Reflections on 2 Samuel 8

2 Samuel 08 (Contemporary English Version)

1. Later, David attacked and badly defeated the Philistines. Israel was now free from their control.
   
2. David also defeated the Moabites. Then he made their soldiers lie down on the ground, and he measured them off with a rope. He would measure off two lengths of the rope and have those men killed, then he would measure off one length and let those men live. The people of Moab had to accept David as their ruler and pay taxes to him.
   
3. David set out for the Euphrates River to build a monument there. On his way, he defeated the king of Zobah, whose name was Hadadezer the son of Rehob.
   
4. In the battle, David captured seventeen hundred cavalry and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He also captured war chariots, but he destroyed all but one hundred of them.
   
5. When troops from the Aramean kingdom of Damascus came to help Hadadezer, David killed twenty thousand of them.
   
6. He left some of his soldiers in Damascus, and the Arameans had to accept David as their ruler and pay taxes to him. Everywhere David went, the LORD helped him win battles.
   
7. Hadadezer's officers had carried their arrows in gold cases hung over their shoulders, but David took these cases and brought them to Jerusalem.
   
8. He also took a lot of bronze from the cities of Betah and Berothai, which had belonged to Hadadezer.
   
9. King Toi of Hamath and King Hadadezer had been enemies. So when Toi heard that David had attacked and defeated Hadadezer's whole army, he sent his son Joram to praise and congratulate David. Joram also brought him gifts made of silver, gold, and bronze.
   
10. (SEE 8:9)
    
11. David gave these to the LORD, just as he had done with the silver and gold that he had captured from
    
12. Edom, Moab, Ammon, Philistia, and from King Hadadezer of Zobah.
    
13. David fought the Edomite army in Salt Valley and killed eighteen thousand of their soldiers. When he returned, he built a monument.
    
14. David left soldiers all through Edom, and the people of Edom had to accept him as their ruler. Wherever David went, the LORD helped him.
    
15. David ruled all Israel with fairness and justice.
    
16. Joab the son of Zeruiah was the commander in chief of the army. Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud kept the government records.
    
17. Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Abiathar the son of Ahimelech, were the priests. Seraiah was the secretary.
    
18. Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was the commander of David's bodyguard. David's sons were priests.
    

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    God promised to destroy all David's enemies and make a name for him as the greatest in the land and give him rest from his enemies. (7:9-11)  In this passage we see God bringing this to pass. David had huge victories over the Philistines, who had been a perennial enemy of Israel, and also over the Moabites and Syrians. He made vassals of these people forcing them to pay tribute to him and enriching Israel's coffers. Hearing of the defeat of Hadadezer's army, the king of Hamath sent tribute to David with congratulations on his victory over Hamath's enemy. Some believe King Toi also capitulated to become Israel's vassal.
    
    Verse 14 makes clear the source of David's success: "The LORD made David victorious wherever he went." Verse 15 tells us that David's rule administered "justice and righteousness for all his people." He was a benevolent ruler. Further reading of 2 Samuel and other accounts of David's rule will reveal that David made huge mistakes, but his heart was with God and Israel never strayed to other gods during his reign.
    
    We are all sinful people who will never rise fully above our sin. But as long as we remain close to God we have benefit of His forgiveness and correction along with His Spirit in us to help us overcome temptation. But if we stray from God we become slaves to our sin and our downfall is inevitable. Furthermore, by straying we turn our backs on the one who made us and loves us and has blessed. This is why God was so adamant about Israel's idolatry. He could deal with her other sins and help her turn from them but idolatry separated them from God and His help.