2 Samuel 8

AND after this it came to pass, that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them: and David took Metheg-Ammah i. e. Gath and her Towns, as it is expressed in the parallel place, 1 Chron. 18. 1. which are called Metheg-Ammah, or the Bridle of Ammah, because Gath was situate in the Mountain of Ammah; and because this being the chief City of the Philistines, and having a King, which none of the rest had, was the Bridle which had hitherto kept the Israelites in subjection, but now was taken out of their mouths. out of the hand of the Philistines.

And he smote Moab For although the King of Moab, out of hatred to Saul, pretended some kindness to David, and gave protection to his Parents, 1 Sam. 22. 3, 4. yet the Moabites were perpetual and sworn Enemies to the Israelites, who therefore were forbidden to admit them into the Congregation of the Lord, and to seek their peace and prosperity, Deut. 23. 6. And though God commanded them in their March to Canaan, to spare the Moabites, Deut. 2. 9, 19. yet afterwards they proved unthankful, and insolent, and fierce Enemies to God and his people, Numb. 22. 2, &c. and 24. 17. and 25. 17, 18. Iudg. 3. 14, &c. 1 Sam. 14. 47, &c. and thereby provoked God to alter his course and carriage towards them., and measured them with a line i. e. As with Line, the Particle as being oft understood, as Psal. 11. 1. and 22. 6. and 45. 1. The sense is, Having conquered the Land, he made an estimate of it, and, as it follows, distributed the Towns, and People into three parts., casting them down to the ground i. e. Overthrowing their Towns, and utterly destroying their People in manner following.: even with two lines measured he to put to death Which severity was necessary for his own and his Peoples security, because they were numerous, and Potent, and Bordering upon Canaan, and very vexatious and mischievous to the Israelites. And now that Prophecy Numb. 24. 17. was accomplished.; and with one full line to keep alive: and so the Moabites became Davids servants, and brought gifts.

¶ David smote also Hadadezer Called Hadarezer, 1 Chron. 18. 3. the Hebrew letters Daleth and Resch being alike, and so oft interchanged. the son of Rehob, king of Zobah A part of Syria, lying North-East from Canaan towards Hemath, 1 Chron. 18. 3. See 1 Sam. 14. 47., as he Quest. Who? Ans. Either, First, Hadarezer: who being already very Potent, and going to enlarge his Dominion further, David thought fit to oppose him. Or, Secondly, David, who remembring the grant which God had made to his people, of all the Land as far as Euphrates, and having subdued his Neighbouring Enemies, went to recover his Rights, and stablish his Dominion as far as Euphrates. went to recover his border at the river Euphrates.

And David took from him a thousand charets Which word is fitly supplied out of 1 Chron. 18. 4. such Substantives being oft understood in the Hebrew Language, as Gen. 26. 30. 2 Sam. 21. 16., and seven hundred horsemen Or, seven hundred Companies of Horsemen, i. e. in all seven thousand; as it is 1 Chr. 18. 4. there being ten in each Company, and each ten having a Ruler or Captain, Exod. 18. 21. Deut. 1. 15. Or, these seven hundred were the Chief and the Rulers of the rest, and the remaining 6300 were the common Horsemen, subject to their Commanders., and twenty thousand footmen: and David houghed i. e. Cut the sinews of their Legs, that they might be useless for War. Compare Ios. 11. 6. all the charet horses Except the following reserve. Chariots are here put for Chariot-Horses, as they are 1 Sam. 13. 5. 2 Sam. 10. 18. Psal. 76. 6. David did this, because he could not keep them for his own use, Deut. 17. 16., but reserved of them for an hundred charets.

And when the Syrians of Damascus i. e. Who were subject to Damascus, the chief City of Syria. came to succour Hadadezer king of Zobah, David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.

Then David put garisons in Syria of Damascus, and the Syrians became servants to David, and brought gifts To purchase their peace, and acknowledge their subjection to him.: and the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went.

And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants Or rather, which were with the servants, i. e. committed to their custody, as being kept in the Kings Armoury: for it is not probable they carried them into the field. of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.

And from Beta, and from Berothai In 1 Chron. 18. 8. it is, from Tibhath, and from Chan. Either therefore the same Cities were called by several names, as is usual, the one by the Hebrews, the other by the Syrians: or those were two other Cities, and so the Brass was taken out of these four Cities., cities of Hadadezer, king David took exceeding much brass.

¶ When Toi king of Hamath Another eminent City of Syria. heard that David had smitten all the host of Hedadezer,

Then Toi sent Joram Here also the Names differ from 1 Chron. 18. 9, 10. where it is Tou and Hadoram. his son unto king David, to salute him, and to bless him, because he had tought against Hadadezer, and smitten him: (for Hadadezer had wars Heb. was a man of Wars, i. e. was exercised with continual Wars. Compare Gen. 9. 20, &c. with Toi) and Ioram brought with him vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and vessels of brass;

Which also king David did dedicate unto the LORD To the building of Gods Temple. So he showed his affection to God and his House, in preparing for it, when he was not permitted to build it.; with the silver and gold that he had dedicate of all nations which he subdued:

Of Syria, and of Moab, and of the children of Ammon, and of the Philistines, and of Amalek, and of the spoil of Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

And David gat him a name i. e. Much increased his reputation. when he returned from smiting of the Syrians Or, Edomites, as they are said to be, 1 Chron. 18. 12. It is likely these two people were confederates, and that divers of the Syrians whom David had defeated in Syria, fled to Edom, and there joyned with them against their common Enemy, and made up together a very great Army (as the number of the Men slain in it shows) consisting of the veterane Soldiers of both Countries. Although the slaughter here following may seem not to have been of the Syrians, as the words at first reading seem to intimate, but of the Edomites; (it not being probable that the Syrians would come so far from their own Country, as to the Valley of Salt, to fight) and this Verse may be thus, and that very agreeably to the Hebrew: And David gat him a name when he returned from smiting of the Syrians, in smiting (which is easily repeated out of the last Clause, according to the common usage of Scripture) in the Valley of Salt eighteen thousand men, who were Edomites, as is sufficiently implied here in the next Verse, and expressed 1 Chron. 18. 12. in the valley of salt A place in Edom so called, either from its Neighbourhood to the Salt Sea, or for some other cause now unknown., being eighteen thousand men As it is also 1 Chr. 18. 12. where also they are said to be smitten by Abishai; because he was then a chief Commander of the Army under David, and, it may be, began the fight; as, for the like reason, they are said to be smitten by Ioab, Psal. 60. title where also there are only 12000 mentioned; which place, if it speak of this Battel, the state of it was this: Abishai begins the Combat, and kills 6000, after him comes in Ioab and kills 12000 more, which makes up this 18000. But why may not that be another History and Battel? So the Edomites and Syrians together did first fight with Abishai, and lost 18000 men, and afterwards recruited their Forces and fought with Ioab, and lost other 12000 men. Nor is it strange if two Battels were fought in one place; of which there are divers instances in Historians..

¶ And he put garisons in Edom; throughout all Edom put he garisons, and all they of Edom became Davids servants: and the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went.

And David reigned over all Israel, and David executed judgment and justice i. e. Just judgment, as Deut. 16. 18. A Figure called Hendiadis; as in Gen. 3. 16. Matth. 4. 16. upon all his people.

And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host Who having doubtless declared his repentance for his former crimes, and having done eminent service for his Country, and having received the chief Command by virtue of David's promise and contract, 2 Sam. 5. 8. was still continued in his place.; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder Either, First, The writer of Chronicles. But it is not likely he would have been put among the great Officers of State and Church. Or, Secondly, The Treasure... who examined all the accounts, and kept Records of them Or, Thirdly, The Kings Counceller, as Ahitophel is called 2 Sam. 15. 12. 1 Chron. 27. 33. who was to bring things moment to the Kings mind and remembrance, and to admonish him from time to time of things fit to be done. See 1 King. 4. 3. and 2 King. 18. 18..

And Zadok the son of Ahitub Not of that Ahitub, 1 Sam. 4. for that was of Ithamar's race, but this of Eleazar., and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar So Abiathar called his Son by the name of his Father, 1 Sam. 22. 20., were the priests i. e. The Chief Priest next under Abiathar, who fled to David, 1 Sam. 22. 20. and now was High Priest, as may be gathered from 2 Sam. 15. 35. and 1 King. 2. 27, 35. under him these two were the next Chief Priests, or the Second Priests, each one being Chief of the House of his Father, Zadok of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of Ithamar. See Numb. 3. 32. 1 Chron. 24. 3, 4. Or, these two are here mentioned, because they constantly attended upon the King, that he might consult with them in the matters of the Lord, as need required.; and Seraiah was the Scribe;

And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over These words are supplied out of the parallel place, 1 Chron. 18. 17. and out of 2 Sam. 20. 23. where they are expressed. both the Cherethites and the Pelethites i. e. The Cherethites and Pelethites were undoubredly Soldiers, and such as were eminent for their Valour and Fidelity to the King, as is evident from 2 Sam. 15. 18. and 20. 7. and 1 King. 1. 38, 44. and most probably they were the Kings Guards, which consisted of these two Bands, who might be distinguished either by their several Weapons, or by the differing time or manner of their service. They are supposed to be thus called, either, first, from their Office, which was upon the Kings command to cut off or punish offenders, and to preserve the Kings Person, as their names in the Hebrew Tongue may seem to imply. Or, Secondly, From some Countrey, or place to which they had relation. As for the Cherethites, it is certain they were either a Branch of the Philistines, or a People neighbouring to them, and confederate with them, as is manifest from 1 Sam. 30. 14. Ezek. 25. 16. Zeph. 2. 4, 5. And so might the Pelethites be too, though that be not related in Scripture. And these Israelites and Soldiers of David might be so called either, because they went and lived with David when he dwelt in those parts: or, from some notable Exploit against, or Victory over these People; as among the Romans the names of Asiaticus, Africanus, &c. were given for the same reason. One of their Exploits against the Cherethites is in part related, 1 Sam. 30. 14. And it is likely they did many other against them, and against other people, amongst which the Pelethites might be one.: and Davids sons were chief rulers Had the places of greatest Authority and Dignity conferred upon them..