Bible Strands
2 Samuel 8:12
from Edom and Moab, from the Ammonites and Philistines and Amalekites, and from the spoil of Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator records David’s inventory of conquered territories and plundered spoils following his military campaigns. This account follows David’s dedication of silver and gold to the LORD and precedes his victory over the Edomites in the Valley of Salt.
The words — The text cites מֵ/אֲרָ֤ם (me./'a.Ram) as "from Aram" and וּ/מִ/מּוֹאָב֙ (u./mi./mo.'Av) as "and from Moab." It also lists וּ/מִ/שְּׁלַ֛ל (u./mi./she.Lal) meaning "and from the plunder" of Hadadezer.
The thread — This catalog of subdued regions and spoils appears in parallel in 1 Chronicles 18:11, which notes David dedicated the wealth to the LORD. The same nations surface in 2 Samuel 8:2 and 2 Samuel 10:14 during earlier and later military accounts.
Why it lands — The verse demands recognition of the tangible scope of David’s conquests and the subsequent dedication of war spoils to God. It requires the reader to track how military victory transitions into worship through the listed nations and plunder.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
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.
Cross-references
- 2 Samuel 10:14 When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans had fled, they too fled before Abishai, and they entered the city. So Joab returned from fighting against the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem.
- 2 Samuel 8:2 David also defeated the Moabites, made them lie down on the ground, and measured them off with a cord. He measured off with two lengths those to be put to death, and with one length those to be spared. So the Moabites became subject to David and brought him tribute.
- 1 Chronicles 18:11 and King David dedicated these to the LORD, along with the silver and gold he had carried off from all these nations—from Edom and Moab, and from the Ammonites, Philistines, and Amalekites.
- 1 Samuel 27:8 Now David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites. (From ancient times these people had inhabited the land extending to Shur and Egypt.)
- 1 Samuel 30:20 And he took all the flocks and herds, which his men drove ahead of the other livestock, calling out, “This is David’s plunder!”
- 2 Samuel 5:17 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they all went in search of him; but David learned of this and went down to the stronghold.
- 2 Samuel 10:11 “If the Arameans are too strong for me,” said Joab, “then you will come to my rescue. And if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come to your rescue.
- 2 Samuel 12:26 Meanwhile, Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and captured the royal fortress.