David Defeats Nations
18 Later, David defeated the Philistines, conquered them, and took the city of Gath and the small towns around it.
2 He also defeated the people of Moab. So the people of Moab became servants of David and gave him the payment he demanded.
3 David also defeated Hadadezer king of Zobah all the way to the town of Hamath as he tried to spread his kingdom to the Euphrates River. 4 David captured one thousand of his chariots, seven thousand men who rode in chariots, and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He crippled all but a hundred of the chariot horses.
5 Arameans from Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, but David killed twenty-two thousand of them. 6 Then David put groups of soldiers in Damascus in Aram. The Arameans became David’s servants and gave him the payments he demanded. So the Lord gave David victory everywhere he went.
7 David took the shields of gold that had belonged to Hadadezer’s officers and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 David also took many things made of bronze from Tebah and Cun, which had been cities under Hadadezer’s control. Later, Solomon used this bronze to make things for the Temple: the large bronze bowl, which was called the Sea, the pillars, and other bronze utensils.
9 Toi king of Hamath heard that David had defeated all the army of Hadadezer king of Zobah. 10 So Toi sent his son Hadoram to greet and congratulate King David for defeating Hadadezer. (Hadadezer had been at war with Toi.) Hadoram brought items made of gold, silver, and bronze. 11 King David gave them to the Lord, along with the silver and gold he had taken from these nations: Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, and Amalek.
12 Abishai son of Zeruiah killed eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt. 13 David put groups of soldiers in Edom, and all the Edomites became his servants. The Lord gave David victory everywhere he went.
David’s Important Officers
14 David was king over all of Israel, and he did what was fair and right for all his people. 15 Joab son of Zeruiah was commander over the army. Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder. 16 Zadok son of Ahitub and Abiathar son of Ahimelech were priests. Shavsha was the royal secretary. 17 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites.[a] And David’s sons were important officers who served at his side.
Footnotes
- 18:17 Kerethites and Pelethites These were probably special units of the army that were responsible for the king’s safety, a kind of palace guard.