New American Standard Bible 1995
2 Samuel 8:2
21He 2defeated 3Moab, and measured them with the line, making them lie down on the ground; and he measured two lines to put to death and one full line to keep alive. And 4the Moabites became servants to David, 5bringing tribute.
2 Samuel 8:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And 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.
- New International Version (NIV)David also defeated the Moabites. He made them lie down on the ground and measured them off with a length of cord. Every two lengths of them were put to death, and the third length was allowed to live. So the Moabites became subject to David and brought him tribute.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And he defeated Moab and he 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.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then he defeated Moab. Forcing them down to the ground, he measured them off with a line. With two lines he measured off those to be put to death, and with one full line those to be kept alive. So the Moabites became David’s servants, and brought tribute.
Context of 2 Samuel 8:2
1Now after this it came about that David defeated the Philistines and subdued them; and David took control of the chief city from the hand of the Philistines. He defeated Moab, and measured them with the line, making them lie down on the ground; and he measured two lines to put to death and one full line to keep alive. And the Moabites became servants to David, bringing tribute. 3Then David defeated Hadadezer, the son of Rehob king of Zobah, as he went to restore his rule at the River. 4David captured from him 1,700 horsemen and 20,000 foot soldiers; and David hamstrung the chariot horses, but reserved enough of them for 100 chariots.
Read all of 2 Samuel 82 Samuel 8:2 word by word
וַיַּ֣ךְ אֶת־מוֹאָ֗ב וַֽיְמַדְּדֵ֤ם בַּחֶ֙בֶל֙ הַשְׁכֵּ֣ב אוֹתָ֣ם אַ֔רְצָה וַיְמַדֵּ֤ד שְׁנֵֽי־חֲבָלִים֙ לְהָמִ֔ית וּמְלֹ֥א הַחֶ֖בֶל לְהַחֲי֑וֹת וַתְּהִ֤י מוֹאָב֙ לְדָוִ֔ד לַעֲבָדִ֖ים נֹשְׂאֵ֥י מִנְחָֽה׃Read the interlinear
- defeatedנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
- Moabמוֹאָבmô'âb · MoabH4124
- and measuredמָדַדmâdad · to measureH4058
- them with the lineחֶ֫בֶלchebel chêbel · cordH2256
- making them lieשָׁכַבshâkab · to lie down: lay downH7901
- downשָׁכַבshâkab · to lie down: lay downH7901
- on the groundאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: soilH776
- twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
- to putמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- and one fullמְלֹאmelô' melô' melô · fullnessH4393
- becameהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
- servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
- to Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
- bringingנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: bearH5375
- tributeמִנְחָהminchâh · offering: tributeH4503
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 8:2
- Numbers 24:17I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near; A star shall come forth from Jacob, A scepter shall rise from Israel, And shall crush through the forehead of Moab, And tear down all the sons of Sheth.
- Judges 3:29They struck down at that time about ten thousand Moabites, all robust and valiant men; and no one escaped.
- 1 Samuel 14:47Now when Saul had taken the kingdom over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, the sons of Ammon, Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines; and wherever he turned, he inflicted punishment.
- Psalms 60:8Moab is My washbowl; Over Edom I shall throw My shoe; Shout loud, O Philistia, because of Me!”
- Psalms 83:6The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites;
- 2 Samuel 12:31He also brought out the people who were in it, and set them under saws, sharp iron instruments, and iron axes, and made them pass through the brickkiln. And thus he did to all the cities of the sons of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.
- 2 Samuel 8:6Then David put garrisons among the Arameans of Damascus, and the Arameans became servants to David, bringing tribute. And the Lord helped David wherever he went.
- 2 Kings 1:1Now Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab.
- 2 Kings 3:4Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and used to pay the king of Israel 100,000 lambs and the wool of 100,000 rams.
- 1 Chronicles 18:2He defeated Moab, and the Moabites became servants to David, bringing tribute.
- 1 Samuel 10:27But certain worthless men said, “How can this one deliver us?” And they despised him and did not bring him any present. But he kept silent.
- 2 Chronicles 26:8The Ammonites also gave tribute to Uzziah, and his fame extended to the border of Egypt, for he became very strong.
- Psalms 72:10Let the kings of Tarshish and of the islands bring presents; The kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts.
- Isaiah 36:16Do not listen to Hezekiah,’ for thus says the king of Assyria, ‘Make your peace with me and come out to me, and eat each of his vine and each of his fig tree and drink each of the waters of his own cistern,
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 8:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2And measured them with a line - even with two lines - It has been generally conjectured that David, after he had conquered Moab, consigned two-thirds of the inhabitants to the sword; but I think the text will bear a meaning much more reputable to that king. The first clause of the verse seems to determine the sense; he measured them with a line, casting them down to the ground - to put to death, and with one line to keep alive. Death seems here to be…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2David took great numbers of the Moabites prisoners of war, and made them lie down on the ground, and then divided them by a measuring line into three parts, putting two-thirds to death, and saving alive one-third. The cause of the war with the Moabites, who had been very friendly with David 1 Samuel 22:3-4, and of this severe treatment, is not known. But it seems likely, from the tone of Psalm 60:1-12 that David had met with some temporary reverse in his…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2Moab was on the east side of the Dead Sea. Earlier, the people of Moab had provided David’s parents with refuge during Saul’s reign (1 Samuel 22:3–4). David’s great-grandmother Ruth came from Moab. By David’s time, however, there was no longer a close or friendly relationship between Israel and Moab. two lengths those to be put to death, and with one length those to be spared: This is the only time in 2 Samuel that David executed captives taken in battle…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. he smote Moab, and measured them with a line--This refers to a well-known practice of Eastern kings, to command their prisoners of war, particularly those who, notorious for the atrocity of their crimes or distinguished by the indomitable spirit of their resistance, had greatly incensed the victors, to lie down on the ground. Then a certain portion of them, which was determined by lot, but most commonly by a measuring-line, were put to death. Our…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 8:2
In the dictionaries
Notes
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New American Standard Bible 1995 — © 1960–1995 The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Commentaries