1After this, David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and took Gath and its towns out of the hand of the Philistines. 2He defeated Moab; and the Moabites became servants to David and brought tribute.
3David defeated Hadadezer king of Zobah, toward Hamath, as he went to establish his dominion by the river Euphrates. 4David took from him one thousand chariots, seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen; and David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but reserved of them enough for one hundred chariots. 5When the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck twenty-two thousand men of the Syrians. 6Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became servants to David and brought tribute. Yahweh gave victory to David wherever he went. 7David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem. 8From Tibhath and from Cun, cities of Hadadezer, David took very much bronze, with which Solomon made the bronze sea, the pillars, and the vessels of bronze.
9When Tou king of Hamath heard that David had struck all the army of Hadadezer king of Zobah, 10he sent Hadoram his son to King David to greet him and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and struck him (for Hadadezer had wars with Tou); and he had with him all kinds of vessels of gold and silver and bronze. 11King David also dedicated these to Yahweh, with the silver and the gold that he carried away from all the nations: from Edom, from Moab, from the children of Ammon, from the Philistines, and from Amalek.
12Moreover Abishai the son of Zeruiah struck eighteen thousand of the Edomites in the Valley of Salt. 13He put garrisons in Edom; and all the Edomites became servants to David. Yahweh gave victory to David wherever he went.
14David reigned over all Israel; and he executed justice and righteousness for all his people. 15Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; 16Zadok the son of Ahitub and Abimelech the son of Abiathar were priests; Shavsha was scribe; 17and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and the sons of David were chief officials serving the king.
King David's son, Solomon, was born of Bathsheba (2 Sam. 5:14). Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all of Israel for 40 years circa 971-931 B.C.. Solomon was graciously blessed by God to become the wisest man ever to live. (1 Kings 3:1-15; Eccl. 2:9) Being the kingly son of David, Solomon also received the benefits of the Davidic Covenant. (1 Chron. 17:1-27; Psa. 89) He and his kingdom of peace (1 Kings 4:20-25) thus became a Messianic type of God's coming eschatological kingom prophesied throughout the Old Testament (Isa. 2:1-4; 11:1-10) - the very kingdom offered by Jesus to the nation of Israel in the New Testament. (Mark 1:14-15; Luke 1:29-33) Solomon also built the first Jerusalem Temple that remained until the time of the Babylonian invasion when King Nebuchadnezzar destroyed it in 586 B.C.. (1-2 Kings) Solomon became a prolific author of Scripture who wrote much of the book of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Psalm 72, and Psalm 127. According to Jewish tradition, the final version of the book of Job may also have been put together by Solomon and/or during the time of his adminstration. Solomon's reign was internationally renowned at the time for being a most glorious kingdom so that Israel became a Messianic light to the nations. (1 Kings 10; 2 Chron. 9:22) Late in life, however, Solomon contradicted his own wisdom by disobeying the Lord. In disobedience to the Torah, Solomon multiplied horses, wives, and gold for himself. (Deut. 17:14-20; 2 Chron. 9:13-28) Worst of all, he imported idolatry into Israel through his international marriage alliances. (1 Kings 11:1-8) His secular kingdom pursuits also dulled his earlier spirituality. (Eccl. 2:1-7) Because of Solomon's disobedience, God divided the great unity achieved by King David, but waited until after his death to do so (1 Kings 11-12). After Solomon's death, Israel will be divided between the north and south, between what was called the northern kingom of Israel/Ephraim and the southern kingdom of Judah.