Rashi on Tanakh2 Samuel 8

Meseg Hoamoh. In Divrei Hayomim (I, 18:1) it's written, "Dovid took Goss from the hand of the Pelishtim." [Goss] is called Meseg Hoamoh because she was the stick that dominated all the Pelishtim. It was the king's metropolis because we do not find [associated with] any of the Pelishtim rulers [not] with Azoh, Ashdod, Akron [nor] Ashkelon,¹This a reference to the Pelishtim rulers enumerated in Yehoshua 13:3. Rashi has left out the Avites, because he relies on Rav’s opinion in Chulin 60b that Avites were from Teimon and not from the Philistine people. a royal title. Only in reference Goss do we find [a royal title], "Akish, the king of Goss."²Shmuel I, 20:11.

Meseg. Avillon in O.F.

Hoamoh. This is the harness made of wood.³מֶתֶג means the reins. These are references to the control this city had over the Pelishtim.

Those measured with two ropes were killed. [This vengeance was] because they killed his father, his mother and his brothers as it is said, "He led them before the king of Moav." (Shmuel I, 22:4) We do not find that they ever left from there.⁴Yalkut Shimoni, 147.

As he went. When Haddadezer was going

To enlarge his border. As [Yonasan] translates, "To widen his border," [Haddadezer] conquored land outside his countries border and widened his border.

Dovid destroyed all the chariot [horses]. Because [of the verse], "He must not acquire an abundance of horses for himself"⁵One of the prohibitions specific to the kings of Yisroel. (See Devorim 17:16)

[With] one hundred chariot [horses] remaining. That he required for his riding entourage. [The word] chariot [refers to] four horses as it is said, (Divrei Hayomim II, 1:17) "Chariot for six hundred silver pieces and horses for one hundred and fifty." From here we learn that a chariot refers to four horses.⁶Given that a מֶרְכָּבָה fetched six hundred silver pieces, four times the one hundred and fifty cost of one horse.

The golden quivers. They are the quivers in which the arrows are put as you say, (Yirmeyah 51:11). "clean out the arrows, till the quivers." All these chapters⁷Concerning Dovid’s battles. have been set near the chapter concerning the Beis Hamikdash⁸Dovid’s desire to build a Beis Hamikdash for Hashem in the previous chapter (7:2) and Hashem’s subsequent response. because from all these wars [Dovid] gathered consecrated items for the needs of the House [i.e., Beis Hamikdash].

Dovid made a name [for himself]. He buried those of Edom whom he had killed and that is a good name for Yisroel that they bury their enemies. As it says in reference to the war of Gog and Mogog, "All the people of the land will bury and this will acquire for them a name." (Yechezkel 39:13) And how do we know that Dovid buried them? Because it says in the Book of kings (I, 11:15), "And it happened when Dovid was in Edom when Yoav, his army general went up to bury the corpses."

Eighteen thousand. [However] in the Book of Tehilim (60:2) it says, "twelve thousand" Hence we must say [in response] that there were two battles.⁹With Edom. Tanchuma Devorim.

Officers. Officers to collect the tax.

Dovid rendered judgement… Yoav…was [commander] over the army. Dovid caused Yoav to be successful [with his command] over the army because he rendered judgment and righteousness and Yoav caused Dovid to render judgment and righteousness because he [Dovid] judged and Yoav policed and enforced on the basis [of the judgment].¹⁰Rashi is learning that the proximity of the verse discussing Dovid’s judgment of the people to the next verse discussing Yoav’s commanding of the army shows that these two phenomena were related. Other prominent leaders are being discussed in the subsequent verses but Yoav is mentioned first immediately after king Dovid. Another [reason is that] because Yoav busied himself with the battles, Dovid was not preoccupied by them and his heart was [able to be] open to judge righteously.

Recorder [of halachic cases]. [He] announced which [case] was to come before him [Dovid] first for it to be ruled on first.

Venoyohaa, the son of Yehoyodoh [was in charge of] the archers and the sling shooters. Yonasan translated, "Venoyoha, the son of Yehoydoh was appointed [in charge] over the archers and over the sling shooters." [Alternatively] our Rabbis said [that the words] keraisi and plaisi refer to the Urim and Tumim.¹¹Rashi explains in Shemos 28:30 that this is a reference to the inscription of the Explicit Name which was placed into the folds of the breastplate. Through the breastplate, they would communicate the answers of Hashem to questions the Kohein asked of Him, hence they would (מֵאִיר), light up and explain their words and וּמְתַּמֵּם) complete their words, i.e. make words come true. (Yoma 73b). This explanation of our Rabbis concerning the translation of keraisi and plaisi can be found in Berachos 4a.

Were prominent [leaders]. [Yonasan translates] "They were prominent."