1 After this, David defeated and crushed the Philistines. He captured Gath and its surrounding villages from them.

2 He also defeated Moab, and the Moabites became David’s subjects and paid taxes to him.

3 David went to establish his control over the territory along the Euphrates River. He defeated King Hadadezer at Hamath.

4 David took one thousand chariots, seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand foot soldiers from him. David also disabled all but one hundred of their horses so that they could not pull chariots.

5 When the Arameans from Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, David killed twenty-two thousand of them.

6 David stationed troops in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus. The Arameans became his subjects and paid taxes to him. Everywhere David went Jehovah gave him victories.

7 David took the gold shields that Hadadezer’s servants carried. He brought them to Jerusalem.

8 David also took a large quantity of bronze from Tibhath and Cun, Hadadezer’s cities. Later Solomon used it to make the pool, pillars, and utensils for the temple.

9 When King Tou of Hamath heard that David had defeated the whole army of Zobah’s King Hadadezer,

10 he sent his son Hadoram to greet King David and congratulate him for fighting and defeating Hadadezer. There had often been war between Hadadezer and Tou.

11 King David dedicated all the articles of gold, silver, and bronze to Jehovah, along with the silver and gold he had taken from other nations-from Edom, Moab, Ammon, the Philistines, and Amalek.

12 Zeruiah’s son Abishai killed eighteen thousand Edomites in the Dead Sea region.

13 He put troops in Edom, and all its people became David’s subjects. Everywhere David went Jehovah gave him victories.

14 So David ruled all Israel. He did what was fair and right for all his people.

15 Zeruiah’s son Joab was in charge of the army. Ahilud’s son Jehoshaphat was the royal historian.

16 Ahitub’s son Zadok and Abiathar’s son Abimelech were priests. Shavsha was the royal scribe.

17 Jehoiada’s son Benaiah was commander of the Cherethites and the Pelethites. And David’s sons were his main officials.