And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.
Gold shields taken from the servants of Hadadezer, a Syrian king, travel to Jerusalem. One line about captured metal raises a large question: who has a right to gold, and what is gold for?
These conquests follow right after God promised David a lasting house. One writer links the two:
Great conquests and victories follow. David arose from the presence of the Lord to go forth to conquer. He had heard a message that assured him of the Lord's presence and power, and of the success of his kingdom. With that message he began to extend his kingdom over the different nations around the land. The Lord was with him and preserved him wherever he went.
Why single out the shields of gold? One commentator answers by asking what gold stands for, and who owns it:
Shields of gold (v. 7) were not the proper possession of Hadadezer and his servants. Gold speaks of the glory of God. Syria cannot honestly claim to be seeking God's glory, as God's chosen King, the Lord Jesus Christ, can. A large amount of bronze was also taken from two of the cities of Hadadezer (v. 8). This speaks of the holiness of God. Some religions claim to possess holiness. But again, it is the proper possession of the Lord Jesus only. He will prove this when He takes His great power to reign.
The shields came to Jerusalem, but not into David's treasury. What he did with the whole haul shows what was driving the campaign:
David dedicates to the Lord all the spoil from the victory over the enemy (vv. 11-12), along with Toi's free-will offerings. He claims nothing of it all for himself. What purpose will these riches serve? 1 Chronicles 18:7-8 shows us that they were brought to Jerusalem. Out of this great quantity of bronze Solomon made the bronze sea, the pillars, and the vessels of bronze for the temple of the Lord. In 2 Samuel 6 David had given the Lord's throne the place due to it in the government of the kingdom. From now on he has one thought only: the fruit of all his victories must adorn the final, unchangeable dwelling place of his God among Israel. The victories of 2 Samuel 5 had strengthened David's throne. The victories of 2 Samuel 8 glorify the throne of God, who sits between the cherubim.
Another writer sees God gathering building material out of the nations, as He once did when Israel left Egypt:
Toi, the king of Hamath, hears of David's victory over Hadadezer and the Syrians. He congratulates him, and sends all kinds of vessels of gold and silver and bronze. The Lord is bringing costly things for His temple. Once before He prepared gold and silver for His tabernacle in the wilderness. Israel came out of Egypt loaded with jewels of gold and of silver: "Thus they plundered the Egyptians" (Ex. 12:35-36). Now the Lord is plundering the nearby Gentile nations. For all this is for the temple. War compels some; others give freely. All contribute.
The temple was not David's to build. He went straight back to fighting:
In 2 Samuel 8 we find David striking, killing, and taking. So he earned a still wider fame as a man of war, and proved how well he had learned the Lord's lesson... The kind of service matters little, whether building the house or defeating the Lord's enemies. The true servant is ready for anything. David came out from the holy quiet of the Lord's house to fight the Lord's battles. He did it so that he might clear the ground for another to lay the foundation of that house which his heart had so longed to build.
One writer reads the whole chapter as a picture of a greater King:
In all this we have again the man of faith and the type of the Lord Jesus, King in Zion. He is victorious over the enemies of Israel. He puts Israel in possession of the promised land (Gen. 15:18) as far as the Euphrates. He dedicates the spoil to the Lord. He reigns over all Israel and executes judgment and justice to all his people. The companions of his pilgrimage share in the glory of his kingdom — a type, in all this, of the kingdom of Christ.
- Promise first. David went out to conquer straight from God's presence. He carried God's word that his kingdom would stand and that the Lord would keep him wherever he went.
- Gold reclaimed. Gold speaks of the glory of God, and Hadadezer's men had no right to it; it belongs by right to God's chosen King.
- Nothing kept. David claimed none of the spoil. In chapter 6 he had given God's throne its place; every victory after that served to glorify it.
- Temple bound. The captured metal became temple material. War forced some nations to give and others gave freely, but every piece went to God's house.
- Servant ready. The temple was not his to build, so David drew his sword to clear the ground for another. The true servant is ready for anything.
And from Betah, and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, king David took exceeding much bronze.
David beat Hadadezer, king of Zobah, and carried off the bronze of two of his towns. The verse reads like a stock list, yet commentators follow that bronze from Syria into God's house in Jerusalem.
1 Chronicles 18:8 lists the same plunder under other town names. A Bible dictionary ties one of them to Berothai:
A city in the north captured by David, from which he took much brass, which Solomon used in the Temple. 1 Chronicles 18:8. Apparently the same as Berothai in 2 Samuel 8:8.
The other town cannot be placed on a map today:
A city of Hadadezer, king of Zobah. 1 Chronicles 18:8. The margin of 2 Samuel 8:8 suggests that Betah may refer to Tibhath, but no one has identified where Betah stood.
One commentator reads the Hebrew names as a comment on the episode: the king's name promises help, his towns promise safety, and neither holds:
Hadar means "glory, honour," and is the more common form; but Hadad is "shouting, noise" — sound, and nothing else. Such satire often shows up in the changes made to Hebrew names. Hadarezer means "glory is help," and the first word may be the name of their sun-god... He is the son of Rehob, "enlargement." He has a large following, and his servants carry gold shields. But this time his gold is no defence. It is set apart for the Lord, along with much brass from his towns Betah, "security," and Berothai, "my hewings."
Commentators call this metal copper or bronze rather than brass, and they place it among Scripture's pictures of righteousness:
The pillars of the temple were made of brass — more probably "copper" or "bronze." According to 1 Chronicles 18:8, David brought it from Syria in war. Brass stands for the righteousness of God in judgement. That is why it appears in the altar of burnt offerings. Scripture shows four pictures of righteousness: gold is divine righteousness in itself; brass, or copper, is divine righteousness applied to man in judgement; linen is the righteous deeds of the saints (Revelation 19:8); filthy rags are the righteousness of the flesh (Isaiah 64:6).
Years later Solomon drew on this same store. One writer sees the point in what came out of it:
1 Chronicles 18:8 tells us plainly that Solomon "made the bronze sea and the pillars and the vessels of bronze." He made them from the bronze David had taken from the cities of Hadadezer. We have seen that bronze here stands for the righteousness of God coming to meet man where he is, to deliver him and to show itself outwardly, as will be seen in Christ's glorious reign. That righteousness showed itself here in the destruction of the power of the enemy David had conquered.
David treated every gain as God's, not his own:
David gives the Lord all the spoil from the victory over the enemy (vv. 11-12), and Toi's freewill offerings too. He claims none of it for himself... In 2 Samuel 6 David had given the Lord's throne its rightful place in the government of the kingdom. From then on he has one thought only: the fruit of all his victories must adorn the final, unchangeable dwelling place of his God among Israel.
One writer sets this beside the day Israel walked out of Egypt with its wealth:
The Lord is bringing costly things for His temple. He had prepared gold and silver once before, for His tabernacle in the wilderness. Israel came out of Egypt loaded with jewels of gold and silver: "Thus they plundered the Egyptians" (Exodus 12:35-36). Now the Lord is plundering the nearby Gentile nations. For all this is for the temple. Some are compelled by war, others give freely. All contribute.
Commentators read the whole chapter as a preview. David's campaigns sketch a pattern that Christ fills out:
David three times met hostile power. In his private life he overthrew the lion and the bear. As the representative of his people and for the glory of God he met Goliath. In connection with his throne and kingdom he overthrew seven nations (2 Samuel 8). So it is with Christ. Privately He overcame Satan in the wilderness. On behalf of His people and for God's glory He overcame Satan at the cross. He will subdue the world to His feet on the day He appears to take His throne and kingdom.
- Conquest. Betah and Berothai were towns of Hadadezer, the beaten king of Zobah. Chronicles lists them under other names, and Betah's site is still unknown.
- Collapse. Names meaning "glory is help" and "security" failed their owner. His gold did not defend him; it went to the Lord instead.
- Consecration. David kept none of it. What his sword won, his worship gave away, to adorn the dwelling place of his God.
- Construction. The bronze became the sea, the pillars and the vessels of Solomon's temple. God's righteousness stood on show in the beaten power of the enemy.
- Christ. David subdued seven nations and turned their wealth into worship. Christ overcame Satan at the cross, and He will subdue the world when He comes to take His throne.
And Toi king of Hamath heard that David had smitten all the forces of Hadadezer;
David has struck down Hadadezer of Zobah, and the news travels far beyond the battlefield. It reaches Toi in Hamath, a king David never fought — and how Toi answers shows how the nations relate to God's anointed king.
Hamath lay well to the north of Israel's territory, and its king stood outside the circle of David's wars.
A district and a well-known city in the north of Syria. The district lay north of Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon... Toi, king of Hamath, sent to congratulate David on his victory over Hadadezer. It was more than a hundred miles farther north than Dan.
Toi had long been at war with Hadadezer, and losing. David's victory ended that war for him. One writer notes how Toi's answer differs from the answer of the nations named earlier in the chapter.
Hadadezer had been continually at war against Toi king of Hamath. When Toi learns that David has struck Hadadezer down, he sends his son Joram to the king with vessels of silver, gold and bronze. Toi freely and willingly acknowledges the deliverance God worked through David. No one forced him to offer his presents (compare verses 2 and 6).
Elsewhere in the chapter silver and gold come as spoil or tribute. Here they arrive by choice, and writers read this as a picture of a coming day.
Toi, king of Hamath (v. 9) is typical of those Gentiles who will willingly submit to the authority of the Lord Jesus when He appears in glory. Toi heard of David's conquest of Hadadezer. He sent his son to greet and congratulate David, with gifts of silver, gold and bronze. David did not need to take these things by war. Toi gave them willingly. Isaiah 60:3 addresses the Lord Jesus about the day of His appearing: "And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising."
Toi is one kind of response among several, and the rarest in number for now.
All this shows us that the nations will have quite varied characters at the time of the end. Some will be broken with a rod of iron and forced to submit; others will put on an appearance of submission... and last of all, still others will submit themselves to Christ's yoke, accepting His victory as their deliverance. These will not be an isolated Toi, but a great multitude which no one will be able to number (Revelation 7:9-10).
One writer reads the Hebrew names themselves as part of the message, setting Toi's name against the solid power he had been fighting.
Toi, king of Hamath, however, has been in conflict with Hadadezer, and has clearly suffered at his hand. Toi means "wanderer," the very opposite of the stability of Zobah. Hamath is usually taken to mean "enclosure, fortress." Joram, his son's name, I cannot take as simply the equivalent of Jehoram: it means "caused to be exalted." Knowing your own instability and wandering prepares the soul to grasp the grace that exalts. It also makes the soul need that enclosure of sheltering strength most of all.
David kept none of it. The metal that arrived from Hamath went the same way as everything else he had won.
David consecrates all the spoil from the victory over the enemy (vv. 11-12), as well as Toi's freewill offerings, to the Lord. He claims none of it for himself. What purpose will these riches serve? 1 Chronicles 18:7-8 shows us that they brought it all to Jerusalem. Out of this great quantity of bronze Solomon made "the bronze sea, the pillars, and the vessels of bronze" for the temple of the Lord... The victories of 2 Samuel 5 had strengthened David's throne. The victories of 2 Samuel 8 glorify the throne of God, who sits between the cherubim.
Willing gifts and captured spoil finish in the same place. One writer sees the same pattern when Israel left Egypt.
The Lord is bringing costly things for His temple. Once before He prepared gold and silver for His tabernacle in the wilderness. Israel came out of Egypt loaded with jewels of gold and silver: "Thus they plundered the Egyptians" (Exodus 12:35-36). Now the Lord is plundering the nearby Gentile nations. For all this is for the temple. Some are compelled by war, others give freely. All contribute.
- Heard. News of Hadadezer's defeat travelled over a hundred miles north to Hamath. A king who never fought David learned what David's victory had won for him.
- Freely. Toi's silver, gold and bronze came unforced. The nations of verses 2 and 6 paid tribute only after David subdued them.
- Wanderer. His name means "wanderer." Hamath means "fortress," and his son's name means "caused to be exalted." Knowing your own instability drives you toward sheltering strength and the grace that lifts up.
- Nations. Commentators read Toi as a picture of Gentiles who will gladly own Christ's authority. He stands alone here; one day they will be a multitude no one can number.
- Dedicated. David kept nothing. Gifts given and spoil taken alike went to the Lord. They became the bronze of the temple: victory ended in worship, not in the victor.
and Toi sent Joram his son to king David, to inquire of his welfare, and to congratulate him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and smitten him; for Hadadezer was continually at war with Toi. And he brought with him vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and vessels of bronze.
Toi, king of Hamath, had fought Hadadezer for years. When David defeated that enemy, Toi sent no soldiers but his own son, loaded with silver, gold and bronze — and that treasure ended up with God.
Hamath lay far north of Israel, well beyond the nation's normal reach.
A district and a well-known city in northern Syria. We read of the Hamathite as early as Genesis 10:18. The district lay north of Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon. It may have reached further south too, since Scripture calls the northern border of Israel "the entrance of Hamath" (1 Kings 8:65). Toi, king of Hamath, sent to congratulate David on his victory over Hadadezer. It was more than a hundred miles farther north than Dan.
The son who carried the gifts appears under a second name in the parallel record of 1 Chronicles:
Son of Tou or Toi, king of Hamath. He was sent to congratulate David on his victory over Hadarezer (1 Chronicles 18:10). The same as JORAM in 2 Samuel 8:10.
Earlier in the chapter, Moab and Syria hand over tribute after defeat. Toi is different:
Toi king of Hamath learns that David has struck down Hadadezer, who was always at war against him. So he sends his son Joram to the king with vessels of silver, gold, and bronze. Toi freely and willingly acknowledges the deliverance God worked through David. He offers his presents with no one forcing him (compare verses 2 and 6).
One writer reads this scene as a preview of something far larger:
Toi, king of Hamath (v. 9) is typical of those Gentiles who will willingly submit to the authority of the Lord Jesus when He is revealed in glory... David did not need to take these things by warfare, for they were willingly given to him. Isaiah 60:3 speaks to the Lord Jesus about the day of His appearing: "And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising."
Toi's gifts come because David won. The chapter twice gives the reason for that victory:
The victories of this chapter grow out of David's communion with his God. In the same way, the victories of 2 Samuel 5 were the fruit of his dependence and obedience... Our path becomes God's path because our thoughts do not differ from His. So it is said twice in this chapter: "the LORD gave victory to David wherever he went" (vv. 6, 14).
David kept none of Joram's silver and gold.
David consecrates all the spoil from the victory over the enemy (vv. 11-12) as well as Toi's freewill offerings to the Lord. He claims nothing of it for himself. What purpose will these riches serve? 1 Chronicles 18:7-8 shows us that the spoil came to Jerusalem. Out of this great quantity of bronze Solomon made "the bronze sea and the pillars and the vessels of bronze" for the temple of the LORD... The victories of 2 Samuel 5 had served to strengthen David's throne. The victories of 2 Samuel 8 serve to glorify the throne of God, who sits between the cherubim.
Another writer sets these gifts beside an earlier moment in Israel's history:
The Lord is bringing costly things for His temple. Once before He prepared gold and silver for His tabernacle in the wilderness, for Israel came out of Egypt laden with jewels of gold and of silver... Now the Lord is taking the spoil of the nearby nations. For all this is for the temple. Some are compelled by war, others give freely. All contribute.
Toi shows only one of several ways the nations will respond:
All this shows us that the nations will have quite varied characters at the time of the end. Some will be broken with a rod of iron and forced to submit. Others will put on an appearance of submission, as it is said: "foreigners came cringing to me" (Ps. 18:44). And still others will submit themselves to Christ's yoke, accepting His victory as their deliverance — not one isolated Toi, but a great multitude that no one will be able to number (Rev. 7:9-10).
- Victory — David's conquests grow out of his communion with God. Twice this chapter says the Lord gave him victory wherever he went.
- Gift — Toi, a king David never fought, sends his son with silver, gold and bronze. He gives freely; Moab and Syria paid because David beat them.
- Reach — Hamath lay over a hundred miles north of Dan, so the tribute comes from beyond Israel's ordinary border.
- Dedication — David claims none of it. He gives Toi's freewill offering and the war spoil alike to the Lord, and the bronze later becomes temple vessels.
- Result — Forced tribute and free gift both end up building God's house. War compels some, others give freely, and all contribute.