David's Victories

¹gAfter this David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and David took hMetheg-ammah out of the hand of the Philistines.

²iAnd he defeated Moab and he measured them with a line, making them lie down on the ground. Two lines he measured to be put to death, and one full line to be spared. And the Moabites jbecame servants to David and kbrought tribute.

³David also defeated lHadadezer the son of Rehob, king of mZobah, as he went to restore his power at the river Euphrates. ⁴nAnd David took from him 1,700 horsemen, and 20,000 foot soldiers. And David ohamstrung all the chariot horses but left enough for 100 chariots. ⁵pAnd when the qSyrians of Damascus came to help lHadadezer king of mZobah, David struck down 22,000 men of the Syrians. ⁶Then David put garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Syrians rbecame servants to David and brought tribute. sAnd the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went. ⁷And David took tthe shields of gold that were carried by the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. ⁸And from Betah and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took very much bronze.

⁹When Toi king of uHamath heard that David had defeated the whole army of Hadadezer, ¹⁰Toi sent his son Joram to King David, to ask about his health and to bless him because he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him, for Hadadezer had often been at war with Toi. And Joram brought with him articles of silver, of gold, and of bronze. ¹¹vThese also King David dedicated to the Lord, together with the silver and gold that he dedicated from all the nations he subdued, ¹²from Edom, wMoab, xthe Ammonites, ythe Philistines, zAmalek, and from the spoil of Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of mZobah.

¹³And David made a name for himself when he returned from striking down 18,000 Edomites in athe Valley of Salt. ¹⁴Then he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom he put garrisons, band all the Edomites became David's servants. And the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went.

David's Officials

¹⁵So David reigned over all Israel. And David administered justice and equity to all his people. ¹⁶cJoab the son of Zeruiah was over the army, and dJehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder, ¹⁷and eZadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were priests, and fSeraiah was secretary, ¹⁸and gBenaiah the son of Jehoiada was over1 the hCherethites and the Pelethites, and David's sons were priests.

David's Kindness to Mephibosheth

¹And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may ishow him kindness for Jonathan's sake?” ²Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was jZiba, and they called him to David. And the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” And he said, “I am your servant.” ³And the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show kthe kindness of God to him?” Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of lJonathan; he is crippled in his feet.” ⁴The king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “He is in the house of mMachir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.” ⁵Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar. ⁶And nMephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, “Mephibosheth!” And he answered, “Behold, I am your servant.” ⁷And David said to him, “Do not fear, ifor I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and oyou shall eat at my table always.” ⁸And he paid homage and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for pa dead dog such as I?”

⁹Then the king called Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master's grandson. ¹⁰And you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him and shall bring in the produce, that your master's grandson may have bread to eat. But Mephibosheth your master's grandson oshall always eat at my table.” Now Ziba had qfifteen sons and twenty servants. ¹¹Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so will your servant do.” So Mephibosheth oate at David's1 table, like one of the king's sons. ¹²And Mephibosheth had a young son, rwhose name was Mica. And all who lived in Ziba's house became Mephibosheth's servants. ¹³So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for ohe ate always at the king's table. Now lhe was lame in both his feet.