David Praises God

16  David went in, sat before the Lord, and said: “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, that you should have brought me to this point? 17  And you did not stop there, O God! You have also spoken about the future of your servant’s family. You have revealed to me what men long to know, O Lord God. 18  What more can David say to you? You have honored your servant; you have given your servant special recognition. 19  O Lord, for the sake of your servant and according to your will, you have done this great thing in order to reveal your greatness. 20  O Lord, there is none like you; there is no God besides you! What we heard is true! 21  And who is like your people, Israel, a unique nation in the earth? Their God went to claim a nation for himself! You made a name for yourself by doing great and awesome deeds when you drove out nations before your people whom you had delivered from the Egyptian empire and its gods. 22  You made Israel your very own nation for all time. You, O Lord, became their God. 23  So now, O Lord, may the promise you made about your servant and his family become a permanent reality! Do as you promised, 24  so it may become a reality and you may gain lasting fame, as people say, ‘The Lord who commands armies is the God of Israel.’ David’s dynasty will be established before you, 25  for you, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build a dynasty for him. That is why your servant has had the courage to pray to you. 26  Now, O Lord, you are the true God; you have made this good promise to your servant. 27  Now you are willing to bless your servant’s dynasty so that it may stand permanently before you, for you, O Lord, have blessed it and it will be blessed from now on into the future.”

18  Later David defeated the Philistines and subdued them. He took Gath and its surrounding towns away from the Philistines.

2  He defeated the Moabites; the Moabites became David’s subjects and brought tribute.

3  David defeated King Hadadezer of Zobah as far as Hamath, when he went to extend his authority to the Euphrates River. 4  David seized from him 1,000 chariots, 7,000 charioteers, and 20,000 infantrymen. David cut the hamstrings of all but a hundred of Hadadezer’s chariot horses. 5  The Arameans of Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, but David killed 22,000 of the Arameans. 6  David placed garrisons in the territory of the Arameans of Damascus; the Arameans became David’s subjects and brought tribute. The Lord protected David wherever he campaigned. 7  David took the golden shields which Hadadezer’s servants had carried and brought them to Jerusalem. 8  From Tibhath and Kun, Hadadezer’s cities, David took a great deal of bronze. (Solomon used it to make the big bronze basin called “The Sea,” the pillars, and other bronze items.

9  When King Tou of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of King Hadadezer of Zobah, 10  he sent his son Hadoram to King David to extend his best wishes and to pronounce a blessing on him for his victory over Hadadezer, for Tou had been at war with Hadadezer. He also sent various items made of gold, silver, and bronze. 11  King David dedicated these things to the Lord, along with the silver and gold which he had carried off from all the nations, including Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, and Amalek.

12  Abishai son of Zeruiah killed 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. 13  He placed garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites became David’s subjects. The Lord protected David wherever he campaigned.