English · ASV

1 Chronicles 18

Listen to this chapter
0:00 0:00

David's Victories Over Neighboring Nations 1–8

1
And after this it came to pass, that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them, and took Gath and its towns out of the hand of the Philistines. ​
2
And he smote Moab; and the Moabites became servants to David, and brought tribute. ​
3
And David smote Hadarezer king of Zobah unto Hamath, as he went to establish his dominion by the river Euphrates. ​
4
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. ​
5
And when the Syrians of Damascus came to succor Hadarezer king of Zobah, David smote of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.
6
Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became servants to David, and brought tribute. And Jehovah gave victory to David whithersoever he went. ​
7
And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadarezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.
8
And from Tibhath and from Cun, cities of Hadarezer, David took very much brass, wherewith Solomon made the brazen sea, and the pillars, and the vessels of brass. ​

Tribute from Hamath and Dedication of Spoils 9–13

9
And when Tou king of Hamath heard that David had smitten all the host of Hadarezer king of Zobah,
10
he sent Hadoram his son to king David, to salute him, and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadarezer and smitten him (for Hadarezer had wars with Tou); and he had with him all manner of vessels of gold and silver and brass.
11
These also did king David dedicate unto Jehovah, with the silver and the gold that he carried away from all the nations; from Edom, and from Moab, and from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines, and from Amalek. ​
12
Moreover Abishai the son of Zeruiah smote of the Edomites in the Valley of Salt eighteen thousand. ​
13
And he put garrisons in Edom; and all the Edomites became servants to David. And Jehovah gave victory to David whithersoever he went.

David's Administration and Officials 14–17

14
And David reigned over all Israel; and he executed justice and righteousness unto all his people. ​
15
And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder;
16
and Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Abimelech the son of Abiathar, were priests; and Shavsha was scribe; ​
17
and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and the sons of David were chief about the king. ​

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for 1 Chronicles 18

Verse 1

Gath and her towns — Literally 'Gath and her daughters', the villages around it. Gath was Goliath's city (1 Sam 17:4) and the one where David had lived under Achish (1 Sam 27:2–3). 'Subdued' is kana', to bring low. The parallel account names the place taken as Methegammah (2 Sam 8:1).

Verse 2

brought gifts — Minchah, the word for a grain offering in the law, here used of tribute. It is the word for the 'presents' the children of Belial withheld from Saul (1 Sam 10:27). Moab, which had been where David left his parents (1 Sam 22:3–4), now sends its tribute to him.

Verse 3

Hadarezer king of Zobah — He is smitten 'unto Hamath' as one goes 'to stablish his dominion by the river Euphrates', which may refer to David or to Hadarezer. The Euphrates is the boundary promised to Abram: 'from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates' (Gen 15:18).

Verse 4

David also houghed all the chariot horses — Aqar, to hamstring, the act the LORD commanded of Joshua: 'thou shalt hough their horses, and burn their chariots with fire' (Josh 11:6). David keeps a hundred chariots only. The law forbade the king to 'multiply horses to himself' (Deut 17:16), and 'the horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD' (Prov 21:31).

Verse 6

Thus the LORD preserved David — Yasha', to save or give victory, in the line repeated at v.13. The Syrians of Damascus 'became David's servants', which David had sung in Ps 18:43, 'a people whom I have not known shall serve me'. The summary credits the LORD for each victory.

Verse 8

wherewith Solomon made the brasen sea — Samuel records only that David took 'exceeding much brass' from Betah and Berothai (2 Sam 8:8). Here its use is named: Solomon's 'molten sea' of ten cubits across (2 Chr 4:2), with the pillars (2 Chr 4:12) and the vessels. The cities appear as Tibhath and Chun.

Verse 11

dedicated unto the LORD — Qadash, to set apart as holy. The spoils of five nations, Edom, Moab, Ammon, the Philistines and Amalek, were set aside; 'out of the spoils won in battles did they dedicate to maintain the house of the LORD' (1 Chr 26:27), under Shelomith, who held 'the treasures of the dedicated things' (1 Chr 26:26).

Verse 12

the valley of salt — Abishai, Joab's brother (1 Chr 2:16), leads against Edom, as he led part of the army in 1 Chr 19:11. 2 Sam 8:13 gives the same figure of eighteen thousand when David 'gat him a name'. Amaziah later 'smote of the children of Seir ten thousand' in the same valley (2 Chr 25:11).

Verse 14

judgment and justice — Mishpat and tsedaqah, which is also rendered 'righteousness'. The near pair tsedeq and mishpat ('Justice and judgment') is the 'habitation' of the LORD's throne in Ps 89:14, and of David's heir: 'the Branch of righteousness… shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land' (Jer 33:15). It sums up the reign after the conquests.

Verse 16

Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Abimelech the son of Abiathar — The parallel list gives 'Ahimelech the son of Abiathar' (2 Sam 8:17; 1 Chr 24:6), though 1 Sam 22:20 names Abiathar as son of Ahimelech. Zadok later takes Abiathar's place (1 Kings 2:35). Shavsha is the 'scribe' (saphar, to write or count).

Verse 17

the Cherethites and the Pelethites — David's guard under Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. They go with the king when he leaves Jerusalem (2 Sam 15:18) and escort Solomon to his anointing (1 Kings 1:44). 'Chief about the king' is literally 'the first at the king's hand' (rishon, yad): David's sons hold the places nearest him.