Apr 11, 2021. II Samuel 8:1-18

Posted byJohn Sanzone

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DAVID’S CONQUESTS.  II Samuel 8:1-18.  4/11/2021. #18.

2 Samuel 8 [New King James Version]

1 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 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 David also defeated Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his territory at the River Euphrates. 4 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 When the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David killed twenty-two thousand of the Syrians. 6 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 And David took the shields of gold that had belonged to the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 Also from Betah and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took a large amount of bronze. 9 When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had defeated all the army of Hadadezer, 10 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 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 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 And David made himself a name when he returned from killing eighteen thousand Syrians in the Valley of Salt. 14 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. 15 So David reigned over all Israel; and David administered judgment and justice to all his people. 16 Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; 17 Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were the priests; Seraiah was the scribe; 18 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over both the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were chief ministers.

  1. A view from the top
    1. The Lord was with David in all he did
      1. David’s success is because the Lord blessed him
      1. David could do nothing on his own
    1. The kingdom of Israel expands to its highest point under
    1. David (never again reaches this zenith)
    1. David conquers all the nations around him
      1. Philistines to the SW – took back all of the land which Saul had lost
      1. Moabites to east (had blocked Israel from entering the Promised Land; had enticed them with harlots)
      1. Zobah to north near Lebanon – conquered all the way to the Euphrates River
      1. Syrians to NE who came to help Zobah (in 2 encounters Israel killed 40,000 Syrians)
      1. Put Ammonites to east, Edom to SE, and Amalekites to SW to tribute and servanthood
  2. Of blood and chains
    1. David made the Moabites lie down in 3 lines
      1. Those in 2 lines he had executed
      1. Those in one line he spared and put them to tribute and servitude
      1. There is no explanation why David executed some
    1. He took 1,000 chariots from Zobah
      1. Demonstrates God’s favor on David
      1. He hamstrings all the horses except for enough to pull 100 chariots (hamstringing or hocking a horse is to cut the sinews in the back of the rear legs so the horse cannot run or pull large loads)
    1. David put military garrisons throughout Syria
      1. Took golden shields and much bronze
      1. Put all these nations to tribute
    1. Toi of Hamath (northern Syria) sent gifts of gold and silver to David to thank him for defeating Syria his enemy
      1. David dedicated these gifts and other booty to the Lord (recognizes that this is God’s victory
      1. David is at his height of power and prestige
  3. A mist on the horizon
    1. David sets up his administration – Joab as general of army, Zadok and Abiathar as priests, scribes, administrators over conquered people, and his sons as executives
    1. Several issues David did not consider:
      1. With all his enemies subdued, he no longer felt that he need to struggle or keep his guard up
      1. Success may breed thankfulness, but it also  breeds pride and self sufficiency
      1. Success tends to lead you to think that you are more skillful than you really are as if your plans, might, and abilities produced the victories
      1. In the midst of tranquility we tend to stop looking for areas of temptation to guard against
      1. A relaxed mind leads to laziness and carelessness
    1. After David’s great victories, which must have taken several years to accomplish, David does not seem to divert his  efforts to other worthwhile endeavors, such as improving the lot of his people, or expanding the nation’s knowledge of God and his ways
    1. It takes an even greater effort to maintain spiritual life than to obtain it to begin with