2 Samuel 8:3 kjv
David smote also Hadadezer, the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his border at the river Euphrates.
2 Samuel 8:3 nkjv
David also defeated Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his territory at the River Euphrates.
2 Samuel 8:3 niv
Moreover, David defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, when he went to restore his monument at the Euphrates River.
2 Samuel 8:3 esv
David also defeated Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to restore his power at the river Euphrates.
2 Samuel 8:3 nlt
David also destroyed the forces of Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, when Hadadezer marched out to strengthen his control along the Euphrates River.
2 Samuel 8 3 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 15:18 | On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram and said, "To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates..." | God's promise of land to Abraham. |
| Deut 11:24 | Every place where you set your foot will be yours: Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the Euphrates River to the Mediterranean Sea. | Fulfillment of land boundaries. |
| Josh 1:4 | From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the setting of the sun shall be your territory. | Reiterates the promised boundaries. |
| 2 Sam 7:8-9 | 'Now then, tell my servant David, "This is what the LORD Almighty says: I took you from the pasture... and I will make your name great...".' | God's promise to make David's name great. |
| 2 Sam 8:1 | After this, David defeated the Philistines and subdued them... | Preceding victory, showing David's conquests. |
| 2 Sam 10:1-19 | Account of Israel's war with the Ammonites and Arameans, where Hadadezer allies. | Further conflicts with Zobah/Arameans. |
| 1 Chr 18:3 | David also defeated Hadadezer king of Zobah, as he went to set up his monument at the river Euphrates. | Parallel account in Chronicles. |
| 1 Chr 18:9-10 | When Tou king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer king of Zobah... | Impact of Hadadezer's defeat on other nations. |
| 1 Kgs 4:21 | Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. | Fulfillment of God's territorial promise during Solomon's reign. |
| Ps 18:32-34 | It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer... He trains my hands for battle... | David's praise for divine empowerment in battle. |
| Ps 144:1 | Praise be to the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle. | David attributes military success to God. |
| Judg 1:19 | The LORD was with the men of Judah. They took possession of the hill country, but they could not drive out the people living in the plains, because of their iron chariots. | Contrast to David's success where God enables despite chariots (2 Sam 8:4). |
| 1 Sam 17:47 | All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s... | Principle that God fights Israel's battles. |
| Ps 2:8 | Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations as Your inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth as Your possession. | Prophetic scope of God's dominion through His chosen king. |
| Ps 110:1 | The LORD says to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet." | Prophecy of Messiah's ultimate triumph over enemies. |
| Amos 6:13-14 | You who rejoice in Lodebar and say, "Have we not by our own strength taken Karnaim for ourselves?" "For I will raise up against you a nation, O house of Israel," declares the LORD, "that will oppress you from Lebo Hamath to the Valley of the Arabah." | Illustrates the boundaries from a later context. |
| Zech 9:10 | I will cut off the war chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem; the battle bow will be broken... His dominion will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. | Prophetic fulfillment of Messianic kingdom over extensive territories. |
| Lk 1:32-33 | He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High... He will reign over Jacob's descendants forever; his kingdom will never end. | Fulfillment of Davidic kingdom in Jesus. |
| Acts 2:36 | "Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah." | Jesus as the ultimate Lord who defeats spiritual enemies. |
| Eph 6:12 | For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world... | Spiritual enemies and battles the Christian faces. |
2 Samuel 8 verses
2 Samuel 8 3 Meaning
This verse describes one of King David's significant military achievements: his victory over Hadadezer, the powerful king of Zobah. Hadadezer's campaign aimed to re-establish or expand his control towards the strategic Euphrates River. David's triumph over Hadadezer not only thwarted the Aramean king's ambitions but also extended Israel's sphere of influence eastward, reaching closer to the geographical boundaries promised to Abraham and his descendants. This victory demonstrates God's continued support for David and the expansion of the kingdom of Israel.
2 Samuel 8 3 Context
This verse is part of a summary statement in 2 Samuel Chapter 8 detailing King David's extensive military campaigns and his successful expansion of the kingdom of Israel. It follows the establishment of Jerusalem as the capital and God's covenant with David in chapter 7, promising him an eternal dynasty. The immediate verses preceding it describe David's conquest of the Philistines. The victory over Hadadezer is presented as another significant step in establishing David's authority and fulfilling the territorial promises given by God. Hadadezer's kingdom of Zobah was a prominent Aramean power, controlling trade routes and presenting a serious challenge to Israel's emergence as a regional power. His defeat solidified Israel's dominance and brought tribute from surrounding nations, setting the stage for Solomon's reign of unprecedented peace and prosperity.
2 Samuel 8 3 Word analysis
- David: The central figure, God's chosen king for Israel. His leadership is divinely sanctioned, leading to successful military campaigns.
- also defeated: The Hebrew verb is nakah (נָכָה), meaning "to strike, smite, slay, attack." It implies a decisive military engagement resulting in an overwhelming defeat. In biblical narrative, Israel's ability to "defeat" powerful enemies is often attributed to the LORD's direct intervention and empowerment.
- Hadadezer: Hebrew הֲדַדְעֶ֫זֶר (Hadadezer). His name means "Hadad is help," Hadad being a major Aramean storm and fertility god. This highlights his pagan allegiance, underscoring that David's victory was a triumph over an idolatrous power. He was a formidable king of Zobah.
- son of Rehob: Indicates Hadadezer's lineage or the region/clan he originated from, specifically identifying him and distinguishing him from others. Rehob may have been a minor Aramaean kingdom or region itself.
- king of Zobah: Hebrew צוֹבָה (Tsobah). Zobah was a dominant Aramean kingdom in central Syria, north-east of Damascus, during this period. Its power derived from control of significant trade routes and its strong military, including chariotry, making its defeat a monumental achievement for David.
- when he went: This clause introduces Hadadezer's strategic action or ambition that led to conflict with David.
- to restore his dominion: The Hebrew phrase is ambiguous, often rendered as "to restore his monument/power" or "to set up his monument." The word yad (יָד) usually means "hand," but can also refer to a "monument" or "dominion." The sense is Hadadezer's ambition to reassert or extend his power and control over the significant trade routes and territories leading to or along the Euphrates River, possibly after previous defeats or challenges. This demonstrates his aggressive imperial aims.
- over the Euphrates River: The Hebrew Perath (פְּרָת) refers to the Euphrates, one of the four rivers associated with the Garden of Eden and, crucially, a defining eastern boundary of the land God promised to Abraham's descendants (Gen 15:18). Hadadezer's movement towards this river meant encroaching on Israel's God-given inheritance. David's intervention thus safeguarded this divinely apportioned territory.
Words-group by words-group analysis
- "David also defeated Hadadezer... king of Zobah": This highlights David's status as a formidable military leader, blessed by God. Defeating the king of Zobah, a powerful regional adversary, demonstrates Israel's growing military strength and divinely-enabled success under David's leadership. It establishes David's authority as king not only over Israel but also over neighboring regions through conquest and tribute.
- "when he went to restore his dominion over the Euphrates River": This phrase provides the causative context for the war. Hadadezer's ambition was to project his power to the Euphrates, a critical geographical and symbolic boundary. This action posed a direct challenge to the territorial extent of the land promised to Israel by God, implying a providential timing for David's engagement and victory. David's subsequent actions in establishing control in this area directly move towards the fulfillment of the Abrahamic land promise.
2 Samuel 8 3 Bonus section
The mention of Zobah's power, particularly its chariots (seen in 2 Sam 8:4 where David hamstrings horses), positions this victory as overcoming superior military technology. Many biblical narratives emphasize that Israel's success in battle did not rely on overwhelming conventional military might, but on God's intervention (e.g., against Egyptian chariots at the Red Sea, Judges' reliance on God's strength against Canaanite chariots). David's act of hamstringing the captured horses reflects a policy that prevented Israel from relying on chariotry, trusting instead in the Lord for salvation, in line with Deut 17:16, which cautions kings against multiplying horses. This campaign extended David's empire to include the territory of Hamath (2 Sam 8:9-10) and opened trade routes, providing tribute and valuable resources, laying the groundwork for the economic prosperity seen in Solomon's reign. This expansion sets a high water mark for the boundaries of the promised land being held by Israel under a unified kingdom.
2 Samuel 8 3 Commentary
2 Samuel 8:3 encapsulates a pivotal moment in the expansion of David's kingdom, directly following God's covenant with him. Hadadezer, the king of Zobah, was a formidable Aramean ruler, recognized as a regional hegemon due to his military strength and strategic positioning along crucial trade routes. His venture to "restore his dominion" towards the Euphrates River signifies an ambitious campaign to assert or reclaim control over territory or trade interests that extended to this significant boundary. For Israel, the Euphrates River was not merely a geographical marker but a divinely promised boundary of the land God covenanted to Abraham (Genesis 15:18). Therefore, Hadadezer's advance represented a direct challenge to the divine inheritance of Israel. David's decisive victory was thus not merely a territorial conquest but a providential step towards realizing God's ancient promises. The defeat of Zobah meant Israel established significant influence, gaining control over vital resources like bronze and opening the way for more comprehensive regional control under David's administration. This victory underscored David's reliance on God, as seen throughout the narrative of his reign, reinforcing that it was the Lord who gave David victory wherever he went. This military success contributes to the peace and security necessary for the temple building later envisioned.