David Subjugates Nearby Nations, 1-15
8:1 Later David defeated the Philistines and subdued them. David took Metheg Ammah from the Philistines. 8:2 He defeated the Moabites. He made them lie on the ground and then used a rope to measure them off. He put two-thirds of them to death and spared the other third. The Moabites became David’s subjects and brought tribute. 8:3 David defeated King Hadadezer son of Rehob of Zobah when he came to reestablish his authority over the Euphrates River. 8:4 David seized from him 1,700 charioteers and 20,000 infantrymen. David cut the hamstrings of all but a hundred of the chariot horses. 8:5 The Arameans of Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, but David killed 22,000 of the Arameans. 8:6 David placed garrisons in the territory of the Arameans of Damascus; the Arameans became David’s subjects and brought tribute. The LORD protected David wherever he campaigned. 8:7 David took the golden shields that belonged to Hadadezer’s servants and brought them to Jerusalem. 8:8 From Tebah and Berothai, Hadadezer’s cities, King David took a great deal of bronze.
8:9 When King Toi of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer, 8:10 he sent his son Joram to King David to extend his best wishes and to pronounce a blessing on him for his victory over Hadadezer, for Toi had been at war with Hadadezer. He brought with him various items made of silver, gold, and bronze. 8:11 King David dedicated these things to the LORD, along with the dedicated silver and gold that he had taken from all the nations that he had subdued, 8:12 including Aram, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, and Amelek. This also included some of the plunder taken from King Hadadezer son of Rehob of Zobah.
8:13 David became famous when he returned from defeating the Arameans in the Valley of Salt, he defeated 18,000 in all. 8:14 He placed garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites became David’s subjects. The LORD protected David wherever he campaigned. 8:15 David reigned over all Israel; he guaranteed justice for all his people.
David…defeated 18,000 in all – According to the superscription of Psa 60, it was Joab who slew 12,000 Edomites, and according to 1 Chron 18:12 Abishai killed 18,000 Edomites. The numerical differences can be accounted for in a variety of ways:
William D. Barrick reasons:
‘Perhaps the differences in the individuals involved reflect the chain of command. David, as king, was commander-in-chief. Joab, being next in command as the chief of the armies, was the field commander and Abishai, a subordinate officer to Joab, was over one contingent of the field army participating in this particular action. Variation in the numbers of enemy casualties might reflect different methods of calculating the casualties at separate levels of the chain of command or different times for certain counts prior to a settled statistic. Possibly, the different casualty counts indicate different engagements within the greater battle or even a series of battles.
As for the difference between Edom and Aram, we should keep in mind that both Edomites and Arameans participated in the campaign against David’s forces (see 2 Sam 8:5; cp. 1 Kgs 11:17 [the Aramean Hadad with Edomites]). The target area was Edom, but Arameans were present and had also created a diversion in Aramea (Syria) where David had gone to quell the uprising.’ (Paragraphing added)