Bible Strands
2 Samuel 8:9
When King Toi of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer,
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator describes King Toi of Hamath learning that David defeated Hadadezer’s army. This moment occurs between David’s seizure of bronze from Hadadezer’s cities and Joram’s arrival with tribute.
The words — The Hebrew verb וַיִּשְׁמַע (va.yishma') translates literally as "and he heard," while כִּי (ki) functions as the conjunction "that." These terms structure the verse as a reported intelligence update rather than a direct speech.
The thread — The same event appears in 1 Chronicles 18:9, which records King Tou of Hamath hearing of the defeat. The city of Hamath also functions as a northern territorial marker in 1 Kings 8:65 and 2 Chronicles 8:4.
Why it lands — The text demands the reader track how battlefield reports directly trigger diplomatic and economic responses. It asks the reader to observe the causal sequence from military victory to foreign tribute without adding theological commentary.
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
When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had smitten all the host of Hadadezer,
Cross-references
- 1 Kings 8:65 So at that time Solomon and all Israel with him—a great assembly of people from Lebo-hamath to the Brook of Egypt—kept the feast before the LORD our God for seven days and seven more days—fourteen days in all.
- 2 Chronicles 8:4 He built Tadmor in the wilderness, in addition to all the store cities that he had built in Hamath.
- 1 Chronicles 18:9 When King Tou of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer king of Zobah,
- Amos 6:2 Cross over to Calneh and see; go from there to the great Hamath; then go down to Gath of the Philistines. Are you better than these kingdoms? Is their territory larger than yours?