2 Samuel 8 - Lexham English Bible (LEB)

David’s Military Victories Continue

8 It happened afterwards that David attacked the Philistines and subdued them, and he took Metheg Ammah from the hands of the Philistines. 2 When he defeated Moab, he measured them with the cord, making them lie on the ground. He measured two cords to kill and the third cord[a] to let live.[b] So Moab became servants of David, bringing tribute. 3 Then David struck down Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, when he went to restore his monument[c] at the Euphrates River. 4 David captured from him one thousand and seven hundred horsemen and twenty thousand foot soldiers.[d] David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but from them[e] he spared a hundred chariot horses. 5 When Aram of Damascus came to help Hadadezer, the king of Zobah, David killed twenty-two thousand men of Aram. 6 David placed garrisons in Aram of Damascus, so Aram became servants of David, bringing tribute. Yahweh protected David everywhere he went.

7 David took the small round gold shields which had belonged[f] to the servants of Hadadezer, and he brought them to Jerusalem. 8 From Betah and from Berothai, the towns of Hadadezer, King David took very many bronze items.

9 When Toi, the king of Hamath, heard that David had defeated all the army of Hadadezer, 10 Toi sent Joram his son to King David to greet him[g] and to congratulate him because he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him; for Hadadezer had often been at war with Toi.[h] He brought with him[i] objects of silver and objects of gold and objects of bronze. 11 King David dedicated them also to Yahweh along with the silver and the gold that he had dedicated from all of the nations which he had subdued; 12 from Aram and from Moab and from the Ammonites[j] and from the Philistines and from Amalek and from the plunder of Hadadezer the son of Rehob, the king of Zobah. 13 So David made a name for himself when he returned from defeating Aram in the Valley of Salt, eighteen thousand. 14 He put garrisons in Edom; all over Edom he put garrisons, and all of Edom became servants of David. Yahweh protected David wherever he went.

15 David reigned over all of Israel, and he[k] was administering justice and righteousness for all his people. 16 Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army, and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was secretary. 17 Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were priests and Seraiah was scribe. 18 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and the Pelethites, and the sons of David were priests.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 8:2 Literally “the filling of a cord”
  2. 2 Samuel 8:2 This method of selection must have been well known to the reader, but the exact procedure has been obscured over the millennia. It may be that one out of three lived through the process, only to become subservient
  3. 2 Samuel 8:3 Hebrew “hand”
  4. 2 Samuel 8:4 Literally “men of infantry”
  5. 2 Samuel 8:4 Literally “from him”
  6. 2 Samuel 8:7 Literally “been”
  7. 2 Samuel 8:10 Literally “to ask peace for himself”
  8. 2 Samuel 8:10 Literally “for Hadadezer was a man of wars with Toi”
  9. 2 Samuel 8:10 Literally “In his hand were”
  10. 2 Samuel 8:12 Literally “sons/children of Ammon”
  11. 2 Samuel 8:15 Hebrew “David”

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2 Samuel 8 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

8 And it cometh to pass afterwards that David smiteth the Philistines, and humbleth them, and David taketh the bridle of the metropolis out of the hand of the Philistines. 2 And he smiteth Moab, and measureth them with a line, causing them to lie down on the earth, and he measureth two lines to put ...
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2 Samuel 8 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

8 And it was done after these things, David smote the Philistines, and made low them; and David took away the bridle of tribute from the hand of Philistines. (And it was done after these things, that David struck the Philistines, and made them low, or conquered them; and David took away Methegammah ...
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2 Samuel 8 - World English Bible (WEB)

8 After this, David struck the Philistines and subdued them; and David took the bridle of the mother city out of the hand of the Philistines. 2 He struck Moab, and measured them with the line, making them to lie down on the ground; and he measured two lines to put to death, and one full line to kee...
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2 Samuel 8 - The Voice (VOICE)

8 Sometime later, David won a great victory over the Philistines, gaining superiority over them at Metheg-ammah. 2 He also defeated the army of Moab; and making the captured lie down, he determined that ⅔ of them would be put to death while ⅓ would be allowed to live. As a result, the Moabites beca...
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2 Samuel 8 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

David’s Kingdom Expands8 Now afterward David attacked the Philistines and subdued them, and took Metheg-ammah[a] from the hand of the Philistines. 2 He also defeated Moab. He made them lie down on the ground and measured them with a cord. Every two measures of them were put to death, and the third ...
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2 Samuel 8 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

David’s Wars8 After this David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and David took Meth′eg-am′mah out of the hand of the Philistines. 2 And he defeated Moab, and measured them with a line, making them lie down on the ground; two lines he measured to be put to death, and one full line to be spa...
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2 Samuel 8 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

David’s Wars8 After this David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and David took Meth′eg-am′mah out of the hand of the Philistines. 2 And he defeated Moab, and measured them with a line, making them lie down on the ground; two lines he measured to be put to death, and one full line to be spa...
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2 Samuel 8 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

David’s Wars8 Some time afterwards, David attacked the Philistines and subdued them; David took Metheg-ammah out of the hand of the Philistines. 2 He also defeated the Moabites and, making them lie down on the ground, measured them off with a cord; he measured two lengths of cord for those who were ...
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2 Samuel 8 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

David’s Wars8 Some time afterward, David attacked the Philistines and subdued them; David took Metheg-ammah out of the hand of the Philistines.2 He also defeated the Moabites and, making them lie down on the ground, measured them off with a cord; he measured two lengths of cord for those who were to...
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2 Samuel 8 - New Living Translation (NLT)

David’s Military Victories8 After this, David defeated and subdued the Philistines by conquering Gath, their largest town.[a] 2 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 gro...
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2 Samuel 8 - New Life Version (NLV)

David Wins Other Battles8 After this David won the battle against the Philistines. And he took the most important city from the Philistines. 2 He won the battle against Moab, and had them lie down on the ground in straight groups. Two groups were put to death, and one group was kept alive. The Moab...
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2 Samuel 8 - New King James Version (NKJV)

David’s Further Conquests(A)8 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. 2 Then (B)he defeated Moab. Forcing them down to the ground, he measured them off with a line. With two lines he measured...
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2 Samuel 8 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

David’s victories8 In the course of time, David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and he took Metheg Ammah from the control of the Philistines. 2 David also defeated the Moabites. He made them lie down on the ground and measured them off with a length of cord. Every two lengths of them were...
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2 Samuel 8 - New International Version (NIV)

David’s Victories(A)8 In the course of time, David defeated the Philistines(B) and subdued(C) them, and he took Metheg Ammah from the control of the Philistines. 2 David also defeated the Moabites.(D) He made them lie down on the ground and measured them off with a length of cord. Every two lengths ...
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2 Samuel 8 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

David Wins Many Battles8 While David was king of Israel, he won many battles over the Philistines. He brought them under his control. He took Metheg Ammah away from them. 2 David also won the battle over the people of Moab. He made them lie down on the ground. Then he measured them off with a piece ...
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2 Samuel 8 - New English Translation (NET)

David Subjugates Nearby Nations8 Later David defeated the Philistines and subdued them. David took Metheg Ammah[a] from the Philistines.[b] 2 He defeated the Moabites. He made them lie on the ground and then used a rope to measure them off. He put two-thirds of them to death and spared the other th...
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