Study Desk

David's Victories^(a)

In the course of time, David defeated the Philistines^(b) and subdued^(c) them, and he took Metheg Ammah from the control of the Philistines.

David also defeated the Moabites.^(d) He made them lie down on the ground and measured them off with a length of cord. Every two lengths of them were put to death, and the third length was allowed to live. So the Moabites became subject to David and brought him tribute.^(e)

Moreover, David defeated Hadadezer^(f) son of Rehob, king of Zobah,^(g) when he went to restore his monument at^[a] the Euphrates^(h) River.

David captured a thousand of his chariots, seven thousand charioteers^[b] and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He hamstrung⁽ⁱ⁾ all but a hundred of the chariot horses.

When the Arameans of Damascus^(j) came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand of them.

He put garrisons^(k) in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject^(l) to him and brought tribute. The Lord gave David victory wherever he went.^(m)

David took the gold shields⁽ⁿ⁾ that belonged to the officers of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem.

From Tebah^[c] and Berothai,^(o) towns that belonged to Hadadezer, King David took a great quantity of bronze.

When Tou^[d] king of Hamath^(p) heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer,^(q)

he sent his son Joram^[e] to King David to greet him and congratulate him on his victory in battle over Hadadezer, who had been at war with Tou. Joram brought with him articles of silver, of gold and of bronze.

King David dedicated^(r) these articles to the Lord , as he had done with the silver and gold from all the nations he had subdued:

Edom^[f](s) and Moab,^(t) the Ammonites^(u) and the Philistines,^(v) and Amalek.^(w) He also dedicated the plunder taken from Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

And David became famous^(x) after he returned from striking down eighteen thousand Edomites^[g] in the Valley of Salt.^(y)

He put garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites^(z) became subject to David.^(aa) The Lord gave David victory^(ab) wherever he went.^(ac)

David reigned over all Israel, doing what was just and right^(ae) for all his people.

Joab^(af) son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat^(ag) son of Ahilud was recorder;^(ah)

Zadok^(ai) son of Ahitub and Ahimelek son of Abiathar^(aj) were priests; Seraiah was secretary;^(ak)

Benaiah^(al) son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites^(am) and Pelethites; and David's sons were priests.^[h]

David and Mephibosheth

David asked, "Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan's sake?"^(a)

Now there was a servant of Saul's household named Ziba.^(b) They summoned him to appear before David, and the king said to him, "Are you Ziba?" "At your service," he replied.

The king asked, "Is there no one still alive from the house of Saul to whom I can show God's kindness?" Ziba answered the king, "There is still a son of Jonathan;^(c) he is lame^(d) in both feet."

"Where is he?" the king asked. Ziba answered, "He is at the house of Makir^(e) son of Ammiel in Lo Debar."

So King David had him brought from Lo Debar, from the house of Makir son of Ammiel.

When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed down to pay him honor.^(f) David said, "Mephibosheth!" "At your service," he replied.

"Don't be afraid," David said to him, "for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan.^(g) I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.^(h)"

Mephibosheth⁽ⁱ⁾ bowed down and said, "What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog^(j) like me?"

Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul's steward, and said to him, "I have given your master's grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family.

You and your sons and your servants are to farm the land for him and bring in the crops, so that your master's grandson^(k) may be provided for. And Mephibosheth, grandson of your master, will always eat at my table." (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)

Then Ziba said to the king, "Your servant will do whatever my lord the king commands his servant to do." So Mephibosheth ate at David's^[a] table like one of the king's sons.^(l)

Mephibosheth had a young son named Mika, and all the members of Ziba's household were servants of Mephibosheth.^(m)

And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king's table; he was lame in both feet.