2 And he smote H5221 Moab, H4124 and measured H4058 them with a line, H2256 casting them down H7901 to the ground; H776 even with two H8147 lines H2256 measured H4058 he to put to death, H4191 and with one full H4393 line H2256 to keep alive. H2421 And so the Moabites H4124 became David's H1732 servants, H5650 and brought H5375 gifts. H4503
The kings H4428 of Tarshish H8659 and of the isles H339 shall bring H7725 presents: H4503 the kings H4428 of Sheba H7614 and Seba H5434 shall offer H7126 gifts. H814 Yea, all kings H4428 shall fall down H7812 before him: all nations H1471 shall serve H5647 him.
And Mesha H4338 king H4428 of Moab H4124 was a sheepmaster, H5349 and rendered H7725 unto the king H4428 of Israel H3478 an hundred H3967 thousand H505 lambs, H3733 and an hundred H3967 thousand H505 rams, H352 with the wool. H6785 But it came to pass, when Ahab H256 was dead, H4194 that the king H4428 of Moab H4124 rebelled H6586 against the king H4428 of Israel. H3478 And king H4428 Jehoram H3088 went out H3318 of Samaria H8111 the same time, H3117 and numbered H6485 all Israel. H3478 And he went H3212 and sent H7971 to Jehoshaphat H3092 the king H4428 of Judah, H3063 saying, H559 The king H4428 of Moab H4124 hath rebelled H6586 against me: wilt thou go H3212 with me against Moab H4124 to battle? H4421 And he said, H559 I will go up: H5927 I am as thou art, my people H5971 as thy people, H5971 and my horses H5483 as thy horses. H5483 And he said, H559 Which way H1870 shall we go up? H5927 And he answered, H559 The way H1870 through the wilderness H4057 of Edom. H123 So the king H4428 of Israel H3478 went, H3212 and the king H4428 of Judah, H3063 and the king H4428 of Edom: H123 and they fetched a compass H5437 of seven H7651 days' H3117 journey: H1870 and there was no water H4325 for the host, H4264 and for the cattle H929 that followed H7272 them. And the king H4428 of Israel H3478 said, H559 Alas! H162 that the LORD H3068 hath called H7121 these three H7969 kings H4428 together, H7121 to deliver H5414 them into the hand H3027 of Moab! H4124 But Jehoshaphat H3092 said, H559 Is there not here a prophet H5030 of the LORD, H3068 that we may enquire H1875 of the LORD H3068 by him? And one H259 of the king H4428 of Israel's H3478 servants H5650 answered H6030 and said, H559 Here is Elisha H477 the son H1121 of Shaphat, H8202 which poured H3332 water H4325 on the hands H3027 of Elijah. H452 And Jehoshaphat H3092 said, H559 The word H1697 of the LORD H3068 is H3426 with him. So the king H4428 of Israel H3478 and Jehoshaphat H3092 and the king H4428 of Edom H123 went down H3381 to him. And Elisha H477 said H559 unto the king H4428 of Israel, H3478 What have I to do with thee? get H3212 thee to the prophets H5030 of thy father, H1 and to the prophets H5030 of thy mother. H517 And the king H4428 of Israel H3478 said H559 unto him, Nay: for the LORD H3068 hath called H7121 these three H7969 kings H4428 together, H7121 to deliver H5414 them into the hand H3027 of Moab. H4124 And Elisha H477 said, H559 As the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 liveth, H2416 before H6440 whom I stand, H5975 surely, were it not that H3884 I regard H5375 the presence H6440 of Jehoshaphat H3092 the king H4428 of Judah, H3063 I would not look H5027 toward thee, nor see H7200 thee. But now bring H3947 me a minstrel. H5059 And it came to pass, when the minstrel H5059 played, H5059 that the hand H3027 of the LORD H3068 came upon him. And he said, H559 Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 Make H6213 this valley H5158 full of ditches. H1356 For thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 Ye shall not see H7200 wind, H7307 neither shall ye see H7200 rain; H1653 yet that valley H5158 shall be filled H4390 with water, H4325 that ye may drink, H8354 both ye, and your cattle, H4735 and your beasts. H929 And this is but a light thing H7043 in the sight H5869 of the LORD: H3068 he will deliver H5414 the Moabites H4124 also into your hand. H3027 And ye shall smite H5221 every fenced H4013 city, H5892 and every choice H4004 city, H5892 and shall fell H5307 every good H2896 tree, H6086 and stop H5640 all wells H4599 of water, H4325 and mar H3510 every good H2896 piece H2513 of land with stones. H68 And it came to pass in the morning, H1242 when the meat offering H4503 was offered, H5927 that, behold, there came H935 water H4325 by the way H1870 of Edom, H123 and the country H776 was filled H4390 with water. H4325 And when all the Moabites H4124 heard H8085 that the kings H4428 were come up H5927 to fight H3898 against them, they gathered H6817 all that were able to put H2296 on armour, H2290 and upward, H4605 and stood H5975 in the border. H1366 And they rose up early H7925 in the morning, H1242 and the sun H8121 shone H2224 upon the water, H4325 and the Moabites H4124 saw H7200 the water H4325 on the other side H5048 as red H122 as blood: H1818 And they said, H559 This is blood: H1818 the kings H4428 are surely H2717 slain, H2717 and they have smitten H5221 one H376 another: H7453 now therefore, Moab, H4124 to the spoil. H7998 And when they came H935 to the camp H4264 of Israel, H3478 the Israelites H3478 rose up H6965 and smote H5221 the Moabites, H4124 so that they fled H5127 before H6440 them: but they went forward H5221 smiting H5221 the Moabites, H4124 even in their country. And they beat down H2040 the cities, H5892 and on every good H2896 piece H2513 of land cast H7993 every man H376 his stone, H68 and filled H4390 it; and they stopped H5640 all the wells H4599 of water, H4325 and felled H5307 all the good H2896 trees: H6086 only in Kirharaseth H7025 left H7604 they the stones H68 thereof; howbeit the slingers H7051 went about H5437 it, and smote H5221 it. And when the king H4428 of Moab H4124 saw H7200 that the battle H4421 was too sore H2388 for him, he took H3947 with him seven H7651 hundred H3967 men H376 that drew H8025 swords, H2719 to break through H1234 even unto the king H4428 of Edom: H123 but they could H3201 not. Then he took H3947 his eldest H1060 son H1121 that should have reigned H4427 in his stead, and offered H5927 him for a burnt offering H5930 upon the wall. H2346 And there was great H1419 indignation H7110 against Israel: H3478 and they departed H5265 from him, and returned H7725 to their own land. H776
Of Syria, H758 and of Moab, H4124 and of the children H1121 of Ammon, H5983 and of the Philistines, H6430 and of Amalek, H6002 and of the spoil H7998 of Hadadezer, H1909 son H1121 of Rehob, H7340 king H4428 of Zobah. H6678 And David H1732 gat H6213 him a name H8034 when he returned H7725 from smiting H5221 of the Syrians H758 in the valley H1516 of salt, H4417 being eighteen H8083 H6240 thousand H505 men. And he put H7760 garrisons H5333 in Edom; H123 throughout all Edom H123 put H7760 he garrisons, H5333 and all they of Edom H123 became David's H1732 servants. H5650 And the LORD H3068 preserved H3467 David H1732 whithersoever he went. H1980
And they slew H5221 of Moab H4124 at that time H6256 about ten H6235 thousand H505 men, H376 all lusty, H8082 and all men H376 of valour; H2428 and there escaped H4422 not a man. H376 So Moab H4124 was subdued H3665 that day H3117 under the hand H3027 of Israel. H3478 And the land H776 had rest H8252 fourscore H8084 years. H8141
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 2 Samuel 8
Commentary on 2 Samuel 8 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 8
2Sa 8:1, 2. David Subdues the Philistines, and Makes the Moabites Tributary.
1. David took Metheg-ammah out of the hand of the Philistines—that is, Gath and her suburban towns (1Ch 18:1). That town had been "a bridle" by which the Philistines kept the people of Judah in check. David used it now as a barrier to repress that restless enemy.
2. he smote Moab, and measured them with a line—This refers to a well-known practice of Eastern kings, to command their prisoners of war, particularly those who, notorious for the atrocity of their crimes or distinguished by the indomitable spirit of their resistance, had greatly incensed the victors, to lie down on the ground. Then a certain portion of them, which was determined by lot, but most commonly by a measuring-line, were put to death. Our version makes him put two-thirds to death, and spare one-third. The Septuagint and Vulgate make one-half. This war usage was not, perhaps, usually practised by the people of God; but Jewish writers assert that the cause of this particular severity against this people was their having massacred David's parents and family, whom he had, during his exile, committed to the king of Moab.
2Sa 8:3-14. He Smites Hadadezer and the Syrians.
3. Zobah—(1Ch 18:3). This kingdom was bounded on the east by the Euphrates, and it extended westward from that river, perhaps as far north as Aleppo. It was long the chief among the petty kingdoms of Syria, and its king bore the hereditary title of "Hadadezer" or "Hadarezer" ("Hadad," that is, "helped").
as he went to recover his border at the river Euphrates—in accordance with the promises God made to Israel that He would give them all the country as far as the Euphrates (Ge 15:18; Nu 24:17). In the first campaign David signally defeated Hadadezer. Besides a great number of foot prisoners, he took from him an immense amount of booty in chariots and horses. Reserving only a small number of the latter, he hamstrung the rest. The horses were thus mutilated because they were forbidden to the Hebrews, both in war and agriculture. So it was of no use to keep them. Besides, their neighbors placed much dependence on cavalry, but having, for want of a native breed, to procure them by purchase, the greatest damage that could be done to such enemies was to render their horses unserviceable in war. (See also Ge 46:6; Jos 11:6, 9). A king of Damascene-Syria came to Hadadezer's succor; but David routed those auxiliary forces also, took possession of their country, put garrisons into their fortified towns, and made them tributary.
9. Toi king of Hamath—Cœle-Syria; northwards, it extended to the city Hamath on the Orontes, which was the capital of the country. The Syrian prince, being delivered from the dread of a dangerous neighbor, sent his son with valuable presents to David to congratulate him on his victories, and solicit his alliance and protection.
10. Joram—or Hadoram (1Ch 18:10).
11. Which also king David did dedicate unto the Lord—Eastern princes have always been accustomed to hoard up vast quantities of gold. This is the first instance of a practice uniformly followed by David of reserving, after defraying expenses and bestowing suitable rewards upon his soldiers, the remainder of the spoil taken in war, to accumulate for the grand project of his life—the erection of a national temple at Jerusalem.
13. David gat him a name when he returned from smiting of the Syrians—Instead of Syrians, the Septuagint version reads "Edomites," which is the true reading, as is evident from 2Sa 8:14. This conquest, made by the army of David, was due to the skilful generalship and gallantry of Abishai and Joab. (1Ch 18:12; compare Ps 60:1, title.) The valley was the ravine of salt (the Ghor), adjoining the Salt Mountain, at the southwestern extremity of the Dead Sea, separating the ancient territories of Judah and Edom [Robinson].
2Sa 8:15-18. His Reign.
15. David executed judgment and justice unto all his people—Though involved in foreign wars, he maintained an excellent system of government at home, the most eminent men of the age composing his cabinet of ministers.
16. Joab … was over the host—by virtue of a special promise (2Sa 5:8).
recorder—historiographer or daily annalist, an office of great trust and importance in Eastern countries.
17. Zadok … and Ahimelech … were the priests—On the massacre of the priests at Nob, [1Sa 22:19], Saul conferred the priesthood on Zadok, of the family of Eleazar (1Ch 6:50), while David acknowledged Ahimelech, of Ithamar's family, who fled to him. The two high priests exercised their office under the respective princes to whom they were attached. But, on David's obtaining the kingdom over all Israel, they both retained their dignity; Ahimelech officiating at Jerusalem, and Zadok at Gibeon (1Ch 16:39).
18. Cherethites—that is, Philistines (Zep 2:5).
Pelethites—from Pelet (1Ch 12:3). They were the valiant men who, having accompanied David during his exile among the Philistines, were made his bodyguard.