1 And after this it came to pass that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them: and David took Methegammah out of the hand of the Philistines.
2 And he smote Moab, and measured them with a line, casting them down to the ground; even with two lines measured he to put to death, and with one full line to keep alive. And so the Moabites became David's servants, and brought gifts.
3 David smote also Hadadezer, the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his border at the river Euphrates.
4 And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: and David houghed all the chariot horses, but reserved of them for an hundred chariots.
5 And when the Syrians of Damascus came to succour Hadadezer king of Zobah, David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.
6 Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus: and the Syrians became servants to David, and brought gifts. And the Lord preserved David whithersoever he went.
7 And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.
8 And from Betah, and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, king David took exceeding much brass.
9 When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had smitten all the host of Hadadezer,
10 Then Toi sent Joram his son unto king David, to salute him, and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer, and smitten him: for Hadadezer had wars with Toi. And Joram brought with him vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and vessels of brass:
11 Which also king David did dedicate unto the Lord, with the silver and gold that he had dedicated of all nations which he subdued;
12 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.
13 And David gat him a name when he returned from smiting of the Syrians in the valley of salt, being eighteen thousand men.
14 And he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom put he garrisons, and all they of Edom became David's servants. And the Lord preserved David whithersoever he went.
15 And David reigned over all Israel; and David executed judgment and justice unto all his people.
16 And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder;
17 And Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, were the priests; and Seraiah was the scribe;
18 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over both the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David's sons were chief rulers.
<html><b>Meseg Hoamoh.</b> In Divrei Hayomim (I, 18:1) it's written, “Dovid took Goss from the hand of the Pelishtim.” [Goss] is called Meseg Hoamoh because she was the stick that dominated all the Pelishtim. It was the king's metropolis because we do not find [associated with] any of the Pelishtim rulers [not] with Azoh, Ashdod, Akron [nor] Ashkelon,1<i class=“footnote”>This a reference to the Pelishtim rulers enumerated in Yehoshua 13:3. Rashi has left out the Avites, because he relies on Rav’s opinion in Chulin 60b that Avites were from Teimon and not from the Philistine people.</i> a royal title. Only in reference Goss do we find [a royal title], “Akish, the king of Goss.”2<i class=“footnote”>Shmuel I, 20:11.</i> <b>Meseg.</b> <i>Avillon</i> in O.F. <b>Hoamoh.</b> This is the harness made of wood.3<i class=“footnote”><span>מֶתֶג</span> means the reins. These are references to the control this city had over the Pelishtim.</i></html>
<html><b>Those measured with two ropes were killed.</b> [This vengeance was] because they killed his father, his mother and his brothers as it is said, “He led them before the king of Moav.” (Shmuel I, 22:4) We do not find that they ever left from there.4<i class=“footnote”>Yalkut Shimoni, 147.</i></html>
<html><b>As he went.</b> When Haddadezer was going <b>To enlarge his border.</b> As [Yonasan] translates, “To widen his border,” [Haddadezer] conquored land outside his countries border and widened his border.</html>
<html><b>Dovid destroyed all the chariot [horses].</b> Because [of the verse], “He must not acquire an abundance of horses for himself”5<i class=“footnote”>One of the prohibitions specific to the kings of Yisroel. (See Devorim 17:16)</i> <b>[With] one hundred chariot [horses] remaining.</b> That he required for his riding entourage. [The word] chariot [refers to] four horses as it is said, (Divrei Hayomim II, 1:17) “Chariot for six hundred silver pieces and horses for one hundred and fifty.” From here we learn that a chariot refers to four horses.6<i class=“footnote”>Given that a <span>מֶרְכָּבָה</span> fetched six hundred silver pieces, four times the one hundred and fifty cost of one horse.</i></html>
<html><b>The golden quivers.</b> They are the quivers in which the arrows are put as you say, (Yirmeyah 51:11). “clean out the arrows, till the quivers.” All these chapters7<i class=“footnote”>Concerning Dovid’s battles.</i> have been set near the chapter concerning the Beis Hamikdash8<i class=“footnote”>Dovid’s desire to build a Beis Hamikdash for Hashem in the previous chapter (7:2) and Hashem’s subsequent response.</i> because from all these wars [Dovid] gathered consecrated items for the needs of the House [i.e., Beis Hamikdash].</html>
<html><b>Dovid made a name [for himself].</b> He buried those of Edom whom he had killed and that is a good name for Yisroel that they bury their enemies. As it says in reference to the war of Gog and Mogog, “All the people of the land will bury and this will acquire for them a name.” (Yechezkel 39:13) And how do we know that Dovid buried them? Because it says in the Book of kings (I, 11:15), “And it happened when Dovid was in Edom when Yoav, his army general went up to bury the corpses.” <b>Eighteen thousand.</b> [However] in the Book of Tehilim (60:2) it says, “twelve thousand” Hence we must say [in response] that there were two battles.9<i class=“footnote”>With Edom. Tanchuma Devorim.</i></html>
<html><b>Officers.</b> Officers to collect the tax.</html>
<html><b>Dovid rendered judgement… Yoav…was [commander] over the army.</b> Dovid caused Yoav to be successful [with his command] over the army because he rendered judgment and righteousness and Yoav caused Dovid to render judgment and righteousness because he [Dovid] judged and Yoav policed and enforced on the basis [of the judgment].10<i class=“footnote”>Rashi is learning that the proximity of the verse discussing Dovid’s judgment of the people to the next verse discussing Yoav’s commanding of the army shows that these two phenomena were related. Other prominent leaders are being discussed in the subsequent verses but Yoav is mentioned first immediately after king Dovid.</i> Another [reason is that] because Yoav busied himself with the battles, Dovid was not preoccupied by them and his heart was [able to be] open to judge righteously.</html>
<html><b>Recorder [of halachic cases].</b> [He] announced which [case] was to come before him [Dovid] first for it to be ruled on first.</html>
<html><b>Venoyohaa, the son of Yehoyodoh</b> [was in charge of] the archers and the sling shooters. Yonasan translated, “Venoyoha, the son of Yehoydoh was appointed [in charge] over the archers and over the sling shooters.” [Alternatively] our Rabbis said [that the words] keraisi and plaisi refer to the Urim and Tumim.11<i class=“footnote”>Rashi explains in Shemos 28:30 that this is a reference to the inscription of the Explicit Name which was placed into the folds of the breastplate. Through the breastplate, they would communicate the answers of Hashem to questions the Kohein asked of Him, hence they would (<span>מֵאִיר</span>), light up and explain their words and <span>וּמְתַּמֵּם</span>) complete their words, i.e. make words come true. (Yoma 73b). This explanation of our Rabbis concerning the translation of keraisi and plaisi can be found in Berachos 4a.</i> <b>Were prominent [leaders].</b> [Yonasan translates] “They were prominent.”</html>