2 Samuel 8:2
New International Version
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.

New Living Translation
David also conquered the land of Moab. He made the people lie down on the ground in a row, and he measured them off in groups with a length of rope. He measured off two groups to be executed for every one group to be spared. The Moabites who were spared became David’s subjects and paid him tribute money.

English Standard Version
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.

Berean Standard Bible
David also defeated the Moabites, made them lie down on the ground, and measured them off with a cord. He measured off with two lengths those to be put to death, and with one length those to be spared. So the Moabites became subject to David and brought him tribute.

King James Bible
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 King James Version
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.

New American Standard Bible
And 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 a full line to keep alive. And the Moabites became servants to David, bringing tribute.

NASB 1995
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.

NASB 1977
And 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.

Legacy Standard Bible
He also struck 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.

Amplified Bible
He defeated Moab, and measured them with a length of rope, making them lie down on the ground; he measured two lengths to [choose those to] put to death, and one full length to [choose those to] be kept alive. And the [surviving] Moabites became servants to David, bringing tribute.

Christian Standard Bible
He also defeated the Moabites, and after making them lie down on the ground, he measured them off with a cord. He measured every two cord lengths of those to be put to death and one full length of those to be kept alive. So the Moabites became David’s subjects and brought tribute.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He also defeated the Moabites, and after making them lie down on the ground, he measured them off with a cord. He measured every two cord lengths of those to be put to death and one length of those to be kept alive. So the Moabites became David’s subjects and brought tribute.

American Standard Version
And he smote Moab, and measured them with the line, making them to 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, and brought tribute.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And he struck the Moabites and he measured them with a cord and made them lie down on the ground, and he measured two cords to kill and a full cord to keep alive, and the Moabites were Servants to David, offerers of offerings

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And David smote Moab, and measured them out with lines, having laid them down on the ground: and there were two lines for slaying, and two lines he kept alive: and Moab became servants to David, yielding tribute.

Contemporary English Version
David also defeated the Moabites. Then he made their soldiers lie down on the ground, and he measured them off with a rope. He would measure off two lengths of the rope and have those men killed, then he would measure off one length and let those men live. The people of Moab had to accept David as their ruler and pay taxes to him.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he defeated Moab, and measured them with a line, casting them down to the earth: and he measured with two lines, one to put to death, and one to save alive: and Moab was made to serve David under tribute.

English Revised Version
And he smote Moab, and measured them with the line, making them to lie down on the ground; and he measured two lines to put to death, and one full fine to keep alive. And the Moabites became servants to David, and brought presents.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
He also defeated Moab, made the Moabites lie down on the ground, and measured them with a rope. He measured two lengths which were to be killed, and one length which was to be spared. So the Moabites became David's subjects and paid taxes [to him].

Good News Translation
Then he defeated the Moabites. He made the prisoners lie down on the ground and put two out of every three of them to death. So the Moabites became his subjects and paid taxes to him.

International Standard Version
David also conquered Moab, then measured them with a cord, making them lie down on the ground. He executed everyone measured out in each two lengths' measurement of the cord, but spared the ones measured out by every third length. Then the Moabites were placed under servitude to David, and made to pay tribute.

JPS Tanakh 1917
And he smote Moab, and measured them with the line, making them to 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, and brought presents.

Literal Standard Version
And he strikes Moab, and measures them with a line, causing them to lie down on the earth, and he measures two lines to put to death, and the fullness of the line to keep alive, and the Moabites are for servants to David, bearers of a present.

Majority Standard Bible
David also defeated the Moabites, made them lie down on the ground, and measured them off with a cord. He measured off with two lengths those to be put to death, and with one length those to be spared. So the Moabites became subject to David and brought him tribute.

New American Bible
He also defeated Moab and measured them with a line. Making them lie down on the ground, he measured two lengths of line for death, and a full length for life. Thus the Moabites became subject to David, paying tribute.

NET Bible
He defeated the Moabites. He made them lie on the ground and then used a rope to measure them off. He put two-thirds of them to death and spared the other third. The Moabites became David's subjects and brought tribute.

New Revised Standard Version
He also defeated the Moabites and, making them lie down on the ground, measured them off with a cord; he measured two lengths of cord for those who were to be put to death, and one length for those who were to be spared. And the Moabites became servants to David and brought tribute.

New Heart English Bible
He struck Moab, and measured them with the line, making them to lie down on the ground; and he measured two lines to put to death, and one full line to keep alive. The Moabites became servants to David, and brought tribute.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he smote Moab, and measured them with a line, casting them down to the ground; even with two lines he measured to put to death, and with one full line to keep alive. And so the Moabites became David's servants, and brought gifts.

World English Bible
He defeated Moab, and measured them with the line, making them to lie down on the ground; and he measured two lines to put to death, and one full line to keep alive. The Moabites became servants to David, and brought tribute.

Young's Literal Translation
And he smiteth Moab, and measureth them with a line, causing them to lie down on the earth, and he measureth two lines to put to death, and the fulness of the line to keep alive, and the Moabites are to David for servants, bearers of a present.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
David's Triumphs
1Some time later, David defeated the Philistines, subdued them, and took Metheg-ammah from the hand of the Philistines. 2David also defeated the Moabites, made them lie down on the ground, and measured them off with a cord. He measured off with two lengths those to be put to death, and with one length those to be spared. So the Moabites became subject to David and brought him tribute. 3David also defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, who had marched out to restore his dominion along the Euphrates River.…

Cross References
Numbers 24:17
I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come forth from Jacob, and a scepter will arise from Israel. He will crush the skulls of Moab and strike down all the sons of Sheth.

1 Samuel 22:3
From there David went to Mizpeh of Moab, where he said to the king of Moab, "Please let my father and mother stay with you until I learn what God will do for me."

1 Samuel 22:4
So he left them in the care of the king of Moab, and they stayed with him the whole time David was in the stronghold.

2 Samuel 8:6
Then he placed garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject to David and brought him tribute. So the LORD made David victorious wherever he went.

2 Samuel 8:12
from Edom and Moab, from the Ammonites and Philistines and Amalekites, and from the spoil of Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

1 Kings 4:21
And Solomon reigned over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. These kingdoms offered tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life.

2 Kings 1:1
After the death of Ahab, Moab rebelled against Israel.


Treasury of Scripture

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.

he smote

Numbers 24:17
I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.

Judges 3:29,30
And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty, and all men of valour; and there escaped not a man…

1 Samuel 14:47
So Saul took the kingdom over Israel, and fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines: and whithersoever he turned himself, he vexed them.

measured

2 Samuel 12:31
And he brought forth the people that were therein, and put them under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brickkiln: and thus did he unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. So David and all the people returned unto Jerusalem.

And so

2 Samuel 8:6,12-14
Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus: and the Syrians became servants to David, and brought gifts. And the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went…

2 Kings 1:1
Then Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab.

2 Kings 3:4-27
And Mesha king of Moab was a sheepmaster, and rendered unto the king of Israel an hundred thousand lambs, and an hundred thousand rams, with the wool…

brought gifts

1 Samuel 10:27
But the children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace.

2 Chronicles 26:8
And the Ammonites gave gifts to Uzziah: and his name spread abroad even to the entering in of Egypt; for he strengthened himself exceedingly.

Psalm 72:10,11
The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts…

Jump to Previous
Alive Casting David David's Death Defeated Full Gifts Ground Line Making Measured Moab Moabites Presents Servants Smote Struck Tribute
Jump to Next
Alive Casting David David's Death Defeated Full Gifts Ground Line Making Measured Moab Moabites Presents Servants Smote Struck Tribute
2 Samuel 8
1. David subdues the Philistines and the Moabites
3. He smites Hadadezer, and the Syrians
9. Toi sends Joram with presents to bless him
11. David dedicates the presents and the spoil to God
14. He puts garrisons in Edom
16. David's officers














(2) He smote Moab.--David's former friendly relations with Moab (probably connected with his own descent from Ruth), are mentioned in 1Samuel 22:3-4. The cause of his entire change of bearing towards them is not certainly known, but according to Jewish tradition the Moabites had proved false to their trust, and had put to death David's father and mother. This is not unlikely, as his parents are never mentioned again after they were left in Moab. Others think that the Moabites had been guilty of some treachery towards David in his war with the Syrians and Ammonites. The two suppositions are quite consistent, and both may have been true. Many writers see in this conquest at least a partial fulfilment of the prophecy in Numbers 24:17.

With two lines.--This expression with the "one full line" of the next clause is equivalent to saying that David measured off the bodies of his prostrate enemies with a line divided into three equal parts. When they had been made to lie down upon the ground, side by side, the line was stretched over them. Such as were found under the two first parts of it were put to death, those under the third part were spared, thus two-thirds of all the Moabite men perished. There is no mention of this in 1Chronicles 18:2.

Brought gifts.--A frequent euphemism for paid tribute. (Comp. 2Samuel 8:6.)

Verse 2. - He smote Moab. In the previous history we find David and Moab on such friendly terms that he entrusted his father and mother into their king's keeping (1 Samuel 22:3, 4). Now he not only subjugates them, but puts two-thirds or, according to the ancient versions, half of the captured combatants to death. Compared with the custom of the Romans, and with the attempt to destroy all the males in Edom, this was mild treatment; for we find Caesar in his Gallic wars putting all his prisoners to death, and using for their execution the mere phrase, "he counted them in the number of enemies," as if the killing of enemies was a matter of course. The customs of the Israelites in war were not so cruel, and this treatment of the Moabites seems to be mentioned as showing that they received exceptionally severe treatment. The justification of this is found by Jewish commentators, on the authority of the Midrash, in the supposed fact that the King of Moab had put David's father and mother to death. But as Philippson adds, even so it was an instance of the extreme barbarity of ancient warfare. Casting them down to the ground; Hebrew, making them to lie down on the ground; and so the Revised Version. It is plain that those who were made to lie on the ground were combatants who had been made prisoners, and the Hebrew seems to mean that, while they were thus prostrate, they were measured off into three divisions, whereof two were put to the sword, and one permitted to live. All the versions, however, understand that only half were put to death, making the sense to be that he measured them with two cords, one to kill, and one full cord - one, that is, of larger size, to save alive. We get no help from 1 Chronicles 18:2, where this treatment of the Moabites is omitted. It is probable that it was in this war that Benaiah slew "two lion-like men of Moab" (1 Chronicles 11:22), who were its champions and perhaps members of the royal house. They brought gifts means that they paid an annual tribute; but the phrase shows that, though now they were David's servants, that is, subjects, yet that they were left in possession of their independence, and that their internal affairs were managed by native authorities.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
[David] also defeated
וַיַּ֣ךְ (way·yaḵ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5221: To strike

the Moabites,
מוֹאָ֗ב (mō·w·’āḇ)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 4124: Moab -- a son of Lot,also his descendants and the territory where they settled

made them lie down
הַשְׁכֵּ֣ב (haš·kêḇ)
Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 7901: To lie down

on the ground,
אַ֔רְצָה (’ar·ṣāh)
Noun - feminine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

and he measured them off
וַֽיְמַדְּדֵ֤ם (way·mad·də·ḏêm)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine plural
Strong's 4058: To stretch, to measure, to be extended

with a cord.
בַּחֶ֙בֶל֙ (ba·ḥe·ḇel)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2256: A rope, a measuring line, a district, inheritance, a noose, a company, a throe, ruin

He measured off
וַיְמַדֵּ֤ד (way·mad·dêḏ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 4058: To stretch, to measure, to be extended

with two
שְׁנֵֽי־ (šə·nê-)
Number - mdc
Strong's 8147: Two (a cardinal number)

lengths
חֲבָלִים֙ (ḥă·ḇā·lîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 2256: A rope, a measuring line, a district, inheritance, a noose, a company, a throe, ruin

those to be put to death,
לְהָמִ֔ית (lə·hā·mîṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct
Strong's 4191: To die, to kill

and with one
וּמְלֹ֥א (ū·mə·lō)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4393: Fullness, that which fills

length
הַחֶ֖בֶל (ha·ḥe·ḇel)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2256: A rope, a measuring line, a district, inheritance, a noose, a company, a throe, ruin

those to be spared.
לְהַחֲי֑וֹת (lə·ha·ḥă·yō·wṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct
Strong's 2421: To live, to revive

So the Moabites
מוֹאָב֙ (mō·w·’āḇ)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 4124: Moab -- a son of Lot,also his descendants and the territory where they settled

became
וַתְּהִ֤י (wat·tə·hî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

subject
לַעֲבָדִ֖ים (la·‘ă·ḇā·ḏîm)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 5650: Slave, servant

to David
לְדָוִ֔ד (lə·ḏā·wiḏ)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1732: David -- perhaps 'beloved one', a son of Jesse

and brought him
נֹשְׂאֵ֥י (nō·śə·’ê)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct
Strong's 5375: To lift, carry, take

tribute.
מִנְחָֽה׃ (min·ḥāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4503: A donation, tribute, a sacrificial offering


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OT History: 2 Samuel 8:2 He struck Moab and measured them (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)
2 Samuel 8:1
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