TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

I - Chapter 18

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1Sometime afterward, David attacked the Philistines and subdued them; and David took Gath and its dependencies from the Philistines.

אוַיְהִי אַחֲרֵי־כֵן וַיַּךְ דָּוִיד אֶת־פְּלִשְׁתִּים וַיַּכְנִיעֵם וַיִּקַּח אֶת־גַּת וּבְנֹתֶיהָ מִיַּד פְּלִשְׁתִּים׃

2He also defeated the Moabites; the Moabites became tributary vassals of David.

בוַיַּךְ אֶת־מוֹאָב וַיִּהְיוּ מוֹאָב עֲבָדִים לְדָוִיד נֹשְׂאֵי מִנְחָה׃

3David defeated Hadadezer, king of Zobahhamath, who was on his way to set up his monument at the Euphrates River.

גוַיַּךְ דָּוִיד אֶת־הֲדַדְעֶזֶר מֶלֶךְ־צוֹבָה חֲמָתָה בְּלֶכְתּוֹ לְהַצִּיב יָדוֹ בִּנְהַר־פְּרָת׃

4David captured 1,000 chariots and 7,000 horsemen and 20,000 foot soldiers of his force; and David hamstrung all the chariot horses except for 100, which he retained.

דוַיִּלְכֹּד דָּוִיד מִמֶּנּוּ אֶלֶף רֶכֶב וְשִׁבְעַת אֲלָפִים פָּרָשִׁים וְעֶשְׂרִים אֶלֶף אִישׁ רַגְלִי וַיְעַקֵּר דָּוִיד אֶת־כָּל־הָרֶכֶב וַיּוֹתֵר מִמֶּנּוּ מֵאָה רָכֶב׃

5And when the Arameans of Damascus came to the aid of King Hadadezer of Zobah-hamath, David struck down 22,000 of the Arameans.

הוַיָּבֹא אֲרַם דַּרְמֶשֶׂק לַעְזוֹר לַהֲדַדְעֶזֶר מֶלֶךְ צוֹבָה וַיַּךְ דָּוִיד בַּאֲרָם עֶשְׂרִים־וּשְׁנַיִם אֶלֶף אִישׁ׃

6David stationed [garrisons] in Aram of Damascus, and the Arameans became tributary vassals of David. Hashem gave David victory wherever he went.

ווַיָּשֶׂם דָּוִיד בַּאֲרַם דַּרְמֶשֶׂק וַיְהִי אֲרָם לְדָוִיד עֲבָדִים נֹשְׂאֵי מִנְחָה וַיּוֹשַׁע יְהֹוָה לְדָוִיד בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר הָלָךְ׃

7David took the gold shields carried by Hadadezer's retinue and brought them to Yerushalayim;

זוַיִּקַּח דָּוִיד אֵת שִׁלְטֵי הַזָּהָב אֲשֶׁר הָיוּ עַל עַבְדֵי הֲדַדְעָזֶר וַיְבִיאֵם יְרוּשָׁלָ ִם׃

8and from Tibbath and Cun, towns of Hadadezer, David took a vast amount of copper, from which Shlomo made the bronze tank, the columns, and the bronze vessels.

חוּמִטִּבְחַת וּמִכּוּן עָרֵי הֲדַדְעֶזֶר לָקַח דָּוִיד נְחֹשֶׁת רַבָּה מְאֹד בָּהּ עָשָׂה שְׁלֹמֹה אֶת־יָם הַנְּחֹשֶׁת וְאֶת־הָעַמּוּדִים וְאֵת כְּלֵי הַנְּחֹשֶׁת׃

9When King Tou of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of King Hadadezer of Zobah,

טוַיִּשְׁמַע תֹּעוּ מֶלֶךְ חֲמָת כִּי הִכָּה דָוִיד אֶת־כָּל־חֵיל הֲדַדְעֶזֶר מֶלֶךְ־צוֹבָה׃

10he sent his son Hadoram to King David to greet him and to congratulate him on his military victory over Hadadezer—for Hadadezer had been at war with Tou; [he brought with him] all manner of gold, silver, and copper objects.

יוַיִּשְׁלַח אֶת־הֲדוֹרָם־בְּנוֹ אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ־דָּוִיד לשאול־[לִשְׁאָל־] לוֹ לְשָׁלוֹם וּלְבָרֲכוֹ עַל אֲשֶׁר נִלְחַם בַּהֲדַדְעֶזֶר וַיַּכֵּהוּ כִּי־אִישׁ מִלְחֲמוֹת תֹּעוּ הָיָה הֲדַדְעָזֶר וְכֹל כְּלֵי זָהָב וָכֶסֶף וּנְחֹשֶׁת׃

11King David dedicated these to Hashem, along with the other silver and gold that he had taken from all the nations: from Edom, Moab, and Ammon; from the Philistines and the Amalekites.

יאגַּם־אֹתָם הִקְדִּישׁ הַמֶּלֶךְ דָּוִיד לַיהֹוָה עִם־הַכֶּסֶף וְהַזָּהָב אֲשֶׁר נָשָׂא מִכָּל־הַגּוֹיִם מֵאֱדוֹם וּמִמּוֹאָב וּמִבְּנֵי עַמּוֹן וּמִפְּלִשְׁתִּים וּמֵעֲמָלֵק׃

12Abshai son of Tzeruya struck down Edom in the Valley of Salt, 18,000 in all.

יבוְאַבְשַׁי בֶּן־צְרוּיָה הִכָּה אֶת־אֱדוֹם בְּגֵיא הַמֶּלַח שְׁמוֹנָה עָשָׂר אָלֶף׃

13He stationed garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites became vassals of David. Hashem gave David victory wherever he went.

יגוַיָּשֶׂם בֶּאֱדוֹם נְצִיבִים וַיִּהְיוּ כָל־אֱדוֹם עֲבָדִים לְדָוִיד וַיּוֹשַׁע יְהֹוָה אֶת־דָּוִיד בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר הָלָךְ׃

14David reigned over all Yisrael, and David executed true justice among all his people.

va-yim-LOKH da-VEED al kol yis-ra-AYL vai-HEE o-SEH mish-PAT utz-da-KAH l'-khol a-MO

ידוַיִּמְלֹךְ דָּוִיד עַל־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיְהִי עֹשֶׂה מִשְׁפָּט וּצְדָקָה לְכָל־עַמּוֹ׃

18:14   David executed true justice among all his people

King David’s rule over Israel is defined by justice and righteousness. As emphasized by the prophets, executing justice and righteousness is the charge of the Jewish people and their leaders in the Land of Israel (see Ezekiel 45:9). In this sense, David was an ideal king. While he did conduct several wars, his reign is ultimately defined not by violence, but justice. He was a just king, providing a model for all to follow. Following in King David’s path will bring the ultimate redemption, as the prophet Yeshayahu says, “Tzion shall be saved in the judgment, her repentant ones, in the retribution.” (Isaiah 1:27).

15Yoav son of Tzeruya was commander of the army; Yehoshafat son of Achilud was recorder;

טווְיוֹאָב בֶּן־צְרוּיָה עַל־הַצָּבָא וִיהוֹשָׁפָט בֶּן־אֲחִילוּד מַזְכִּיר׃

16Tzadok son of Achituv and Avimelech son of Evyatar were Kohanim; Shavsha was scribe;

טזוְצָדוֹק בֶּן־אֲחִיטוּב וַאֲבִימֶלֶךְ בֶּן־אֶבְיָתָר כֹּהֲנִים וְשַׁוְשָׁא סוֹפֵר׃

17Benaiah son of Yehoyada was commander of the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David's sons were first ministers of the king.

יזוּבְנָיָהוּ בֶּן־יְהוֹיָדָע עַל־הַכְּרֵתִי וְהַפְּלֵתִי וּבְנֵי־דָוִיד הָרִאשֹׁנִים לְיַד הַמֶּלֶךְ׃