8 ¹ vv1-14: cp 1Chr. 18.1-13After this David defeated the Philistines and conquered them, and took from them Metheg-ha-ammah.

8 ² He defeated the Moabites, and he made them lie along the ground and measured them off with a length of cord; for every two lengths that were to be put to death one full length was spared. The Moabites became subject to him and paid him tribute.

8 ³ David also defeated Hadadezer the Rehobite, king of Zobah, who was on his way to re-erect his monument of victory by re-erect ... victory by: or recover control of the crossings of the river Euphrates. 8 ⁴ From him David captured seventeen hundred horse and twenty thousand foot; he hamstrung all the chariot-horses, except a hundred which he retained. 8 ⁵ When the Aramaeans of Damascus came to the help of Hadadezer king of Zobah, 8 ⁶ David destroyed twenty-two thousand of them, and established garrisons among these Aramaeans; they became subject to him and paid him tribute. Thus the LORD gave David victory wherever he went. 8 ⁷ David took the gold quivers borne by Hadadezer's servants and brought them to Jerusalem; 8 ⁸ and he also took a great quantity of bronze Or copper from Hadadezer's cities, Betah and Berothai.

8 ⁹ When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer, 8 ¹⁰ he sent his son Joram to King David to greet him and to congratulate him on defeating Hadadezer in battle (for Hadadezer had been at war with Toi); and he brought with him vessels of silver, gold, and copper, 8 ¹¹ which King David dedicated to the LORD. He dedicated also the silver and gold taken from all the nations he had subdued, 8 ¹² from Edom and Moab, from the Ammonites, the Philistines, and Amalek, as well as part of the spoil taken from Hadadezer the Rehobite, king of Zobah.

8 ¹³ David made a great name for himself by the slaughter of eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt, and on returning 8 ¹⁴ he stationed garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites were subject to him. Thus the LORD gave victory to David wherever he went.

8 ¹⁵ vv15-18: cp 20.23-26; 1Kgs. 4.2-6; 1Chr. 18.14-17 David ruled over the whole of Israel and maintained law and justice among all his people. 8 ¹⁶ Joab son of Zeruiah was in command of the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was secretary of state; 8 ¹⁷ Zadok and Abiathar son of Ahimelech, son of Ahitub and Abiathar ... Ahitub: prob. rdg, cp 1Sam. 22.11,20; 2Sam. 20.25; Heb son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar, were priests; Seraiah was adjutant-general; 8 ¹⁸ Benaiah son of Jehoiada commanded the Kerethite and Pelethite guards. David's sons were priests.