David's Politics by Abramson Paul R.;

Author:Abramson, Paul R.;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lexington Books/Fortress Academic

Chapter 9

David’s Conquests and His Administration

Chapter 8 of 2 Samuel provides a list of David’s conquests as well as a brief description of his administration. According to Driver ([1889] [1912] 2014, 279) this chapter provides the “close of the history of David’s public doings.” We are told that “Some time afterward David attacked the Philistines and subdued them” (2 Sam. 8:1). Alter (1999, 236) argues that the phrase “and it happened thereafter” . . . “reflects the achronological arrangement of the narrative material at this point.” Bright (2000, 202) argues that the biblical summary of David’s conquests (mainly in 2 Samuel 8, but also in chapters 10 and 12) are not presented in chronological order. But if we follow the order presented in 2 Samuel 8, we find that he next defeats the Moabites.

David is draconian. He makes them “lie down on the ground, measured them off with a cord; he measured two lengths of cord for those who were to be put to death, and one length for those who were to be spared. And the Moabites became servants to David and brought tribute” (2 Sam. 8:2). The text does not explain this harsh treatment, but the Soncino commentary (1949, 232) reminds us that during his rebellion against Saul, David had left his parents in Moab under the protection of its king (1 Sam. 22:4) (see Chapter 4).1 There is a Jewish tradition that the king of Moab had murdered David’s parents.2

David then strikes down King Hadazer, son of Rehob of Zobah and restores his monument on the Euphrates, the largest river in western Asia and at its closest point about four hundred miles east of Jerusalem.3 David captures 1,700 horsemen and 20,000 foot soldiers, and an unspecified number of horses. But David hamstrings most of the chariot horses, leaving only enough for 100 chariots (2 Sam. 8:3–4).4 David puts garrisons among the Arameans of Damascus and they become David’s servants (2 Sam. 8:6). “The LORD gave victory to David wherever he went” (2 Sam. 8:6). David wins a great deal of spoil in these conquests and he dedicates it to the LORD (2 Sam. 8:11).

David continues his conquests. “David won a name for himself. . . . [H]e killed eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt,” (2 Sam. 8:13) whose location is disputable. “He put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom he put garrisons, and all the Edomites became David’s servants.. And the LORD gave victory to David wherever he went” (2 Sam. 8:14). Although the biblical account exaggerates the extent of David’s empire, Howard (1993, 161) correctly argues that David’s reputation was built upon his military victories.. As David says in Joseph Heller’s (1984, 256) novel, God Knows, “I was as proud as a peacock, for I had taken a kingdom the size of Vermont, and created an empire as large as the state of Maine!” To make these conquests and to subjugate the conquered territories, David needs to reorganize his army and Herzog and Gichon (2002, 109–116) describe these changes.

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