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18
David’s military victories
1 Some time later, David’s army attacked the army of Philistia and defeated them. They captured Gath city and the surrounding villages.
2 His army also defeated the army of the Moab people-group. The people were forced to accept David as their ruler, and also to pay money each year to David’s government, in order that David’s army would protect them.
3 David’s army also fought against the army of Hadadezer, the king of the Zobah region in Syria near Hamath city, when Hadadezer was trying to establish control over the area near the Euphrates River. 4 David’s army captured 1,000 of Hadadezer’s chariots, 7,000 chariot-drivers, and 20,000 soldiers. They hamstrung/crippled most of their horses; there were only 100 horses that they did not cripple.
5 When the army of Syria came from Damascus city to help Hadadezer’s army, David’s soldiers killed 22,000 of them. 6 Then David stationed groups of his soldiers in Damascus, and the people of Syria were forced to accept David as their ruler, and to pay to David’s government each year the payment/tax that he demanded. And Yahweh enabled David’s army to win battles everywhere they went.
7 David soldiers took the gold shields that were carried by the officers of Hadadezer’s army and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 They also brought from Tebah (OR, Tibhath) and Cun, two towns that belonged to Hadadezer, a lot of bronze, which David’s son Solomon later used to make the huge bronze basin and the pillars and other bronze items for the temple.
9 When Tou, the king of Hamath city in Syria, heard that David’s army had defeated the entire army of King Hadadezer, 10 he sent his son Hadoram to King David, to greet him and ◄congratulate him/tell him that he was happy► about his defeating Hadadezer’s army, which had been fighting the army of Tou. Hadoram brought to David many items/gifts made of gold, silver, and bronze.
11 King David dedicated those things to Yahweh, like he had done with the silver and gold that his soldiers had taken from the Edom and Moab people-groups, and from the Ammon people-group and from the people of Philistia, and from the descendants of Amalek.
12 One of David’s army commanders, Abishai, whose mother was Zeruiah, went with his army and killed 18,000 soldiers from Edom in the Salt Valley. 13 Then David stationed groups of his soldiers there in Edom, and the people of Edom were forced to accept David as their king and to pay money to David’s government every year. And Yahweh enabled David’s army to win battles wherever they went.
David’s officials
14 David ruled over all the Israeli people, and he always did for them what was just and fair. 15 Zeruiah’s son Joab was the chief army commander. Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the record-keeper. 16 Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were the Supreme Priests. Shavsha was the official secretary. 17 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada ruled over the Kereth and Peleth groups who were David’s bodyguards. And David’s sons were his most important officials.

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© 2008-2017 Ellis W. Deibler, Jr.