; in 2 Sam 20:25, Kethibh, sheya', Kere, shewa', English Versions of the Bible "Sheva," are refuted by the Septuagint; in 2 Sam 8:15-18, in other respects identical with Chronicles, "Seraiah" is ...
    [smith] (nobility), the royal secretary in the reign of David, (1 Chronicles 18:16) called also SERAIAH in (2 Samuel 8:17) And SHEVA in (2 Samuel 20:25) End in (1 Kings 4:3) SHISHA.

  • Toi

    [ebd] a king of Hamath, who sent "Joram his son unto King David to salute him," when he "heard that David had smitten all the host of Hadadezer" (2 Sam. 8:9, 10). Called Tou (1 Chr. 18:9, 10).
    [smith] (erring), king of Hamath on the Orontes, who, after the defeat of his powerful enemy the Syrian king Hadadezer by the army of David, sent his son Joram or Hadoram to congratulate the victory and do him homage with presents of...
    [nave] TOI, called also Tou. King of Hamath, 2 Sam. 8:9, 10; 1 Chr. 18:9, 10.

  • Armoury

    [ebd] the place in which armour was deposited when not used (Neh. 3:19; Jer. 50:25). At first each man of the Hebrews had his own arms, because all went to war. There were no arsenals or magazines for arms till the time of David, ...

  • Damascus

    [ebd] activity, the most ancient of Oriental cities; the capital of Syria (Isa. 7:8; 17:3); situated about 133 miles to the north of Jerusalem. Its modern name is Esh-Sham; i.e., "the East." The situation of this city is said to b...
    [isbe] DAMASCUS - da-mas'-kus: 1. The Name 2. Situation and Natural Features 3. The City Itself 4. Its History (1) The Early Period (to circa 950 BC) (2) The Aramean Kingdom (circa 950-732 BC) (3) The Middle Period (732 BC-650 AD) ...
    [smith] one of the most ancient and most important of the cities of Syria. It is situated 130 miles northeast of Jerusalem, in a plain of vast size and of extreme fertility, which lies east of the great chain of Anti-Libanus, on the ...
    [nave] DAMASCUS An ancient city, Gen. 14:15; 15:2. Capital of Syria, 1 Kin. 20:34; Isa. 7:8; Jer. 49:23-29; Ezek. 47:16, 17. Laid under tribute to David, 2 Sam. 8:5, 6. Besieged by Rezon, 1 Kin. 11:23, 24. Recovered by Jeroboam...

  • Hamath

    [ebd] fortress, the capital of one of the kingdoms of Upper Syria of the same name, on the Orontes, in the valley of Lebanon, at the northern boundary of Palestine (Num. 13:21; 34:8), at the foot of Hermon (Josh. 13:5) towards Dam...
    [isbe] HAMATH - ha'-math (chamath; Hemath, Haimath; Swete also has Hemath): The word signifies a defense or citadel, and such designation was very suitable for this chief royal city of the Hittites, situated between their northern ...
    [smith] (fortress), the principal city of upper Syria, was situated in the valley of the Orontes, which it commanded from the low screen of hills which forms the water-shed between the source of the Orontes and Antioch. The Hamathite...
    [nave] HAMATH, called also Hemath. A city of upper Syria, Num. 13:21; 34:8; Josh. 13:5; 1 Kin. 8:65; Ezek. 47:16. Inhabited by Canaanites, Gen. 10:18. Prosperity of, Amos 6:2. David receives gifts of gold and silver from Toi, kin...

  • Rezon

    [ebd] prince, son of Eliadah. Abandoning the service of Hadadezer, the king of Zobah, on the occasion of his being defeated by David, he became the "captain over a band" of marauders, and took Damascus, and became king of Syria (1...

  • Garrison

    [ebd] (1.) Heb. matstsab, a station; a place where one stands (1 Sam. 14:12); a military or fortified post (1 Sam. 13:23; 14:1, 4, 6, etc.). (2.) Heb. netsib, a prefect, superintendent; hence a military post (1 Sam. 10:5; 13:3, 4;...
    [smith] The Hebrew words so rendered in the Authorized Version are derivatives from the root natsab , to "place, erect," which may be applied to a variety of objects. Mattsab and mattsabah undoubtedly mean a "garrison" or fortified ...
    [nave] GARRISON, a military camp, 1 Sam. 13:3; 14:1; 2 Sam. 8:6, 14; 23:14.
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Arts

Questions

  • They were the descendants of Lot and were neighbors of the Amorites on the opposite side of the River Arnon (Num. 21:13). They were governed by kings and possessed many great cities (Num. 21:28-30; Is. 15:1; Num. 23:7). They ...
  • They were descendants of Esau. They inhabited a fertile and rich country specially given to them (Deu. 2:5; Gen. 27:39). Their country was traversed by roads though it was mountainous and rocky (Num. 20:17; Jer. 49:16). They ...

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • Here we have the third round of Jacob's battle with Esau. The first was at birth (25:21-28) and the second was over the birthright (25:29-34). In all three incidents Jacob manipulated his brother."This chapter [27] offers one...
  • Moses included this relatively short genealogy (toledot) in the sacred record to show God's faithfulness in multiplying Abraham's seed as He had promised. He also did so to provide connections with the descendants of Esau ref...
  • "Chapters 23 and 24 are two of the brightest chapters in the book of Numbers. Scores of wonderful things are said about Israel, mainly prophetical. The dark sins of the past were forgotten; only happy deliverance from Egypt w...
  • The Book of Samuel covers the period of Israel's history bracketed by Samuel's conception and the end of David's reign. David turned the kingdom over to Solomon in 971 B.C.3David reigned for 40 and one-half years (2 Sam. 2:11...
  • Saul was an active warrior and was effective to an extent due to his native abilities and God's limited blessing. He punished the enemies of Israel (vv. 47-48), which was God's will. Yet he did not subdue and defeat them all ...
  • "In the short pericope 13:7b-15a obedience was the stone on which Saul stumbled; here it is the rock that crushes him."147Chapter 15 records one of the battles Saul had with the Amalekites, Israel's enemy to the south (cf. 14...
  • David used his opportunity to defeat and to annihilate the common enemies of Israel and the Philistines that lived to Israel's southwest. David did not leave any survivors, as the Lord had commanded (Deut. 3:18-20; Josh. 1:13...
  • (Continued from notes on 1 Samuel)V. David's triumphs chs. 1-8A. The beginning of David's kingdom 1:1-3:51. David's discovery of Saul and Jonathan's deaths ch. 12. David's move to Hebron 2:1-4a3. David's overtures to Jabesh-g...
  • The first 20 chapters of 2 Samuel are divisible into four units each of which ends with a list of names that is four verses long (1:1-3:5; 3:6-5:16; 5:17-8:18; 9:1-20:26).2The first two units conclude with lists of David's so...
  • "Without doubt this portion [of 2 Samuel, i.e., chapters 2-8] forms the crux of the book. Here the fertility motif reaches a peak. The thesis of the author--that Israel is blessed with fertility when the nation (and the epito...
  • "As the story of David's accession to kingship over Judah (1:1-3:5) parallels that of his accession to the throne of Israel (3:6-5:16), each concluding with a list of his sons (3:2-5; 5:13-16), so the account of his powerful ...
  • The promises Yahweh made to David here are an important key to understanding God's program for the future.God rejected David's suggestion that he build a temple for the Lord and gave three reasons. First, there was no pressin...
  • "From the religious heights of chapter 7 we descend again to the everyday world of battles and bloodshed in chapter 8. The military action picks up where the story left off at the end of chapter 5."130Chapter 8 evidently desc...
  • Chapters 9-20 contrast with chapters 2-8 in that this later section is negative whereas the earlier one was positive. It records failure; the former records success. Compare the similar narrative of Saul's triumphs (1 Sam. 7-...
  • This section prepares for David's adultery with Bathsheba (ch. 11) by giving us the historical context in which that sin took place. It also shows David's growing power that led to his sinning.161This event must have taken pl...
  • This is the central unit of chapters 5-20, and its central focus is the judgment that Hushai's advice was better than Ahithophel's (17:14). This advice is the pivot on which the fortunes of David swung in his dealings with Ab...
  • "With Joab's return to the king in Jerusalem, the grand symphony known as the Court History of David reaches its conclusion for all practical purposes (at least as far as the books of Samuel are concerned . . .). The last fou...
  • Athaliah was the mother of the Judean king Ahaziah whom Jehu assassinated (9:27-29). She was a daughter of Ahab and Jezebel and the sister of the Israelite kings Ahaziah and Joram who had succeeded Ahab. She was the wife of J...
  • Numbers in Chronicles That Disagree With Their Old Testament Parallels89HigherSameLowerParallel PassageEvaluation of ChroniclesA.1 Chron. 11:11300 slain by Jashobeam, not 8002 Sam. 23:8Scribal errorB.1 Chron. 18:4Hadadezer's ...
  • "These things"(v. 1) refers to the events of the first return that the writer described in chapters 1-6.Ezra's genealogy (vv. 1-5) shows that he was a man of importance whom his fellow Jews would have respected. He was a desc...
  • The occasion for this psalm was Israel's victory over the Arameans and the Edomites (cf. 2 Sam. 8:13; 1 Kings 11:15-16; 1 Chron. 18:12). Naharaim (lit. rivers) and Zobah were regions in Aramea. In this battle Joab was respons...
  • 44:15-16 The Levites from Zadok's branch of the priestly family, however, would have special privileges since Zadok and his sons had served the Lord faithfully in the past (cf. 40:46; 1 Sam. 2:35; 2 Sam. 8:17; 15:24-29; 1 Kin...
  • Pride was not the only reason God would humble Edom. The Edomites had also cursed the people whom God had purposed to bless, the Israelites (cf. Gen. 27:40-41; Exod. 15:15; Num. 20:14-21; Deut. 2:4; Judg. 11:17-18; 1 Sam. 14:...
  • 2:4 The prophet announced that destruction would overtake four of the five cities of the Philistine pentapolis (cf. Isa. 14:28-32; Jer. 47; Ezek. 25:15-17; Amos 1:6-8). He listed them from south to north. Gath had evidently d...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

  • 2 Samuel 10:8-19David's growing power would naturally be regarded by neighboring states as a menace. Success provokes envy, and in this selfish world strength usually encroaches on weakness, and weakness dreads strength. So i...
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