David’s victory over the Edomites is a fulfillment of the promise and prophecy made in Numbers 24:17–19,1 and it serves to highlight the faithfulness of the Lord.2 When the Edomites are subject to David, they are required to give him tribute. We are not given specific details of the kind of tribute which the Edomites gave to David. In the ancient Near East, tribute typically included valuable goods such as gold, silver, bronze, livestock, and other agricultural products.
14 Then he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom he put garrisons, and all the Edomites became David’s servants. And the LORD gave victory to David wherever he went.