1 Chronicles 18:4

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: David also houghed all the chariot [horses], but reserved of them an hundred chariots.

Complete Jewish Bible:

David captured 1,000 chariots, 7,000 horsemen and 20,000 foot soldiers. He reserved enough horses for 100 chariots and disabled the rest.

Berean Standard Bible:

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.

American Standard Version:

And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen; and David hocked all the chariot horses, but reserved of them for a hundred chariots.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

And David^{H1732} took^{H3920} from him a thousand^{H505} chariots^{H7393}, and seven^{H7651} thousand^{H505} horsemen^{H6571}, and twenty^{H6242} thousand^{H505} footmen^{{H376}{H7273}}: David^{H1732} also houghed^{H6131} all the chariot^{H7393} horses, but reserved^{H3498} of them an hundred^{H3967} chariots^{H7393}.

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Commentary for 1 Chronicles 18:4

1 Chronicles 18:4 is part of a larger narrative that details the military campaigns of King David, highlighting his victories and the expansion of his kingdom. The verse specifically recounts the aftermath of David's defeat of Hadadezer, king of Zobah, an Aramean state to the northeast of Israel. In the context of ancient warfare, the acquisition of chariots, horsemen, and footmen would have significantly bolstered David's military strength.

The act of David taking a thousand chariots, seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen from Hadadezer underscores the scale of his victory and the subsequent increase in his military resources. Chariots were a symbol of power and a key component of the military technology of the time, serving as a mobile platform for archers and providing a psychological edge in battle. Horsemen would have been valuable for their speed and mobility, while footmen represented the backbone of the infantry.

David's decision to hamstring all the chariot horses, except for a reserve of a hundred chariots, is particularly noteworthy. Hamstringing, or "hougheding," involved severing the tendons at the back of the horses' legs, rendering them useless for military purposes. This act was likely a strategic choice to prevent the horses from being used against him in future conflicts, while also serving as a demonstration of his complete dominance over the defeated enemy. The sparing of a hundred chariots suggests a balance between military pragmatism and the display of power; David kept a functional chariot force for his own use, while disabling the rest to ensure the supremacy of his rule.

In summary, 1 Chronicles 18:4 reflects the themes of military conquest, the expansion of King David's influence, and the strategic management of resources in the aftermath of victory. It also illustrates the harsh realities of warfare in the ancient Near East, where the total subjugation of an enemy was often seen as necessary for securing and maintaining power. The historical context of this verse is set during the United Monarchy period, when David was consolidating his kingdom and establishing Israel as a significant power in the region.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H1732
   There are 911 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: דָּוִד
   Transliteration: Dâvid
   Pronunciation: daw-veed'
   Description: rarely (fully); דָּוִיד; from the same as דּוֹד; loving; David, the youngest son of Jesse; David.
   
2. Strong's Number: H3920
   There are 112 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: לָכַד
   Transliteration: lâkad
   Pronunciation: law-kad'
   Description: a primitive root; to catch (in a net, trap or pit); generally, to capture or occupy; also to choose (by lot); figuratively, to cohere; [idiom] at all, catch (self), be frozen, be holden, stick together, take.
   
3. Strong's Number: H505
   There are 496 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אֶלֶף
   Transliteration: ʼeleph
   Pronunciation: eh'-lef
   Description: prop, the same as אֶלֶף; hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousand; thousand.
   
4. Strong's Number: H7393
   There are 104 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: רֶכֶב
   Transliteration: rekeb
   Pronunciation: reh'-keb
   Description: from רָכַב; a vehicle; by implication, a team; by extension, cavalry; by analogy a rider, i.e. the upper millstone; chariot, (upper) millstone, multitude (from the margin), wagon.
   
5. Strong's Number: H7651
   There are 345 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שֶׁבַע
   Transliteration: shebaʻ
   Pronunciation: sheh'-bah
   Description: or (masculine) (שִׁבְעָה); from שָׁבַע; a primitive cardinal number; seven (as the sacred full one); also (adverbially) seven times; by implication, a week; by extension, an indefinite number; ([phrase] by) seven(-fold),-s, (-teen, -teenth), -th, times). Compare שִׁבְעָנָה.
   
6. Strong's Number: H6571
   There are 54 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: פָּרָשׁ
   Transliteration: pârâsh
   Pronunciation: paw-rawsh'
   Description: from פָּרָשׁ; (compare סוּס); a steed (as stretched out to a vehicle, not single nor for mounting ); also (by implication) a driver (in a chariot), i.e. (collectively) cavalry; horseman.
   
7. Strong's Number: H6242
   There are 281 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: עֶשְׂרִים
   Transliteration: ʻesrîym
   Pronunciation: es-reem'
   Description: from עֶשֶׂר; twenty; also (ordinal) twentieth; (six-) score, twenty(-ieth).
   
8. Strong's Number: H376
   There are 1507 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אִישׁ
   Transliteration: ʼîysh
   Pronunciation: eesh
   Description: contracted for אֱנוֹשׁ (or perhaps rather from an unused root meaning to be extant); a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation); also, another, any (man), a certain, [phrase] champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), [phrase] none, one, people, person, [phrase] steward, what (man) soever, whoso(-ever), worthy. Compare אִשָּׁה.
   
9. Strong's Number: H7273
   There are 12 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: רַגְלִי
   Transliteration: raglîy
   Pronunciation: rag-lee'
   Description: from רֶגֶל; a footman (soldier); (on) foot(-man).
   
10. Strong's Number: H6131
    There are 7 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: עָקַר
    Transliteration: ʻâqar
    Pronunciation: aw-kar'
    Description: a primitive root; to pluck up (especially by the roots); specifically, to hamstring; figuratively, to exterminate; dig down, hough, pluck up, root up.
    
11. Strong's Number: H3498
    There are 101 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: יָתַר
    Transliteration: yâthar
    Pronunciation: yaw-thar'
    Description: a primitive root; to jut over or exceed; by implication, to excel; (intransitively) to remain or be left; causatively, to leave, cause to abound, preserve; excel, leave (a remnant), left behind, too much, make plenteous, preserve, (be, let) remain(-der, -ing, -nant), reserve, residue, rest.
    
12. Strong's Number: H3967
    There are 512 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: מֵאָה
    Transliteration: mêʼâh
    Pronunciation: may-aw'
    Description: or מֵאיָה; properly, a primitive numeral; a hundred; also as a multiplicative and a fraction; hundred((-fold), -th), [phrase] sixscore.