1 A fter this David won the battle against the Philistines. And he took the most important city from the Philistines.

After this it came to pass that David attacked the Philistines and subdued them. And David took Metheg Ammah from the hand of the Philistines.

2 H e won the battle against Moab, and had them lie down on the ground in straight groups. Two groups were put to death, and one group was kept alive. The Moabites became servants to David and paid taxes to him.

Then he defeated Moab. Forcing them down to the ground, he measured them off with a line. With two lines he measured off those to be put to death, and with one full line those to be kept alive. So the Moabites became David’s servants, and brought tribute.

3 T hen David won the battle against Hadadezer the son of Rehob king of Zobah, as he went to get his power again at the Euphrates River.

David also defeated Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his territory at the River Euphrates.

4 D avid took 1, 700 horsemen and 20, 000 foot soldiers from him. He cut the legs of some of the war-wagon horses, but saved enough of them for 100 war-wagons.

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.

5 W hen the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David killed 22, 000 of them.

When the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David killed twenty-two thousand of the Syrians.

6 T hen he put groups of soldiers in Damascus of Syria. The Syrians became servants to David and were made to pay taxes to him. The Lord helped David every place he went.

Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became David’s servants, and brought tribute. So the Lord preserved David wherever he went.

7 D avid took the coverings of gold which were carried by Hadadezer’s army, and brought them to Jerusalem.

And David took the shields of gold that had belonged to the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.

8 A nd he took a very large amount of brass from Hadadezer’s cities, Betah and Berothai.

Also from Betah and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took a large amount of bronze.

9 N ow Toi king of Hamath heard that David had won the battle against the whole army of Hadadezer.

When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had defeated all the army of Hadadezer,

10 S o Toi sent his son Joram to King David, to greet him and pray that good would come to him, because David had fought against Hadadezer and had won. Hadadezer had been at war with Toi. Joram brought with him objects of silver, gold and brass.

then Toi sent Joram his son to King David, to greet him and bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him (for Hadadezer had been at war with Toi); and Joram brought with him articles of silver, articles of gold, and articles of bronze.

11 D avid set these apart to the Lord, together with the silver and gold he had set apart from all the nations he had taken in battle.

King David also dedicated these to the Lord, along with the silver and gold that he had dedicated from all the nations which he had subdued—

12 H e had taken silver and gold from Syria, Moab, the sons of Ammon, the Philistines, Amalek, and from the things taken from Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

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

13 S o David’s name was very respected when he returned from killing 18, 000 Syrians in the Valley of Salt.

And David made himself a name when he returned from killing eighteen thousand Syrians in the Valley of Salt.

14 A nd he put groups of soldiers in Edom. In all Edom he put soldiers, and all the Edomites became servants to David. The Lord helped David every place he went.

He also put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom he put garrisons, and all the Edomites became David’s servants. And the Lord preserved David wherever he went. David’s Administration

15 S o David ruled all of Israel. He did what was right and good and fair for all his people.

So David reigned over all Israel; and David administered judgment and justice to all his people.

16 J oab the son of Zeruiah was the head of the army. Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud wrote down the important things of the nation.

Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder;

17 A hitub’s son Zadok and Abiathar’s son Ahimelech were religious leaders. Seraiah was the writer.

Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were the priests; Seraiah was the scribe;

18 B enaiah the son of Jehoiada ruled the Cherethites and the Pelethites. And David’s sons were the king’s helpers.

Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over both the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were chief ministers.