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Chapter 8: A Summary of David's Campaigns
The parallel narrative is found in 1 Chronicles 18:1-13.
2 Samuel 8:1-8 ~ The Wars with the Philistines, Moabites and Aramaeans
* In the parallel narrative in 1 Chronicles 18:1, the text reads: After this David defeated the Philistines and subdued them. From the grip of the Philistines he wrested Gath and its dependent towns. It is significant that David conquered the Philistine city that had once claimed him as their vassal. The 1 Chronicles chapter 18 narrative gives more details about the war that ended the power of the Philistines over Israel and records a frightening event that almost cost David his life.
David's army also defeated the Moabites whose kingdom was located near the southeastern side of the Dead Sea and made the Moabites vassals of Israel. Next David's men defeated a combined force of Aramaeans and Ammonites. In verse 4 the parallel account in 1 Chronicles reads: David captured one thousand chariots, seven thousand charioteers and twenty thousand foot soldiers from him; David hamstrung all the chariot teams, keeping only a hundred of them (1 Chr 18:4). To cut the hamstring in the hind legs of a horse is a death sentence for the animal. It is more likely that David's men injured one hind leg of each horse to make the animal lame and incapable of being used as a war horse to pull a chariot. The other one hundred horses he kept for his own use either for his cavalry or to experiment with forming his own chariot unit.
Betah and Berothai in verse 8 are towns in Zobah, one of the independent city-states of the Aramaeans (Syrians) in the Valley of Lebanon north of Damascus. The kingdom of Zobah was extensive; controlling eastern Syria from the Hauran plateau to the Euphrates River Valley in Mesopotamia ("the River" in verse 3 refers to the Euphrates as it is named in the parallel account in 1 Chr 18:3).
Statue of King David (Nicolas Cordier)
The parallel narrative is found in 1 Chronicles 18:1-13.
2 Samuel 8:9-14 ~ Israel gains Recognition from Neighboring Kingdoms
Hamath is Neo-Hittite city on the Orontes River in Syria between Damascus and Aleppo. King Tou (or Toi) sent his son as an envoy to take gifts to David after his victory over Zobah. They had the bond of a shared enemy and it can be assumed that a peace treaty was drawn up between the two nations. The "Entrance of Hamath" (perhaps the Orontes River Valley) was supposed to mark the traditional northern boundary of Israel that was promised by God (Num 34:7-9; Josh 13:5; 1 Kng 8:65; 1 Chr 13:5; Ez 47:15-16, 20.(3)
Question: What did David do with the precious metals he captured from Israel's enemies in verses 7 and 11-12?
Answer: All the precious metals were consecrated to Yahweh in gratitude for God granting the Israelites victory in their battles. This was the practice of the army of Israel since the beginning of the conquest.
Question: After David's victories, how far did David's kingdom stretch?
Answer: He controlled an area from the Euphrates River in Mesopotamia in the north to the kingdom of Edom at the southern end of the Dead Sea in the south and from the Mediterranean Sea in the west to the entire Transjordan in the east.
Question: What was the extent of the land God promised to Abraham's descendants when God made the covenant with Abraham in Genesis 15:18?
Answer: God promised: To your descendants I give this country [land], from the River of Egypt to the Great River, the River Euphrates ...
Wherever David went, Yahweh gave him victory.
This is an important concluding statement. Unlike Saul, David has remained faithful to Yahweh who has blessed him in all his endeavors.
Summary of kingdoms defeated by David's army that became vassal states of Israel:
- Philistines
- Moabites
- Edomites
- Aramaeans
- Ammonites
The parallel narrative is found in 1 Chronicles 18:14-17.
2 Samuel 8:15-18 ~ The Administration of David's Kingdom
Joab, David's nephew, Joab, is his military commander. Zadok and Abiathar, descendants of Aaron the first high priest, serve as co-high priests. You may recall that Abiathar is the son of the high priest at Nob who was murdered by Saul for helping David; he sought refuge with David after his family was massacred (1 Sam 21:1-10; 22:6-23).
The Gentile Cherethities and Pelethites became David's personal bodyguard. David saved the Cherethitie women and children who had been captured by the Amalekites (1 Sam 30:14) when he rescued the wives and children of his own people in 1 Samuel chapter 30. In gratitude the Gentile Cherethities apparently united themselves to David and an elite force served as his personal bodyguard.
David's sons were priests. The parallel passage in 1 Chronicles 18:17 reads: David's sons took first place after the king. It cannot mean that David's sons took on the duties of the chief priests, a presumption that was forbidden by the Law and for which Saul was denied his kingship by Yahweh (1 Sam 13:9-15). It can only mean, as is suggested in 1 Chronicles 18:17, that his sons assisted or were deputized by David to serve as his representatives at the Sanctuary by supervising the operation of the Sanctuary and serving in those functions that were lawfully exercised by the king.
Please note that 2 Samuel 21:1-6, 8-14 is chronologically prior to chapter 9 and chapter 10, providing the details of David's war with the Ammonites and their Aramaean allies.
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A Daily Defense
DAY 126 Ex Opere Operato
CHALLENGE:“The Church has a superstitious understanding of the sacraments, believing that performing them will bring about their effects ex opere operato (‘by reason of the work having been performed’).”
DEFENSE:The Church doesn’t hold that merely performing the external actions of the sacraments will bring about their effects.
Suppose a group of actors put on a play in which one character is baptized. Though water may be applied with the correct words (Matt. 28:19), the actor playing that character is not truly baptized. The reason is the actor baptizing him is just pretending to do so. He doesn’t have the intention to do what the Church does. Therefore, merely performing the external ritual of a sacrament does not bring about its effects.
But when the minister of a sacrament does intend to do what the Church does, God’s promise to give his grace is engaged. The teaching that the sacraments work ex opere operato mean that their efficacy rests on God’s promise, not on the worthiness of the minister.
This is in contrast to the view that the sacraments work ex opere operantis (“by reason of the work of the one working”; see Catholic Encyclopedia, s.v. “Sacraments”), which means that the minister would need to be personally worthy (not in a state of mortal sin) to be able to perform the sacraments. This view was held in the 400s by the schismatic movement known as Donatism.Upholding the orthodox view, Augustine argued that the unworthiness of the minister does not affect the validity of the sacrament, and so, for example, baptism could be validly received from a heretic or a schismatic (see his On Baptism, Against the Donatists).
The faithful thus need not worry that the sacraments they have received might be invalid because of the unworthiness of the minister. Their efficacy rests on God’s promise.
On the other hand, to receive the sacraments fruitfully, the faithful must be open to God’s grace. If they are unrepentant of mortal sin then they create a barrier that prevents the sacraments from communicating sanctifying grace. In such cases, they would still be received validly (e.g., an unrepentant person intending to be baptized, confirmed, or married would validly receive the sacrament but would not receive sanctifying grace until he repents).
Jimmy Akin, A Daily Defense: 365 Days (Plus One) to Becoming a Better Apologist
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