1After this, David defeated and crushed the Philistines. He took Gath and its surrounding villages from them. 2He also defeated Moab, and the Moabites became David's subjects and paid taxes [to him].

3When David went to establish his control [over the territory] along the Euphrates River, he defeated King Hadadezer at Hamath. 4David took 1,000 chariots, 7,000 horsemen, and 20,000 foot soldiers from him. David also disabled all but 100 of their horses so that they couldn't pull chariots.

5When the Arameans from Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, David killed 22,000 of them. 6David put troops in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus, and the Arameans became his subjects and paid taxes [to him]. Everywhere David went, the LORD gave him victories. 7David took the gold shields that Hadadezer's servants carried, and he brought them to Jerusalem. 8David also took a large quantity of bronze from Tibhath and Cun, Hadadezer's cities. ( [Later] Solomon used it to make the pool, pillars, and utensils [for the temple].)

9When King Tou of Hamath heard that David had defeated the whole army of Zobah's King Hadadezer, 10he sent his son Hadoram to greet King David and congratulate him for fighting and defeating Hadadezer. (There had often been war between Hadadezer and Tou.) 11King David dedicated all the articles of gold, silver, and bronze to the LORD, along with the silver and gold he had taken from other nations-from Edom, Moab, Ammon, the Philistines, and Amalek.

12Zeruiah's son Abishai killed 18,000 Edomites in the Dead Sea region. 13He put troops in Edom, and all its people became David's subjects. Everywhere David went, the LORD gave him victories.

14So David ruled all Israel. He did what was fair and right for all his people. 15Zeruiah's son Joab was in charge of the army. Ahilud's son Jehoshaphat was the royal historian. 16Ahitub's son Zadok and Abiathar's son Abimelech were priests. Shavsha was the royal scribe. 17Jehoiada's son Benaiah was commander of the Cherethites and the Pelethites. And David's sons were his main officials.