Bible Commentaries
2 Samuel 8

Verses 1-18

In the eighth chapter of second Samuel there is chronicled for us certain of David's victories over their enemies round about, how that God was establishing David and his kingdom, and was subduing his enemies before him. So it tells about David's moves in many directions as he was expanding the kingdom.

He took Methegammah out of the hand of the Philistines. And then he smote Moab, [and they became the tributaries of David, and then he moved a little north from there, and came against Hadadezer,] and recovered the border as far as the Euphrates. And from him he took a thousand chariots, seven hundred horsemen, twenty thousand footmen: David houghed all of the chariot horses, but saved a hundred for the chariots. Then he moved against Damascus and captured Damascus: and the Syrians became the tributaries of David. He put garrisons in the city of Damascus: ["And David took the," well there's the phrase of, "The Lord preserved," verse six] And the Lord preserved David whithersoever he went. And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem. And then Toi sent Joram his son unto king David, to greet him, and to bless him, because he had been fighting against Hadadezer. And Joram brought with him vessels of silver, vessels of gold, vessels of brass: Which also king David did dedicate to the Lord, with the silver and gold that he had dedicated from all of the nations which he subdued ( 2 Samuel 8:1-7 , 2 Samuel 8:10-11 );

So you remember last week David had expressed his desire to Nathan to build a house for God. Nathan off the top of his head said, "Oh, do everything that you want to do!" Then God spoke to Nathan and said, "You spoke out of turn. David can't build a house for me, you must go and tell David because he is a man of war, he's a bloody man, has been bloodied by battles and all, he cannot build a house for me. But I will build David a house," and He prophesied of the coming Messiah.

But even though he was refused by God, the privilege of building a house for God, yet David then set about to raise all of the treasure for the house of God. In other words, he started gathering gold and silver, and brass in abundance. Laying up a huge store so that when his son Solomon went to build a house of God, all they needed for the gold vessels and the silver vessels, and all, was already gathered by David. So the Lord didn't say anything, "You can't gather together all the loot to build the house," so David set about gathering the wealth in order that the house might be built.

He not only did that, he drew up the plans for the house of God, so that Solomon only had to build it. David did everything but build it, really. He gathered all of the precious metals and all, he gathered, he created the plans, and then he left it to Solomon his son to build the house of God.

Of Syria, [verse twelve] and Moab, the children of Ammon, and of the Philistines, of Amalek, the spoil of Hadadezer the son of Rehob, the king of Zobah. David got a name when he returned from smiting the Syrians in the valley of salt, he there killed eighteen thousand of them. [Valley of salt is south of the Dead Sea.] He put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom he put garrisons, they became David's servants. The Lord preserved David whithersoever he went. David reigned over all Israel; David executed judgment and justice unto all of his people. And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder; Zadok, and Ahimelech were the priests; and Seraiah was the scribe ( 2 Samuel 8:12-17 );

So these were really the men who served with David in his kingdom and thus the kingdom was established under David's reign.

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