2 Samuel 8:2

And he overcame the Moabites, and he had them measured with a line when they were stretched out on the earth; marking out two lines for death and one full line for life. So the Moabites became servants to David and gave him offerings.

Bible in Basic English

In The King James Version

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.

In Context

1And it came about after this that David made an attack on the Philistines and overcame them; and David took the authority of the mother-town from the hands of the Philistines.

3And David overcame Hadadezer, the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, when he went to make his power seen by the River.

Read all of 2 Samuel 8

Cross References

Judges 3:29At that time they put about ten thousand men of Moab to the sword, every strong man and every man of war; not a man got away.

1 Samuel 14:47Now when Saul had taken his place as ruler of Israel, he made war on those who were against him on every side, Moab and the Ammonites and Edom and the kings of Zobah and the Philistines: and whichever way he went, he overcame them.

2 Samuel 8:12The nations of Edom and Moab, and the children of Ammon and the Philistines and the Amalekites and the goods he had taken from Hadadezer, the son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

2 Kings 1:1After the death of Ahab, Moab made itself free from the authority of Israel.

2 Kings 17:3Against him came up Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, and Hoshea became his servant and sent him offerings.

2 Chronicles 26:8The Ammonites gave offerings to Uzziah: and news of him went out as far as the limit of Egypt; for he became very great in power.

Matthew Henry on 2 Samuel 8:2-9

David's Conquests. ( b. c. 1042.) 1 And after this it came to pass, that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them: and David took Metheg-ammah out of the hand of the Philistines. 2 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. 3 David smote also Hadadezer, the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his border at… Read the whole commentary →

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