2 Samuel 8:1
in 2 Samuel 8Some time later, David defeated the Philistines, subdued them, and took Metheg-ammah from the hand of the Philistines.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And after this it came to pass, that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them: and David took the bridle of the mother city out of the hand of the Philistines.
KJV
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.
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This verse in 2 Samuel 8
Commentary
8 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
David took Metheg-ammah out of the hand of the Philistines--that is, Gath and her suburban towns (1Ch 18:1). That town had been "a bridle" by which the Philistines kept the people of Judah in check.
This site's exposition
David defeated the Philistines, subdued them
on 2 Samuel 8:1-2
David defeats the Philistines and takes Metheg-ammah, which 1 Chronicles 18:1 gives as Gath and its villages. Moab is measured with a cord, “two lengths those to be put to death, and with one length those to be spared”. John Wesley sets the war beside Balaam's oracle at Numbers 24:17.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
The history of the Kings [Samuel] recounts that David won these victories after he succeeded Saul in the kingship, and it seems inappropriate to introduce them into our ordered arrangement here since they are known to be recounted extensively there. But we must realize that …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
And David took - Gath and her towns, as it is expressed in the parallel place, 1 Chron. xviii, 1. Which are called Metheg-ammah, or the bridle of Ammah, Gath was situate in the mountain of Ammah; and because this being the chief city of the Philistines, and having a king, which none of the rest had, was the bridle which had hitherto kept the Israelites in subjection.
Metheg-ammah was Gath (the chief and royal city of the Philistines) and the towns belonging to it, among which there was a constant garrison kept by the Philistines on the hill Ammah ( 2 Sam. ii. 24 ), which was Metheg, a bridle (so it signifies) or curb upon the people of Israel; this David took out of their hand and used it as a curb upon them.
And after this it came to pass,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
David took Metheg-ammah - This is variously translated. The Vulgate has, Tulit David fraenum tributi, David removed the bondage of the tribute, which the Israelites paid to the Philistines. Some think it means a fortress, city, or strong town; but no such place as Metheg-ammah is known. Probably the Vulgate is nearest the truth. The versions are all different. See the following comparison of the principal passages here collated with the parallel place in 1 Chr: - 2 Samuel 1 Chronicles 2Sa 8:1. - David took Metheg-ammah 2Sa 8:3. David 1Ch 18:1. - David took Gath and her towns. 1Ch 18:3. David smote Hadadezer 2Sa 8:4. And David took from him smote Hadarezer 1Ch 18:4. And David took from him 1000 and 700 horsemen, and 20,000 foot. 1000 chariots, and 7000 horsemen, and 20,000 foot. 2Sa 8:6. Then David put garrisons in Syria 2Sa 8:8. And 1Ch 18:6. Then David put in Syria 1Ch 18:8. And from Betah and Berothai cities of Hadadezer. 2Sa 8:9. from Tibhath and Chun cities of Hadarezer. 1Ch 18:9. When Toi heard that David had smitten When Tou heard that David had smitten Hadadezer 2Sa 8:10. Then Toi sent Joram his son Hadarezer 1Ch 18:10. He sent Hadoram his son 2Sa 8:12–Syria and Moab 2Sa 8:13. - Syrians, in the valley 1Ch 18:11–Edom and Moab 1Ch 18:12. - Edomites, in the valley of salt, 18,000 2Sa 8:17. - Ahimelech - and Seraiah of salt, 18,000 1Ch 18:16. - Abimelech - and Shausha was the scribe. 2Sa 10:16. Shobach the captain was scribe. 1Ch 19:16. Shophach the captain 2Sa 10:17. David passed over Jordan, and came הלאמה 1Ch 19:17. David passed over Jordan and came אלהם to Helam. 2Sa 10:18. David slew 700 upon them 1Ch 19:18. David slew of the Syrians 7000 chariots of the Syrians, and 40,000 horsemen; chariots, and 40,000 footmen; and smote Shobach, etc. and killed Shophach, etc.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Metheg-ammah must be the name of some stronghold which commanded Gath, and the taking of which made David master of Gath and her towns.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
Meseg Hoamoh. In Divrei Hayomim (I,: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.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 6 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
15 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַֽיְהִי֙ | vayhi | and it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| אַֽחֲרֵי־ | ʾacharei- | after | H310 → | 715 times |
| כֵ֔ן | khen | thus | H3651 → | 771 times |
| וַיַּ֥ךְ | vaiyakh | and he defeated | H5221 → | 499 times |
| דָּוִ֛ד | david | David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים | pelishtim | [the] Philistines | H6430 → | 287 times |
| וַיַּכְנִיעֵ֑ם | vaiyakhniem | and he subdued them | H3665 → | |
| וַיִּקַּ֥ח | vaiyikach | and he took | H3947 → | 966 times |
| דָּוִ֛ד | david | David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| מֶ֥תֶג | meteg | Metheg- | H4965 → | |
| הָאַמָּ֖ה | haamah | <the> -ammah | H4965 → | |
| מִיַּ֥ד | miyad | from [the] hand of | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| פְּלִשְׁתִּֽים׃ | pelishtim | [the] Philistines | H6430 → | 287 times |
וַֽיְהִי֙and it was
vayhiH1961 →3559 times
אַֽחֲרֵי־after
ʾacharei-H310 →715 times
כֵ֔ןthus
khenH3651 →771 times
וַיַּ֥ךְand he defeated
vaiyakhH5221 →499 times
דָּוִ֛דDavid
davidH1732 →999 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים[the] Philistines
pelishtimH6430 →287 times
וַיַּכְנִיעֵ֑םand he subdued them
vaiyakhniemH3665 →
וַיִּקַּ֥חand he took
vaiyikachH3947 →966 times
דָּוִ֛דDavid
davidH1732 →999 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
מֶ֥תֶגMetheg-
metegH4965 →
הָאַמָּ֖ה<the> -ammah
haamahH4965 →
מִיַּ֥דfrom [the] hand of
miyadH3027 →1618 times
פְּלִשְׁתִּֽים׃[the] Philistines
pelishtimH6430 →287 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Samuel 7:9I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make for you a name like the greatest in the land.
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 5:10
And David became greater and greater, for the LORD God of Hosts was with him.
- 1 Chronicles 17:8
I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make for you a name like the greatest in the land.
- 1 Samuel 18:14
and he continued to prosper in all his ways, because the LORD was with him.
- Psalms 18:37–42
I pursued my enemies and overtook them; I did not turn back until they were consumed.
- 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 5:10
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies5
About 2 Samuel
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Cassiodorus, EXPOSITION OF THE PSALMS 59.1-2; Jamieson Fausset and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.