The Aramaic Bible · the Prophets
Targum Jonathan on the Prophets 2 Samuel · chapter 8
Aramaic public domain · English where it exists, else the Bible (BSB)What is the Aramaic Bible?
After the exile, most Jews spoke Aramaic, not Hebrew, so in the synagogue each Scripture reading was followed by an Aramaic translation read aloud, so ordinary people could follow. Those translations are the Aramaic Bible. Scholars call them the Targums.
Why it’s worth reading: a Targum doesn’t just translate, it quietly explains as it goes. So it’s a window into how the first Jewish readers actually understood a passage. Famously, the Aramaic of Isaiah 53 names the servant “the Messiah” outright.
Tap any Aramaic word to trace it to its Jastrow dictionary entry.
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Some time later, David defeated the Philistines, subdued them, and took Metheg-ammah from the hand of the Philistines.
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David 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.
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David also defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, who had marched out to restore his dominion along the Euphrates River.
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David captured from him a thousand chariots, seven thousand charioteers, and twenty thousand foot soldiers, and he hamstrung all the horses except a hundred he kept for the chariots.
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When the Arameans of Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand of their men.
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Then 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.
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And David took the gold shields that belonged to the officers of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem.
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And from Betah and Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took a large amount of bronze.
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When King Toi of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer,
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he sent his son Joram to greet King David and bless him for fighting and defeating Hadadezer, who had been at war with Toi. Joram brought with him articles of silver and gold and bronze,
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and King David dedicated these to the LORD, along with the silver and gold he had dedicated from all the nations he had subdued—
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from Edom and Moab, from the Ammonites and Philistines and Amalekites, and from the spoil of Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.
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And David made a name for himself when he returned from striking down eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.
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He placed garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites were subject to David. So the LORD made David victorious wherever he went.
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Thus David reigned over all Israel and administered justice and righteousness for all his people:
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Joab son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder;
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Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests; Seraiah was the scribe;
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Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and Pelethites; and David’s sons were priestly leaders.
Aramaic. Targum Jonathan to the Prophets, Aramaic: 'Mikraot Gedolot' (public domain), served by the Sefaria v3 API (sefaria.org)
English. The Masoretic verse (Berean Standard Bible, public domain), shown for reference, Targum Jonathan is the ancient Aramaic rendering of this verse.
We show the license-cleared original Aramaic and an established English translation, each Aramaic word traceable to a public-domain lexicon. We never machine-translate a primary text.