2 Samuel 8 in Hebrew, English & Transliteration

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Tenakh Study · 2 Samuel 8:1–18

2 Samuel, Chapter 8

שמואל ב ח

A summary of David’s wars: the Pelishtim, Mo’av, Hadadezer of Tzovah, Aram of Damesek and Edom are subdued, To’i of Chamat sends tribute, and David dedicates the gold and silver to Hashem. He reigns over all Israel with judgment and justice, and his officers are named.

8:1And after this it came to pass, that David struck the Pelishtim (Philistines), and subdued them; and David took Meteg ha-Amah (Metheg-ammah) out of the hand of the Pelishtim.

Vayehi aḥarei-ḥen vayaḥ David et-Pelishtim vayaḥni'em vayikaḥ David et-Meteg ha'Amah miyad Pelishtim.

אוַֽיְהִי֙ אַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֔ן וַיַּ֥ךְ דָּוִ֛ד אֶת־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים וַיַּכְנִיעֵ֑ם וַיִּקַּ֥ח דָּוִ֛ד אֶת־מֶ֥תֶג הָאַמָּ֖ה מִיַּ֥ד פְּלִשְׁתִּֽים׃

8:2And he struck Mo’av (Moab), and measured them with a line, casting them down to the ground; even with two lines he measured to put to death, and with one full line to keep alive. And so Mo’av became David’s servants, and brought tribute.

Vayaḥ et-Mo'av vayemadedem baḥevel hashkev otam artzah vayemaded shenei-ḥavalim lehamit umelo haḥevel lehaḥayot vatehi Mo'av leDavid la'avadim nose'ei minḥah.

בוַיַּ֣ךְ אֶת־מוֹאָ֗ב וַֽיְמַדְּדֵ֚ם בַּחֶ֙בֶל֙ הַשְׁכֵּ֣ב אוֹתָ֣ם אַ֔רְצָה וַיְמַדֵּ֚ד שְׁנֵֽי־חֲבָלִים֙ לְהָמִ֔ית וּמְלֹ֥א הַחֶ֖בֶל לְהַחֲי֑וֹת וַתְּהִ֚י מוֹאָב֙ לְדָוִ֔ד לַעֲבָדִ֖ים נֹשְׂאֵ֥י מִנְחָֽה׃

8:3David struck also Hadadezer, the son of Rechov (Rehob), king of Tzovah (Zobah), as he went to recover his border at the river Perat (Euphrates).

Vayaḥ David et-Hadad'ezer ben-Reḥov meleḥ Tzovah beleḥto lehashiv yado binhar-Perat.

גוַיַּ֣ךְ דָּוִ֔ד אֶת־הֲדַדְעֶ֥זֶר בֶּן־רְחֹ֖ב מֶ֣לֶךְ צוֹבָ֑ה בְּלֶכְתּ֕וֹ לְהָשִׁ֥יב יָד֖וֹ בִּֽנְהַר־ פְּרָֽת (קרי ולא כתיב)׃

8:4And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen; and David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but kept of them for a hundred chariots.

Vayilkod David mimenu elef usheva-me'ot parashim ve'esrim elef ish ragli vaye'aker David et-kol-hareḥev vayoter mimenu me'ah raḥev.

דוַיִּלְכֹּ֨ד דָּוִ֜ד מִמֶּ֗נּוּ אֶ֚לֶף וּשְׁבַע־מֵאוֹת֙ פָּרָשִׁ֔ים וְעֶשְׂרִ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף אִ֣ישׁ רַגְלִ֑י וַיְעַקֵּ֚ר דָּוִד֙ אֶת־כָּל־הָרֶ֔כֶב וַיּוֹתֵ֥ר מִמֶּ֖נּוּ מֵ֥אָה רָֽכֶב׃

8:5And when Aram (Syria) of Damesek (Damascus) came to help Hadadezer king of Tzovah, David slew of Aram twenty-two thousand men.

Vatavo Aram Damesek la'zor laHadad'ezer meleḥ Tzovah vayaḥ David ba'Aram esrim-ushenayim elef ish.

הוַתָּבֹא֙ אֲרַ֣ם דַּמֶּ֔שֶׂק לַעְזֹ֕ר לַהֲדַדְעֶ֖זֶר מֶ֣לֶךְ צוֹבָ֑ה וַיַּ֚ךְ דָּוִד֙ בַּֽאֲרָ֔ם עֶשְׂרִֽים־וּשְׁנַ֥יִם אֶ֖לֶף אִֽישׁ׃

8:6Then David put garrisons in Aram of Damesek; and Aram became servants to David, and brought tribute. And Hashem preserved David wherever he went.

Vayasem David netzivim ba'Aram Damesek vatehi Aram leDavid la'avadim nose'ei minḥah vayosha Adonai et-David beḥol asher halaḥ.

ווַיָּ֨שֶׂם דָּוִ֚ד נְצִבִים֙ בַּאֲרַ֣ם דַּמֶּ֔שֶׂק וַתְּהִ֚י אֲרָם֙ לְדָוִ֔ד לַעֲבָדִ֖ים נוֹשְׂאֵ֣י מִנְחָ֑ה וַיּ֚שַׁע יְהֹוָה֙ אֶת־דָּוִ֔ד בְּכֹ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָלָֽךְ׃

8:7And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Yerushalayim (Jerusalem).

Vayikaḥ David et shiltei hazahav asher hayu el avdei Hadad'azer vayevi'em Yerushalayim.

זוַיִּקַּ֣ח דָּוִ֗ד אֵ֚ת שִׁלְטֵ֣י הַזָּהָ֔ב אֲשֶׁ֣ר הָי֔וּ אֶ֖ל עַבְדֵ֣י הֲדַדְעָ֑זֶר וַיְבִיאֵ֖ם יְרוּשָׁלָֽםִ׃

8:8And from Betach (Betah), and from Berotai (Berothai), cities of Hadadezer, King David took exceedingly much bronze.

UmiBetaḥ umiBerotai arei Hadad'azer lakaḥ hameleḥ David neḥoshet harbeh me'od.

חוּמִבֶּ֥טַח וּמִבֵּֽרֹתַ֖י עָרֵ֣י הֲדַדְעָ֑זֶר לָקַ֞ח הַמֶּ֧לֶךְ דָּוִ֛ד נְח֖שֶׁת הַרְבֵּ֥ה מְאֹֽד׃

Commentary · 8:1–8

The wars

Chapter 8 is a summary, not a diary. The kingdom promised in chapter 7 takes shape on the map. The severity toward Mo’av surprises us: Mo’av had sheltered David’s parents (1 Samuel 22:3–4), and Ruth the Moavite was his great-grandmother. Rashi explains that the king of Mo’av killed David’s father, mother and brothers whom David left in his care, for Scripture never records them coming home; the Midrash adds that one brother escaped to Nachash king of Ammon, and that is the “kindness” Nachash showed David (Bamidbar Rabbah 14:1; 2 Samuel 10:2).

“David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but kept of them for a hundred chariots” (8:4). Rashi and Radak both say why: “he shall not multiply horses to himself” (Deuteronomy 17:16). The Torah’s law of the king stands behind the whole chapter: not many horses, not many wives, not much silver and gold. David limits the horses and dedicates the gold to Hashem (8:11), but chapter 5 already showed him multiplying wives. The next chapters show where that leads.

Tribute from Chamat

8:9When To’i (Toi) king of Chamat (Hamath) heard that David had struck all the host of Hadadezer,

Vayishma To'i meleḥ Ḥamat ki hikah David et kol-ḥeil Hadad'azer.

טוַיִּשְׁמַ֕ע תֹּ֖עִי מֶ֣לֶךְ חֲמָ֑ת כִּ֚י הִכָּ֣ה דָוִ֔ד אֵ֖ת כָּל־חֵ֥יל הֲדַדְעָֽזֶר׃

8:10then To’i sent Yoram (Joram) his son unto King David, to greet him, and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer, and struck him; for Hadadezer had wars with To’i. And Yoram brought with him vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and vessels of bronze,

Vayishlaḥ To'i et-Yoram-beno el-hameleḥ-David lish'al-lo leshalom ulevaraḥo al asher nilḥam baHadad'ezer vayakehu ki-ish milḥamot To'i hayah Hadad'azer uveyado hayu kelei-ḥesef uḥelei-zahav uḥelei neḥoshet.

יוַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח תֹּ֣עִי אֶת־יֽוֹרָם־בְּנ֣וֹ אֶל־הַמֶּֽלֶךְ־דָּ֠וִד לִשְׁאָל־ל֨וֹ לְשָׁל֜וֹם וּֽלְבָרֲכ֗וֹ עַל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר נִלְחַ֚ם בַּהֲדַדְעֶ֙זֶר֙ וַיַּכֵּ֔הוּ כִּי־אִ֛ישׁ מִלְחֲמ֥וֹת תֹּ֖עִי הָיָ֣ה הֲדַדְעָ֑זֶר וּבְיָד֗וֹ הָי֛וּ כְּלֵֽי־כֶ֥סֶף וּכְלֵֽי־זָהָ֖ב וּכְלֵ֥י נְחֽשֶׁת׃

8:11which also King David dedicated unto Hashem, with the silver and gold that he had dedicated of all the nations which he subdued:

Gam-otam hikdish hameleḥ David la-Adonai im-hakesef vehazahav asher hikdish mikol-hagoyim asher kibesh.

יאגַּם־אֹתָ֕ם הִקְדִּ֛ישׁ הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ דָּוִ֖ד לַֽיהֹוָ֑ה עִם־הַכֶּ֚סֶף וְהַזָּהָב֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הִקְדִּ֔ישׁ מִכָּל־הַגּוֹיִ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר כִּבֵּֽשׁ׃

8:12of Aram, and of Mo’av, and of the children of Ammon, and of the Pelishtim, and of Amalek, and of the spoil of Hadadezer, son of Rechov, king of Tzovah.

Me'Aram umiMo'av umibenei Amon umiPelishtim ume'Amalek umishelal Hadad'ezer ben-Reḥov meleḥ Tzovah.

יבמֵאֲרָ֚ם וּמִמּוֹאָב֙ וּמִבְּנֵ֣י עַמּ֔וֹן וּמִפְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים וּמֵֽעֲמָלֵ֑ק וּמִשְּׁלַ֛ל הֲדַדְעֶ֥זֶר בֶּן־רְחֹ֖ב מֶ֥לֶךְ צוֹבָֽה׃

8:13And David made himself a name when he returned from striking Aram in Gei Melach (the Valley of Salt), eighteen thousand men.

Vaya'as David shem beshuvo mehakoto et-Aram beGei-Melaḥ shemonah asar alef.

יגוַיַּ֚עַשׂ דָּוִד֙ שֵׁ֔ם בְּשֻׁב֕וֹ מֵהַכּוֹת֥וֹ אֶת־אֲרָ֖ם בְּגֵיא־מֶ֑לַח שְׁמוֹנָ֥ה עָשָֹ֖ר אָֽלֶף׃

8:14And he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom he put garrisons, and all they of Edom became David’s servants. And Hashem preserved David wherever he went.

Vayasem be'Edom netzivim beḥol-Edom sam netzivim vayehi ḥol-Edom avadim leDavid vayosha Adonai et-David beḥol asher halaḥ.

ידוַיָּ֨שֶׂם בֶּאֱד֜וֹם נְצִבִ֗ים בְּכָל־אֱדוֹם֙ שָֹ֣ם נְצִבִ֔ים וַיְהִ֥י כָל־אֱד֖וֹם עֲבָדִ֣ים לְדָוִ֑ד וַיּ֚וֹשַׁע יְהֹוָה֙ אֶת־דָּוִ֔ד בְּכֹ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָלָֽךְ׃

Commentary · 8:9–14

Tribute, and a name

To’i of Chamat sends his son with silver, gold and bronze, and David dedicates it all to Hashem. Chronicles tells us what it was for: the Temple his son would build (1 Chronicles 22:14). Isaiah saw the same picture for the days of Mashiach: “the wealth of the nations shall come unto you… they shall bring gold and incense” (Isaiah 60:5–6).

“David made himself a name” in Gei Melach (8:13). The Hebrew says Aram, Chronicles says Edom (1 Chronicles 18:12), and Psalm 60 counts twelve thousand. Radak reconciles the three: Aram and Edom were both in the field, Avishai began the battle and Yoav finished it, and eighteen thousand fell in all. Rashi says simply that there were two battles. Rashi also explains the “name”: David buried the enemy dead, as Israel will do after Gog (Ezekiel 39:13). A king who buries his enemies makes a name worth having.

David’s rule and his officers

8:15And David reigned over all Israel; and David executed judgment and justice unto all his people.

Vayimloḥ David al-kol-Yisra'el vayehi David oseh mishpat utzedakah leḥol-amo.

טווַיִּמְלֹ֥ךְ דָּוִ֖ד עַל־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיְהִ֣י דָוִ֗ד עֹשֶֹ֛ה מִשְׁפָּ֥ט וּצְדָקָ֖ה לְכָל־עַמּֽוֹ׃

Commentary · 8:15

Judgment and justice

This is the verse the chapter was written for. The Hebrew is mishpat u-tzedakah, judgment and righteousness, the pair Hashem chose Avraham to teach his children (Genesis 18:19) and the pair Isaiah promises the Branch of David will bring (Isaiah 9:7; 11:4; Jeremiah 23:5). The Talmud asks how one judge can do both at once, since strict judgment gives the winner what is his and charity gives the loser what he is not owed. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korcha answers that it is a mitzvah to seek compromise, “judgment that has peace in it” (Zechariah 8:16); another view says David judged strictly and then paid the poor loser from his own pocket; Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi says that removing stolen property from a man is itself charity to him (Sanhedrin 6b). All three agree that a king’s justice is measured by what happens to the weak.

“Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David… to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever” (Isaiah 9:7). What David did for forty years, the Son of David will do forever.

8:16And Yoav (Joab) the son of Tzeruyah (Zeruiah) was over the host; and Yehoshafat (Jehoshaphat) the son of Achilud (Ahilud) was recorder;

VeYo'av ben-Tzeruyah al-hatzava Vihoshafat ben-Aḥilud mazkir.

טזוְיוֹאָ֥ב בֶּן־צְרוּיָ֖ה עַל־הַצָּבָ֑א וִיהוֹשָׁפָ֥ט בֶּן־אֲחִיל֖וּד מַזְכִּֽיר׃

8:17and Tzadok (Zadok) the son of Achituv (Ahitub), and Achimelech (Ahimelech) the son of Evyatar (Abiathar), were the priests; and Serayah (Seraiah) was the scribe;

VeTzadok ben-Aḥituv va'Aḥimeleḥ ben-Evyatar kohanim uSerayah sofer.

יזוְצָד֧וֹק בֶּן־אֲחִיט֛וּב וַאֲחִימֶ֥לֶךְ בֶּן־אֶבְיָתָ֖ר כֹּהֲנִ֑ים וּשְׂרָיָ֖ה סוֹפֵֽר׃

8:18and Benayahu (Benaiah) the son of Yehoyada (Jehoiada) was over the Kereti (Cherethites) and the Peleti (Pelethites); and David’s sons were chief ministers.

UVenayahu ben-Yehoyada vehaKereti vehaPeleti uvenei David kohanim hayu.

יחוּבְנָיָ֙הוּ֙ בֶּן־יְה֣וֹיָדָ֔ע וְהַכְּרֵתִ֖י וְהַפְּלֵתִ֑י וּבְנֵ֥י דָוִ֖ד כֹּהֲנִ֥ים הָיֽוּ׃

Commentary · 8:16–18

The king’s officers

Radak explains that Tzadok, of the line of El’azar, served as High Priest and Achimelech son of Evyatar, of the line of Itamar, as his deputy; Shlomo would later remove Evyatar’s house, fulfilling the word against Eli (1 Kings 2:27). The Kereti and Peleti were on the plain reading David’s foreign bodyguard; the Talmud reads the names as the Sanhedrin, who cut (koretim) their decisions and whose deeds are wonderful (mufla’im) (Sanhedrin 16b; Berakhot 4a).

The Hebrew of 8:18 says David’s sons were kohanim, priests. They were of Yehudah, not Levi, so the Targum renders “great ones,” Rashi follows it, and Chronicles says “chief at the king’s hand” (1 Chronicles 18:17). Ariel Cohen Alloro plays with the same verse: Shlomo’s name equals five times kohen (375 = 5 × 75), so “when you’re talking about Mashiach ben David, you can say you’re talking about the priest.” We take the hint lightly, but it points at something real: Psalm 110 gives the son of David a priesthood “after the order of Malki-Tzedek,” and Zechariah sees the Branch who “shall be a priest upon his throne” (Zechariah 6:13). Hebrews builds its whole picture of Yeshua on those two verses (Hebrews 5–7).

Sources & method

Hebrew text: The Masoretic text with vowels (nikkud) and cantillation marks (ta’amim), as published on Chabad.org. Every verse was checked character by character against Chabad’s Tenakh. Where the written text (ketiv) differs from the reading (qere), the reading is shown and the written form follows in small type.
English translation: The King James Version (public domain), lightly modernized by Benei Avraham: “thee/thou/ye” become “you,” older verb forms are updated (“hath” to “has”), and archaic words are replaced only where the meaning would otherwise be unclear. People and places carry their Hebrew names, with the familiar English name in parentheses the first time on each page (e.g., Shaul (Saul)). The Divine Name (יהוה, “the LORD” in the KJV) is written “Hashem”; “God” (Elohim) is unchanged. Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible.
Transliteration: Produced from the Hebrew with the open-source hebrew-transliteration library, adapted to Sephardic/Israeli pronunciation and reviewed by hand: ḥ for Chet and Chaf, tz for Tzadi, k for Kuf, and the Divine Name read “Adonai.” Names are capitalized.
Commentary: Written for our Wednesday Tenakh study from a Messianic Jewish perspective, in line with the Benei Avraham Statement of Faith. It reads the passage first in its Torah setting, then with the Sages, and then with the witness of the Brit Hadashah. Its sources include the Talmud and Midrash, Rashi, Radak, Metzudat David, Rambam, the First Fruits of Zion End of Days lessons, and teachings of Rabbi Efraim Palvanov and Ariel Cohen Alloro. Numerical readings (gematria) are offered as hints, not proofs. It is shown by default; tap Commentary to hide it.
Hebrew font: SBL Hebrew, by the Society of Biblical Literature.

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2 Samuel 8 (Shmuel Bet) in Hebrew, Transliteration and English

2 Samuel, Chapter 8

Sources & method