2 Samuel 8:2
in 2 Samuel 8David 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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.
KJV
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.
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This verse in 2 Samuel 8
Commentary
12 notes on this verseIn the second book of Kings [Samuel], where David defeated the Moabites, Scripture records the measuring out of two separate lines for life and two for death. The significance of setting aside some Moabites for life and others for death is made clear by the story of Orpah and Ruth. Orpah, who turned back to idolatry and her ancient country, was destined for death; Ruth, following her mother-in-law, whose name means "pleasant," says, "Your people shall be my people, and your God my God."
This site's exposition
smote the Philistines, and subdued them
on 2 Samuel 8:1-2
Metheg-ammah is Gath and its towns, the bridle that had held Israel under the Philistines since Saul's day, and its fall closes the Philistine question that opened at Goliath's own city, the Anakim remnant Joshua 11:22 left at Gath. Moab's measuring by the line is read two ways among the commentators: Adam Clarke reads two parts spared to one destroyed, while Jamieson, Fausset and Brown take Jewish tradition's account that the harsh line answered a massacre of David's parents, left in Moab's keeping during his exile at 1 Samuel 22:3-4. Wesley and Matthew Henry both read the war as Balaam's oracle landing, a sceptre out of Israel smiting the corners of Moab at Numbers 24:17.
This site's exposition
measured them off with a cord
The Septuagint and Vulgate make the spared share of Moab one half, as Jamieson, Fausset and Brown note. Barnes takes the tone of Psalm 60 to mean that Moab and Edom struck while David suffered a reverse in the war with Aram. Jerome saw Orpah and Ruth in the two lengths.
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 Medieval Church1 voice
"And he struck down Moab, and measured them with a line, aligning them to the ground, etc." [2 Samuel 8:2] What is written about David: "And he smote Moab, and measured them with a line, laying them on the ground," should be understood hyperbolically. For …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
15 And David reigned over all Israel; and David executed judgment and justice unto all his people. 16 And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; 17 And Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, were the priests; and Seraiah was the scribe;
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
Measured them - That is, having conquered the land, he made an estimate of it, and distributed the towns and people into three parts. Casting down - Overthrowing their towns, and utterly destroying their people in manner following. And now that prophecy, Num. xxiv, 17, was accomplished.
And he smote Moab,....
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Be sure to give that length enough; let the line of mercy be stretched to the utmost in favorem vitæ--so as to favour life. Acts of indemnity must be construed so as to enlarge the favour. Now Balaam's prophecy was fulfilled, A sceptre shall arise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, to the utmost of which the fatal line extended, Num. xxiv.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
And measured them with a line - even with two lines - It has been generally conjectured that David, after he had conquered Moab, consigned two-thirds of the inhabitants to the sword; but I think the text will bear a meaning much more reputable to that king. The first clause of the verse seems to determine the sense; he measured them with a line, casting them down to the ground - to put to death, and with one line to keep alive.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The Septuagint and Vulgate make one-half. This war usage was not, perhaps, usually practised by the people of God; but Jewish writers assert that the cause of this particular severity against this people was their having massacred David's parents and family, whom he had, during his exile, committed to the king of Moab.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
David took great numbers of the Moabites prisoners of war, and made them lie down on the ground, and then divided them by a measuring line into three parts, putting two-thirds to death, and saving alive one-third. The cause of the war with the Moabites, who had been very friendly with David 1Sa 22:3-4, and of this severe treatment, is not known. But it seems likely, from the tone of Psa 60:1-12 that David had met with some temporary reverse in his Syrian wars, and that the Moabites and Edomites had treacherously taken advantage of it, and perhaps tried to cut off his retreat.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
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
21 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיַּ֣ךְ | vaiyakh | and he defeated | H5221 → | 499 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| מוֹאָ֗ב | moav | Moab | H4124 → | 181 times |
| וַֽיְמַדְּדֵ֤ם | vaymadedem | and he measured off them | H4058 → | |
| בַּחֶ֙בֶל֙ | bachevel | with <the> measuring-line | H2256 → | 62 times |
| הַשְׁכֵּ֣ב | hashkev | he made lie down | H7901 → | 212 times |
| אוֹתָ֣ם | ʾotam | <obj.> them | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אַ֔רְצָה | ʾartzah | [the] ground towards | H776 → | 2504 times |
| וַיְמַדֵּ֤ד | vaymaded | and he measured off | H4058 → | |
| שְׁנֵֽי־ | shenei- | two | H8147 → | 768 times |
| חֲבָלִים֙ | chavalim | measuring-lines | H2256 → | 62 times |
| לְהָמִ֔ית | lehamit | to put to death | H4191 → | 839 times |
| וּמְלֹ֥א | umelo' | and [the] fullness of | H4393 → | |
| הַחֶ֖בֶל | hachevel | <the> measuring-line | H2256 → | 62 times |
| לְהַחֲי֑וֹת | lehachayot | to let live | H2421 → | 282 times |
| וַתְּהִ֤י | vatehi | and it became | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| מוֹאָב֙ | moav | Moab | H4124 → | 181 times |
| לְדָוִ֔ד | ledavid | of David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| לַעֲבָדִ֖ים | laavadim | <into> servants | H5650 → | 799 times |
| נֹשְׂאֵ֥י | noseei | bearing | H5375 → | 656 times |
| מִנְחָֽה׃ | minchah | <of> tribute | H4503 → |
וַיַּ֣ךְand he defeated
vaiyakhH5221 →499 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
מוֹאָ֗בMoab
moavH4124 →181 times
וַֽיְמַדְּדֵ֤םand he measured off them
vaymadedemH4058 →
בַּחֶ֙בֶל֙with <the> measuring-line
bachevelH2256 →62 times
הַשְׁכֵּ֣בhe made lie down
hashkevH7901 →212 times
אוֹתָ֣ם<obj.> them
ʾotamH853 →10935 times
אַ֔רְצָה[the] ground towards
ʾartzahH776 →2504 times
וַיְמַדֵּ֤דand he measured off
vaymadedH4058 →
שְׁנֵֽי־two
shenei-H8147 →768 times
חֲבָלִים֙measuring-lines
chavalimH2256 →62 times
לְהָמִ֔יתto put to death
lehamitH4191 →839 times
וּמְלֹ֥אand [the] fullness of
umelo'H4393 →
הַחֶ֖בֶל<the> measuring-line
hachevelH2256 →62 times
לְהַחֲי֑וֹתto let live
lehachayotH2421 →282 times
וַתְּהִ֤יand it became
vatehiH1961 →3559 times
מוֹאָב֙Moab
moavH4124 →181 times
לְדָוִ֔דof David
ledavidH1732 →999 times
לַעֲבָדִ֖ים<into> servants
laavadimH5650 →799 times
נֹשְׂאֵ֥יbearing
noseeiH5375 →656 times
מִנְחָֽה׃<of> tribute
minchahH4503 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 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
Numbers 24:17I 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…
it leads to
- Revelation 22:16
“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright Morning Star.”
- Luke 1:32–33
He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David,
- Genesis 49:10
The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes and the allegiance of the nations is his.
- Revelation 1:7
Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him—even those who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. So shall it be! Amen.
- Revelation 11:15
Then the seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and loud voices called out in heaven: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign…
- Revelation 22:16
Through
2 Samuel 8:6Then 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.
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 8:14
He placed garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites were subject to David. So the LORD made David victorious wherever he went.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Samuel 8:14
Through
1 Samuel 10:27But some worthless men said, “How can this man save us?” So they despised him and brought him no gifts; but Saul remained silent about it.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 13:13
that wicked men have arisen from among you and have led the people of their city astray, saying, “Let us go and serve other gods” (which you have not known),
- 2 Chronicles 17:5
So the LORD established the kingdom in his hand, and all Judah brought him tribute, so that he had an abundance of riches and honor.
- Deuteronomy 13:13
About 2 Samuel
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Questions on the Book of Kings #8; 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; Jerome, HOMILIES ON THE PSALMS, ALTERNATE SERIES 61 (PS 15); Jerome, Homilies on the Psalms, Alternate Series 61 (Ps 15); 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.