2 Samuel 8

1 After this it happened that David struck the Philistines, and subdued them, and David took the bridle of Ammah out of the hand of the Philistines.

Sometime after this, David attacked and subdued the Philistines, taking Metheg-ammah from the them.

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 keep alive. The Moabites became servants to David, and brought tribute.

David also defeated the Moabites. He made them lie down on the ground, and he measured them with a length of cord. He measured two lengths for those to be killed, and one cord length for those to be allowed to live. So he made them subject to him and required them to pay taxes.

3 David struck also Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his dominion at the River.

David also defeated Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he tried to enforce his control along the Euphrates River.

4 And David took from him a thousand of his chariots, and seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: and David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but reserved of them for one hundred chariots.

David captured from him 1,000 chariots, 7,000 charioteers, and 20,000 foot soldiers. David hamstrung all the chariot horses—except he saved enough for 100 chariots.

5 When the Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck of the Arameans two and twenty thousand men.

When the Arameans of Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, David killed twenty-two thousand of them.

6 Then David put garrisons in Aram of Damascus; and the Arameans became servants to David, and brought tribute. Jehovah gave victory to David wherever he went.

He placed garrisons in Aramean kingdom with its capital in Damascus, and made the Arameans subject to him and required them to pay taxes. The Lord gave David victories wherever he went.

7 And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem, which, later on, were also taken by Shishak king of Egypt in the days of Rehoboam son of Solomon when he went up to Jerusalem.

David took the shields of gold that belonged to Hadadezer's officers and brought them to Jerusalem.

8 From Tebah and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, king David took a very great amount of bronze.

King David also took a large quantity of bronze from Betah and Berothai, towns that had belonged to Hadadezer.

9 When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had struck all the army of Hadadezer,

When Tou, king of Hamath, learned that David had destroyed the entire army of Hadadezer, king of Zobah,

10 then Toi sent Hadoram his son to king David, to greet him, and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and struck him: for Hadadezer had wars with Toi. And he brought with him vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and vessels of bronze.

he sent his son Joram to David to make friends with him and to congratulate him on his victory in battle over Hadadezer. Tou and Hadadezer had often been at war. Joram brought all kinds of gifts of gold, silver, and bronze.

11 The King also dedicated these to Jehovah, with the silver and gold that he dedicated of all the nations which he subdued;

King David dedicated these gifts to the Lord, along with the silver and gold he had taken from all the nations he had subdued:

12 of Edom, and of Moab, and of the people of Ammon, and of the Philistines, and of Amalek, and of the spoil of Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, and Amalekites; as well as the plunder taken from Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

13 And David made a name for himself when he returned from defeating the Arameans. And Abishai son of Zeruiah defeated the Edomites in the Valley of Salt--eighteen thousand.

David also made a name for himself when he came back after defeating eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.

14 And he put a garrison in Edom, and all the Edomites became servants of the King. Jehovah gave victory to David wherever he went.

He placed garrisons all through Edom, and all the Edomites became subject to David. The Lord gave David victories wherever he went.

15 And David reigned over Israel, exercising justice and righteousness for all his people.

David ruled over all Israel. He did what was fair and right for all his people.

16 And Joab the son of Zeruiah was in charge of the army; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder;

Joab, son of Zeruiah, was the army commander, and Jehoshaphat, son of Ahilud, kept the official records.

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

Zadok, son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech, son of Abiathar, were priests, while Seraiah was the secretary.

18 and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada supervised the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David's sons were chief ministers.

Benaiah, son of Jehoiada was in charge of the Cherethites and Pelethites; and David's sons were priests.