Read the Bible

David Strikes Down Nations

¹ Now ^(C1)it happened afterwards, that David struck the Philistines and subdued them and took Gath and its towns from the hand of the Philistines.² He also struck Moab, and the Moabites became servants to David, bringing tribute.

³ Then David struck Hadadezer king of Zobah as far as Hamath, as he went to set up his ^(F1)power at the Euphrates River.⁴ And David captured from him 1,000 chariots and 7,000 horsemen and 20,000 foot soldiers, and David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but left enough of them for 100 chariots.

⁵ Then the Arameans of ^(F1)Damascus came to help Hadadezer king ^(C1)of Zobah. And David struck down 22,000 men of the Arameans.⁶ Then David placed garrisons among the Arameans of ^(F1)Damascus; and the Arameans became servants to David, bringing tribute. And Yahweh granted salvation to David wherever he went.⁷ And David took the small shields of gold which were ^(F1)carried by the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem.⁸ Also from ^(F1)Tibhath and from Cun, cities of Hadadezer, David took a very large amount of bronze, with which ^(C1)Solomon made the bronze sea and the pillars and the bronze utensils.

⁹ Then ^(F1)Tou king of Hamath heard that David had struck down all the military force of Hadadezer king of Zobah,¹⁰ so he sent ^(F1)Hadoram his son to King David to ^(F2)greet him and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and struck him down; for Hadadezer had been at war with Tou. And Hadoram brought all kinds of articles of gold and silver and bronze.¹¹ King David also set these apart as holy to Yahweh with the silver and the gold which he had carried away from all the nations: from Edom, Moab, the sons of Ammon, the Philistines, and from Amalek.

¹² Moreover, Abishai the son of Zeruiah ^(F1)smote 18,000 of Edom in the Valley of Salt.¹³ Then he placed garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites became servants to David. And Yahweh granted salvation to David wherever he went.

¹⁴ So David reigned over all Israel; and he was doing justice and righteousness for all his people.^15 (C1)Now Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army, and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder;¹⁶ and Zadok the son of Ahitub and Abimelech the son of Abiathar were priests, and Shavsha was scribe;¹⁷ and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and the sons of David were chiefs at the king's side.