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CHAPTER 8 (ESV)
1 After this David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and David took Metheg-ammah out of the hand of the Philistines. 2 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….
6 Then David put garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Syrians became servants to David and brought tribute. And the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went. 7 And David took the shields of gold that were carried by the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 And from Betah and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took very much bronze….
11 These also King David dedicated to the Lord, together with the silver and gold that he dedicated from all the nations he subdued, 12 from Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, Amalek, and from the spoil of Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah.
13 And David made a name for himself when he returned from striking down 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. 14 Then he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom he put garrisons, and all the Edomites became David’s servants. And the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went.
15 So David reigned over all Israel. And David administered justice and equity to all his people.
REFLECTION:
- David spent a few years in battle with enemies to the north and east. God gave him success in every battle, and he was able to gain control of vital trade routes, establishing garrisons. These wars greatly enlarged the territory Israel controlled.
- These defeated countries in turn became subjects to David and brought him tribute. David dedicated the spoils of his victory to God for he clearly knew that it was God who gave him the successes (vv6, 14). The spoils of war were never David’s to begin with; hence it is not difficult for him to give back what was never truly his.
- Genuine spirituality will always manifest itself in an attitude of generosity toward possessions. The text’s perspective on wealth is counter to that prevailing in our own society, which has valorized the acquisition and maintenance of private property as the ends toward which human existence should be directed.
- What’s my perspective on my possessions? They belong to me? Or all are from God?
PRAYER:
Read this passage slowly as God speaking to me: “For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not? Freely you have received; freely give. (1 Cor 4:7, Matt 10:8b)”
