2 Samuel 8

Chap. VIII. Ver. 1—18. David conquers his enemies, receives rich presents, and dedicates the spoils to God.—David first attacks the Philistines, from what provocation is unknown; but it is probable Achish was now dead, and David, from his residence there, might have many friends among his people; though the Israelites and Philistines seem to have considered each other as natural enemies. David next attacks the Moabites. The Rabbins suppose that they might have slain his parents, whom he left under their protection when he was persecuted by Saul, ((1 Samuel 22:3).) But of this there is no kind of evidence. Belligerent powers, however, never want for grounds of hostility; yet we may hope that David did not engage in this war without sufficient cause, as Moab was not one of the devoted nations.

The circumstance mentioned in ver. 2. of measuring Moab, or the Moabites, with a line, has been differently understood. By some these words are thought to allude to a custom among the sovereigns of the East, when they were thoroughly incensed against any nation—to collect all the captives, and make them prostrate themselves upon the ground, and then to divide by a line those who were to be spared from those to be destroyed, which was sometimes determined by casting lots. So Calmet and Le Clerc; but Bishop Patrick and Dr. Chandler can find no trace of such a custom among the Jews. The latter, observing that the original term not only means a cord or line, but any district of country thus marked out, ((Deuteronomy 3:4).; xxxii. 9. (Joshua 17:4).; xix. 9. (Psalms 16:6).) explains the passage to mean, that after he had surveyed the country, and destroyed the fortresses, (“casting them down to the ground,”) then he “measured out two lines, (or tracks of the country,) one track to put to death, and one full (i. e. populous) tract to preserve alive.” This represents the far greater part of the people as spared and made tributary; whereas our version seems to imply that a third only of the people were preserved. It is remarkable that the aria passage in Chronicles ((1 Chronicles 18:2).) says only “that David smote Moab; and the Moabites became David’s servants, and brought him gifts.” However it be understood, this was a fulfilment of Balaam’s prophecy, (Numbers 24:17-18). (See Note on that passage.) David next turns his attention toward Syria, and attacks Hadadezer king of Zobah, (north-east of Canaan,) as he (that is David) went to recover his border at the river Euphrates, to which it had been promised the dominion of Israel should extend. ((Exodus 23:31). Deut. xi, 24.). This monarch seems to have had a very powerful army, which David dispersed or destroyed, except what he reserved to grace his triumphs; and when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer, he defeated them also, and garrisoned all their country. This brought him an embassy from Toi, king of Hamath, with whom Hadadezer had been at war. There is considerable apparent difference between the particulars of this victory, as related here, and in the First Book of Chronicles, (ch. xviii. 1.) for which we must refer to the notes below. We shall only remark here, that considering the many thousand copies that must have been taken in MS. by the Jewish scribes, nothing but perpetual miracle could have prevented verbal errors. It is matter of gratulation, that these errors, whatever they may be, affect neither the doctrines nor duties of our religion, which are so plainly inscribed throughout the Bible, that “he that runs may read;” and all that read may understand, if their hearts are not unhappily prejudiced against the truth.

Notes on the verses

Chap. VIII. Ver. 1. Metheg-ammah.—No such place is known, but the parallel text, (1 Chronicles 18:1). explains it of “Gath and her towns.” The Vulgate reads, “David removed the bondage of the tribute;” meaning, what the Philistines had used to exact from Israel. Our marginal reading is, “* The bridle of Ammah;” which is explained to be a metropolis, or mother city, as Gath was, being a royal residence, and the seat of government; which governed, or, in the Arabian idiom, bridled all the rest. Ver. 3. Hadadezer.—Or, as in ch. x. and in (1 Chronicles 18:9). “Hadarezer;” the D and R in Hebrew being often hardly distinguishable, and therefore mistaken for each other. Ver. 4. A thousand chariots.—The difference between this and (1 Chronicles 18:4). is best seen by placing the texts in opposition. Samuel.. Chronicles. David took from him a thousand David took from him a thousand (chariots,) and seven hundred horse- chariots, and seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen. men, and twenty thousand footmen. The word chariots, it will be seen, is naturally enough supplied from Chronicles: and it should seem most reasonable to correct the number of horsemen by the same authority.—Howghed the chariot-horses.—See note on (Joshua 11:9). The attentive reader will however observe, that the word horses is, both here and in Chronicles, supplied in Italics, and Dr. Clarke thinks, improperly; as he conceives the chariots were “houghed;” i. e. disjointed and keen to Ver. 5. Zobah.—[From (2 Chronicles 8:3). we learn that Zobah was the district in which Tadmor or a was situated; and consequently lay between the land of Israel and the Euphrates. The capital was probably the same as the Sabe mentioned by Ptolemy as a city of Arabia Deserta.]—Bagster. Ver. 7. Shields of gold.—Ornaments, the exact form of which is not known but as trophies of his victory, they were all dedicated to the Lord. Ver. 8. Betah, &c.—The parallel text in Chronicles applies different names to the same places, which is easily accounted for by supposing that they might bear different names at the time the books were written; which, indeed, might be aptly illustrated from our own history.

The same remark may be extended to the names of persons. Ver. 9. Hamath is supposed to be the famous city Emessa, situated on the Orontes.—Dr. Clarke. Ver. 16. Recorder.—See Margin. Whose office it was to keep the public records, from which these books were originally compiled. Ver. 18. Cherethites and Pelethites.—The Targum translates these words ‘the archers and the slingers.”