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After this, David struck the Philistines and subdued them; and David took the bridle of the mother city out of the hand of the Philistines.
2 Samuel 8:1 · World English Bible
Parallel translations
  • KJV And after this it came to pass that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them: and David took Methegammah out of the hand of the Philistines.
  • BSB Some time later, David defeated the Philistines, subdued them, and took Metheg-ammah from the hand of the Philistines.
  • NKJV After this it came to pass that David attacked the Philistines and subdued them. And David took Metheg Ammah from the hand of the Philistines.
  • NASB Now it happened afterward that David defeated the Philistines and subdued them; and David took control of the chief city from the hand of the Philistines.
  • NLT After this, David defeated and subdued the Philistines by conquering Gath, their largest town.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

David defeated and subdued the Philistines, taking their chief city's control. God gives David victory over Israel's longtime oppressors.

Overview

This chapter records David's military victories that fulfill God's promise of rest from his enemies (7:11). Subduing the Philistines, Israel's persistent foe, marks a decisive turning point. These conquests show God establishing David's kingdom and securing the land He had promised His people.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 4

  • 1 Chr 18:1–17After this, David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and took Gath and its towns out of the hand of the Philistines.
  • 2 Sam 21:15–22The Philistines had war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines. David grew faint;
  • 2 Sam 2:24But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. The sun went down when they had come to the hill of Ammah, that lies before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.
  • 2 Sam 7:9I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you. I will make you a great name, like the name of the great ones who are in the earth.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (2)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — 2 Samuel videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on 2 Samuel 8:1YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on 2 SamuelMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

God's covenant with David — a son whose throne and kingdom would last forever (7:12–16) — finds its yes in Jesus, the Son of David who reigns without end.

How 2 Samuel 8:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.