1 Chronicles18
New King James Version
1After this it came to pass that David attacked the Philistines, subdued them, and took Gath and its towns from the hand of the Philistines.
2Then he defeated Moab, and the Moabites became David’s servants, and brought tribute.
3And David defeated Hadadezer king of Zobah as far as Hamath, as he went to establish his power by the River Euphrates.
4David took from him one thousand chariots, seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand foot soldiers. Also David hamstrung all the chariot horses, except that he spared enough of them for one hundred chariots.
5When the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David killed twenty-two thousand of the Syrians.
6Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became David’s servants, and brought tribute. So the Lord preserved David wherever he went.
7And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.
8Also from Tibhath and from Chun, cities of Hadadezer, David brought a large amount of bronze, with which Solomon made the bronze Sea, the pillars, and the articles of bronze.
9Now when Tou king of Hamath heard that David had defeated all the army of Hadadezer king of Zobah,
10he sent Hadoram his son to King David, to greet him and bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him (for Hadadezer had been at war with Tou); and Hadoram brought with him all kinds of articles of gold, silver, and bronze.
11King David also dedicated these to the Lord, along with the silver and gold that he had brought from all these nations—from Edom, from Moab, from the people of Ammon, from the Philistines, and from Amalek.
12Moreover Abishai the son of Zeruiah killed eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.
13He also put garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites became David’s servants. And the Lord preserved David wherever he went.
14So David reigned over all Israel, and administered judgment and justice to 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 the priests; Shavsha was the scribe;
17Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were chief ministers at the king’s side.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for 1 Chronicles 18.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: David's victories. (1-17).
vv1-17
This chapter is the same as 2Sa 8. Our good fight of faith, under the Captain of our salvation, will end in everlasting triumph and peace. The happiness of Israel, through David's victories, and just government, faintly shadowed forth the happiness of the redeemed in the realms above.
Key Words
אַחַר: properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after (in various senses)
כֵּן: properly, set upright; hence (figuratively as adjective) just; but usually (as adverb or conjunction) rightly or so (in various applications to manner, time and relation; often with other particles)
דָּוִד: David, the youngest son of Jesse
נָכָה: to strike (lightly or severely, literally or figuratively)
פְּלִשְׁתִּי: a Pelishtite or inhabitant of Pelesheth
כָּנַע: properly, to bend the knee; hence, to humiliate, vanquish
לָקַח: to take (in the widest variety of applications)
גַּת: Gath, a Philistine city
בַּת: a daughter (used in the same wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and figuratively)
מִן: properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses
Cross References
1 Chronicles 18Direct parallel account of David's conquest of Gath and the Philistines.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
Direct parallel details of David's war with Hadadezer/Hadarezer king of Zobah.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Parallel text exhibiting the textual variation between seven hundred and seven thousand horsemen.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Parallel listing Betah and Berothai for the source cities of David's brass.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Parallel recording of David putting garrisons in Edom and the Lord preserving him.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Direct parallel for David's execution of judgment and justice over all Israel.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Direct parallel listing Zadok, Ahimelech/Abimelech, and the scribe.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Direct parallel detailing the Cherethites, Pelethites, and David's sons.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Direct parallel detailing the defeat of Moab and imposition of tribute.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Direct parallel recording Tou (or Toi) king of Hamath's reaction.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Fulfillment of God's covenant promise to extend Israel's border to the Euphrates.
Supported by JFB
Divine command to hough horses, which David obeys here with the captured chariots.
Provides historical background on Joab and the conquest of the Edomites.
Supported by JFB
Identifies the Cherethites associated with the Philistine territory from David's early years.
Supported by JFB
Fulfillment of Balaam's prophecy that a sceptre would rise out of Israel to smite Moab.
Supported by JFB