2 Sam. 8
After 2 Sam. 7 which, morally speaking, is the high point of David's entire history 2 Sam. 8 relates a series of victories. The victories of this chapter grow out of David's communion with his God just as the victories of 2 Sam. 5 were the fruit of his dependence and obedience. When we are in communion with Him God has no need to discipline us as He did with Uzzah. Communion lets us advance, sure of being in God's pathway without needing special instruction to show this pathway to us. "I will instruct thee and teach thee the way in which thou shalt go; I will counsel thee with Mine eye upon thee" (Psa. 32:88I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. (Psalm 32:8)) will become reality to us. Our path becomes God's path because our thoughts do not differ from His. Thus it is said twice in this chapter: "Jehovah preserved David whithersoever he went" (2 Sam. 8:6,146Then 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. (2 Samuel 8:6)
14And 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. (2 Samuel 8:14)).
Like the Lord will do at the end when He will judge the nations, so David applies judgment to them in various ways and measures: according to the character of his enemies or according to the way in which they have treated his people.
First of all he smites the Philistines and subjugates them (2 Sam. 8:11And after this it came to pass, that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them: and David took Metheg-ammah out of the hand of the Philistines. (2 Samuel 8:1)), capturing their capital city, Metheg-ammah, and these sworn enemies of Israel are thus deprived of what was the bulwark of their strength.
Moab is the proud enemy rising up against God and His anointed, a cruel people without pity for Israel. David destroys two-thirds of this people but extends grace to a remnant whose life he preserves: "He measured... one full line to keep alive. And the Moabites became David's servants and brought gifts" (2 Sam. 8:22And 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. (2 Samuel 8:2)).
Likewise the Syrians of Damascus who had come to help Hadadezer, king of Zobah, were conquered by David's power and "became servants to David, and brought gifts" (2 Sam. 8:3-63David smote also Hadadezer, the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his border at the river Euphrates. 4And 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. 5And when the Syrians of Damascus came to succor Hadadezer king of Zobah, David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men. 6Then 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. (2 Samuel 8:3‑6)).
In 2 Sam. 8:13-1413And David gat him a name when he returned from smiting of the Syrians in the valley of salt, being eighteen thousand men. 14And 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. (2 Samuel 8:13‑14) Edom is completely subjugated. In 1 Chron. 18:11Now after this it came to pass, that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them, and took Gath and her towns out of the hand of the Philistines. (1 Chronicles 18:1)2 They are overcome by the hand of Abishai, Joab's brother; in Psa. 60, they are defeated by Joab himself. Whatever the instruments employed may be, here the victory is attributed to David. Edom is the only one of all the nations re-appearing at the time of the end for judgment that will have no "remnant" preserved. God will judge the Edomites without mercy on account of the way they behaved toward His people, for they were the most wicked and the most desirous of destroying Israel. Had they not formerly "refused to give Israel passage through [their] territory" to enter the land of Canaan (Num. 20:2121Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border: wherefore Israel turned away from him. (Numbers 20:21))? "Remember, O Jehovah," says the afflicted remnant in Babylon, "against the sons of Edom, the day of Jerusalem; who said, Lay it bare, Lay it bare, down to its foundation!" (Psa. 137:77Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof. (Psalm 137:7)). The prophet Obadiah who deals only with the judgment of Edom says: "The house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble; and they shall kindle in them and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau: for the Lord hath spoken it" (Obad. 1:1, 181The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord God concerning Edom; We have heard a rumor from the Lord, and an ambassador is sent among the heathen, Arise ye, and let us rise up against her in battle. (Obadiah 1)
18And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau; for the Lord hath spoken it. (Obadiah 18)); whereas a "remnant" out of all the other nations is preserved. Thus this terrible word spoken by the Lord will be fulfilled at the time of the end: "I hated Esau" (Mal. 1:33And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness. (Malachi 1:3)), for, says Obadiah, "the Lord hath spoken it."
All this shows us that the nations will have quite varied characters at the time of the end. Some will be broken with a rod of iron and forced to submit; others will put on an appearance of submission, as it is said: "Strangers come cringing unto me" [i.e., render forced or feigned obedience] (Psa. 18:4444As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me. (Psalm 18:44); 2 Sam. 22:4545Strangers shall submit themselves unto me: as soon as they hear, they shall be obedient unto me. (2 Samuel 22:45) JND with explanatory note at Deut. 33:2929Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places. (Deuteronomy 33:29)); and lastly still others—not like an isolated Toi, but a great multitude which no man will be able to number (Rev. 7:9-109After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; 10And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. (Revelation 7:9‑10))—will submit themselves to Christ's yoke, accepting His victory as their deliverance.
David consecrates all the spoil from the victory over the enemy (2 Sam. 8:11-1211Which also king David did dedicate unto the Lord, with the silver and gold that he had dedicated of all nations which he subdued; 12Of 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. (2 Samuel 8:11‑12)) as well as Toi's free-will offerings to the Lord. He claims nothing of all for himself. What purpose will these riches serve? 1 Chron. 18:7-87And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadarezer, and brought them to Jerusalem. 8Likewise from Tibhath, and from Chun, cities of Hadarezer, brought David very much brass, wherewith Solomon made the brazen sea, and the pillars, and the vessels of brass. (1 Chronicles 18:7‑8) shows us that they were brought to Jerusalem and that Solomon made "the brazen sea, and the pillars, and the vessels of brass" for the temple of the Lord out of this great quantity of brass. In 2 Sam. 6 David had given the Lord's throne the place due to it in the government of the kingdom. Henceforth his only thought is that the fruit of all his victories be used to ornament the ultimate, unchangeable dwelling place of his God in the midst of Israel. The victories of 2 Sam. 5 had served to strengthen David's throne; the victories of 2 Sam. 8 serve to glorify the throne of God who is seated between the cherubim.
Two or three psalms are linked in a special way to the events of this chapter. It is interesting to see how David's prophetic songs are the fruit of his personal experiences or are related to them, but also how these experiences are only a minor factor in the prophetic course of events, a weak picture of Christ's sufferings and the glories that shall follow them.
Psa. 60 as it refers to this chapter proves, if this is necessary, that these events are not simply the history of David, but that typically they represent the future establishment on earth of Christ's kingdom.
The heading of this psalm tells us that it is a "Testimony. Michtam of David; to teach: when he strove with the Syrians of Mesopotamia, and the Syrians of Zobah, and Joab returned, and smote the Edomites in the valley of salt, twelve thousand."
The beginning of this psalm is remarkable: "O God, Thou hast cast us off, Thou hast scattered us, Thou hast been displeased: Restore us again. Thou hast made the earth to tremble, Thou hast rent it: heal the breaches thereof; for it shaketh. Thou hast shown Thy people hard things; Thou hast made us to drink the wine of bewilderment" (Psa. 60:1-31<<To the chief Musician upon Shushan-eduth, Michtam of David, to teach; when he strove with Aram-naharaim and with Aram-zobah, when Joab returned, and smote of Edom in the valley of salt twelve thousand.>> O God, thou hast cast us off, thou hast scattered us, thou hast been displeased; O turn thyself to us again. 2Thou hast made the earth to tremble; thou hast broken it: heal the breaches thereof; for it shaketh. 3Thou hast showed thy people hard things: thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment. (Psalm 60:1‑3)). There is no event in the Second Book of Samuel corresponding to these words, but this was precisely the history of Israel in First Samuel. Following their unfaithfulness under the priesthood and the rule of Saul, Israel had in effect drunk the wine of bewilderment at the end of this book; Israel will drink an even more lethal wine under the Antichrist.
"Thou hast given a banner to them that fear Thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth, Selah, that Thy beloved ones may be delivered" (Psa. 60:4-54Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah. 5That thy beloved may be delivered; save with thy right hand, and hear me. (Psalm 60:4‑5)). What is this banner? It is David, as we see in Isa. 11:1010And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious. (Isaiah 11:10). "And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, standing as a banner of the peoples: the nations shall seek it; and his resting-place shall be glorious." This blessing is only partial in this chapter; it will be completely fulfilled in "Jehovah-Nissi" (the Lord my banner), in Christ, the true Root of Jesse, before His establishment as the true Solomon in His reign. Christ will be the banner around which Israel will gather to go from victory to victory. "That thy beloved ones may be delivered"; in effect these victories of the true David will be the deliverance of the remnant of Israel.
"God hath spoken in His holiness: I will exult, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth" (Psa. 60:66God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth. (Psalm 60:6)). Shechem and Succoth remind us of how Israel's history began with Jacob, their father (Gen. 33:17-2017And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built him an house, and made booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is called Succoth. 18And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padan-aram; and pitched his tent before the city. 19And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for an hundred pieces of money. 20And he erected there an altar, and called it El-elohe-Israel. (Genesis 33:17‑20)). These are the first places where he settled when he returned to the land of promise after wandering in a strange land. So it will one day be for the remnant of Israel surrounding the true David and regaining possession of their land as they follow Him.
"Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine, and Ephraim is the strength of my head; Judah is my lawgiver" (Psa. 60:77Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of mine head; Judah is my lawgiver; (Psalm 60:7)). All the tribes of Israel will acknowledge the true king.
"Moab is my wash pot; upon Edom will I cast my sandal; Philistia, shout aloud because of me!" (Psa. 60:88Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe: Philistia, triumph thou because of me. (Psalm 60:8)). After the Messiah has been acknowledged the three great enemies of 2 Sam. 8 are subdued; Philistia acclaims the supremacy of the Lord's Anointed.
In Psa. 60:9-12 The remnant asks: "Who will bring me into the strong city? Who will lead me unto Edom?" and answers: "Wilt not Thou, O God, who didst cast us off? and didst not go forth, O God, with our armies?" A greater than David, their Messiah, God Himself, will be there to lead them. This psalm, inspired by David's experiences and the events of his history, therefore applies in a positive way to the person of the Lord Jesus.
We find this same Psa. 60, at least in part, again in the fifth book of Psalms in Psa. 108:6-136That thy beloved may be delivered: save with thy right hand, and answer me. 7God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth. 8Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of mine head; Judah is my lawgiver; 9Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe; over Philistia will I triumph. 10Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into Edom? 11Wilt not thou, O God, who hast cast us off? and wilt not thou, O God, go forth with our hosts? 12Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man. 13Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies. (Psalm 108:6‑13). The first five verses of Psa. 108 are borrowed from Psa. 57:7-117My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise. 8Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early. 9I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations. 10For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds. 11Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth. (Psalm 57:7‑11) of the second book of Psalms. Psa. 57 was composed in the cave during David's flight from Saul. In Psa. 57:7-117My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise. 8Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early. 9I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations. 10For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds. 11Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth. (Psalm 57:7‑11) David rejoices in the results of the deliverance which the Lord wrought in his favor. He passes, as it were, from the First Book of Samuel to the Second and says: "My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing, yea, I will sing psalms. Awake, my glory; awake, lute and harp: I will wake the dawn. I will give Thee thanks among the peoples, O Lord; Of Thee will I sing psalms among the nations: for Thy loving-kindness is great unto the heavens, and Thy truth unto the clouds. Be exalted above the heavens, O God: let Thy glory be above all the earth!"
Psa. 108:6-136That thy beloved may be delivered: save with thy right hand, and answer me. 7God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth. 8Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of mine head; Judah is my lawgiver; 9Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe; over Philistia will I triumph. 10Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into Edom? 11Wilt not thou, O God, who hast cast us off? and wilt not thou, O God, go forth with our hosts? 12Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man. 13Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies. (Psalm 108:6‑13) are the same as in Psa. 60, but in them the thought differs from the latter psalm; that is, David wins the victory so that the Lord may be celebrated among the nations and also so that His beloved ones may be delivered, whereas in Psa. 60, it is only a question of the deliverance of His beloved ones.
The circumstances before us in the fifth book of psalms, of which Psa. 108 is a part, are that Israel is returning to their land. They are not yet under the reign of Solomon, a type of Christ during the millennium. But rather they are under the reign of David, the king of grace, and in times (similar to 2 Sam. 8) that are troubled by the appearance of the Assyrian who at the dawn of the millennial period wants to capture the land of Israel. When all enemies are defeated and the king shouts aloud over Philistia (Psa. 108:99Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe; over Philistia will I triumph. (Psalm 108:9), cf. Psa. 60:88Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe: Philistia, triumph thou because of me. (Psalm 60:8)) the remnant asks who will lead them into Edom (Psa. 108:9-109Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe; over Philistia will I triumph. 10Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into Edom? (Psalm 108:9‑10)). Isa. 63:1-61Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. 2Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat? 3I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. 4For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come. 5And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me. 6And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth. (Isaiah 63:1‑6) gives us the answer: "Who is this that cometh from Edom... I have trodden the winepress alone, and of the peoples, not a man was with Me... For the day of vengeance was in My heart, and the year of my redeemed had come... And I have trodden down the peoples in Mine anger."
This will be the last of the Messiah's successive victories over His enemies: alone, He will tread upon them.
How interesting it is to relate all the history of the Old Testament to its Antitype and to go beyond the moral lessons that we may draw, for all the Word speaks of the Lord Jesus. He is the One whom we must seek above all else. If we study the Word prayerfully under the Lord's eye it will lead us to the knowledge of His Person. We need to be occupied with Himself above all else. Then the glory of His kingdom, His victory over the nations, the renewing of His relations with His people will all be subjects of great interest to us although these things do not concern us personally. We will rejoice at the thought of seeing Him occupy the place that is due Him, for Jehovah will establish this reign of glory over the earth for Him who has accomplished the wonderful work of redemption, the work which has thoroughly glorified God and saved us forever.