David was an unselfish ruler. He gave God the plunder due Him for victory, and he gave Mephibosheth his household’s inheritance due to his love for Jonathan and took him in as part of his household. God does the identical factor for us, and like David, we owe Him every little thing.
David Expands Israel’s Territory – 2 Samuel 8:1-18 (1 Chronicles 18:1-17)
Early within the time of David’s reign, he started to taking management of all of the land that Israel was promised by way of Abraham, along with another surrounding areas. (Genesis 15:18).
Within the west, he defeated the Philistines and took Gath and its villages, one in every of which was Metheg-ammah.
Within the east, he defeated Moab, killing some and making the remaining his servants, requiring they pay tribute to Israel. It’s unclear how he selected which to kill and who to make a servant. The textual content says “he measured them with a line, making them lie down on the bottom. Two traces he measured to be put to loss of life, and one full line to be spared.” This will likely imply that he measured every individual with a wire, then put to loss of life the adults that have been tall sufficient to require two cords and preserved those that solely required one wire since they have been too younger to be held accountable for their sins. Or it might imply that he measured out three traces of individuals and killed two of them, whereas preserving the third. As a result of it says they have been made to put down, it is sensible that every man was measured individually for peak. However by saying he spared one full line, we’re given the impression that he spared a whole line of individuals. Regardless, we all know that David killed a few of the Moabites and made others his servants.
Within the north, David defeated Hadadezer, the king of Zobah, close to the Euphrates River. Upon defeat, David took 1,700 horsemen, 20,000 foot-soldiers, and 1,000 chariots from them. First Chronicles 18:4 says David took 7,000 horsemen which appears extra correct as a result of it could give them 7 horsemen to drag every chariot. Typically there are recording errors with numbers as a result of they will get tough to learn with time. However these variations don’t change the understanding of this story or its goal, so there isn’t a motive to place an excessive amount of concentrate on it. The purpose is that David defeated the king of Zobah and took lots of his troopers and chariots
He additionally hamstrung a lot of the chariot horses, leaving solely sufficient for 100 chariots. That is most likely as a result of God had warned Israel’s kings about multiplying horses for themselves (Deuteronomy 17:14-17). God by no means needed them to suppose they achieved victory on their very own benefit. It was not the scale of the military, the ability of the troopers, the effectivity of their weapons, or the gear they acquired, that decided their success in battle. It was the ability of God that introduced them victory.
The authors of two Samuel and 1 Chronicles additionally spelled most of the names and cities in another way of their accountings. This can be as a result of they have been writing in several languages, they have been recognized by completely different names to completely different folks, or on the time of their writings they have been known as one thing completely different. Regardless, we all know these are the identical folks and cities as a result of they’re parallel writings, and the names are carefully related.
When the Syrians, within the capital metropolis of Damascus, heard what had occurred within the northern a part of their land, they went to assist. However David struck down 22,000 Syrians, then put navy outposts in Aram of Damascus. He took their golden shields and huge quantities of bronze from Betah and Berothai (Tibhath and Cun), two cities positioned north of Damascus, in Lebanon. So, the folks within the north additionally grew to become David’s servants and paid tribute to Israel.
The authors of two Samuel and 1 Chronicles 18 known as these two cities by completely different names. However once more, that doesn’t change that David took bronze from two Syrian cities, which was later used to construct the bronze basin, the pillars, and vessels of bronze within the courtyard of the home that David’s son later builds for God.
When Toi (Tou), the king of Hamath, heard that David had defeated the folks on his jap border, he despatched his son Joram (Hadoram) to bless Israel’s king. Toi (Tou) and Hadadezer had been combating for years, so he was grateful to David for defeating his enemy. To point out his appreciation, he despatched silver, gold, and bronze by the use of his son. Hamath was the one nation listed right here that made a treaty of peace and alliance with Israel.
Within the south, Abishai, David’s nephew killed 18,000 Edomites within the Valley of Salt. David put navy outposts in Edom and made them a vassal state. So, Hamath needed to ally with Israel however as a result of the Philistines, Amalek, Edom, Moab, Ammon, Syria, and Lebanon fought in opposition to Israel and misplaced, they grew to become vassal states.
All of the gold, silver, and bronze David acquired from these different nations was given to the Lord. God introduced the victory, so He deserved the spoils. David was combating a holy warfare for the Lord. Though God initially gave most of what’s now Jordan to the descendants of Abraham’s grandson Esau and his nephew Lot, God allowed Israel to take management of Moab, Ammon, and Edom, however to not totally take possession of them.
