2 Samuel 8:4 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And David took from him 1,700 horsemen, and 20,000 foot soldiers. And David hamstrung all the chariot horses but left enough for 100 chariots.

NIV: David captured a thousand of his chariots, seven thousand charioteers and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He hamstrung all but a hundred of the chariot horses.

NASB: And David captured from him 1,700 horsemen and twenty thousand foot soldiers; and David hamstrung almost all the chariot horses, but left enough of them for a hundred chariots.

CSB: David captured seventeen hundred horsemen and twenty thousand foot soldiers from him, and he hamstrung all the horses and kept a hundred chariots.

NLT: David captured 1,000 chariots, 7,000 charioteers, and 20,000 foot soldiers. He crippled all the chariot horses except enough for 100 chariots.

KJV: And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: and David houghed all the chariot horses, but reserved of them for an hundred chariots.

NKJV: David took from him one thousand chariots, seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand foot soldiers. Also David hamstrung all the chariot horses, except that he spared enough of them for one hundred chariots.

Second Samuel 8:1–8 describes David's defeat of Israel's enemies. Having already beaten the Philistines to the west (2 Samuel 5:17–25), he subdues them. He then fights Moab to the east and Zobah far north, as well as their reinforcements from Syria. The army collects the spoils and builds garrisons while Zobah's enemy pays them tribute. Next, Joab nearly wipes out the Edomites to the southwest (2 Samuel 8:13–14; 1 Kings 11:15–16). David knows God, not the army, is defeating Israel's enemies (Psalm 60). First Chronicles 18:1–8 also records these triumphs.

In 2 Samuel 8, God protects David's kingdom. God has promised David an eternal, peaceful dynasty (2 Samuel 7:10–12). True peace won't come until Jesus is king, but God still protects His people as David defeats the Philistines, Moabites, Edomites, and Hadadezer's army. David collects spoils, establishes garrisons, and allies with Toi, Hadadezer's grateful enemy. His military, religious, and civil officials contribute greatly to his success. Secure in his reign, David honors Mephibosheth, Jonathan's son and King Saul's grandson, instead of killing him as a rival (2 Samuel 9).

Second Samuel 8 recounts David's military victories and names his top officials. After bringing the ark to Jerusalem, David asked to build a temple. Instead, God promised him a lasting dynasty and, ultimately, peace from his enemies (2 Samuel 7). Until then, David's army commanders, administrators, priests, and sons join David's fight against enemy nations from Syria to Edom. Because of David's skill in battle, the new king of Amon will mistake David's kindness for espionage and foolishly provoke the army of Israel to war (2 Samuel 10).

Second Samuel continues the story of David, who will become king over Judah. The other tribes of Israel are resistant, eventually sparking a civil war. David wins and makes Jerusalem his capital. Early success is followed by moral failure and controversy in David's house. The book of 1 Kings will begin by detailing David's decline and death.