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8
David’s Successes
(1 Chronicles 18:1–17)
1 After this, David defeated and crushed the Philistines. He took control of the main Philistine city from them.*Or “of Metheg Ammah.”
2 He also defeated Moab, made the Moabites lie down on the ground, and measured them with a rope. He measured two lengths which were to be killed, and one length which was to be spared. So the Moabites became David’s subjects and paid taxes ⌞to him⌟.
3 When David went to restore his control ⌞over the territory⌟ along the Euphrates River, he defeated Zobah’s King Hadadezer, son of Rehob. 4 David took 1,700 horsemen and 20,000 foot soldiers from him. David also disabled all but 100 of their horses so that they couldn’t pull chariots.
5 When the Arameans from Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, David killed 22,000 of them. 6 David put troops in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus, and the Arameans became his subjects and paid taxes ⌞to him⌟. Everywhere David went, the Lord gave him victories.
7 David took the gold shields that belonged to Hadadezer’s†Most Hebrew manuscripts; some Hebrew manuscripts, 1 Chronicles 18:7, Syriac, Targum “Hadadezer’s servants carried.” servants, and he brought them to Jerusalem. 8 King David also took a large quantity of bronze from Betah and Berothai, Hadadezer’s cities.
9 When King Toi of Hamath heard that David had defeated Hadadezer’s whole army, 10 he sent his son Joram to greet King David and congratulate him for fighting and defeating Hadadezer. (There had often been war between Hadadezer and Toi.) Joram brought articles of gold, silver, and bronze with him. 11 King David dedicated these articles to the Lord, along with the silver and gold he had dedicated from all the nations he conquered— 12 from Edom, Moab, Ammon, the Philistines, Amalek, and from the goods taken from Zobah’s King Hadadezer, son of Rehob.
13 David made a name for himself by killing 18,000 Edomites‡A few Hebrew manuscripts, 1 Chronicles 18:12, Greek, Syriac; other Hebrew manuscripts “Arameans.” in the Dead Sea region as he returned ⌞to Jerusalem⌟. 14 He put troops everywhere in Edom, and all the Edomites were David’s subjects. Everywhere David went, the Lord gave him victories.
15 So David ruled all Israel. He did what was fair and right for all his people. 16 Zeruiah’s son Joab was in charge of the army. Ahilud’s son Jehoshaphat was the royal historian. 17 Ahitub’s son Zadok and Abiathar’s son Ahimelech were priests. Seraiah was the royal scribe. 18 Jehoiada’s son Benaiah was commander of the Cherethites and the Pelethites. And David’s sons were priests.§One Hebrew manuscript, Syriac, Targum, Latin; all other Hebrew manuscripts “Jehoiada’s son Benaiah, the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and David’s sons were priests.”

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*8:1 Or “of Metheg Ammah.”

†8:7 Most Hebrew manuscripts; some Hebrew manuscripts, 1 Chronicles 18:7, Syriac, Targum “Hadadezer’s servants carried.”

‡8:13 A few Hebrew manuscripts, 1 Chronicles 18:12, Greek, Syriac; other Hebrew manuscripts “Arameans.”

§8:18 One Hebrew manuscript, Syriac, Targum, Latin; all other Hebrew manuscripts “Jehoiada’s son Benaiah, the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and David’s sons were priests.”

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