Sunday Sermonette: Whole lot of smiting going on

Yep, you read that right: David murdered two thirds of the captured Moabites and enslaved the rest. I should have mentioned that David is himself descended from a Moabite, although that story wasn't yet written when this one was. But if you believe the Bible is literally true . . . 

Why did he hamstring all those perfectly good horses? Who knows. Anyway, he manages to slaughter some tens of thousands of various nationalities -- we don't get a full count of all of them -- all for the glory of God. Let me remind you, once again, that fortunately this is all fiction.

8 After this David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and David took Meth′eg-am′mah out of the hand of the Philistines.

² And he defeated Moab, and 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 became servants to David and brought tribute.

³ David also defeated Hadade′zer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to restore his power at the river Euphra′tes. ⁴ And David took from him a thousand and seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand foot soldiers; and David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but left enough for a hundred chariots. ⁵ And when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadade′zer king of Zobah, David slew twenty-two thousand men of the Syrians. ⁶ Then David put garrisons in Aram of Damascus; and the Syrians became servants to David and brought tribute. And the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went. ⁷ And David took the shields of gold which were carried by the servants of Hadade′zer, and brought them to Jerusalem. ⁸ And from Betah and from Bero′thai, cities of Hadade′zer, King David took very much bronze.

⁹ When To′i king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the whole army of Hadade′zer, ¹⁰ To′i sent his son Joram to King David, to greet him, and to congratulate him because he had fought against Hadade′zer and defeated him; for Hadade′zer had often been at war with To′i. And Joram brought with him articles of silver, of gold, and of bronze; ¹¹ these also King David dedicated to the Lord, together with the silver and gold which he dedicated from all the nations he subdued, ¹² from Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, Am′alek, and from the spoil of Hadade′zer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

¹³ And David won a name for himself. When he returned, he slew eighteen thousand E′domites^[a] in the Valley of Salt. ¹⁴ And he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom he put garrisons, and all the E′domites became David’s servants. And the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went.

David’s Officers

¹⁵ So David reigned over all Israel; and David administered justice and equity to all his people. ¹⁶ And Jo′ab the son of Zeru′iah was over the army; and Jehosh′aphat the son of Ahi′lud was recorder; ¹⁷ and Zadok the son of Ahi′tub and Ahim′elech the son of Abi′athar were priests; and Serai′ah was secretary; ¹⁸ and Benai′ah the son of Jehoi′ada was over^[b] the Cher′ethites and the Pel′ethites; and David’s sons were priests.

Footnotes

1. 2 Samuel 8:13 Gk: Heb returned from smiting eighteen thousand Syrians
2. 2 Samuel 8:18 Syr Tg Vg 20.23; 1 Chr 18.17: Heb lacks was over