1 In the course of time, David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and he took Metheg Ammah from the control of the Philistines.
The Philistines were constant adversaries of the Israelites. The Philistines were basically a set of nations that hugged the Israeli western coastline and interior. One of these places was Gath, an inland territory, also called Metheg Ammah. Gath is noteworthy because this is where Goliath came from. It is also a place David escaped to when Saul was trying to hunt him down (1 Samuel 27:4).
2 David also defeated the Moabites. He made them lie down on the ground and measured them off with a length of cord. Every two lengths of them were put to death, and the third length was allowed to live. So the Moabites became subject to David and brought him tribute.
The Moabites were another adversary of Israel. They were the descendants of Lot (Genesis 19:36-38). Saul waged war against them (1 Samuel 14-47) and David also sought refuge there for his parents (1 Samuel 22:3-4). His great grandmother Ruth was also a Moabite (Ruth 1:4).
3 Moreover, David defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, when he went to restore his monument at the Euphrates River. 4 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.
When Rehob came to the Euphrates to restore his monuments, David was there to overtake him. He captured a great number of chariots and horses and brought them into his kingdom. The Euphrates was the northernmost border of Israel. It would be the farthest the border ever stretched.
5 When the Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand of them. 6 He put garrisons in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject to him and brought tribute. The Lord gave David victory wherever he went.
Not only was David conquering the nations around him but those nations also brought him tribute. What that means is that a nation would bring a peace offering to David, usually highly-sought after resources, in order for David not to attack. If the tribute was missed, then they could launch a battle.
7 David took the gold shields that belonged to the officers of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 From Tebah and Berothai, towns that belonged to Hadadezer, King David took a great quantity of bronze.
David enriched his kingdom with the spoils of other kingdoms.
9 When Tou king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer, 10 he sent his son Joram to King David to greet him and congratulate him on his victory in battle over Hadadezer, who had been at war with Tou. Joram brought with him articles of silver, of gold and of bronze. 11 King David dedicated these articles to the Lord, as he had done with the silver and gold from all the nations he had subdued: 12 Edom and Moab, the Ammonites and the Philistines, and Amalek. He also dedicated the plunder taken from Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.
David dedicated these items to God. He understood that God was the provider and the elements he took from he battlefield would enrich the kingdom in some ways, but also had to be a glorification of God.
13 And David became famous after he returned from striking down eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt. 14 He put garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites became subject to David. The Lord gave David victory wherever he went.
Because David was listening and consulting God and giving thanks to him for the victories, his kingdom found a blessing. Some may ask, is this an example of God promoting genocide, of wiping out nations in the name of God?
God passes judgment on certain nations. The people David was fighting against are those built up nations of the heathens who the Israelites were first supposed to drive out when entering the Promised Land. God’s judgment is finding its way through David’s hands.
David’s Officials 15 David reigned over all Israel, doing what was just and right for all his people.
Unlike Saul, David was able to dispense the justice that his predecessor was not able to. He did what was just and right. What does that mean? Because Saul opposed God and refused his spirit, he had no idea what goodness was. David submitted to God, therefore he was able to see what was just and right.
16 Joab son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recorder; 17 Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelek son of Abiathar were priests; Seraiah was secretary; 18 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites; and David’s sons were priests.
These men pop up in the story of David here and there, some good and some not so good, but the point here is that David established a hierarchy that helped both he and Israel succeed. If the king follows God and the people follow the king, there will be a blessing in the nation (1 Samuel 12:12-15).