2 Samuel 8:1 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

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2 Samuel 8. David's Victories. His Ministers (D). A concluding summary, corresponding to the similar section on Saul (1 Samuel 14:47 ff.) and by the same hand. Apparently it formed the conclusion of an early edition of the Book of Samuel. It includes material and information from earlier sources.

2 Samuel 8:1-8. David subdues the Philistines, Moabites, and Syrians.

2 Samuel 8:1. the bridle of the mother city: the text is hopelessly corrupt.

2 Samuel 8:2. Two-thirds were put to death.

2 Samuel 8:3-8. Apparently a summary with variations of 2 Samuel 10:6-19.

2 Samuel 8:3. Zobah: 1 Samuel 14:47. the River: Euphrates.

2 Samuel 8:8. Betah. Berothai: not identified.

2 Samuel 8:9-12. The king of Hamath sends presents to David; these, with the spoil from his various conquests, he dedicates to Yahweh, i.e. stores in the Temple treasury, primarily, possibly, for the use of the Temple, especially for equipment, decoration, and building; but probably also as a national reserve for other purposes, e.g. wars, which were Wars of Yahweh, a sacred activity, waged by consecrated warriors (pp. 99, 114). Temples in ancient times served as banks, the deity being supposed to protect the treasure committed to his care; though doubtless other precautions were taken.

2 Samuel 8:9. Hamath: 2 Kings 14:25 *, Isaiah 10:9 *, Amos 6:2 *.

2 Samuel 8:13 f. David subdues Edom.

2 Samuel 8:13. Syrians: read Edom (mg.) with Ch., LXX, etc. Valley of Salt: probably to the S. of Judah, in Edom.

2 Samuel 8:15-18. In addition to a commander-in-chief, David had a recorder, lit. remembrancer, and a scribe. There are no express statements as to the functions of these officials. We should expect that the scribe would have charge of any secretarial work needed at the court; the recorder was probably not the public annalist, but the king's confidential adviser. There were two groups of priests: the more strictly professional priests, who were probably described in the original text as Zadok and Abiathar the son of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub; and the sons of David. In the present text Zadok is son of Ahitub, and therefore of the house of Eli, which is at variance with the rest of the history: Zadok became sole priest (i.e. of the royal sanctuary) when the house of Eli was deposed. A description of Zadok may have been lost; it is not clear that the early document connected either Eli or Zadok with Aaron. Note that in any case the priesthood is not limited to either the house of Aaron or the tribe of Levi; the royal princes are priests. This seemed impossible to late writers under the influence of the Priestly Code, and so 1 Chronicles 18:17 alters priests to chief men about the king, AV and RVm follow suit with chief rulers and chief ministers; both mistranslations.

Then there was a captain of the Cherethites (1 Samuel 30:13) and Pelethites (p. 56), the bodyguard of foreign mercenaries now first appearing in Israelite history. This body was often of great importance, on account of their personal devotion to the king, and their freedom from local ties. Pelethite only occurs in the phrase Cherethites and Pelethites, the title of the bodyguard; it is generally regarded as a variant of Philistine (HDB).

Related Commentaries of 2 Samuel 8:1

2 Samuel 8:1-18

1 And after this it came to pass, that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them: and David took Methegammaha out of the hand of the Philistines.

2 And he smote Moab, and measured them with a line, casting them down to the ground; even with two lines measured he to put to death, and with one full line to keep alive. And so the Moabites became David's servants, and brought gifts.

3 David smote also Hadadezer,b the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his border at the river Euphrates.

4 And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: and David houghed all the chariot horses, but reserved of them for an hundred chariots.

5 And when the Syrians of Damascus came to succour Hadadezer king of Zobah, David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.

6 Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus: and the Syrians became servants to David, and brought gifts. And the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went.

7 And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.

8 And from Betah, and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, king David took exceeding much brass.

9 When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had smitten all the host of Hadadezer,

10 Then Toi sent Joramc his son unto king David, to salute him, and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer, and smitten him: for Hadadezer had wars with Toi. And Joram brought with him vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and vessels of brass:

11 Which also king David did dedicate unto the LORD, with the silver and gold that he had dedicated of all nations which he subdued;

12 Of Syria, and of Moab, and of the children of Ammon, and of the Philistines, and of Amalek, and of the spoil of Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

13 And David gat him a name when he returned from smitingd of the Syrians in the valley of salt, being eighteen thousand men.

14 And he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom put he garrisons, and all they of Edom became David's servants. And the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went.

15 And David reigned over all Israel; and David executed judgment and justice unto all his people.

16 And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder;e

17 And Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, were the priests; and Seraiah was the scribe;f

18 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over both the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David's sons were chief rulers.g