CHAPTER 8

(1040 B.C.)

DAVID EXTENDS HIS KINGDOM

¹And after this it came to pass, that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them: and David took Metheg-ammah out of the hand of the Philistines. (We have in this Chapter a brief summary of the wars which raised Israel from the position of a struggling and oppressed race to the possession of widest empire, in effect, what the Lord had promised Abraham. Metheg-ammah refers to the reigning mother city, Gath, and all her towns, the head city of the Philistines from which they held sway over Israel. While it is true that in our spiritual lives we have defeated many of the lesser demons, still, we must also defeat the spiritual wickedness in high places [Eph. 6:12].)

²And 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 (what a refreshing thought that the Holy Spirit is measuring our enemies for defeat instead of the enemy measuring us for defeat). And so the Moabites became Davids servants, and brought gifts (they paid an annual tribute).

³David smote also Hadadezer, the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his border at the river Euphrates. (Thus, for the first time, Israel extends her possessions to the River Euphrates, the eastern border of the Promised Land. It was promised in Gen. 15:18-21 and I Chron. 18:3. The Word of God has promised us complete Victory. Have we taken all the land, or is there some that is still occupied by the enemy?)

⁴And 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 (the word houghed, as used here, refers to the fact that they were made useless for war but not for agriculture).

⁵And when the Syrians of Damascus came to succour Hadadezer king of Zobah, David killed of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men. (David is here a Type of the conquering Christ. So when we read these accounts, spiritually we should understand that Christ Alone can defeat the enemies in our lives. In fact, He has already defeated these enemies, and did so at Calvary [Col. 2:14-15].)

⁶Then 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 (these great victories were all as a result of the Hand of the Lord, as all such victories must be of the Hand of the Lord).

⁷And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem (before David, what little that Israel had was taken by the enemy; now, with David, because he was Gods choice, the spoil of the enemy is brought to Israel).

⁸And from Betah, and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, king David took exceeding much brass (all of this would ultimately be used in the construction of the Temple).

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

¹⁰Then Toi sent Joram 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 (the material value of the gifts is left in the background; their worth lies in their being the acknowledgment of the Divine Favor resting upon David; in Psalms 18:43-44, we have proof of the great pleasure which this embassy from so great a Nation gave to David):

¹¹Which also king David did dedicate unto the LORD, with the silver and gold that he had dedicated of all nations which he subdued (dedicated to the Lord in regard to the future construction of the Temple, which would be carried out by Solomon);

¹²Of 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. (All of these heathen were worshippers of idol gods, but now saw how useless their gods were beside David. Is the Holy Spirit at this moment cataloging the victories we have won, which can only be won in Christ?)

¹³And David got him a name when he returned from smiting of the Syrians in the valley of salt, being eighteen thousand men (should have been translated the Edomites; the Edomites, believing that David was engaged in a struggle beyond his powers with the Syrians, took the opportunity to invade Israel; it was a bad mistake on their part; David defeated both the Syrians and the Edomites [I Chron. 18:12]).

¹⁴And he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom put he garrisons, and all they of Edom became Davids servants. And the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went (once again, the Holy Spirit proclaims to us the secret of Davids great victories).

¹⁵And David reigned over all Israel; and David executed judgment and justice unto all his people (this is the type of government, whether it be civil or spiritual, that God demands).

DAVIDS OFFICERS

¹⁶And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host (the commanding general of the army); and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder (it was his office to reduce the kings decrees to writing, and also to see that they were carried into execution);

¹⁷And Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, were the Priests (in effect, at least at this time, there were two High Priests); and Seraiah was the Scribe (similar to the Secretary of State);

¹⁸And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over both the Cherethites and the Pelethites (these were either the bodyguards of David, or else they served in some similar type of position); and Davids sons were chief rulers (the term chief rulers refers more to a spiritual capacity than anything else).